Purse snatch at Wal-Mart. What would you have done?

[Mr.ViperBoa]

Yesterday I went in to the Wal-Mart on Cheek-Sparger Rd. in Bedford. I went in to get a RedDot for my M&P 15-22. When I finished checking out, I went to my van and was opening the new purchase to check it out when I heard some commotion behind me in the parking lot. At first I thought it was a couple of kids goofing around then I heard a woman yelling some obscenities so I got out of my van only to see her yelling at a guy at the far end of the row of cars I was in. Apparently a fine young man decided to grab her purse out of her cart while she was putting her groceries in her car. I was going to try to follow them but they were already to far gone. I kept asking myself, what if I had come out of Wal-Mart just 1 minute later than I did? I would have probably been in a situation where I could have stopped this fine young man, either with my ccw or not. What would you have done if you would have been able to do something about it? Just curious.

[WildBill]

What would you have done if you would have been able to do something about it? Just curious.

Call 911 and give a description of the persons and vehicles and watch from a safe place. Under the circumstances that you described, I wouldn't intervene.

[MoJo]

Be a good witness.

[Mr.ViperBoa]

Your both probably right, I just get sick and tired of hearing about and seeing the bad guy get away. Maybe if a few didnt get away so easily, less would try the same. I dont know......It just irritates me i guess.

[WildBill]

Your both probably right, I just get sick and tired of hearing about and seeing the bad guy get away. Maybe if a few didnt get away so easily, less would try the same. I dont know......It just irritates me i guess.

It irritates me too, but the chances of someone getting injured or killed by intervening aren't worth the risk.

[Mr.ViperBoa]

Your both probably right, I just get sick and tired of hearing about and seeing the bad guy get away. Maybe if a few didnt get away so easily, less would try the same. I dont know......It just irritates me i guess.

It irritates me too, but the chances of someone getting injured or killed by intervening aren't worth the risk.

That was the first thought what went through my mind. There were a lot of people there. I was just curious to everyone else's opinions.

[Crossfire]

Apparently a fine young man decided to grab her purse out of her cart while she was putting her groceries in her car.

She learned a hard lesson. Guys don't take their wallets out and put them in shopping carts, then turn their backs on them. Purses are more valuable than wallets, because they can also contain car keys, house keys, cell phones, ipods, etc, etc, etc.

Ladies, keep your purses on your shoulder or in your hand, all the time! Across the body shoulder bags are the most secure, and also hands-free. Most women know this.

I will bet the young punk was just cruising the Walmart parking lot, looking for the next easy target. You only have to let your guard down for a second to become a victim.

But the question was, what would you do? Same as the others. Try to be a good witness. I didn't get my CHL because I want to be a sheepdog for all of society. That's for the big boys.

[MoJo]

Another thread that has revelence to this one. viewtopic.php?f=108&t=43542&p=526189#p526189" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The danger of intervention for "stuff" are far too real.

[Barbi Q]

Another thread that has revelence to this one. viewtopic.php?f=108&t=43542&p=526189#p526189" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The danger of intervention for "stuff" are far too real.

Don't forget this one. No gun or knife. The thief ran over him with a car.
viewtopic.php?f=83&t=43142&hilit=starbucks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Texas Dan Mosby]

IMO this falls out of the scope of defense, and falls into the realm of apprehension, which is best left to LEO's.

Some points to consider.

1. Being sued for medical expenses should you use force to stop the dude.
2. Having criminal charges filed against you for excessive use of force.
3. Having to defend yourself in court for needing to use deadly force in a situation you voluntarily entered, and arguably escalated, despite having no legal duty or necessity to do so.

No thanks.

I'll be a good witness.

[gigag04]

Eh depending on my attire and equipment I'd try to hawk him down.

[HotLeadSolutions]

Eh depending on my attire and equipment I'd try to hawk him down.

Im tired of seeing young punks profit from the hard work of others.

-----------------> (Quoted from a previous post)Some points to consider.

1. Being sued for medical expenses should you use force to stop the dude. Really? Do you think that would happen? In TX we are insulated from civil liability for justified use of force.
2. Having criminal charges filed against you for excessive use of force. Again...Really? Justified use of force is spelled out pretty clearly in TX
3. Having to defend yourself in court for needing to use deadly force in a situation you voluntarily entered, and arguably escalated, despite having no legal duty or necessity to do so. Some people might not feel it necessary, some might. But when I give pursuit I am not escalating anything...When I encounter this fine young man, if he decides to produce a weapon, he has decided what his life is worth. (btw...The SCOTUS has decided that LEO's have no duty to protect citizens either....)

[Keith B]

Eh depending on my attire and equipment I'd try to hawk him down.

Im tired of seeing young punks profit from the hard work of others.

-----------------> (Quoted from a previous post)Some points to consider.

1. Being sued for medical expenses should you use force to stop the dude. Really? Do you think that would happen? In TX we are insulated from civil liability for justified use of force.
2. Having criminal charges filed against you for excessive use of force. Again...Really? Justified use of force is spelled out pretty clearly in TX
3. Having to defend yourself in court for needing to use deadly force in a situation you voluntarily entered, and arguably escalated, despite having no legal duty or necessity to do so. Some people might not feel it necessary, some might. But when I give pursuit I am not escalating anything...When I encounter this fine young man, if he decides to produce a weapon, he has decided what his life is worth. (btw...The SCOTUS has decided that LEO's have no duty to protect citizens either....)

The difference between you and gigag04 is he has a legal right to pursue and apprehend a purse snatcher if he is in his proper attire (aka LEO uniform.)

You would NOT have the legal right to pursue and use deadly force once the threat to the woman was gone. It would become a gray area REAL quick for you and the lines of justified pulling your gun would be fuzzy. So, you could end up having to defend yourself against an unjustified use of the gun and trying to scramble to prove what you did was legal.

[Barbi Q]

2. Having criminal charges filed against you for excessive use of force. Again...Really? Justified use of force is spelled out pretty clearly in TX

You're right but Mr.ViperBoa didn't say what time of day the theft happened.

[Jumping Frog]

You would NOT have the legal right to pursue and use deadly force once the threat to the woman was gone. It would become a gray area REAL quick for you and the lines of justified pulling your gun would be fuzzy. So, you could end up having to defend yourself against an unjustified use of the gun and trying to scramble to prove what you did was legal.

I forget the various conditions spelled out in the CHL course regarding the use of ordinary force (i.e., not deadly force). I recall that holding someone at gunpoint is ordinary force, not deadly force.

However, if that lady had $20 in her purse, I don't think ordinary civilians have the right to use force to detain someone for a misdemeanor. Can anyone chime in with what the law says about conditions for use of force?