1st post and car stolen at gun point

[jmbalt]

Hello all. I have been here for a while reading and learning. Not much of a poster on any message board I follow but I figured I would share my story.

Went out on a short run for milk tonight about 11pm. Came back to my apartments and stopped at the mail box to check my mail. I left my car running (like I've done every time before) as I'm walking to the mailbox I see a guy walking toward my car (didn't see him before I had stopped). I was paying attention to him but was already 5-10 feet away from the car. He asks me if I have a kid in the car. I knew at that instant what was about to happen. I told him "yes" (I didn't but figured it may deter him, or at least buy me some time) and I started moving toward my car. At this point I noticed he now had a bandana on over his face. He started looking in my car and asked me again if there was a kid in the car, I again said yes and started moving faster toward him and the car. I had no weapons on me except a 2" pocket knife. He then pulled out a semi auto pistol of some kind. All I could see was the front profile of it, it looked similar to a Beretta 92 as the light reflected of the muzzle end of it. As he pulled it on me (I was still on the opposite side of the car from him) he told me "get the <deleted> back". I put my hands out to my side and said "ok take it". As he tried to drive away he stalled the car. At that point I got on the other side of the mailbox building thinking if he got out that I would want to put as much distance between him and me as possible. Then I watched him drive away in my car, making note of which direction he went. Ran back to my apartment (didn't have my phone with me) and called the police. Now I live in a "safe" part of town (suburbs of north Thornton for those in the Denver area) and have always felt safe and left my car running almost every time I've checked my mail. As I think about it I am thinking it may have been best that I did, reducing the chance of having to interact close quarters. So aside from now being out of a car I think this went as well as it could have.

I don't know what I could have done different except for not stopping, but since I didn't see him until it was too late there was nothing to do at that point. The thing that bothers me now is the fact that there is at least one paper in the car with my address on it. I called the apartments and asked them to have the security guards keep an eye out. I also am within arms length of my my Mossberg 590. Also my 100lb malamute sticks to me like glue and is always paying attention.

If anyone in Denver see's a black 06 Sentra se-r with Brembo's that is lowered with New Mexico plates please let the local LE know.

Be safe out there people.

 

[Shadow 7D]

you lived, inventory what was taken, check to see if there were any security cameras, and realize in the end, you lived.

 

[BBQLS1]

Now I live in a "safe" part of town (suburbs of north Thornton for those in the Denver area) and have always felt safe and left my car running almost every time I've checked my mail.

Your first problem.

 

[armoredman]

You know what you did wrong, never do it again, and see what your insurance does for you.
Never leave your vehicle running and unattaneded, invites thieves and wastes fuel.
Never NOT have your phone on you, and preferably hidden - thieves like to take phones too
Never stand around in condition white unaware of what's going on.
I assume that there actually was no child in the car, correct?
As stated, you survived, use it as a lesson that is learned.

 

[jmbalt]

Shadow 7D:
Exactly. I'm going to go talk to my landlords and see if there are any cameras.

BBQLS1:
True... but he was there with the intent of getting a car. I don't know that if I had locked my car and taken the keys would have made much of a difference.

armoredman:
I agree. I do pay attention to my surroundings and was paying attention when I pulled up. I don't know where he came from. And yes I wish I had my phone with me. No child in the car just trying to deter/buy time. I won't be leaving my vehicle (when I get another one) unattended but I don't know if it would have made a difference. If he had walked up to me and pulled the gun on me I probably would've still cooperated. I'm not getting shot over a car, even though I really liked that car. I guess I could have ran away with my keys. But oh well lesson learned... the hard way haha

 

[Mainsail]

One of the best places to find a car for stealing is at a child day-care center. Frazzled moms and dads leave the car running while they run inside to drop little Johnny or Suzy off thinking, “I’ll only be a minute”. Usually you get a purse full of cash and credit cards too. The mailbox ain’t bad either, as you found out. Lesson learned. Sorry you had to learn it the hard way. Also, there is no safe part of town either. Thieves don’t honor the invisible border between the ghetto and the ‘spensive homes, and besides, there ain’t much worth stealing in the ghetto.

 

[quatin]

Times have changed. People are getting more desperate. I had stuff stolen from my car at work. Which is otherwise a secure business area. Thieves are getting more brazen and reckless.

I doubt it would've mattered much if you turned the car off and took your keys. It wasn't a snatch and grab. He took the time to talk to you and would've gotten the keys from you at gunpoint anyways. If you had run, who knows what would've happened. You might've gotten away or he might have shot at you.

You were lucky. You had a gun pointed at you and you survived.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The mailbox ain’t bad either, as you found out.

Pretty common one, actually. That's how a teenage boy and girl stole a car in my rural county a couple years back. I remember it distinctly, because had I not noticed the rate of speed at which they were approaching, they'd have piled into the side of my deuce and a half while I was turning. In the end, he died and she became an amputee after they rolled the car at nearly 100 MPH.

To the OP; Don't be so complacent. Thorton has a fairly high crime rate. I'd never leave my car running without me in it up there.

 

[Guns and more]

I think all your mistakes were before you met the bad guy.
Leaving the car running "for just a minute" is the recipe for a stolen car.
The fact he put on a mask was good, it meant you were going to live.
Even if you had a gun, you'd go to jail for a mailbox shootout.

Sadly, Colorado is going downhill fast. People are fleeing south central LA, and they're bringing their "gang" kids with them. Unfortunatly, the politicians are unwilling to do anything, and illegals are flooding in also.

If I were to steal a car, I'd go to a nice hotel during a big event (Superbowl). Dress nice. People leave their cars for the valet and all leave the keys. Get in and drive away. Most would be rentals, so no one would get too concerned.
I don't get it with stickups.

 

[One-Time]

Never ever leave a car running and unlocked, regardless where you live

 

[Cosmoline]

Thanks for the description! These are good learning experiences for everyone.

To Monday morning this thing, I can see a problem with buying time when you don't have a plan B. A small pocket knife is all but useless here, so what was the plan by stalling and approaching him? It puts you closer to him, and makes it more likely you'll get killed as a result. A better plan would have been to increase the distance and get to a secure position to arm yourself and call 911.

It sounds like you had a pretty nice crook, actually. He actually asked about kids and had the common courtesy not to kill you. Others would not have been that kind. You must assume such people will kill you and act accordingly--retreat to c & c and arm yourself properly. The car is just a car. It is totally irrelevant once the threat has appeared, except as potential cover. You should focus solely on survival at that point.

As far as deceiving him I have no problem with it except that it really didn't put you in a better tactical position. Lying is perfectly appropriate but should be done to further the goal of survival. Either to shoot him or to flee, whichever is going to be the safer route for you.

 

[Onward Allusion]

jmbalt
1st post and car stolen at gun point

Glad you got out of the situation physically unscathed. You did absolutely nothing wrong by leaving your car running while checking the mail. You were what 10 - 15 feet away from it? Those that imply you somehow messed up are being judgmental.

I hope you start carrying all the time.

 

[MachIVshooter]

You did absolutely nothing wrong by leaving your car running while checking the mail. You were what 10 - 15 feet away from it? Those that imply you somehow messed up are being judgmental.

I submit to you the fact that his car was stolen proves that it was a mistake.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Glad you got out of the situation physically unscathed. You did absolutely nothing wrong by leaving your car running while checking the mail. You were what 10 - 15 feet away from it? Those that imply you somehow messed up are being judgmental.

I hope you start carrying all the time.

When it comes to lessening the chances that you will be robbed, making yourself less of a target than the next person is the key. Thieves are generally lazy by nature. If your car is running with the keys in it and mine is parked and locked ... whose do you think a thief will find more appealing?

It's like the old bear-country addage: I don't have to be faster than the bear. I just have to be faster than you.

 

[ForumSurfer]

Never leave your vehicle running and unattaneded

That was my first observation. Even if it is perceived to be a safe area, this is never a good idea. I never consider any area safe enough for that.

It sounds like you had a pretty nice crook, actually. He actually asked about kids and had the common courtesy not to kill you. Others would not have been that kind. You must assume such people will kill you and act accordingly--retreat to c & c and arm yourself properly. The car is just a car. It is totally irrelevant once the threat has appeared, except as potential cover. You should focus solely on survival at that point.

That was my second observation.

I doubt it would've mattered much if you turned the car off and took your keys. It wasn't a snatch and grab. He took the time to talk to you and would've gotten the keys from you at gunpoint anyways.

We'll never know if that was the case. The guy was looking for an easy target. A running vehicle with no occupant is fairly easy. He was probably waiting by the mailboxes for that specific purpose. Leaving the care wide open to be stolen in order to save your life seems to be along the same line of thinking as leaving your house unlocked all day so you don't get robbed on your way in.

You live and you learn.

 

[fallout mike]

This sounds like the same people from another thread a few months ago saying that this guy out in the country got jumped at night in the dark when getting out of his car at his house was all his fault for not having "situational awareness". Some of those , uh, gentleman said they drive by their house 3 times before they pull into their driveway every time they go home so that they can look for bad guys. I fail yo see how somebody pulling a gun on you is relevant to your car running 10 feet away from you.

 

[Bovice]

I'd let them take my tahoe in an instant. It's got Onstar and I have the number saved into my phone. I make a phone call the instant they drive away, and it won't get too much further.

Buy from the general

 

[mljdeckard]

Look at it this way. even if you had been armed, it doesn't necessarily mean you would have been able to draw and fire.

It's just a car. You lived.

 

[Onward Allusion]

MachIVshooter
Quote: You did absolutely nothing wrong by leaving your car running while checking the mail. You were what 10 - 15 feet away from it? Those that imply you somehow messed up are being judgmental.
I submit to you the fact that his car was stolen proves that it was a mistake.

Stolen at gun point. The car could have been off and it still would have happen.

 

[Onward Allusion]

fallout mike
This sounds like the same people from another thread a few months ago saying that this guy out in the country got jumped at night in the dark when getting out of his car at his house was all his fault for not having "situational awareness". Some of those , uh, gentleman said they drive by their house 3 times before they pull into their driveway every time they go home so that they can look for bad guys. I fail yo see how somebody pulling a gun on you is relevant to your car running 10 feet away from you.

Same crap as saying the victim was asking for it, IMO.

Now if the OP ran inside a convenience store with his car running, then it would be a different story. Getting the mail??? Give me a gosh darn break! You come home, park briefly in the driveway to get the mail at the mail box and what? Shut the car down, grab the mail, and restart to pull into your garage? Wow, I sure can't be that perfect!

Yeah, Situation Awareness... So you're walking down the street with full SA and someone cracks you upside the face with a 2x4 as you round a corner... Yeah SA... Thing is, SA can only go so far. The criminal will ALWAYS have the upper hand in most of the cases.

 

[SSN Vet]

I think you did alright....

Interacting with the guy appears to have been done with the assumption that he wasn't armed..... not a good assumption.

Your lucky to be alive.... and in most of these type of encouters we hear about, luck is often the ingredient that tips the scale.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Stolen at gun point. The car could have been off and it still would have happen.

The gun did not come out immediately, according to the OP:

He started looking in my car and asked me again if there was a kid in the car, I again said yes and started moving faster toward him and the car. I had no weapons on me except a 2" pocket knife. He then pulled out a semi auto pistol of some kind. All I could see was the front profile of it, it looked similar to a Beretta 92 as the light reflected of the muzzle end of it. As he pulled it on me (I was still on the opposite side of the car from him) he told me "get the <deleted> back".

The guy didn't pull a weapon until he thought his victim may intend to fight for his property.

Had the car been shut off, he may have taken keys at gun point, he may not have. We'll never know. Doesn't change the fact that leaving it running made it an easy target.

 

[fallout mike]

If the car had not been running he may have shot him And taken the keys off the body. I very seriously doubt there are any statistics that Show a running car has anything to do with someone pulling a gun on you.

 

[strambo]

Your alive and the car is insured. Not much else to say. Try to be more aware in the future, don't leave it running. Might have changed the outcome, might not have. Sometimes, there just isn't anything (reasonable) you can do.

 

[Good&Fruity]

Now I live in a "safe" part of town (suburbs of north Thornton for those in the Denver area) and have always felt safe and left my car running almost every time I've checked my mail.

Buddy, there is no place that's safe.