Crime - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jamesnj · #1 02-19-2003, 06:12 PM

Have you ever been a crime victim? If so, what happened to you and did it change you?

blackmercedes · #2 02-19-2003, 06:41 PM

When my wife and I lived in the inner city many years ago, we bought a new car. Whoops. The car was vandalized a couple times. Minor property damage, but still hurtful. We moved to a residential neighbourhood near my wife's school. It was not low income, but "low-moderate." Our car was vandalized and theft-attempts became every few weeks! We fled to the 'burbs, and have been crime free since.

In 1997, I was working downtown. I was walking down a busy sidewalk when a young woman walked out of an office building. As she stepped onto the sidewalk, a fellow on a bicycle smashed into her. She fell hard, as was really slow to get up. The fellow was in a rage, and shouting something at her (not to racially stereo-type, but I couldn't understand what he was saying as it was some sort of middle-eastern language). He took off his heavy bicycle chain, and was about to smash her head in with it, when I grabbed his arm. He came after me. I broke his arm and most of his front teeth. Thanks to lots of witnesses, I was not charged, but the bicycle creep was. The woman was hurt, but only lightly.

The event that impacted me the most was the fellow on the bike. The pure rage that came to the surface, directed at anyone near him, surprised me. I was also surprised at the level of unconcious violence that I was capable of. I didn't think, I just acted. I meant to restrain him, but hurt him seriously. Random violence of this sort is a very rare occurance here, and was the first time I had any exposure to it.

In shock while talking to the police, I noticed that the bastard's blood had ruined one of my Cole Hahn shoes. Then I got MAD. How illogical is that? It was one freaky feeling.

420SEL · #3 02-19-2003, 07:14 PM

I had a Cadillac Deville that was stolen. I am still deciding if it was a crime or a favor.

Ashman · #4 02-19-2003, 07:50 PM

I had my backpack stolen the last week of high school right before finals. It had all my notes in there....

It was quite traumatizing, but beneficial. My teachers wouldn't let me use xerox's of someone else's notes, but I was allowed to hand copy them so I could study form them.

I must say I did better on those finals than I thought. Hand copying an entire semester's worth of notes, was a great study aid.

Alon

mikemover · #5 02-19-2003, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blackmercedes

In 1997, I was working downtown. I was walking down a busy sidewalk when a young woman walked out of an office building. As she stepped onto the sidewalk, a fellow on a bicycle smashed into her. She fell hard, as was really slow to get up. The fellow was in a rage, and shouting something at her (not to racially stereo-type, but I couldn't understand what he was saying as it was some sort of middle-eastern language). He took off his heavy bicycle chain, and was about to smash her head in with it, when I grabbed his arm. He came after me. I broke his arm and most of his front teeth. Thanks to lots of witnesses, I was not charged, but the bicycle creep was. The woman was hurt, but only lightly.

The event that impacted me the most was the fellow on the bike. The pure rage that came to the surface, directed at anyone near him, surprised me. I was also surprised at the level of unconcious violence that I was capable of. I didn't think, I just acted. I meant to restrain him, but hurt him seriously. Random violence of this sort is a very rare occurance here, and was the first time I had any exposure to it.

In shock while talking to the police, I noticed that the bastard's blood had ruined one of my Cole Hahn shoes. Then I got MAD. How illogical is that? It was one freaky feeling.

Your actions in that situation were PERFECTLY apropriate, and he got what he deserved. You should not feel any guilt or remorse at all for your actions or feelings. Sometimes, violence IS the answer. Who knows what he might have done to that woman if you had not intervened? Good for you, bro.

I also feel that he owes you a pair of shoes. What a worthless *********.

Mike

G-Benz · #6 02-20-2003, 10:45 AM

No house invasions or personal assaults to me or any of my family members thankfully.

But the VW was broken into twice. Both times for the stereo system.

The first time was in 1986. I was kinda stupid at preventative measures at first (parking near the end of the lot in a dark corner to elude scratches to my new paint job), so I made it easy for the thief...he got the deck and the rear speakers.

. Accessed by prying the wing vent windows on the driver's side.

Undaunted, I purchased an even more expensive setup later on...this time got an alarm as well, and welded the deck brackets to the firewall. The speakers were hidden behind panels, so it was a stealthy setup. Also got special locks for those vent windows.

But it was a show car, and most everything was in plain sight during the events. So the second time, the perpetrator knew where to look.

This time, they got in a locked garage in my apartment (manager wasn't changing locks, so previous tenants could still gain access...stupid). The thief tried to access the vent window in the same manner but was thwarted by the lock, so he just smashed in the window. I guess he got spooked at some point because I found the components still laying about, as well as the Craftsman tools he was using. Nothing was missing since he didn't have the chance, but it was obvious he gave up on the deck. So I was only out $30 for a replacement vent window.

I still have that thief's tools though...

BENZ-LGB · #7 02-20-2003, 12:29 PM

...of a crime. But in my job I deal with victims of crime all the time. I get to see, first hand, the effect that the crime has on them. The youngest victim, so far, was 5 years old and the oldest was 67.

The human spirit is rather resilient and, with help, victims can get over the emotional aftermath of the crime and eventually lead fulfilling lives. The victims who suffer the most are the ones who never report the crime and suffer in silence. Their chances for emotional survival are diminished.

Victims (and I don't like that term, they are not victims, they are survivors) need a lot of support, from friends and family. So if you know someone who has been a victim of a crime, be there for them, listen and whatever you do, do not pass judgment on the victim (no "I told you so's" please).

#8 02-20-2003, 12:48 PM

My biggest one was having a fancy stereo stolen out of my Ford Festiva back in college. Second one was somebody smashing the window on my Hyundai Sonata and stealing of all things - a BB gun.

Where my folks live, their vehicles are regularly "inspected" for anything that may be of value. They know who's doing it. Of course, the Aurora alleged police department won't do anything wihtout witnesses, and cannot be bothered to investigate. My folks just remove everything from the cars now and leave 'em unlocked. So much for the security of a gated community.

Saaz · #9 02-20-2003, 01:56 PM

I've only got one significant story, but it's kinda funny. In college I had a bicycle that I rode to class. Riding back to the dorm one Friday, the front wheel just popped off. (It was the quick release type. Since then I've noticed that newer bikes usually have some kind of interlock to prevent this kind of accident.) Let me tell you, when the front wheel of a bicycle comes off at 20 mph or so, it makes for a pretty spectacular wreck. No serious injury, but I've still got scars many years later.

Next Monday, I go to get my bike, and its gone. Someone had cut through the lock. I reported it to the campus police:
Police: [head down, bored, filling out the form] Were there any distinguishing marks on the bike?
Me: Well, it's covered with blood.
Police: [head snaps up]
Me: [Wow, that got his attention. Point at road-rash covering half my left arm.]

Anyway, the funny part is that I have no idea why the front wheel came off. I just stuck it back on, limped home, and locked the bike. So I like to think that whoever stole it rode away, had the front wheel come off again, and suffered even worse injuries than I did.

My roomate also had a funny crime experience. One night the campus police called:
Police: Your car is blocking a dumpster, we need you to come down and move it.
Roomie: Really, I didn't think I parked anywhere near a dumpster.
Police: Parking sticker number blah-blah-blah, it's registered to you....
Roomie: You know, that sounds like the number on my old parking sticker. Which was stolen last quarter.
Police: Oh. [gleefully] We'll take care of this, sorry to bother you.