Gun owner thwarts an armed robbery without a gun

Gun owner thwarts an armed robbery without a gun. How you might ask? I was walking into a favorite local farm and ranch supply store and when I got out of my truck I did not have my carry weapon with me. I went for a few items for a prototype project I was working on in broad daylight and did not think it was needed for this short trip. I thought about half way there that I should have brought my carry weapon but did not.

I exited my truck and went towards the door of the store. I saw a man about 5'10' enter the store in a long black trench coat I then scanned to my right and saw another man dressed in black and wearing a brown nit cap waiting in a still running 96' Buick sedan parked just outside the entrance to the store. I took off my sun glasses and made eye contact with the driver of the car.

With my eyes I relayed to him that I had made them and this situation. I then picked up my pace visibly and also put my hand to were my carry weapon would have been. I did this to make the driver aware that I made them and was headed inside to assess his partner in crime and to also and convince them that I was carrying. I am in a concealed carry state as well as open carry. You are not allowed in most states to conceal and reveal so the most you can do is to position your hand where your holster is or would be and hope for the best outcome. I was lucky and the driver called his man inside.

When I approached the trench coat guy I was working on cutting down his attack vector angles. I was on him quickly and was behind him and to his left in hopes that if he drew down on me it would be from the far side and I could pull his weapon against him from behind. He then got off the phone and faced me and meekly said how you doing? I said fine how are you in response. I went on my business. Then while still on the phone with his guy outside he went and got a cart and kind of leaned on it. He was visibly shaken and propping his weight on the cart to hold steady. When I grabbed my few items I looked up and he had left purchasing nothing.

Did I thwart an armed robbery? We will never know since these guys chickened out. It is interesting to note that when I left the store and was headed home a police officer was headed in that direction. Did the officer get an unconscious call to come to that place for some reason? Maybe he was my backup if I had failed?

The guy in the coat was so shaken for just a shopper I think was right and had indeed thwarted their plans. I felt energized like I had not in a while. I think they were inexperienced. Perhaps I helped to steer them straight and they will straighten out now they have had this experience.

Or....maybe you where imagining threat when there was none.

Sounds like you have been reading too many comic books to me...

reply to post by RobertF


I should also include I am a combat trained and honed army vet with security, bond recovery, bouncer, body guard, and loss prevention officer training and experienced.

It is interesting to note that when I left the store and was headed home a police officer was headed in that direction. Did the officer get an unconscious call to come to that place for some reason? Maybe he was my backup if I had failed?

reply to post by exitusstatuquo


Interesting.

You may have thwarted 2 guys buying alfalfa.

You didn't thwart an actual robbery because that part was a little bit in your imagination. Sort of misleading title.

Nice staying aware, though.

It could of been the other way round!

Just imagine that the guy was there to REALLY purchase something and his friend was just waiting for him to bring his supplies to the car.

His friend called the shopper in the store and tells him that a suspicious looking person has just eyed him strangely and is about to enter the store, he tells him to get out of there as soon as possible.

He goes into the store and see's another guy enter (YOU) who has his hand reaching into his jacket... in his eyes you are going for your gun... He may think you are the robber!

He is visibly shaken and just wants to get out of there.

What if...?

Warmest respects

Rodinus

Somewhere, those two guys are telling their friends how one of them would have gotten robbed at gun point, had his friend not called him and told him to leave after assessing the situation from his car. haha

You never know; you very well could have prevented an armed robbery. I have heard plenty of times where robbers hold up a place and come to find out, their gun was empty. Maybe that's what they were planning on doing, and they figured that if you were carrying, your gun was most definitely loaded.

I forgot to mention, maybe they called the police?

reply to post by PrincessTofu


As I stated I did not threaten them in any manner. I was in close proximity to them. I do look like a retired vet only because I am one.

Originally posted by Rodinus
I forgot to mention, maybe they called the police?

Lol, true. Maybe they were just guys that were shopping and all your reaching for your gun/batman stuff creeped them out.

reply to post by Rodinus


I had my scanner on and no the officer approaching was just there and not called I would have heard it on the scanner.These guys were not on the level I'm sure.

Originally posted by exitusstatuquo
reply to post by PrincessTofu

 

As I stated I did not threaten them in any manner. I was in close proximity to them. I do look like a retired vet only because I am one.

I can quite undertand your statement Exitus, but from the way you described everything, if i was in their shoes and saw you walking in after eyeing up my friend in his car followed by my friend calling me to say a suspicious looking person was steeping up his pace with his hand under his jacket as if reaching for a weapon, i think i would probably turn into jelly too and get the hell out of there as soon as possible.

But, then again, maybe you did thwart a robbery... just wanted to turn it the other way around to see if you may have taken it from their point of view.

I too am a very experienced ex-military person and would have certainly at least tried to asses the situation in both ways.

Warmest respects

Rodinus

Sorry folks i guess i got the quote thing wrong again.

I will get there eventually!

Mucho apologies

reply to post by exitusstatuquo


Sometime you just know what you know that you know (ya know?)
You just may have saved someone's life today ; perhaps even the guys in the long coat .
Well done.

I think you could have an interesting time watching Michael Rapaport's movie 'Special'... very underated film involving a man with super powers. It kind of slants situations like that into perspective.

Originally posted by PrincessTofu

Originally posted by Rodinus
I forgot to mention, maybe they called the police?

Lol, true. Maybe they were just guys that were shopping and all your reaching for your gun/batman stuff creeped them out.

don't want to quote all these posts so i'll just quote this one.

the guy didn't buy anything, he just left. he waited there long enough to realize the OP was just buying his stuff. idk, sounds like they were up to no good to me! for all that kid knew OP had a bad hip and that's why he was holding it

good job, maybe, hehe keep a look out for any news on a robbery from a man in a trench coat i guess

I am not bragging here that I am some sort of hero. I am stating here that the criminal needs to have an environment of superiority to the average person in order to have the strength of will to do their crimes. In a concealed carry / open carry state they have to access every average Joe as a threat. This makes them very cautious. More than in states that do not have concealed and open carry laws. My story is one of what happens in such a state. The criminals have to act very wisely and not threaten people who might just show up and thwart their plans.

I also happen to know the owners of this store and the criminals do not know this but those folks are well armed. I might have saved their lives keeping them from drawing down on the owners who might have killed them.

reply to post by exitusstatuquo


But you stated your title as thwarts an armed robbery.. maybe should have been may have thwarted a possible wrong-doing. It was a feed store. You saw no weapon. You are very brave but the title might be overstating a tiny bit.

Although now that I think about it, the fact that you say you normally carry a weapon is a bit worrisome. If you're seeing everyone in trench coats and cars as bandits or armed robbers it could be time to step back from the internet and get to know your neighbors a bit.

Well, If you did indeed thwart a robbery and save someones lives, then my hat goes off to you and i bow with much respect...

But... however, on the other hand (IF) that guy was just going in to purchase some Rennies and Toilet roll for his bad case of Gastro Enteritus... then shame on you...

Kindest respects

Rodinus

Originally posted by exitusstatuquo
reply to post by RobertF

 

I should also include I am a combat trained and honed army vet with security, bond recovery, bouncer, body guard, and loss prevention officer training and experienced.

edit on 15-1-2013 by exitusstatuquo because: edited for small errors

Man, you'd be absolutely nothing without that gun to give you all that importance.

Or am I reading it wrong, that the 'without a gun' part is irrelevant?

I don't hear many doctors go "Oh I saved a mans life.. and I didn't even have my stethoscope!!"

Ahh born only with a soul but moulded into a citizen. they've got you guys trained pretty well.

Originally posted by exitusstatuquo
reply to post by Rodinus

 

I had my scanner on and no the officer approaching was just there and not called I would have heard it on the scanner.These guys were not on the level I'm sure.

Is it really only me who sees the problem here?

"I can't prove it, but Im sure these guys were up to no good, and I didn't have my gun with me."

Hello Trayvon... heres company.