Suspect Robs 3 In Highland Park At Gun Point

[Wildscar]

Suspect Robs 3 In Highland Park At Gun Point

http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_183224550.html


HIGHLAND PARK Highland Park police say four robbers held up a cab driver and two passengers at gunpoint.

It happened in an alley behind an apartment complex along the 4500 block of Abbott Avenue.

Matt Thompson said as soon as he got out of the cab, a man demanded money. At first, he said he didn't realize what was happening.

"Then another guy with him came around with a shotgun, and I realized he wasn't playing around," said Thompson.

It was around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, and Thompson says he and a woman had just taken a cab to his apartment. The complex backs up to the popular Katy Trail.

Thompson says he told the robbers that after a night of partying, he had no cash left. That's when he says the suspect slapped him on the cheek with the barrel of the gun.

Then Thompson said the gunman held up the cab driver, who was still in the alley, and stole the $160 he was carrying.

The cab driver declined an on-camera interview.

Thompson says the thieves then stole the woman's purse, but not without a fight.

"Sarah was trying to hold on her purse," said Thompson. But then he said she "kind of got dragged down the alley."

She suffered minor injuries.

As for Thompson, he says he's getting back to painting his newly purchased condo so he can finally move in.

"The more I thought about it... the more frightening it is," said Thompson. "You just never expect a shot gun pulled on you at the end of an evening."

Highland Park police have few leads to catch these four men. But the cab driver says he saw the men drive off in a late 1990's Mazda MPV minivan. It's either dark blue, gray or silver.

Call me old fashioned but I dont think I would have let the girl that I was with be dragged down the ally. I know it was 4 with a shot gun on 1 but still.

[govnor]

Man, I used to live RIGHT THERE!!! I used to walk down that alley in the middle of the night all the time to get some smokes or beer from the 7-11 over there. Geez. It is normally a very safe area, but the ghetto is just down the street...

[TX Rancher]

Basically a bad situation, tactically speaking, and it could have turned out a whole lot worse (like three dead folks on the side of the road and the BG’s still make off with the cabby’s money and the girl’s purse).

I hear ya Wildscar, and find no fault with the sentiment. I too was brought up you protect women, all elderly, and children, as I suspect you were. But isn’t it possible that any aggressive action on the guys part could have lead to the female losing her life, along with his and the cabby’s?

The article doesn’t mention any weapons other then the one presented by the BG, so let’s assume the three victims are unarmed (no firearms, knifes, OC spray, etc.). It’s also probably safe to assume that at least some of the other BG’s were carrying some form of weapon (knifes, clubs, etc) since it would seem odd to come to a robbery completely disarmed.

Also, the girl is not the target. She’s being dragged into the alley since she won’t let go of the purse. She has some level of culpability in this situation…kudos to the girl for not being a sheep, but it did take the confrontation into a different area so she has to take some responsibility for what comes after.

Given the scenario, I don’t think the guy had many viable options. Telling the girl to let go of the purse may have been wise, but any movement by the GG towards the girl could have been interpreted as aggression and been rewarded with a shotgun blast, and once blood is spilled, situations have a way of going downhill fast for witnesses (the girl and the cabby).

While I don’t generally advocate giving in to the BG’s, there are situations where tactically it makes sense to “give them what they ask for� and wait for a more opportune time to act.

Having said that, given the same situation with me inserted (as either cabby or date) I would have let my morals/ethics get in the way and gone to the girl’s defense…and possibly made the situation a lot worse and very doubtful I would have made it better.

Depending on how I read the situation and BG's mindset, I may have reacted when he put the gun to my cheek. After all, if I think I'm going to die, what do I have to lose by reacting?

Now if I was armed with my normal carry, that’s a different tactical situation…

[RPBrown]

Man, I used to live RIGHT THERE!!! I used to walk down that alley in the middle of the night all the time to get some smokes or beer from the 7-11 over there. Geez. It is normally a very safe area, but the ghetto is just down the street...

Goes to show that there is no such thing as a safe area anymore. Sad isn't it.

Thats why I carry everwhere I go.

[govnor]

Man, I used to live RIGHT THERE!!! I used to walk down that alley in the middle of the night all the time to get some smokes or beer from the 7-11 over there. Geez. It is normally a very safe area, but the ghetto is just down the street...

Goes to show that there is no such thing as a safe area anymore. Sad isn't it.

Thats why I carry everwhere I go.

True. That particular area is the "safest" place in Dallas though. I once called the cops over there on a suspicious vehicle and they arrived in less than a minute. HP has their own police force. I have to think that Dallas is becoming worse all around. When I lived over there I never heard about too many problems, but recently an attempted rape happened on the Katy trail that runs right behind where this happened. People are always out there biking and jogging.

When are the gang bangers going to figure out that rich people don't carry cash anymore? They all carry debit cards these days...

[MrsFosforos]

When are the gang bangers going to figure out that rich people don't carry cash anymore? They all carry debit cards these days...

We're far from "rich people" but I never carry cash either. The part that really ticks me off with being robbed (or otherwise losing a wallet) is the inconvenience and cost of replacing all the other cards you carry - like your driver's license, gym membership, etc.

[seamusTX]

When are the gang bangers going to figure out that rich people don't carry cash anymore? They all carry debit cards these days...

Criminals are stupid on average, but rich people wear expensive watches and jewelry and the ladies carry expensive purses. They also drive expensive cars which can be carjacked.

- Jim

[govnor]

When are the gang bangers going to figure out that rich people don't carry cash anymore? They all carry debit cards these days...

We're far from "rich people" but I never carry cash either. The part that really ticks me off with being robbed (or otherwise losing a wallet) is the inconvenience and cost of replacing all the other cards you carry - like your driver's license, gym membership, etc.

A couple that I'm friends with was robbed at gunpoint in front of their Dallas condo a couple of years ago. Neither had any cash, so they took their cell phones! I still don't understand that one. I guess you can sell it for a little bit of money...

They both now have CHL's and carry 24/7.

[govnor]

When are the gang bangers going to figure out that rich people don't carry cash anymore? They all carry debit cards these days...

Criminals are stupid on average, but rich people wear expensive watches and jewelry and the ladies carry expensive purses. They also drive expensive cars which can be carjacked.

- Jim

That has happened in Highland Park a few times. The gang banger will follow the victim to their house and run up and rob them before they can get their car in the garage. Like you said, they typically take their jewelry.

I've had to tell my mom over and over again about this kind of thing. She'll go to Shreveport and park her Escalade in the parking garage and walk to the elevator wearing all of this expensive stuff. I finally got her to start valet parking...

I guess part of it might be that she grew up poor, so since nothing has ever happened to her, then why would it happen now? I don't think she realized she was a target until I hounded on it for a while.

[seamusTX]

A couple that I'm friends with was robbed at gunpoint in front of their Dallas condo a couple of years ago. Neither had any cash, so they took their cell phones! I still don't understand that one. I guess you can sell it for a little bit of money...

Criminals can sell cell phones to immigrants who use them to call their relatives overseas until the phone is cut off.

Robbers also take fancy jackets and shoes.

- Jim

[The Marshal]

That parking lot touches my work parking lot.

Of course, I don't hang around work at 4am.....

[Texican_gal]

I think the problem here is the time of day, or "night" depending on how you look at it, more than neighborhood.

My dad used to tell me "nothing good happens after midnight," and he is 100% correct.

Of course, we should have the right to stay out as late as we want and go anywhere we want, but as I understand it, the odds of being attacked go up the later it gets.

[govnor]

I think the problem here is the time of day, or "night" depending on how you look at it, more than neighborhood.

My dad used to tell me "nothing good happens after midnight," and he is 100% correct.

Of course, we should have the right to stay out as late as we want and go anywhere we want, but as I understand it, the odds of being attacked go up the later it gets.

That is true, but there are certain areas of town that are pretty safe at all hours. That being said...nothing is safer after dark than it is in the daylight. This particular area has it's own police force and is nothing but rich people. In fact, the richest people in Dallas live there, and that's saying something. I lived over there because I rented a fairly cheap condo. It was tiny! If you want to buy a house then you can start at a million and go up to twenty or more. Needless to say, I had to move somewhere cheaper to buy a house.

The moral of this story is that anything can happen anywhere at anytime. I've had some pretty good times after midnight though! I'm not going to let the scum keep me at home all the time.