My wife and I pulled into a big grocery store and noticed a small car in the outskirts of the parking lot where there is informal "car sales" parking. This is about 150 yards away from the main entrance to the store and immediately adjacent to the street, so not very many folks around. We decided to look at the car , and pulled next to it, parallel. I did a quick walkaround and returned to the passenger side of our vehicle to get a paper and pencil., then walked between the two vehicles to write down a phone number.
As I straightened up, I noticed a guy walking around the other side of the car, and he immediately started small talk, like "nice car, are you the owner?", and walking toward me. I walked away, turned back toward our car walking around the back of it to get to the passengers side, and noticed another guy hanging back, between our car and an older Lincoln that had pulled in about three spaces down. This guy started walking toward me. There were two others in the back seat of the Lincoln. I quickly got into the car and we drove away. The whole thing just reeked of setup.
The area was a classic "fringe area", close enough for prey but far enough away for operation, the small talk to get me close, the second acting like a pincer, and a general feeling of "wrongness".Like something is going on I don't quite understand.
What I did right-- Refusing to let #1 get close, walking away looking directly at the second guy, and not letting myself be trapped between them, and exiting quickly.
What I did Wrong-- not being aware of the Lincoln pulling up, because I was leaned over writing a phone #, not communicating with my wife, and NOT HAVING A GUN!!! The classic I'm only going to the store line...
As I straightened up, I noticed a guy walking around the other side of the car, and he immediately started small talk, like "nice car, are you the owner?", and walking toward me. I walked away, turned back toward our car walking around the back of it to get to the passengers side, and noticed another guy hanging back, between our car and an older Lincoln that had pulled in about three spaces down. This guy started walking toward me. There were two others in the back seat of the Lincoln. I quickly got into the car and we drove away. The whole thing just reeked of setup.
The area was a classic "fringe area", close enough for prey but far enough away for operation, the small talk to get me close, the second acting like a pincer, and a general feeling of "wrongness".Like something is going on I don't quite understand.
What I did right-- Refusing to let #1 get close, walking away looking directly at the second guy, and not letting myself be trapped between them, and exiting quickly.
What I did Wrong-- not being aware of the Lincoln pulling up, because I was leaned over writing a phone #, not communicating with my wife, and NOT HAVING A GUN!!! The classic I'm only going to the store line...
