Armed Robbery right in front of my office

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by austin552

Sure the two guys weren't getting their purse back from the lady?

best quote of the thread.

Unfortunately Burnin' doesn't live in West Hollywood...

[campbellcj]

Originally Posted by nostatic

best quote of the thread.

Unfortunately Burnin' doesn't live in West Hollywood...

+1 to that...hilarious and has probably happened numerous times.

Seriously though, here in Cali you would likely be sued by one or both parties and also arrested if you intervened in a situation like this via the use of deadly force. If an immediate family member is being threatened with imminent death or severe bodily harm, that's about the only situation where you might be free and clear legally.

[speeder]

I chased down a purse snatcher once in L.A. Long story but he pulled a gun on me so I dropped the chase, cops grabbed him up shortly after. Gun turned out to be fake, (real genius this guy), it looked 100% real from 20 feet away. Prop gun or something, looked like my Glock.

Turned out he grabbed the purse from a pufter, not a woman. I shyt you not.

[look 171]

One time I saw a young man running with a weapon of some sort to a waiting car from a little market with people yelling and screaming after him as I was pulling into a starbucks in the same mall. I followed that car and called 911. The Freaking operator ask so many damn questions such as did you see the man rob the store? Did you see the gun? How do you know he robbed the store? The same thing over and over again. I felt like if I was the criminal. I follow them for more then 5 miles when I was in the phone. not once did the operator say that he will send the cops. I have to give the location of the car and licence plate 4-5 times. I don't think he ever wrote it down. He did seem to care but kept drilling me about how do i know if they were the robbers and if I see it happened. Pissed me off. You try to be a good citizen and the cops don't want to take the info to catch someone. I hate to say this, unless its happening to me falily or friends, no more calls or help for anybody. try and be good and no one gives a sh#t.

[jeffgrant]

Originally Posted by look 171

One time I saw a young man running with a weapon of some sort to a waiting car from a little market with people yelling and screaming after him as I was pulling into a starbucks in the same mall. I followed that car and called 911. The Freaking operator ask so many damn questions such as did you see the man rob the store? Did you see the gun? How do you know he robbed the store? The same thing over and over again. I felt like if I was the criminal. I follow them for more then 5 miles when I was in the phone. not once did the operator say that he will send the cops. I have to give the location of the car and licence plate 4-5 times. I don't think he ever wrote it down. He did seem to care but kept drilling me about how do i know if they were the robbers and if I see it happened. Pissed me off. You try to be a good citizen and the cops don't want to take the info to catch someone. I hate to say this, unless its happening to me falily or friends, no more calls or help for anybody. try and be good and no one gives a sh#t.

Odds are he was trying to get a thorough description on tape so that it would be admissible in court. Real time, taped description of what is going down is worth WAY more in court than a remembered description and a bunch of "I thinks" even an hour later.

Most 911 operators are trained pretty well on what types of questions to ask in various situations, at least in our neck of the woods.

And it saddens me that you wouldn't even pick up the phone to help someone just because YOU are being put out by having to answer a few questions. Especially if you don't stop to think that, even if it was just as you describe, it was just one idiot having a bad day and not "the norm".

For all we know, you may have been overly excited yourself, being all wrapped up in a car chase and all, and might not have been as coherent as you now think you were.

Just sayin'.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

The Dow is at 7484 as I type this.

Economy tanking.

Layoffs.

...assume more armed robberies, etc. to follow.

Even Girl Scouts are targeted, although this time without the use of guns:

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Girl-Scouts-robbed-as-they-sell-cookies-outside/qqnmg6g66E-A34NOkFWAFQ.cspx

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by the

In a state like arizona or texas, where people pack heat, if you saw this happening would it be legal for you to shoot the robbers?

You can certainly hold them at gunpoint for the police. I've done that a couple times over the years.