AL:Robber Drops Gun, Wallet, Retreating from Armed Victim

Gun Watch ^ | 15 August, 2014 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Most criminals do not expect to confront armed victims.   The reason is simple: they do not want to get shot, so they avoid people they know to be armed.  In this case, the would be robber was surprised by an occupant of the apartment that had his own pistol.   It became a standoff, with neither party willing to open fire.

The robber wisely retreated before someone decided that gunfire was desirable, tripped on the way out, and dropped his pistol and wallet before running off.

At least, that is  the story in al.com:

The robber started backing out of the apartment, tripped, fell, dropped his pistol and his wallet, which he left behind when he fled, Huntsville police said.

I am not sure why the robber would be carrying his wallet to a robbery, or why he would have it in such a way that when he tripped, he would drop it.  Many criminals' guns either cannot fire, are unloaded, or have the wrong ammunition.

It does make a funny story.

 ©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

[military cop]

Roll Tide.

RLTW

[JimSEA]

Most criminals are really, really stupid.

[metmom]

Why report the incident at all?

Just keep the dropped handgun. He would know better than to come back and ask for it back and HE isn’t going to report it to the police.

Gun? What gun? I didn’t see any gun....

[sr4402]

John Douglas, the FBI Profiler, would say that it goes along with the childish attitude “I can take anything I want”. Then the greed, and maybe not being caught or confronted, keeps the snowball rolling to bigger and bigger grabs as the thrill to the lesser grabs is gone.

He says most criminals are not the masterminds shown on TV. Most do not have intricate thinking, but develop something that seems to work and then keep following and developing from that.

[from occupied ga]

Why report the incident at all? Just keep the dropped handgun?

Couple of reasons:

1. It's a handgun from a criminal. A probably stolen, so you're keeping something that really belongs to someone else
2. You don't know the history of the firearm. May have been used in murder or robbery, and the boys in blue catch you with it rather than figure our who commited the crime they decide to pin it on you and manufacture their case from that
3. The robber may come back to retrieve his stuff and he may come better prepared - better if you let the police deal with him before you become a second target.

Just a few thoughts on why you should report it.

[G Larry]

I can’t imagine drawing on an armed intruder and not firing.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This sounds a bit like an “anti-robbery”, I guess, coining a new term for it. And it is not uncommon.

You get the drop on an armed robber, who for whatever reason decides to surrender, so you order him to drop his gun *and* his wallet and skedaddle. Not a bad technique, really, if you just cleaned your carpet.

Importantly, the big issue is your judgment call as to why you did not decrement society of an armed robber who will live to perhaps rob again, when you had the chance. Perhaps they look young, or particularly pitiful, or you are prone to guilt or religion, or there are young children about.

[metmom]

There’s always the risk with stand your ground laws.

Here in the People’s republic of NY, you’re really better off NOT shooting for the grief it’ll cause you.

Even if you are being attacked, you are expected to retreat.
There was an incident in a community nearby where the attacker was on drugs, had a violent history, and was actively attacking, and there was concern that the homeowners who defended themselves could be arrested and charged for not trying more.

Pinging a couple other FReepers who may remember this incident. It happened in the Phoenix area, near the Oswego River, IIRC.

[cloudmountain]

Couple of reasons:
It's a handgun from a criminal. A probably stolen, so you're keeping something that really belongs to someone else
You don't know the history of the firearm. May have been used in murder or robbery, and the boys in blue catch you with it rather than figure our who commited the crime they decide to pin it on you and manufacture their case from that
The robber may come back to retrieve his stuff and he may come better prepared - better if you let the police deal with him before you become a second target.
Just a few thoughts on why you should report it.

ALL excellent reasons for reporting the encounter.
Well put.

[cloudmountain]

Heck of a way to live.

Maybe he should think about moving to a safer city, town or village. It might be worth it as he grows older.

[Mastador1]

Many criminals' guns either cannot fire, are unloaded, or have the wrong ammunition.

Riiiight! I guess their swaying that you shouldn't pull your own gun to defend yourself because many criminals are just poor inept losers whose guns pose you no risk at all. Sorry, you come into my home with something that looks like a gun, I will drop you first and then look to see if you especially stupid or just normal stupid.

[MrB]

Really not something I would bet on, eh?

All guns are loaded and deadly to anything they are pointed at.

This has to be the assumption.