Posted on 10/27/2025 4:31:19 PM PDT by know.your.why
Happened at the Bridge Street Towne Center Mall - Huntsville, Alabama. I had parked in the above ground parking garage. I was walking back towards my car (2020 Kia Optima) about 30 minutes after parking. Two young men standing outside of the garage. One was looking at his cell phone and then he addressed me: "Hi, Sir. Are you just getting off work?" I looked at him suspiciously and just said "no". When I got to my car, there was a junk car (missing on one cylinder) parked next to my drivers side and he started up his engine and drove off.
I know now that (highly suspect) the one kid asked me about getting off work to find if I'd be back there at the same time on a different day. And yes, they were all teenage-ish "Amish" males. I'm certain that the three were working as a team. Not only that, there were many suspicious looking Amish (male and female) out and about that mall that night. This alone was strange because most of the businesses close at 11pm. It was about 10:30 when I went back to my car. I bet that they all knew each other and someone spotted my Kia and made a cell call to the group that everyone knows as the "car-theft-crew".
Incidentally, these Amish kids that were hanging out as two or three here and there were all wearing matching pajama-looking pants. Must be a 'thing' for these kids these days.
I'm now looking at anti theft devices for my Kia. I'm also getting a police detective involved.
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Nope. I will not submit to thugs. I’m still going to three exceptional restaurants that are located within that venue. You, sir, can cower/hide. I will not!
Believe me I’ve fantasized about all of the things that I wish I would have said. Too bad I cant go back in time. BUT...I am going to suggest to the detective that I’ll be speaking with about setting up sting....just not with my car.
Any cameras in that garage?
Why would he leave a weapon in his Kia, one of the easiest cars to break into.
Seriously and sadly,you must never be those areas....you are risking more than your car.
And using the term Sir, was deliberately done to try to make him think they weren't really thugs. Those Yutes are good at pretending to be something they're not. I know, I worked in uniform in NY State's prison system for 25 years.
There’s a reason that most gunfights occur at a distance that’s about the same as the length of a car.
While that’s a nicer area, and has a lot of businesses around it, it’s still a place close to some less reputable areas, and easy access to several large highways.
I’ve never seen that before, but I’m not usually there after dark.
Pull a plug wire, or cop, and drive in....nobody wants a junker!
You might want to see if there's a security office that monitors the garage, and ask them if they have cameras in the garage that record the activities within the garage, and what areas they're in. If they do, they might erase it after so many hours, but maybe they'd have video from the night your were there. That's what your police detective should be checking. And if there is a security office, it wouldn't't hurt to alert them of kids hanging out there, approaching people. If you plan on going back to that garage, if they do have cameras, you might want to park so your car in a spot so your car is within range of the camera.
People might think I'm a bit paranoid about things like this, but I worked in NY State's prison system for 25 years, so I trust no one, and am always alert to who is around me. And even though I'll be starting my 23rd year of retirement, I never lost my security consciousness. I'm a 78 year old woman.
Back then we used to remind civilians to remember that not all criminals are behind bars. It's even more so today, because they don't put people away anymore.
If he was going into a restricted place with metal detectors.
You know...you’re right!! If it is covered, that car that was parked next to me could be ID’d. Same for the two punks standing outside. Great idea! TY!
When a hood rat talks that way on his own turf, on a dark street at night - you know something is up.
Yeop. Lotta ppl on this thread seem to have a disturbingly low sense situational awareness. Seems like they make really good potential victims.
Or move to Northern New England.
Honestly, on the rare occasions that I venture out into the formerly united States, I cannot believe that people actually have to live the way they do.
Trunk Monkey. Works really well.
On a serious note, you can’t be parking anything where you know a car theft crew is working. You need to call your local cops and basically read your post to them. If they dont care, the sheriffs. If they dont your local fbi because its probably RICO as well.
They just cut the steering wheel.
Hope it works out for you. If anything, you’re alert to the possibility of people at that garage that likely have nefarious plans. There was no reason for that kid to approach you, or even talk to you. He was pumping you for information. It’s a good thing you told him no.
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