You’re loading your groceries from your cart into your car on a sunny and unusually warm late-winter weekday. The grocery store parking lot is fuller than normal and there are a handful of people around the lot. Two teenagers rush you and grab your keys from you.
What would you do?
Based on this situation that happened yesterday. My daughter and granddaughter were at this very grocery store an hour before it happened and my boyfriend was at the store when it happened (why they didn’t organize their grocery shopping I don’t know).
If they have grabbed the key from me and run away with my car, nothing more to do, just call 911. I would look for direction they run.
Chasing them would not do anything good, doesn’t even help (I have been in similar situation already).
You have license plate number, model of the car, teenager’s description -> that’s all Police needs from you.
Most important - I’m safe.
This illustrates the need for situational awareness at all times. It is so very easy to let your guard down while engaged in other tasks. I never take my keys out until I am ready to enter the vehicle. If I am loading stuff into the vehicle the keys go back into my pocket as soon as I unlock it.
A lone 66 year old woman would be vulnerable in this situation, and there was probably not anything else she could have done.
Thankful for my small town life.
I do not use keys anymore. I keep them hidden always.
Every car I’ve been using has proxy key, and can be opened by touching the handle. You cannot run engine not being present on driver’s seat.
If, and that is a big IF this had been attempted on myself there would have most certainly been a physical alteration. Taken to a level of their choosing. Win lose or draw, I’m not going to be a victim without a fight period. That’s assuming the situation and circumstances are identical. If able, good citizens need to stand against the dark side of society or risk further decline of said society as a whole. It’s a sad state of affairs that people need to worry about such acts.
Why would anyone think they could escape on Mayfair Road the mall traffic is crazy?
If they were big enough to take my keys I would start being a good witness noting their license plate numbers and moving for the safety of the store. You mentioned your daughter and granddaughter… I always loaded the kids up into the car first to keep them safe. If I had a kid in the car I would have done anything I needed to do to keep them from taking the kids with the car.
These are bad people. Bad people choose easy targets. I’ve always had the benefit of being bigger male. I’m not saying this couldn’t happen to me, but I doubt I’d be the first target to go for. If I were a criminal with no conscience (people forget there are BAD people… although all bad people follow all carry laws ) id go for easy targets. I don’t consider 66 elderly, but it’s definitely not young. There are older woman in there 70s and 80s who get purse snatched. Everyone freaks out “how could they rob an elderly woman???” … it’s simple, they’re bad people, and they pick easy targets.
I would try to stop the by grabbing them if I could and I’d have some not so friendly words to use. However, this is not a life threatening situation. No lethal force would be used. No one should lose their life over my truck.
Agreed If my baby or wife were in the car… I would do the same. Anything to make sure they’re safe. I would weather end up behind bars and my family be safe, than A family member who is found somewhere dead in a field a few weeks later. I would of course hope that the justice system would underhand much actions, because I believed an unknown person kid napping would be very justified to stop. But there are good people who did the right thing and are in jail right now.
I don’t own a vehicle that was manufactured THIS CENTURY, I have two 1999’s and a 1977, the 77 is the only one with a slush box and I’m looking to change that to a 6 speed when the motor gets hauled.
I’d probably be too busy laughing at them when they tried to figure out what the third pedal was for to worry about shooting them but I certainly might bounce a head or two off a running board or something, probably followed by a swift 10 1/2 to the rear at high velocity.
I watch people, it’s a habit your gov’t taught me. The number of people that come out of a grocery store reading their receipt, staring at their phone fiddling around in their purse is mind boggling. If you are having trouble sleeping and need to count sheep spend five minutes watching the front of a grocery store, the heard is large.
As long as my loved ones aren’t in my car, they can have the car. If I can access my pepper spray or tactical pen quick enough, I might make their life a little more difficult. If it’s just a theft, I’m not drawing my firearm, period.
I’m 54 years old and in good shape, however being outnumbered 2-1 by thugs 40 years younger than me aren’t odds I care to gamble on. I would like to think I’ve got enough situational awareness to see them coming before it gets to bad-breath range.
The simple answer has always been to appear not to be the stereotype target of these characters. Always look alert, and a bit of a threat yourself. If you can’t do that (petite female) then remember you don’t need to get hurt. Just avoid getting hurt. That potential injury will be with you much longer than it takes to get another car.
) id go for easy targets. I don’t consider 66 elderly, but it’s definitely not young. There are older woman in there 70s and 80s who get purse snatched. Everyone freaks out “how could they rob an elderly woman???” … it’s simple, they’re bad people, and they pick easy targets.