# I just stopped a robbery



## Tabitha (Mar 27, 2009)

:shock:  :shock:  :shock: 

OK, I was walking into the grocery store & saw the 2 local cigarette butt picker uppers over by the .25cent carousel out front. He was squatted down hitting the coin return, no big deal, *BUT THEN*, he pulls out a pocket knife & starts jabbing it in the slot. His look-out is a woman & she was too out of it to be doing a very good job. 

I ran in the store & hollered for the manager. There is generaly a big man on duty. They said they would call _her_ to the front. Dasng, the big guy was not on duty. I hollered the coin machine out front was being broken into. Blank stares are flashed at me from 3-4 big male customers & a dozen women. 

Then I remembered that new show on TV about what would you do if you saw a crime being committed. 

Then it also occured to me that my best friends husband works for the man that owns those quarter machines. 

So I  ran back outside half way expecting at least 1 of them men to follow me out there. I stopped about 30 feet from him & yelled "Is that your machine?" he stood up & said "no, but my quarter is stuck in there." I yelled back "You did not put a quarter in there & that machine belongs to my friend." I continued "Do you know how hard it is to make a living 1 quarter at a time?" He said "Do you want the money I got out of it?" I said "Yes" and walked twords him. 

He stuck his hand in his pocket & at that very moment I realised I was an idiot & he might be pulling out his knife. He pulled out a few coins & handed them to me. I turned & walked into the store. A big dude at the check out said you just stopped a crime, that was brave. I am thiking  "yes and you were *no* help". 

I was explaining to the manager what had just happened when the 2 of them entered the store. They had no shame. They walked right back into the store & even looked at me. I said to the manager, there they are. She said yes, they come in 3-4 times a day but made no attempt to call the police or have trespass reports issued so they could not come back on property or anything  :? . I grabbed my milk & left.

Yes, yes, it was stupid. It was like I was a puppet. I did not plan to do it, it just happened and very quickly. My husband was in our vehicle so I knew he was watching. I was so focused on them though I did not notice he pulled our car right up behind them by about 20 feet, he did indeed have me covered :wink: .

Crazy huh?


----------



## Deda (Mar 27, 2009)

Tab, you're one amazing lady.  Considering your shop, your business, all the cool stuff you do with your kids, your animal escapades, and now crime fighting!  You live a brave life!


----------



## smellitlikeitissoaps (Mar 27, 2009)

LOL i am cracking up TAB, you and your hubbie stopping the local crime!


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 27, 2009)

I do love drama :wink: . My husband does too. It's probably a real good thing we did not meet untill we were older & had both mellowed out quite a quite a bit.

I think I would make a good parametic. I have thought about going back to school for that, the pay & hours are not great, but I bet it's exciting.


----------



## kwahlne (Mar 27, 2009)

Wow, Tabitha!  What a story!  You are SO brave!


----------



## Sibi (Mar 28, 2009)

OMG Tabitha, you're one gutsy gal!!  I just don't understand the reaction of the staff inside the store, are they all on drugs or something????  You were doing them a favor and they just blew you off.  I don't get it.

My husband, son and I in early December went to a Subway for dinner.  My back was to the cash register as we sat eating so I didn't see much.  But my husband told me that a tall man came in covering his face with his t-shirt and my hubby knew something was up.  This guy went to the cashier and told him "give me all the money or I'll hurt you".  At that point I knew what was going on my son starting feeling very uncomfortable and got up because he wanted to leave.  I promptly told him to sit down because I didn't want him getting in the way of this guy because I didn't know if he was armed.  The guy left with the cash - cool as a cucumber.  When the police came they put a sniffer dog on his trail but the dog lost the scent.  I later found out that the robber did in fact have a gun.  It was a very scary ordeal for us!  But I can tell you this much, I would never have approached the guy.

I've talked to the police since then and he still hasn't been caught.


----------



## Deda (Mar 28, 2009)

Sibi, so scary.  I hate reading the crime reports in the Journal.  This used to be such a safe place to live.

About a month ago a guy came into the Old Town Wi-Not Stop and told the cashier that the water wouldn't shut off in the bathroom.  He went to check it out and the guy hit him in the head with a hammer!  The clerk is OK, an ER visit and several stitches later.  The bad guy was caught.  He didn't even try to steal the cash, just didn't like the clerk because he was from Pakistan.  

I swear, it can be terrifying just to read the news now.


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 28, 2009)

I should probably add, the crooks were locals. I see them nearly everyay. Had it been a stranger I would NOT have done that. I am from the big city(s). Raised in LA but in Dallas all of my adult like. Now that we have been in a small town it is different. You do have to look out for your neighbor more & hope they are looking out for you in return. I hope it is like that commerciel too, I do not remember what the ad is for, bt 1 prson does a good deed & someone see it & in return they do a good deed & it keeps snowballing.

I was robbed in Dallas once. I managed a flower shop & was there quite often alone. A lady came in w/ her 4 & 12 year old daughters. The little girl had wet her pants. The mom asked could she take her in the bathroom to change. I walked them back & chit chatted while the 12 y/o robbed the register. They hit several shops that same way. Family buisness...


----------



## Deda (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> I was robbed in Dallas once. I managed a flower shop & was there quite often alone. A lady came in w/ her 4 & 12 year old daughters. The little girl had wet her pants. The mom asked could she take her in the bathroom to change. I walked them back & chit chatted while the 12 y/o robbed the register. They hit several shops that same way. Family buisness...



That is the most disturbing thing I've heard in a long time.  How sad for those kids.  Was she ever caught?


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 28, 2009)

Not to my knowledge. Awful huh? Your hammer in the bathroom story reminded me of it, which was awful as well!

Sibi, you guys were smart to not move. You never know what you will do in those situations, or even what you should do.


----------



## Sibi (Mar 28, 2009)

Deda said:
			
		

> Sibi, so scary.  I hate reading the crime reports in the Journal.  This used to be such a safe place to live.
> 
> About a month ago a guy came into the Old Town Wi-Not Stop and told the cashier that the water wouldn't shut off in the bathroom.  He went to check it out and the guy hit him in the head with a hammer!  The clerk is OK, an ER visit and several stitches later.  The bad guy was caught.  He didn't even try to steal the cash, just didn't like the clerk because he was from Pakistan.
> 
> I swear, it can be terrifying just to read the news now.



Deb,

Wow, I didn't know anything about the hammer incident.  In fact just this morning I stopped at that very Wi-Not stop for gas!!  But I know what you're saying, the crime in this area has increased quite a bit.  The night that the robbery at Subway occured the police officers told me that there were 3 other robberies that occured that same night in Prince William county.  Scary, huh?  I'm more attentive these days about my surroundings especially since my son is always with me.  I'm a momma bear when it comes to him!  I think a lot of it has to do with the current state of our economy.  Sometimes people turn to crime when they have no employment or food on the table.  That truly makes me sad.  

Anyway, no more depressing talk.  Have a great weekend!

Sibi


----------



## Sibi (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabitha,

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that a mother would stoop to such a level as to have her children steal for her.  Look at the lessons she is teaching those poor children.  They are destined for a life of crime and probably many years in jail.  That is about as low as a mother can go in my opinion.  Pathetic......  and her kids will pay the price.

BTW - I've always thought that being a paramedic would be awesome too!!  I love medicine and the very nature of the job is very exciting and no 2 days are the same.  And when you get to save lives, well that's just awesome!

Sibi


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 28, 2009)

Paramedic school is only 1 year. Pretty amazing huh?


----------



## heartsong (Mar 28, 2009)

*x*

that was a very brave thing to do, tabitha, and i'm proud that you "did the right thing".  unfortunately nowadays that could get you shot. 

may i suggest you speaking with the owner of the store?  i'm sure they would appreciate the knowledge of how little the store manager cares about about his interests.  the 2 "hoods" probably shoplift on a regular basis too.

for god's sake don't put yourself in jeopardy for a handfull of change!

monet


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 28, 2009)

> for god's sake don't put yourself in jeopardy for a handfull of change!



I know. It really was not for the change, it was the principal & the fact it could have been my store. I did not feel they would harm me, like I said, I see them every day. I could have totally out run them too. I saw them today & they did not seem to even notice me.


----------



## Sibi (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> Paramedic school is only 1 year. Pretty amazing huh?



Only 1 year???  I would have thought it required more time than that.  I'm a little too old though for a career change.  I don't have the stamina that I used to.  I'm actually looking forward to retirement although it seems far off......

In my 20's I used to work for a cosmetic surgeon and I loved that job!  I learned a lot and got to see a whole bunch of surgeries up close and personal.  Gotta have a strong stomach for that stuff for sure!


----------



## Guest (Mar 30, 2009)

*super Tab*

Somebody hand Ms. Tab her superhero cape!


----------



## Tabitha (Mar 30, 2009)

Superhero Soaps, making you invincible  1 bar at a time! Some one run w/ that idea!


----------

