Posted on 11/09/2008 7:01:30 AM PST by Battle Axe
Last night while trying to get on FR, I was chatting on the phone with an old neighbor. I heard two very loud bangs. I got up and tried to see in the dark, 8:50 p.m. EST, what was going on.
I saw a man going through the dumpster in the back of the pharmacy. Then he disappeared between the bank and the pharmacy, went to the dumpster again and emerged with a boot size box wrapped in maybe a sweatshirt, or clothing of some kind.
He then went to the glassed in area behind the pharmacy and paused as if he had a key to the place and then entered the glassed in area. Still carrying this cloth covered shoe sized box, he BEGAN TO BEAT ON THE GLASS DOORS THAT LEAD INTO THE PHARMACY. Same loud bangs, same length between them. He had it in his right hand so I assume he is right handed.
Instinct took over and I ran outside and began yelling at him. He stopped and ran out of the glassed in area and out into the street and disappeared into the alley.
I was on the phone to 9-11 reporting all this when a blue car emerged from the other side of the alley and took off going west. I was describing all this to the 9-11 operator when another car, that I had not seen before started up from by the dumpster (there is a dark area there) and took off through the bank parking lot and down to the same street only going in the opposite direction.
First police car arrived about 30 seconds after the 2nd car had left and the police car took off after it.
Long story short. The first two bangs had broken the glass door of the glass porch, the light on that side had been disabled. When I yelled the man ran through the broken glass door and cut himself. So they have blood evidence.
Soon cops all over.
My question....should I have let them break into the pharmacy and then called the cops???? The remodeling project was complelted on our little pharmacy just three weeks ago.
I have mixed feelings. They would have caught them in there, but there could have been a gun battle etc. They could have set the place on fire, made a huge mess etc.
Was my instince correct to yell at them? The cops that talked to me said I did it right. My other neighbor says I should have let them break in.
What do Freepers say? Especially Police Freepers.
I'll know more later and will report back.
You did right. As soon as you were sure there was a crime in progress, you called 911. It would be foolish to try to “time” your call.
That said, I hope you always had an easy escape route available when you confronted the thief, especially since you were unarmed. You truly never know how a perp will react to being caught.
He did break in. He broke the outer door. Good enough in my book. It was locked and the business was closed. So that is a break in. Now the blood evidence.
I guess the police were busy talking to all juveniles in the area looking for cuts.
I do not think I was in any danger at all. I was right in front of my business and could have locked myself in. The police were right there. My car right outside, I could have retreated to my car and taken off.
They don’t call me Battle Axe for nothing.....
You did good...and I love your nic!
In real life there is no “right” answer.
“My question....should I have let them break into the pharmacy and then called the cops”
You should have notified the authorities, which you did, as should as you realized a crime was in progress. Just remember any confrontation can result in a violent response from the criminal, be prepared to use deadly force or evade the attack.
A local man interrupted a break-in of his son’s house, they ran and he chased them (he was not armed), only to be greeted with a hail of gunfire (he was not hit). Less than an hour later they abducted a woman from a nearby Walmart (her car was recovered but her body has never been found). In this case, if the man would have had his shotgun with him, the woman would got in her car and drove home, without a thought of what could have happened.
One can only hope that the perp bled to death in an alley somewhere, or at least, his cut gets infected and he rots somewhere. That would be justice!!
I would have definitely called the cops first without question. It would have given the cops a head start, so regardless of what happened in your encounter with the miscreant you would have known that help was on the way. Then again I am not sure I would have confronted them at all. I mean what if they were armed and started shooting at you (I am assuming you weren’t armed yourself). And finally, you were afraid that the cops would have engaged them in a gun battle ? Who were you afraid for ? This is what cops are paid and trained to do. They are professionals. Of course this is all armchair decision making. If I were in your place at the time I just may have done the same thing you did !
Of course!
But from what I hear there are long lines in gunshops all across America since Black Tuesday.
As it is, your neighbor has no business telling you what you SHOULD have done. Under the influence of adrenaline, we are not always capable of measuring the outcomes of the various options available to us at that moment. This person is likely to be caught at some point in the future, attempting to break in elsewhere, so regret is pointless. Glad you were unharmed.
You did right.
Don't you know this is the Era of Obama? You should have grabbed your wallet and shared enough of your wealth with the crook to encourage him to stop and give thanks to almight 'O'. /sarc/
The have the blood so I think they will catch him. Our state has a data base of who is who in the crime world. It will be interesting to know.
P. S. I don’t share well. Toys, pets, money you name it.
Get a 12 ga and keep it loaded where you can get at it easily. You’ve made yourself “known” to the perps and it sounds as if your neighbors won’t exactly be helpful if the scum come back. Good luck. Watch your back.
Hi Battle axe.......me myself and I would of just called the cops without saying anything to them.
Also.....next time —I would think twice of letting the perp see you....now you’re a witness that he will recognize..
I had a similar situation about 15 years ago. A thief was stealing tools from a construction site next door to me. I watched him take the tools and put them in his garage across the alley. He took many trips back and forth. I called the police and they came right away and nabbed him in the act.
I’m not about to criticize you for the way you did it. It’s a judgment call. What if the guy broke in and left before the police got there (sometimes the police in the area are on another call and can’t get there right away).
Thanks for being a good citizen
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