Carjackers terrorize family in Broward County Florida

[.cheese.]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/208805.html

BY EVAN S. BENN AND ROBBYN MITCHELL
[email protected]

Two people were abducted at gunpoint early Sunday while waiting in a drive-through line at a Krispy Kreme location in North Miami-Dade, police said.

A 39-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were sitting in their sport utility vehicle at 590 NE 167th St. about 2 a.m. when a young woman walked up and tapped on the driver's window, according to Miami-Dade police.

As the driver rolled down his window, two men came up to the car -- one armed with a handgun and the other a shotgun, investigators said.

The victims were forced to climb into the back seat of their red 1999 Lincoln Navigator while the assailants got in the front and drove to an ATM. They made the victims withdraw money, and then they drove to the couple's home in Plantation.

The abduction and armed robbery continued once they got to the home in the 1300 block of Northwest 122nd Avenue, police said.

Five other people -- two older residents and three children -- were asleep at the home.

The assailants tied up all seven victims and spent the next several hours ransacking the house, stealing cash, jewelry and guns, Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said.

They again drove the female victim to a Bank of America ATM at Flamingo Road and Sunrise Boulevard and made her withdraw more money, Toman said.

Around 6:45 a.m., one of the victims wriggled free of the restraints and managed to call police.

By the time officers arrived, the assailants had driven away in the family's Navigator and a blue Jeep Cherokee.

The male victim, who had been pistol-whipped and kicked, was treated for facial injuries.

The vehicles are still missing, and police urged anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

 

[.cheese.]

I would like to write an opinion short-article about this topic to submit to the Herald by the end of the day.

Here is the rough rough rough draft that contains the main points, if you'd like to contribute, PLEASE DO. If you can come up with previous incidents in the news that can help make these points, please post them:

I would like for this event to be a wake-up call to South Floridians: that our everyday life is not inherently safe.
We as a community have done a great deal to enhance the security of us all, I agree. We have some of the best local police departments who have some of the best tools available to them, not to mention the state police. Most large establishments have security guards, closed-circuit television, alarms and more. Even in our own homes, an overwhelmning majority of us have high-tech alarm systems with electronic links to the police department. All of this is fantastic. However, there still remains one, indisputable fact:

The police are not our babysitters, they cannot be everywhere at-all-times. It is their job to find the criminals once they have committed their crime and make sure they are prosecuted. It is not their job however, to be our personal bodyguards. Even if it was, that would be unrealistic to expect them to be able to uphold that goal. The security guards we see daily are more often than not: unarmed. Perhaps they can yell at an assailant, or more likely, call the cops. See above for the problems inherent in that. Close-circuit television will only document whatever crime you become a victim of; and alarms are merely a deterrent.

The bottom line is: you're out there on your own. So, what can we do, and what could have been done to end this horrible event before it spiraled out of control? Well, for one, it is mentioned that guns were stolen from the victim's house. So we can logically assume at least one member of that family was a gun-owner. I'm doubting it was the young children. Assuming it was the late-thirties couple, with the simple addition of a concealed-weapons permit, one or both of them could have secretly been in possession of a firearm. Optimally, both of them as they both should be responsible adults and expect to be able to protect themselves on a daily basis.

From there the situation could have been altered with amazing speed. Many might argue that doing so would have simply escalated the situation and resulted in their death. I remind them that the situation as it was could have resulted in death. It is safe to assume that when a gun is pointed at you, the individual at the controls of that weapon has nothing but the worst intentions for you. This is precisely why the concept of justifiable use of deadly force exists. Furthermore, it is why the concept of excusable homicide exists. It is worth mentioning that judging from the details provided in the Herald article, justified use of deadly force was present.

However, of even more importance, is that when you obtain a concealed-weapons permit, you open yourself up to a world of knowledge, not just a world of guns. Courses are available at various locations all over South Florida. These courses will help teach how and when to use a weapon to protect your life, while at the same time minimizing the chance of your actions making the situation worse. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of individuals online who for free, are willing to offer advice to anybody on the topic of "staying safe". Topics such as "situational awareness" are discussed at great length. Had the couple been fully aware of their surroundings, they may have avoided the entire incident. This is the world of concealed-carry. It is about staying safe, and preventing tragedy.

Would it have been reasonable for one of the elderly to be able to use one of the weapons at the residence? Too little is known, but it certainly is a consideration.

There is so much that could have been changed about this incident. However, it is not too late for people to make sure that they do not become the next victim of a crime such as this. Learn how to stay safe, and how to protect yourself.

Visit your local gun shop and ask about a concealed-carry permit, and where to take classes around South Florida. We can be thankful that the victims of this crime were not killed. The next victims might not be so lucky. Find out today how to not be the next victim - at all.

It's very much in the rough mind you.

 

[JonP]

The content is good. Take a look at your punctuation before you send it - it's pretty rough.

 

[feedthehogs]

Its sad to say but like CCW, there are places you just don't go at certain times unless your looking for trouble.

North Miami at 2 a.m. fueling a munchie attack is one of those places.

I go to North Miami during the day a few times a month and always have the gun within arms reach and am looking out the windows while stopped for approaching thugs.

It still amazes me how ignorant most people seem to be of their surroundings and will continue to be victims.

 

[.cheese.]

The content is good. Take a look at your punctuation before you send it - it's pretty rough.

agreed.... I just spit it out and hit post. I'll proof, clean it up, and repost the revised soon.

ETA: yikes... proofing it has me thinking "rough" is an understatement. Not simply in regards to punctuation... It's articulated as though I were drunk.

 

[Geno]

Who goes for KK at 2:00 a.m.?! Who opens a window for anyone other than an LEO at 2:00 a.m.?! The sum of all details in this article are disturbing.

 

[.cheese.]

well, I'll admit I go to Dunkin Donuts at 4 AM often. Nights when I can't sleep I have breakfast early. I go for a bagel with smoked salmon cream cheese.

And for that matter I go to Walmart at all hours of the night often. Fortunately, both are in not terrible areas. Not wonderful, as in I wouldn't go walking for leisure there at night, but not horrible.

 

[romma]

Its sad to say but like CCW, there are places you just don't go at certain times unless your looking for trouble.

North Miami at 2 a.m. fueling a munchie attack is one of those places.

I understand your point FTH, however, this is still America, and If I want a donut at 2am, I am going to get one... There is common sense, and then there is being held hostage based on fear.

 

[Cannonball888]

Who goes for KK at 2:00 a.m.?!

Actually, you'd think the place would be full of cops

 

[grampster]

For what it's worth...

Letters to the editor of most newspapers have limits on # of words. Usually it's about 250.

Make it short, sweet and to the point and you'll see it in print. Don't quote statistics either, because the media generally won't print it without knowing if your stats are accurate.

 

[armoredman]

Totally off topic - I was told Krispy Kreme folded last year?
Back on topic - note in you letter that when anyone is kidnapped, once they are driven from the point of kidnapping, thier chance of mere survival drops dramatically. What if they, instead of going to thier home, had instead goneto the woods? BTW, men are being gang raped nowadays, too, by the many inmates released back into society after years of forced homosexuality.
The world is an ugly and brutal place, don't tempt it any further by exposing yourself to uneccesary risk. Shop when most scum are passed out/hiding.

 

[.cheese.]

Shop when most scum are passed out/hiding.

except, there is no "criminal free" time.

I don't recall there being a "criminal HQ" that you can call and say, "Hi, what are you hours of operation?..... oh ok, so you close at 6AM?.... ok, I'll go about my business after that then."

reality is that criminals are out and about 24/7. Sure you can lessen your risk, but even then all you're doing is letting scum run your life.

 

[yeled]

Holy ****

this is not the first abduction here recently. It's about the third.

This is MY neighborhood. I go to that krispy kreme.

What will it take for people to understand that you don't go out at those hours and you don't roll down your window for them. RUN THEM OVER.

I just had to rant because it's the same thing that happened to one of the other abductions. He rolled down his window at 2 in the mornign to someone who waved him over and was jumped.

 

[joab]

Who goes for KK at 2:00 a.m.?! Who opens a window for anyone other than an LEO at 2:00 a.m.?! The sum of all details in this article are disturbing.

Not that unusual in Miami, or Orlando for that matter

I woke up this morning about 2;30 and went to get something to eat because there was nothing on TV

The article also state that this was early Sunday, which would probably mean that they were coming home from a Saturday night out
Also early morning is when bakers bake traditionally
Perhaps the 'Hot Now" sign was turned on, very few donut eaters can resist that

 

[never_retreat]

.cheese.
I don't recall there being a "criminal HQ" that you can call and say, "Hi, what are you hours of operation?..... oh ok, so you close at 6AM?.... ok, I'll go about my business after that then."

reality is that criminals are out and about 24/7. Sure you can lessen your risk, but even then all you're doing is letting scum run your life.

I'm going to say this is not true, In my area it seams like the scum tappers down allot during to following conditions.

Cold- When its cold out you will have to look hard to find them
Snow- About the same odds as the cold
Rain- Ha this would be the perfect time to put on your rain gear and go on a crime spree in da hood. Give them a taste for a change.

 

[damien]

Rumors of Krispy Kreme's death have been greatly exaggerated. But, some locations have closed, and the company has had some recent trouble. According to Wikipedia:

"On August 11, 2006, all 11 Krispy Kreme stores in Arizona and New Mexico closed without warning when the Rigel Corporation, the franchisee responsible for all Krispy Kreme stores in the two states filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy."

According to some other articles, it looks like they still have 300-400 stores worldwide.

 

[romma]

Maybe these violent criminals need to have a hole put in their middle like the donuts...

 

[Myself]

Makes me feel good my son is going to school in South FL next month, (north of Miami though). To young for CCW I have to hope the 5 years of TKD lessons were enough.

 

[Standing Wolf]

No law-abiding American citizen should ever have to live in fear of going out for doughnuts.

It's the criminals who should live in fear of us.

 

[fletcher]

Who goes for KK at 2:00 a.m.?!

I do on a rare weekend when I'm bored.

 

[sig226]

Its sad to say but like CCW, there are places you just don't go at certain times unless your looking for trouble.

North Miami at 2 a.m. fueling a munchie attack is one of those places.

I go to North Miami during the day a few times a month and always have the gun within arms reach and am looking out the windows while stopped for approaching thugs.

It still amazes me how ignorant most people seem to be of their surroundings and will continue to be victims.

Remember the Boynton Mall shoot out? 2 am in Miami doesn't seem to make much of a difference around here.

 

[.cheese.]

ding ding ding.... broad daylight

 

[sig226]

Makes me feel good my son is going to school in South FL next month, (north of Miami though). To young for CCW I have to hope the 5 years of TKD lessons were enough.

TKD is better than nothing, but it seems we are experiencing the one downside to RTC. When the dopey and lesser criminals get busted or killed by CCW holders, it leaves the truly violent ones as the remainder.

Your son can't get the CCW permit until he is 21, but he can own a handgun and keep it handy in his car. This is a problem if he lives on campus (or doesn't have a car) but the Florida law says that a person can have a loaded firearm in a vehicle as long as it is not readily accessible. If the gun is in the glove box or the console compartment, that's legal. If it is in a case that is closed by zippers or latches or something, it can be on the passenger seat or in his lap while he's driving.

 

[gunsmith]

I work graveyard

Who goes for KK at 2:00 a.m.?!

2am for me is like 2pm for you, I'm wide awake.

Unfortunatley(SIC) the local KK drive through is closed at that time.
I've gone there and pleaded but to no avail.

 

[hankdatank1362]

One day, it'd be nice to wake up, read the paper, and have the headlines say something like "Man Shoots Carjacker in Face in Line at Dunkin Donuts"

and have one of those every morning. I'd be a lot happier throughout the day.