It was frightening and every moment as this event was unfolding I was having thoughts that I could be witnessing my husband in a potentially harmful situation.Before dawn, Son2 awoke to the unusual sound of a car dropping off 2 teenage-looking boys and heard their conversations about seeing an iPod as they approached our cars parked in our drive-way. For the past few summers our street has been the target of theft from unlocked cars and opened garages. Remembering these occurrences, he ran upstairs to look out the window and saw that my husband’s car’s interior lights were on. He woke all of us up and said a white SUV drove up the street that intersects into ours and saw someone in a white shirt walk up the street after the car.
Moments later, my husband was in his car blocking the suspects car with his from coming down the cul-de-sac. The white SUV backed up and my husband aggressively drove towards them. The 2 suspects then got out of their car. One did not have his shirt on which to me meant trouble. The only thing I thought of as they left the SUV and came close to my husband’s car was I was going to see my husband get shot and killed. I knew he had his phone and was calling 911 and I was also doing the same. The suspects decided to abandon the car and run. My husband had been laying on his horn hoping he would have support from our neighbors. One person came out of his house. One. The fact we live in a guard-gated upscale community and have patrolling security means nothing but only lends itself to giving residents a false sense of security. Our security service is worthless.
As the thugs left my husband got out of his car and now having support of this neighbor they saw the suspects returning. The conversations of the suspects were very loud and confrontational. I still could not believe no one else cared to get involved and help.
The Sheriffs finally came, hand cuffed two of the remaining suspects and proceeded to stay in our neighborhood for the next 3 hours. I am guessing this was a ring because three more sheriff cars came and they were talking and looking at papers for hours after they came to our home and spoke with us.
When the Sheriff came to our home to question us I expressed my concern of retaliation and he assured me these were ‘punks’ who backed down as soon as they were confronted. I am not comforted by this. I can now understand why people would feel more comforted having a gun in their home. I don’t know what I’d do with one but feeling threatened and venerable as I do right now, I wish I knew how to use one.
I give kudos for Son2 to assessing the situation so well, trying to video tape the incident with his cell phone and speaking so eloquently to the Sheriff all while still feeling the ill effects from having his wisdom teeth out on Friday. Son1 also witnessed the activity on the street and stayed very calm and alert. I would not let either of them go out as they did not have the shelter of being in a car and I knew there were at least 2 suspects on foot and one in a car and I didn’t know if they were armed or how high they were. Having my husband out there was enough. I was also feeling very afraid the suspects could come back to the house if they panicked so I had the boys lock the door that my husband flew out of while I watched my husband from the upstairs window. I went into total lock down protective mode of my chicks.
Looking back on the morning, we could have easily just let the white car turn the corner and go but we didn’t. The Sheriff called my husband a hero. I believe he did this to make me feel better. It didn’t . I was thinking he could have been a dead hero for not knowing what he was getting into and being a victim of desperate people under the influence of drugs.
Would we have done this any different?
Probably not.
If my husband did not get out in front of the suspects car to get a plate number and block their exist there would have been no one else to do it and he couldn’t be a by stander and let them get away. Last summer when a similar incident happened he got in his car and pursued trying to get close enough to get the plate number but backed off when he thought pursuing them at high speeds would not be safe for anyone.
Could we have looked the other way?
No.
But I also don’t feel good about it because I feel unsafe.
Oh my word. What a way to start a Sunday. I’m glad no one was hurt. I think your hubs is a hero and it’s very unfortunate that only ONE neighbor came out. As reassuring as it is to know that the ‘punks’ were arrested, I would still be a nervous wreck (as I’m sure you are!). That’s the worrier in me, though.
It’s just an awful feeling to not even be comfortable in your own home all because of a few people who are out to do no good.
oh my goodness… wow, your son is so smart to wake you up and try to get that on his phone! Man oh man! Crazy morning. But I do give your husband a lot of credit, even though I feel the same way as you – have the damn ipod… but don’t hurt my husband. Thank goodness they were smart enough to run rather than fight – smart calling 911 immediately! Whoa, what a morning!
I’m so glad you are okay! Well wishes to you and your family.
Whoa. How frightening! I’m glad this story had a happy ending. I would have been as freaked out as you were by my DH being in the middle of all that. I sure hope those “punks” get what they deserve, and that they never do this kind of thing again.
OMgosh – how scary! It’s such a shame that “punks” can be so destructive. Hooray for your husband – though I am well aware that he possibly could have been badly hurt. Get a big golf club and put in beside your bed – I have one!
wow… so glad you’re all okay. Thank God there were no guns involved. I can only imagine how scared you were.
I don’t understand if you are in a gated community how this could happen. I’m glad everyone is safe, too scary with the what if’s!
Lord have mercy…this is crazy. I can’t believe these guys! It’s like someone told me a long, long time ago…it’s all about the drugs–and it truly is! People who are on drugs will do anything while they are under the influence or do anything to get the drug…so pathetic! Glad that y’all are okay!
Frightening, glad that everyone is ok. Kudos to your husband and boys. Not easy doing the right thing.
I feel your pain and hope that as time passes you feel safe in your own home again.
Wow Mrs. Pink – Mr. Pink is a brave soul! That was definitely “the road not taken” and it really did make all the difference. What an example for your sons. And thank God those hoodlums weren’t armed. xoxo
Thank you all your nice reassuring and caring comments. I really appreciate them. The advice I gave to my boys…. ‘NEVER do what your father just did’! š
Wow! i wonder if this was an inside job, someone from your neighborhood? How else did they get past the ‘gates?”
I don’t think you should worry about retaliation the type people that commit that type crime are cowards and not very evolved criminals. Hopefully this will stop them dead in their path to a life of crime!
Glad it all worked out š
You may not like what he did but your husband is one MANLY DUDE!! I LOVE him! He’s my hero!!
But I know how you feel. One time years ago during Christmas we were at the mall (this was New Jersey) and had been trying to find a parking spot for 30 minutes (literally) and finally one person came out of a store and motioned we could have his spot. We had been waiting for him to get out of his spot and had our blinker on and were the only ones in the aisle and these PUNKS came in and swerved into the spot right in front of us. It was so BLATANT and so obvious that they knew we were waiting and did not care. My husband stopped the car and got out and went over and started yelling at them (polite yelling) and they got out and they looked dangerous. I just knew then and there they were going to pull out a gun and kill us.
Oh it was a horrible feeling.