Interesting experience this AM.

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grubbylabs

New member
I was getting ready to go to the range today to test my first rifle reloads in my new rifle. I was taking my 4 year old son and needed a second set of hearing protection for him. So I was pulling into the parking lot of the store and noticed that a guy was running out the door and two employees were chasing him and he was pulling a 1/2 drive corded dewalt drill out of his pants, he did the over the shoulder toss and kept on going. He was running along side the store so I pulled my suburban right up to pinch him off and he ran right into it( I was stopped) about that time the two employees caught him, it was funny watching him bounce of the hood.

The managers then let him go to the bathroom while they waited for the cops and of coarse they watched him flush his drugs down the toilet:confused:. I would have gladly mopped the floor just so he could not have done that.
 
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Skans

Active member
1 for the good guys.... Cudos to you, for not just sitting by with the popcorn enjoying the show!!!
Click to expand...

Also cudos for not using a gun in this situation - it would have been unjustified. Good job!
 
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jhenry

New member
I think I would have left that one alone if I had one of my children with me. A doped up drill thief is not worth the risk. The 4 year old had no say in this. Let's imagine you scoot up in the vehicle to cut off Mr. Dope Head thief, and he, in his drugged state, decides to shoot it out or carjack you. He, and perhaps you, fire. A rounds hits your 4 year old son in the face. This is not exactly a far fetched scenario. No kudos to you then. Just a maimed or dead son, over a Dewalt drill. Your primary responsibility is to raise and protect you children.

I generally applaude citizens getting involved appropriately, I think we are all responsible for an orderly society. I would not however, drag a small child along unless the situation was extreem.
 
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Skans

Active member
I know that I couldn't just let a guy get away with robbing a store, even if I had my kid with me. I and an employee of one of the big chain hardware stores in my area saw a suspicious guy looking in car windows in the parking lot. I had my kid with me and my wife. But, we (me and the store employee) decided to follow the guy (at a distance) and take a picture of his vehicle and tag, after he got into it.

We didn't know if he had done anything wrong - just was acting very suspicious. It's just not in me to let folks get away with stuff if it's happening in my plain sight. Stupid? Probably.
 
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MTT TL

New member
See it did not even take four posts for someone to call you a possible baby killer for doing the right thing. :rolleyes: God Bless America. It is our diversity of beliefs that keep this country running on it's toes.

And you sir, (presumably) are to be lauded.

Soon someone will tell us how the bad guy will sue you for hurting him in the commission of a felony or how your insurance rates will go up for causing an accident. It is no wonder there are so few people willing to do the right thing with all the milquetoast out there.

So I thank you and advise you to ignore the naysayers that are certain to follow.
 
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jhenry

New member
Buddy, I didn't call anyone a baby killer, and what I did say was I would not trade my son's safety for a drill. Any risk is one to be weighed. Weighing a drill thief against my son is a no brainer. If you want to discuss you opinion that's fine with me, that is afterall why we are here. Calling names like that is just juvenile, and a good way to get a potentially useful thread locked.

I am out now to go to a shoot this weekend. I'll check back then and see how far this one got.
 
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CWPinSC

Moderator
While I agree with the intent, the execution was terrible. Like it or not, you DID put your son's life in jeopardy. You had no idea what you were going up against, and you let him get within grabbing distance of you, your vehicle, and your son. Not wise. If he had precipitated an unprovoked attack on you, then, of course, act accordingly. However, in this instance, don't jump out of the boat and chase the sharks. You might get bit.

Carrying a concealed weapon IN NO WAY gives anyone police powers of detainment or arrest. I don't know about your state, but in SC, the CWP holder "must in no way" be party to the cause of the incident.

I'm glad it turned out the way it did. It could have been much worse.
 
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Puntmefar

New member
lol lots of opinion here but i say great job in offering a hand Grubbylabs more actions like that by more citizens would make a real difrence in this world and it could have tought your son a good lesson that to stand for what is right.:cool:
 
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Eskimo

New member
It's a shame.. around here (south carolina) it's illegal for loss prevention to touch you if you're stealing/running away. All they can do is chase you and call the cops.
 
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grubbylabs

New member
Not sure where you all got the idea that concealed carry had any thing to do with this. My gun never left the holster and no one ever new I had it, including the cops that interviewed me after the fact. It did involve a 3,000lb truck. Which was still running and in gear. Had he decided to do something I am sure a full size 3/4 ton suburban on top of him would have slowed him down. While it is true that you can't always judge a book by its cover I did take a calculated risk and assume that since he was running and tossing the evidence, and not trying to shoot it out with the un-armed store clerks, that he was probably not armed.

It is no wonder that we can see news stories that show people watching as others beat or kill other people. While we as a society employ policing agencies on a large scale, there are times when we as citizens do have to take some responsibility for our communities. I am not advocating that we go around acting as police every where we go, but some times it is OK to get "involved" and do the right thing. If there were a gun involved the last thing I would do even if I was alone would be to initiate a gun fight. I don't carry to help prevent crime, but rather to defend my family and self.
 
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golfballshootr

New member
grubby, all I can say is, I would like to think I would have done the same thing, so I applaud you. But, before we all look at it after the fact and ascertain that grubby acted wrong with the presence of his son in the seat, we were not there, and we have the added benefit of "thinking" about it now that it is done and over with and can ponder the what-ifs.

And I never read anything that hinted that grubby was carrying a sidearm (in the initial op), only that he was going to the range with some rifles.
 
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Skans

Active member
Life is not just about making sure you always take the "least risky path". Sometimes, if you have the present ability to stop a thief, you just have to go for it. I recognize that this is a personal, individual decision for everyone. But, I find no fault with what the OP did.
 
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pax

New member
Moderator Note

Okay, guys, here's the thing: the purpose of the Tactics and Training forum is to discuss these types of situations with each other and hopefully learn from each other. Toward that end, it is not helpful to accuse each other of

  • being a milquetoast, "calling you a baby killer", being naysayers

OR

  • being juvenile

OR

any other snide or sideways way of calling each other names.

Disagree? Sure. Go for it.

Call names and attack others? I gotcher banstick right here...

pax
 
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Old Grump

Member in memoriam
Kudos for having the right attitude, doing the right thing and being a good example for the child. Good Samaritans are made by good example and so are good citizens. Kitty Genovese could have used a few more like you back in 1964 when everybody was closing their windows so they didn't have to listen to her dying screams while she was being stabbed. Sometimes the smart safe thing is not the right thing and I'm glad you made the choice you did.

Besides it sounded like he threw away the only weapon he had. ;)
 
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uspJ

New member
grubbylabs

just because you didn't see a gun in the thief's hands doesn't mean he couldn't easily have been packing and you swinging a suburban right into his path could have easily triggered him to fire on your vehicle with your son inside. if god forbid you or your son had been injured or killed do you think that the store who's merchandise you were defending are going to compensate your family? you could have easily have ended up in the paper as a good samritan killed in a shoplifting attempt. if you had gotten involved to stop a violent crime i would commend your actions, but getting involved over a shoplifter just isn't something i would risk my or my family's safety. the store is insured and i'm sure that the premiums they pay yearly more than cover the amount the inurance company will compensate the store.

i'm glad all turned out allright and nobody was injured.
 
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