Helped Apprehend A Shoplifter

[Bruce Breedlove]

A half-hour ago I went to buy groceries at my local Safeway. As I was waiting for shoppers to cross outside the entrance I saw what at first appeared to be someone falling down into another person. Quickly I realized a scuffle of some sort had broken out. When I saw handcuffs it was obvious someone had done something wrong and was being apprehended. I saw a guy pulling away from the other two guys - one had him by an ankle and the other had him by a wrist (with a handcuff on the wrist) but they by no means had him under control. I immediately decided they could use some help so I popped the car into neutral, set my brake and ran the 10 yards over to them. By the time I got to them the struggle had moved another 10 yards away. They were all standing but the good guys were nowhere close to getting the bad guy under control.

It was really hard to figure out who was who. Unlike the old movies, the bad guy wasn't wearing a black hat and the good guys were not wearing white hats. To be honest, they all looked suspect to me. The oldest guy (50s, bald, grey hair and beard, several missing teeth - a good description of me other than the teeth) had a guy by the wrist with the handcuff attached. A younger guy (early 20s, double stud piercing through his bottom lip) at first looked to me to be the bad guy but he had the other guy (with handcuff attached) by the waist. The third guy (with handcuff attached - took me a split second to see how that arm was attached to) was really struggling with the other two, trying to slither away.

After figuring out who was who I grabbed the bad guy around the chest from behind - over one shoulder and under the other arm - and put him in a bear hug. The oldest guy then said to the bad guy, "There's three of us now. You can't get away. Stop resisting and give me your other hand." I reached around and grabbed the bad guy's left arm, pulled it behind him and the pierced lip kid handcuffed him.

The good guys - obvious now they were store security - thanked me and I returned to my car. I saw the pierced lip kid pick up his security badge that he had dropped in the scuffle and a DVD lying on the ground.

I parked my car and did my shopping. On my way out I spoke with the Salvation Army bell ringer who was standing mere feet from all the action. She said the guy and a young woman (whom I never noticed) had shoplifted several DVDs. She said, "It was pretty cool. They grabbed the girl and the guy as soon as they walked out the door. The guy fought the two guys and another security guy drove right up and grabbed him." (That other "security guy" was me.) She said the pair had 6 or 8 DVDs on them.

That was pretty exciting. I don't think I have physically helped apprehend anyone before. I'm glad I was at the right place at the right time and could jump in and help.

Now I need to apply some heat to my shoulder. I think I pulled something in the struggle.

[Rick Cantrell]

A regular old Kaja aren't you? Good for you.
Hope your shoulder is OK.
And now that your your feeling like a "Man", don't forget to take care of momma.:)

[Rick Hurst]

Mr. Tough Guy way to Go.

rick

[Jerry Peck]

Just a word of caution for the next time ...

In South Florida, security guards get shot and killed for less than that while attempting to catch the bad guys. It has happened several times.

Glad it all worked out okay for you, glad you did not grab one of the good guys, you would still be in detention trying to explain 'but, you see, *I* am not 'one of them', *I* was trying to help ... ' as it falls and deaf ears because they grabbed you trying to help the bad guy get away. :D

[Gunnar Alquist]

Hey Rick,

Your cartoon is of a bad guy, not a good guy.

[Billy Stephens]

Where can I get one of those Tool Belts?

[Rick Hurst]

Gunnar,

And who would that character be. Actually that is the one character on those walls I didn't recognize.

These I knew.

rick

[Rick Hurst]

Actually about 20 years ago or more, I have a relative that had recently had a child and she was in a Target store with this infant. As she was shopping the baby got upset and the mother reached into a diaper bag she was carrying to get a bottle for the baby.

Anyway, a store security guard seen this and thought she was placing something in the bag.

They supposedly followed her around till she left the store after checking out, and then they approached her in the parking lot about it. One of the guards actually tackled her knocking her down while she was carrying the child.

After illegally searching her and her car, they let her go realizing she had no stolen merchandise. She immediately called the police which then called the paramedics. She nor the baby was actually hurt except for the mother having a few scrapes from the fall.

Anyway, after her lawyers got through with them, lets just say she has never had a job ever since.

On another note of crime, our neighborhood has had several home invasions into the last few weeks by a young guy who is crawling through windows that have been left open. He has entered 7 homes around 3am. with these people at home.

He has awaken all of these people each time and has actually wrestled with 3 of the homeowners while trying to escape. Each time he has went through the home they say carrying only a small flashlight and has not taken anything except prescription drugs. One neighbor down the street actually said he was sleep nude when he was woke up seeing a beam of light going across the ceiling. He jumped up and chased the guy out of the house and tackling him in the back yard, but the guy got away from him and ran out through a gate. He said he couldn't chase him any further being naked and all. His wife had called the police when all this was occuring. When the police arrived he was still buck naked telling them what had happened. The police asked him to go place some clothes on so they could interview more about the incident.

I thought this might be this guys excuse for quitting doing home invasions knowing that he might have to wrestle with some big nude guy. So far, no more have occured.

Personally I've alway defended my home with the martial art known as:

Klik-Pau

rick

[Bruce Breedlove]

I appreciate the concerns regarding personal safety when intervening in something like this. I watched this event unfold before my eyes mere yards away and I only saw a loser trying to avoid capture. He was not fighting; he was only trying to get away. I saw no weapons. I felt that I could help without placing myself in danger so I sprang into action. I did not injure the shoplifter; I merely grabbed him and held him until he stopped resisting and them pulled his arm around behind him to receive a handcuff.

As far as the legalities of store security personnel detaining a shoplifter I don't know what the laws are here. I'm sure the laws vary depending on location. It would seem to me that this is very similar to making a citizen's arrest - if you observe a crime being committed you can detain the culprit until police arrive by making a citizen's arrest.

The shoplifter probably would not have gotten away. (His girlfriend had already been detained.) I think my help brought his capture to a quicker conclusion and may have saved the security personnel (and the shoplifter) from injury. I don't regret my actions.

[Rick Hurst]

Bruce,

Don't get me wrong on this. I think your a stand-up guy for what you did. If more people would just involved instead of ignoring these types of folks it would be a better place for sure.

Next time maybe give em a kidney punch while your in there.

rick

[Erby Crofutt]

Dan did you really say "I know this stuff cuz my brother is a detective"

What a hoot! How about you post a reference backng that up.


To put it politely, you sound like a real estate agent or a home seller talking about who can do a repair.

Personally, I think you're full of crap. I've made many in past lives including physical restraint. While it's been a few years, I doubt that the law has changed that much.

Yes, anybody can sue anybody for anything. There's always a risk of personal injury.


"Ya don't need a licensed plumber or licensed electrician to fix that. Just find the brother of a plumber or electrician. He can fix it for you a lot cheaper."

[Billy Stephens]

OK Fellas,

If your remember" How a Reasonable Person would Act" and " Apporate level of force was used". That stands in Court.

How's that saying go, Your mileage may vary.

[Jerry Peck]

Bruce,

No one is saying what you did was not good, it was, you likely did more than many of us would have - and it is good you did.

I was simply pointing out some things to think about when doing so. At least in some parts of the country.

[Erby Crofutt]

Well Dan, in point of fact, several did though it didn't do much good.

Of course, not as many did when I was a police officer, though a few tried. Knives & guns included.

Nature of the beast I chose to ride at the time!

A man's gotta know his limitations. I did.

Bruce did good. He knew his limitations. He stayed within them.

[Billy Stephens]

Erby,

Hope you managed to stay out of Federal Court.

Federal complains are so common here it a real joke.

But New Crews, New Tricks have found ways to be effective. :D