Let me set the background...
I live in an apartment complex. I'm on the second floor and my bedroom patio overlooks the parking lot and my truck. It's midnight and I'm getting ready for bed. I swap my off duty carry gun for my work carry gun. I turn off the air conditioning and head to the bedroom to open the patio door and turn on the fan. The girlfriend is already in bed.
As I open the patio door, I notice an unfamiliar car parked next to my truck. Then I notice that someone is down there in the drivers seat. As I watch, the overhead light clicks on and off. Then the person moves to the back seat and trunk. Finally, he moves between the vehicles. As I stand there watching, it looks like he is leaning against my truck. So I watch.
After a minute or so, he moves back to the trunk of his vehicle and I see what appears to be a black hose running between the vehicles. HOT DAMN!
The SOB is siphoning my gasoline!
I grab my Surefire Z2 and light him up. "Hey buddy! That's my truck!" At that point he starts moving quick and returns the hose to his back seat. I keep the light on him and grab my Kahr P9. I yell out, "Don't think I don't know what the F#$3 you're doing, you m'er f'er!! I'm calling the cops right now!" As I finish yelling, I notice that there isn't a front license plate. I run through my apartment, toss the pistol down on the couch and run to the stairs in front of my place in an attempt to view his rear license plate as he is driving off. I light him up with the Surefire again but fail to catch the plate because I'm still on the second floor and the carport is in my way.
I didn't get a good description of the guy or the vehicle. Male, 30, overweight, appeared caucasion, short brown hair. Vehicle was a crappy Mercury Cougar..early 90's maybe. Horrible peeling paint job. He left the lights off as he sped out of the parking lot. I phoned the police and they're going to take a look around the neighborhood and contact me when it's done.
Lessons Learned
IMO, my situational awareness was great. I noticed the odd car and listened to my gut and observed it until I knew what was going on.
Secondly, I had a pistol and flashlight close by. It was not more than six seconds and I had both in my hands.
I ditched the pistol because I had no reason to keep it. Simple theft most definitely doesn't warrant deadly force. While I was mad as hell, I wasn't about to force a confrontation over a few gallons of gasoline. (even at todays prices
)
Oh...I started my truck...the gas gauge is buried in the red. Luckily, I had less than a quarter tank in the truck. At most he got 5-6 gallons.
Things to Improve Upon
Upgrade the lamp in my Surefire to the brightest possible. You can never have to much light.
Procure a locking gas cap!
Put the police on speed dial. I didn't want to use 911 as it wasn't an emergency and consequently had to look up their phone number.
Hope everyone else had a less exciting night than I did.
Ed
I live in an apartment complex. I'm on the second floor and my bedroom patio overlooks the parking lot and my truck. It's midnight and I'm getting ready for bed. I swap my off duty carry gun for my work carry gun. I turn off the air conditioning and head to the bedroom to open the patio door and turn on the fan. The girlfriend is already in bed.
As I open the patio door, I notice an unfamiliar car parked next to my truck. Then I notice that someone is down there in the drivers seat. As I watch, the overhead light clicks on and off. Then the person moves to the back seat and trunk. Finally, he moves between the vehicles. As I stand there watching, it looks like he is leaning against my truck. So I watch.
After a minute or so, he moves back to the trunk of his vehicle and I see what appears to be a black hose running between the vehicles. HOT DAMN!
The SOB is siphoning my gasoline!I grab my Surefire Z2 and light him up. "Hey buddy! That's my truck!" At that point he starts moving quick and returns the hose to his back seat. I keep the light on him and grab my Kahr P9. I yell out, "Don't think I don't know what the F#$3 you're doing, you m'er f'er!! I'm calling the cops right now!" As I finish yelling, I notice that there isn't a front license plate. I run through my apartment, toss the pistol down on the couch and run to the stairs in front of my place in an attempt to view his rear license plate as he is driving off. I light him up with the Surefire again but fail to catch the plate because I'm still on the second floor and the carport is in my way.
I didn't get a good description of the guy or the vehicle. Male, 30, overweight, appeared caucasion, short brown hair. Vehicle was a crappy Mercury Cougar..early 90's maybe. Horrible peeling paint job. He left the lights off as he sped out of the parking lot. I phoned the police and they're going to take a look around the neighborhood and contact me when it's done.
Lessons Learned
IMO, my situational awareness was great. I noticed the odd car and listened to my gut and observed it until I knew what was going on.
Secondly, I had a pistol and flashlight close by. It was not more than six seconds and I had both in my hands.
I ditched the pistol because I had no reason to keep it. Simple theft most definitely doesn't warrant deadly force. While I was mad as hell, I wasn't about to force a confrontation over a few gallons of gasoline. (even at todays prices
)Oh...I started my truck...the gas gauge is buried in the red. Luckily, I had less than a quarter tank in the truck. At most he got 5-6 gallons.
Things to Improve Upon
Upgrade the lamp in my Surefire to the brightest possible. You can never have to much light.
Procure a locking gas cap!
Put the police on speed dial. I didn't want to use 911 as it wasn't an emergency and consequently had to look up their phone number.
Hope everyone else had a less exciting night than I did.
Ed
