A common set-up

California -- Sfgate.com has a very informative article about a very common tactic or set-up used by robbers, thieves or criminals alike. It goes something like this:

- You are being approached by someone face to face
- The person distracts you or even attacks you (as in the above story)
- You are being attacked from behind by the persons accomplices
- This can also be a set-up for theft (pickpocket)

The people behind you are there either as a back up for the person in front or as the ones doing the actual hit.

In either case it is always recommended you walk, move (or if needed push) past the person confronting you. This goes even if you are stopped for directions, time, a dime or what ever. You are in a far better situation to evaluate and act when you're able to turn and face the person - and consequently any other persons - confronting you!

Read the above story and judge for yourself how bad it is to fight someone with your back to someone you don't know is there...

Coffee to go

Hot liquid can be a great self-defense solution. Hope McDonald's won't be sued this time around for serving their coffee too hot...

Maine -- Portland police said a 25-year-old man's craving for drugs lead to a crime spree that included an attempt to drive of with an ambulance, three armed robberies and attempted theft of a cash register.

The suspect was arrested after he was doused with hot coffee by a McDonald's restaurant employee as he allegedly attempted to steal a cash register, according to wbztv.com.

Lame excuses #4

As you may have noticed, we have this kind of ongoing series, called: "It wasn't me - it was Mr Pee" - highlighting all the stupid excuses that people can use when caught red handed.
And today we will turn our attention to a brain-dead thief who used not just one, but two instances of "what, who, me?"
Anyone with nick names such as "Double D" and "D Rock" - who also actually attempts lame excuses like these -obviously needs more than just a bit of mental pimping to get the IQ level above the zero point...

Story:
Florida -- A theft suspect locked in the back of a patrol car in Despin kicked out the window, claiming he was claustrophobic, according to nwfdailynews.com.

The 21-year-old man allegedly also said a woman's purse accidentally wound up in his hands.

Two store patrons said they had stopped the man as he tried to leave with the purse. They said the man had picked it up off the floor, tucked it under his shirt and made for the exit.

The suspect, also known as "Double D" and "D Rock," said the alleged theft was unintentional. And here comes the best part. A deputy wrote in his report: "He explained that the strap of the purse fell onto his foot and when he turned around, it went with him. The next thing he knew, the purse was in his hands and he was being approached by two men who took the purse from him."

Double doze of duh delirium :-)

ATM distraction

Canada -- Police say there's an increase in distraction thefts that typically happen around bank machines, according to 640toronto.com.

They say an unsuspecting victim will withdraw a large amount of cash and is then approached by a suspect who starts up a quick conversation.

Usually, the thief offers some kind of help. When the victim is distracted, their money is stolen.

Shoplifters

UK -- Shop workers have spoken out about the violent attacks they face on a daily basis, according to hartlepoolmail.co.uk.

Statistics reveal more than 10,000 workers nationwide were injured in attacks last year. And more than 60 per cent were caused by shoplifters trying to escape with their stolen goods.

According to figures from the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw), more than 10,000 shop workers in the UK were physically attacked in 2006 alone. Around two thirds of those incidents centred around apprehending shoplifters.

The dangers facing shop staff were highlighted this week by the case of named female shoplifter.
The 18-year-old drug addict was jailed after she assaulted three members of staff at a bargains store in Hartlepool.

The offender punched, bit and spat at the three women workers, because they tried to prevent her from leaving the store with two stolen dolls - worth £4.99 each.

"It's too late!"

Are there people so stupid that they actually believe this? Come to think about it, working with loss prevention, I did meet a number of folks who was perhaps a little short with deposits on their IQ-account... :-)

Story:
A young city woman who apparently thought she couldn't be arrested for stealing once she left the store was in fact charged with multiple misdemeanors Monday after she fought with the department store security guard in White Plains who caught her, police said.

The 19-year-old thief "went into a rage, repeatedly yelling, 'It's too late. I already left the store,'" according to a police report of the incident, which took place shortly before 4 p.m. at .

The teenager was seen stealing a $251 pair of jeans at the store by the guard who followed her outside, police said. The guard apprehended the suspect after a struggle during which the suspect pulled the guard's hair, bit her on the wrist and choked her, police said. The guard was not seriously injured.

Source

Bummer!

Be very afraid - they're actually walking amongst us ... :-)

Story:
West Virginia -- When a man tried to rob a convenience store in Inwood using a small lighter shaped like a gun, his method of disguise reportedly became a source of amusement for the cashier.

"He entered the store wearing a pair of women's pajama shorts over his face," a West Virginia State Police spokesman said, adding "I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried."

At first the cashier thought it was a joke. Then the would-be robber showed the cashier his fake weapon. She was unsure if it was an actual gun or a cigarette lighter in the figure of a gun, which the store used to sell.

The cashier refused to comply with the attempted robber's demands and he fled the scene. The man was arrested several minutes later with another man while attempting to steal a tire off of a vehicle.

Source

'Mall-Wart'?

Quite alarming statistics regarding Wal-Mart ...

Story:
Wal-Mart complexes experience a significant number of police incidents, more so than at other shopping complexes. This is according to a national study published less than a year ago by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union at WakeUpWalMart.com.

The study examined police reports associated with 551 Wal-Mart stores across the country. It collected data from 404 police departments from 434 cities and towns.

The study demonstrates that nationally, Wal-Mart stores cost local taxpayers an estimated $77 million in increased police costs in 2004.

What the report calls "magnet for crime" is not limited to merely in-store crimes like shoplifting and check forgery. Included is also violent and serious crimes including rape, attempted rape, aggravated assault, burglary, auto-theft, arson, narcotics, kidnapping and murder.

The report shows that there were 1,024 auto thefts reported at Wal-Mart stores, 154 sex crimes, 23 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings and 1,145 assaults with a deadly weapon.

Source

Mobile theft capital

UK -- A survey has revealed that Glasgow is the mobile phone theft capital of the British Isles.

With one in five cases involving phones being snatched from bags, almost a third of people living in the city have had their mobile stolen.

The study also shows phone thieves are most likely to strike in the evenings; the months April and August had the highest rates of phone theft in the city, and one in five admitted falling victim while on night out.

Source

Snatch and run

Snatch and run - almost sounds like a slogan: Thieves-R-Us.
Seriously, why does women A. keep all their important things - house keys, credit cards, ID, etc. - inside a purse, and B. leave the purse on the seat beside them? How about making it just a tiny bit harder for the criminals? Why not put the important items in the glove department, and leave a "decoy purse" on the seat?

Story:
Four women have become victims of snatch and run thefts in Istanbul following an attack on Republican People's Party deputy Zeynep Damla Gürel.

Thieves who take advantage of traffic jams that occur on the streets specifically target the lone female drivers of luxury vehicles. The assailants flee after breaking car windows, typically with a spark plug, and taking the victims' purses.

Source

Payphone

When using a payphone it's a common habit to face away from the door (or people) - facing the phone. This is a bad habit!

Try instead to have your back against the wall/phone. Yes I know this may make the conversation feel less "private", but you will be a much harder target to hit.

I suggest you begin to watch how people act when they're on a payphone or a cellular phone in public. Then you will see how easy it is for a criminal to set many of these people up for an assault or a theft.

Story:
Toronto, Canada -- Police are investigating after a 36-year-old woman was pulled from a payphone and sexually assaulted in the city’s east end early Saturday morning.

The victim was using a payphone at about 5:30 a.m. when a man grabbed her from behind and dragged her to a nearby grassy area, where she was forced to the ground and sexually assaulted, police said.

The woman fought with her attacker before he fled.

Source

Happy birthday!

Well, maybe she, eh.. I mean he thought that the woman's purse was a perfect match to her, eh... his own dress?

Story:
Dotty Stella was celebrating her 71st birthday yesterday afternoon at a restaurant when a young man disguised in woman's clothing, wig and makeup approached her.

Stella says she didn't realize that the man reached over and snatched her purse. Shoppers who heard Stella's yell chased the thief down the street until he jumped over a fence. Others called the police.

The 16-year-old was caught and taken to a juvenile detention center. As for Stella, she says getting her purse back was the best birthday gift she could wish for.

Source

Common distraction

Pretending to ask for directions is a common distraction technique used by thieves, robbers, thugs etc.

Story:
Malaysia -- He was only being helpful to strangers seeking directions but Lee Eng Fei's good intention ended with him becoming a snatch theft victim.

In the incident early this month, Lee was approached by two men on a motorcycle on the pretext of asking for directions.

They attacked him with a parang, first slashing him on the head and back. After he surrendered his money, the thieves mercilessly slashed him again, this time on the hands.

Source

Disabilities and self-defense

I totally agree with Bob J. Kunkel Jr. in this article, saying he believes disabilities don't matter when it comes to self defense.
The way I see it we all have limitations and advantages - stronger sides and weaker sides - be it physical, emotional, mental, verbal, tactical or otherwise.
And it is so easy to see any limitations that a given person has. Let us look at what we can achieve rather than what we can not do!

Story:
Kenkel is different from most peer visitors. Instead of only visiting to talk and offer encouragement to recovering war wounded, Kenkel possesses a unique skill which he believes every disable veteran should have -- the ability to defend themselves regardless of disability.

Kenkel said he feels these skills are important because, besides targeting an average person on the street, thieves are also likely to choose victims in wheelchairs or those using crutches.

Source

Cell (phone) defense

One of the growing identity-theft scams involves the use of camera cell phones.

Beware of people with cell phones standing near you when you use a credit card to pay for a purchase at a department store, grocery store, restaurant or similar business.

That person could be taking a picture of your credit card, which carries your name, number and expiration date.

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