Intuition - a textbook example

Trusting your instincts when followed
Illustration photo, from sxc.hu

From Tulsa Oklahoma, here's a textbook example of why you should always pay attention to your surroundings and listen to your instincts/gut feeling when you get this "something isn't quite right here".

It is really impressive to see how this woman does everything right in handling this potentially dangerous situation - read it carefully and learn from it!

She got off work Thursday night, went home, opened the garage door and, as she does each night, took a moment to look around.
"When I turned around to check, I felt somebody was there. He looked me straight in the eye," Keely said.
Keely quickly realized she had been followed. She put the garage door back down and pulled out of her neighborhood, hoping maybe he was just lost, but he followed her.

What's your take on this article? Also, do you have similar experiences like this with using your awareness and trusting your instincts?

Not the brightest robbers

These two robbers are not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer :-)

The two Gainsville, Florida men used a cell phone to imitate a gun in order to rob two women of their iPhone in two separate incidents.

They used a car registered to one of the men - and one of the victims was able to give police the license tag number, according to gainesville.com.

When arrested, one of the men told police the robberies "were a joke" and that they were taped to put on YouTube.com. Police reportedly found no video of the "joke" robberies.

One of the robbers also said he was going to return the women's phones by calling them, according to a police spokesman. "At which point, our detectives reminded him that he stole their phones, so he really couldn't call them," the spokesman said.

Realtors assaulted

There has been a couple of assaults on female Realtors (real estate agents) lately. In New Zealand, a 41-year-old agent was lured to a remote Wairarapa property -- a house east of Carterton -- by a 38-year-old man Saturday morning.

The woman fought for her life and stabbed her attacker who allegedly assaulted, bound and tried to kidnap her. As the would-be kidnapper attempted to force her into the boot of his car, she made her escape by grabbing a screwdriver and stabbing him in the head.

In South Bend, Indiana (US), police said a man attacked a local Realtor as she was showing him a house for sale Friday afternoon.

As he was shown the basement, the man reportedly produced a knife, demanded money and grabbed the Realtor. The woman fought him off, and he took off while she called police.

With the current housing crisis, police now begin to worry real estate agents may be less cautious.

Quick thinking

On June 26, at about 8:30 p.m., a 35-year-old man is reported to lure his way into a woman's vehicle in Dale City (San Mateo), California by asking if he could borrow jumper cables to start his car.

The offender proceeded to jumped into the woman's vehicle, where he took out a knife and told the woman to drive down a side street.

When the man demanded sex, the quick-thinking woman managed convince the would-be rapist to remove a child car seat from her back seat to "give them more room for sex."

While the offender did as suggested, the intended victim jumped from the car and ran off. The suspect was reportedly arrested later in the stolen vehicle.

Message (with) a bottle

I guess the bottle of coke won this round... :-)

Story:
Florida -- It is reported that a woman and her bottle of coke were unharmed after fighting off a robber armed with an umbrella in Tampa, according to abcactionnews.com

Police said a mother and daughter team armed with an umbrella attempted to rob the woman who fought back with a bottle of Coca-Cola.

The 44-year-old victim was attacked as she was getting into her car at a food mart. The 45 year old female robber threatened the victim with an umbrella, telling her to hand over her purse.

Using a formidable 2-liter Coke bottle, the intended victim fought back, hitting the robber several times, police said.

The umbrella wielding robber was forces to flee -- without the purse -- in a vehicle reportedly driven by her 26-year-old daughter.

Carjackers killed woman

In Texas, a woman -- a mother of five -- was brutally stabbed to death when she fought back during a carjacking in northeast Harris County (Houston). Now, one of the suspects have been arrested, according to khou.com.

The woman was walking into a mobile phone store when a man, attempting to steal her car, grabbed her car keys. It is believed that the woman fought the would-be carjacker because her 4-month-old daughter was still in the car.

The 24-year-old assailant, which authorities say are an illegal immigrant, stabbed the woman several times. He then got into a waiting car driven by an accomplice. The store's security cameras captured the brutal attack.

Not long before the deadly attack, the assailant was caught in security video stealing beer from a convenience store, police said.

The carjackers -- using knives and targeting women -- reportedly began their crime spree at convenience store Tuesday in Northeast Harris County.

A surveillance video shows the passenger of a car getting out of the vehicle and walking into the store. On of the carjackers then approached the driver, waiting in the vehicle.

Using a knife, he forced her out and she hurried inside, uninjured, police said. Then the second carjacker jumped into the vehicle, hopping in the driver's seat. The stolen car then takes off.

The next day, the same men targeted another woman, police said. Again, the carjacked victim was unharmed. The third woman targeted Wednesday night fought back, and was tragically killed.

Bait and switch

This method is quite often used by scam and fraud "artists". The classic case is to have you believe you buy an original, say, watch - and then switch to a fake once you have handed over your money.

As with most methods, it can be turned and utilised against the criminal. Here is one such case.
It also goes to show that these folks are not always the sharpest knife in the drawer...

Story:
Philippines -- Police say a taxi driver allegedly tried to rape a 27-year-old woman inside his cab on Saturday night in Quezon City (Manila), according to newsinfo.inquirer.net.

The woman reportedly told police how she boarded a taxi at around 8 p.m. Saturday. Shortly after, all the other passengers got off at the Metro Rail Transit station in Kamuning.

"The woman, who was in the back seat, said the driver asked her to sit beside him," a police spokesman said. When she did so, the woman said the driver took out a knife, pointed it at her and started touching her breasts.

The woman said she told the man that she would go with him to a hotel if they could eat first at a nearby fast food restaurant. While inside the restaurant, the victim quickly asked the security guard for help but the driver managed to run back to his van and take off.

Typical escalation

This is a very typical - and tragic - episode of escalating violence.

Story:
Texas -- In Conroe, a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death and two others were injured in a disturbance outside a pub, according to chron.com.

The 23-year-old victim was stabbed with a knife late Thursday, police officials said. He was transported to a medical center, where he was pronounced dead.

Three men had just left the local pub and were walking to their car when they were confronted by three men in a pickup about 10:45 p.m.

An argument allegedly broke out and one of the men from the pickup began hitting the car with a small sledge hammer. A passenger from the car then reportedly stabbed the victim.

No good Samaritans

This is bad.

Story:
From Stockton, Teeside, UK news.bbc.co.uk reports about a serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman. She was reportedly walking home in the early hours of Sunday when a man grabbed her.

And here's the sad part: According to police, cars passed almost within inches of the assault. A number of cars, particularly taxis, drove past as the woman was being attacked, a police spokesperson said.

"It took place in the middle of the road, but not a single person stopped. There were at least five cars that passed her as she was lying on the road while the attack was taking place," the spokesperson said.

The woman had just finished a mobile phone call when the man attacked her. Despite being punched repeatedly to the face, she fought back and was eventuallyable to flee. She was later treated at a local hospital for facial injuries.

Slip slidin' away

Colorado -- Denver police say a man they say attempted to abduct a girl walking to school Tuesday morning around 7:15 a.m., according to thedenverchannel.com.

A man in a car started catcalling at her as the teenager was walking to high school, a police spokesman said.

She crossed an alley and saw the car circle the block and approach her. The girl said a man got out of the back seat, grabbing her from behind.

Just as a second man got out of the vehicle, the girl was able to slide out of her coat and run to a residence nearby, police said.

'Latching out'

You have probably heard the acronym RTFM (which stands for: Read The F****** Manual!)?
Well, maybe this story should give an indication as to why we men (because most of us will not RTFM) need to get over the "I'll figure it out myself and prove I'm a man - then - when everything else fails, I might read the manual" syndrome.

This story shows a very smart young woman. A series of precise observations and actions taking place. Read it!

Story:
Florida -- Abcnews.go.com reports about a woman who was forced, at gunpoint, into the trunk of her own car in Dayonta Beach on February 12 .

Saying to herself she had to get out before he got on the highway, the 26-year-old woman remembered the emergency latch in her trunk. She was able to jump when the carjacker slowed down, escaping with only a small scratch.

The woman said she remembered the latch because she had read the entire manual when she bought the car.

From bad to worse

I can't really argue too much about this man following the culprits after being robbed at gunpoint. I might actually have done the same thing myself if I was in the position to do so.

However, pulling up alongside two armed - and now probably desperate - men, may not be your smartest move.

Personally, I would probably not follow someone in the first place unless I had some way of communicating with police. And my only reason for following someone would be to notify authorities.

Think about this:
After a robbery you're most likely to have strong adrenal reactions, and you most probably won't function too well (unless you're trained to do so/used to it). You are probably very angry, and this also doesn't exactly put you in a better "combat mode" either. And then add to it that you are dealing with (often times) armed and desperate people under the influence of drugs. A criminal does not want to get caught, remember...

And risking your life for some "valuables" ... things? Then that would really have to be some very special items of immense personal and sentimental value!

Story:
Virginia -- Police said a 49-year-old man was shot following a robbery in the Lorton area Sunday, according to nbc4.com.

The victim had just parked his SUV when he was approached by two masked men with guns, according to police. The victim reportedly gave the men his wallet and other items, and they got into a car and fled.

The robbery victim got into his car in order to follow the culprits. When he pulled up next to the suspect vehicle near an intersection, one of the culprits allegedly shot him in the upper body.
The man drove home and called police. He was later was hospitalized.

Illegal cabs again

Don't mind jumping into an illegal cab after a night out? What's the problem you say?

Well, let us use Oslo, my town in Norway as an example. Just in a couple of days there has been reported several instances of rape and other serious criminal activities involving illegal taxi drivers. One driver alone was recently accused of three sexual assaults against drunk, young female victims.

Then there's another case where a 41-year-old woman was raped and robbed. As if the sexual trauma is not enough, the travel insurance company have refused to pay the woman for the values she was robbed of.

Why? They claim the victim is to blame by getting into an illegal cab under the influence of alcohol.

Even if this may be a tough call, it points to the very real dangers of getting into one of these vehicles - if anything happens, you're basically on your own.

Quick thinking

"(...) very good and quick thinking on her part. This probably prevented her from further attacks," an Indianapolis, Indiana police spokesperson said, according to wishtv.com.

Police say the woman was attacked in a parking garage on one of the busiest streets in the downtown area. The incident occurred in the middle of the afternoon when a lot of people were leaving work.

The woman was allegedly entering her car when the suspect put his hand around her mouth and pushed her into the car, police say.

The intended victim pushed the "panic" button on her keychain. When the attacker heard the horn and saw the flashing lights, he took off running.

'I-knee-do' #1

Great fighting spirit in this "older" guy! If it is totally wise to fight back at that point is another matter all together. I suppose the "spirit" just came over him.

Story:
Pennsylvania -- In Sunbury, an older church leader fought off a would-be robber as he left the church Wednesday night.

The man explained he had finished locking the doors and was walking down a ramp when he saw a man wearing a black mask.

When he was asked for money, the church leader said he didn't have any. However, the man said he was going to check the church leader's pockets anyway.

The church leader, with what he described "just a moment to think", kneed the main in the groin, and punched him to the face. He then ran to his car parked nearby and locked himself inside.

A police spokesman said the criminal took off booking down an alley after the confrontation with the intended victim.

Hornblower

Numbers given by Meridian police in Mississippi, shows there have been three carjackings or carjacking attempts during a recent period of six and a half weeks and a total of four in 2007.

However, police blotters, which are provided to the media on a daily basis, show a total of six this year.

In a recent, unsuccessful, carjacking attempt, the female driver began blowing her horn, which made the suspect run away. Making noise is often the best defense, police claims.

"Most of these individuals don't want to be apprehended, don't want to be caught or identified, and they will usually run away or whatever," the spokesman said.

'My-key-do' #8

Texas -- It was a frightening night for a Sherman shopper, according to kten.com. Police say a 57-year-old woman fought off an attacker while she was trying to get in her car.

Police says a man approached the woman in a general store parking lot and threatened her with a knife. She fought the man off with her keys, before another shopper called 911.

The man fled, but police caught up with him just a few minutes later.

'My-key-do' #7

New Jersey -- Manalapan Township police say man groped a woman in the parking lot of a store early Sunday morning, according to app.com.

The woman said she fought off her attacker, cutting his face with her car keys, a police department statement said.

Prior to the attack, police said, the woman reported seeing the man in the passenger seat of a car.

The suspect should have a visible wound to his left cheek from the woman's car keys, police said.

Real estate agents

In Georgia, DeKalb County Police are warning local real estate agents to be careful, especially if they are women, 11alive.com reports.

The alert follows a sexual attack on a lone agent. The 36-year-old woman told detectives she was attacked while taking sales flyers to a home in Tucker on Tuesday, November 27.

She said not long after she entered a carport door, a man jumped her from behind, pinned her against a counter and began fondling her. However the woman fought back and managed to escape to her car, drive away and call police.

'My-key-do' #6

Michigan State University police are investigating an attempted carjacking which occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. on Thursday, statenews.com reports.

A 22-year-old female student reported that an unknown male approached her car, grabbed her arm and tried to steal the keys to her car.

The student fought off the suspect and scratched him in the left cheek with her keys. The suspect then fled the scene and the woman drove off.