Carkjacking warning! (West Houston residents)

[Doug.38PR]

For those of you who live in west Houston, this E mail was sent to me:

From : Heathlake Security Director, Lenny Sullivan

This incident was reported to a resident in our community by her friend, Gail Folloder. Please continue to be cautious, whether at home or out.



Gail Folloder, Lakes of Parkway homeowner, has asked that this letter be distributed to all residents.

*******************************

On Monday night, January 22nd (it was actually Tuesday at 1AM) my son Daniel was returning home on Briar Forest Drive and was accosted by a gang of carjackers. This happened not more than 300 yards westbound before the left turn into Lakes of Parkway. A car slowed down in front of him and another car approached on his right side and stopped. The car in front stopped and a man (with a red hoodie) jumped out of the driver's side and approached him brandishing a big silver handgun. Thank God my son had the presence of mind to put his car into REVERSE and accelerate. He managed to spin his car around and head in the opposite direction. He did hit a median , run over a curb, lose an entire wheel and drive on 3 wheels to Dairy Ashford and Briar Forest to the Kroger which was closed but opened their doors to him (they were doing late night inventory). Following the incident, several police cars were summoned to the scene. A KISD officer had seen part of the incident and followed these 2 cars to the PALMS apartments west of Westside HS. The perpetrators gathered in the parking lot with their guns drawn arguing, and the office decided not to approach but to call in the incident. When the perpetrators spotted the KISD officer, they dispersed. The police ensued but were not able to catch them. We were very lucky to have our son escape with his life. Unfortunately, last night there was a successful carjacking in the area (Dairy Ashford & Westmere), and I believe a man was shot in his driveway. I encourage everyone to be careful, watch where you park, lock your car when you fill it up with gas and try not to drive on deserted streets late at night.
We need to have our voices heard and get some crime relief in this area.
Gail Folloder

[ghentry]

I used to work with the father of the victim in this story. Its quite weird to find out about something in this way. I sure am glad he had the presence of mind to escape and didn't freeze. Hopefully he might think again about being out at 1am.

[Lumberjack98]

Hopefully he might think again about being out at 1am.

I think that's besides the point. You should be able to come and go as you please, no matter what time it is.

You absolutely need to be more vigilant in the night time. However, you have just as much right to be out as anyone else.

Sad story. This is very close to where I live and I appreciate the information.

[Boma]

A big group of CHL'ers should just stay out late one night on purpose!

[stevie_d_64]

Serious stuff...

The brazen-ness of these criminals is getting to be a bit annoying to me...

Pack-mentality, disrespect, and things seem to be getting worse everywhere...

People no longer go out looking for trouble...Trouble seems to seek you out these days...

[G.C.Montgomery]

A big group of CHL'ers should just stay out late one night on purpose!

Trust me, you don't want to be around for the stuff that happens when you hang out late. It's never anything cool or expected.

One late night, at the corner of Greenridge and Westheimer a friend and I ended up having to intervene on behalf of a woman being beaten in a car as we said our good-byes for the night. On another night, I nearly poked a whole in an apparently mentally ill man when I had to deliver a BlackBerry to an executive at 1AM.

And then there was the night some guy walked up to a bunch of us and said three things you never want to here at midnight on the corner of Little York and US59. The conversation started with "I need money..." Followed by "I just got out of jail...." And finally, "I've got a knife right here..." Now taken out of context, these statement should have gotten that idiot shot but fortunately things didn't get that bad.

The point lurking in all of that is again, hanging out late is often the first mistake many people make. If you don't have to be out late, don't be. It helps avoid a great many problems. I realize that some times work or just life requires us to be out when things go bump in the night. But again, if you can, be home by 10PM and you'll go a long way toward avoiding trouble.

[Doug.38PR]

A big group of CHL'ers should just stay out late one night on purpose!

You mean like in the movie Death Wish?

Although the NYC Police called Bronson a vigilante and acted like he was the criminal through the whole movie bending over backwards to hunt him down. YET, as I watch the movie (the first movie anyway)....he never did anything wrong. He always went out strolling down the street or park. He never went out and shot anyone. Thugs came to him, threatened him, tried to take his life with deadly weapons THEN they got shot in self defense.

But anyway, humor aside, I never stay out late when I don't have to. This incident is very close to where I live too. I had no idea the apartments over by Westside High School had that kind of element, outside they look like decent clean apartments. The rest of the area from hwy 6 to Kirkwood are all nice houses. One or two of the subdivisions over by WSHS are gated with huge houses)

We are keeping our guns on our seats next to us when we drive at night.

[stevie_d_64]

If you don't have to be out late, don't be. It helps avoid a great many problems. I realize that some times work or just life requires us to be out when things go bump in the night. But again, if you can, be home by 10PM and you'll go a long way toward avoiding trouble.

Very true!!!

I am really glad that my wife and I made it through our "club-ing days" the way we did...

Now we find out, to no big surprise, in our early 40's that it is just as fun sitting in front of our big screen TV watching "24", or some sports event...

Being a homebody is a bit safer these days, and nights...

[Will938]

It would of been very hard for me not to use my car to collect his body between my grill and his door.

[Venus Pax]

I don't go around looking for trouble, but I don't like the idea that I need to stay in since criminals are running the street. If I need something or have plans, I go. I'm a bit more watchful after dark, but I go.

[stevie_d_64]

I don't go around looking for trouble, but I don't like the idea that I need to stay in since criminals are running the street. If I need something or have plans, I go. I'm a bit more watchful after dark, but I go.

Laudable...You are so right in not being intimidated by these incidences...I think most fall into your line of thinking...

Didn't mean to imply that Wife Unit and I are wimpy or scared of the dark...

[casselthief1]

Now we find out, to no big surprise, in our early 40's that it is just as fun sitting in front of our big screen TV watching "24", or some sports event...

my ol' lady and I are in our late 20's, and we still find that more fun than being out, more often than not.
but even so, as everyone else has said, you have to be more diligent and keep that head on a swivel.
now, we like going to see bands, and more often than not, that puts us out in the trenches, after dark. but, hey, keep my peace close, and strangers far away, and there's usually no problem.

[flintknapper]

I don't go around looking for trouble, but I don't like the idea that I need to stay in since criminals are running the street. If I need something or have plans, I go. I'm a bit more watchful after dark, but I go.

Laudable...You are so right in not being intimidated by these incidences...I think most fall into your line of thinking...

Didn't mean to imply that Wife Unit and I are wimpy or scared of the dark...

Come on, admit it. You sleep with a night-light!

Just kidding.

[glocklvr]

stories like this are part of what influenced me to get my CHL to begin with because I am 1 of those people that lives and works when normal people are at home asleep. I just wish that there were many more night owls like myself with CHL's and guns because it would make night time crime a very hazardous occupation.