Defense Minister
Member
This happened in an area where I work regularly, and in a town that doesn't see a lot of random violence, although the pace does seem to be picking up a bit.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091003/NEWS/910030308/1001/NEWS18
Four men rob west Medford store They tie up a clerk and three customers in Creaciones La Muñeca, and escape in bluish-green van
03, 2009
By Anita Burke
Mail Tribune
Four men brazenly robbed an apparel store serving the Hispanic community in west Medford and fled with a trash bag loaded with jewelry after tying up a clerk and three customers.
Medford police said that at about noon Friday the four men — two of whom appeared to be in their 20s and two who looked about 40 — went into Creaciones La Muñeca, a store at 1712 W. Main St. that sells clothing, shoes and jewelry, as well as providing phone cards and international money orders.
Related Stories
Surveillance video from Creaciones La Muñeca robberySeveral of the men had guns, although witness statements conflict about how many of them were armed, police said. They tied up a woman working at the shop. When three men came into the store as customers, they also were bound, Medford's Deputy Police Chief Tim George said.
A surveillance video released Friday afternoon showed the robbers forcing people to the floor, gathering items and striding from the store.
Medford police said the robbers grabbed an undisclosed amount of jewelry. They left in a bluish-green Ford Aerostar van dating from the mid- to late 1990s that had been parked in front of the store.
Officers and detectives rushed to the shop in a busy neighborhood next to Black Bird Shopping Center when the call reporting the armed robbery came in. Spanish-speaking officers were summoned to interview the victims and witnesses, who were taken to the police station.
George said the department had three bilingual employees on duty during the day shift on Friday to assist with interviewing the people involved and translate their statements quickly.
The clerk and customers told investigators that they hadn't seen the robbers at the store or around the neighborhood before, Medford police Sgt. Kevin Walruff said.
Hugo Gonzales, one of the owners listed on the business records, said no one was hurt in the robbery, but he declined further comment.
Police sought witnesses from outside the store who might have seen the men fleeing. They also hope someone who recognizes the men or their van will step forward with more details.
The first robbery suspect, a man in his 20s, wore dark pants, a white hooded long-sleeved shirt with wide stripes, white shoes and a baseball cap.
The second suspect, an older man estimated to be about 40 with a mustache, wore blue jeans, dark shoes, a white jacket with dark shoulders and sleeves, a striped gray shirt and green baseball cap.
The third suspect, who appeared to be in his 20s, wore a polo-style shirt with light and dark stripes, dark pants, dark shoes and a dark-colored baseball cap with a logo on the front.
The fourth suspect, who appeared to be about 40, wore a white shirt with a set of stripes across the chest, dark pants and white shoes.
So, how do you think you would react if you were a customer in the store at the time the robbery began? The first reaction I had was to comply with their demands, and hope for the best. After all, there were four of them, and most of them were armed. But, when the robbery began, you would have had no idea that they intended to tie people up. What if you were carrying, and they felt your weapon as you were being bound? That could go badly for you.
Also, since the incident took place in an apparel store, it re-ignited a thought I had several weeks ago. How effective would a round rack full of shirts be at stopping handgun bullets? If fired through the center, the bullet may not hit much fabric at all and zip right through. But, if it hit near the outside of the rack, it may have to go through a dozen shirts or more. Has anyone done any ballistics tests through multiple layers of clothing hanging loosely? Just something I was thinking about the other day.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091003/NEWS/910030308/1001/NEWS18
Four men rob west Medford store They tie up a clerk and three customers in Creaciones La Muñeca, and escape in bluish-green van
03, 2009
By Anita Burke
Mail Tribune
Four men brazenly robbed an apparel store serving the Hispanic community in west Medford and fled with a trash bag loaded with jewelry after tying up a clerk and three customers.
Medford police said that at about noon Friday the four men — two of whom appeared to be in their 20s and two who looked about 40 — went into Creaciones La Muñeca, a store at 1712 W. Main St. that sells clothing, shoes and jewelry, as well as providing phone cards and international money orders.
Related Stories
Surveillance video from Creaciones La Muñeca robberySeveral of the men had guns, although witness statements conflict about how many of them were armed, police said. They tied up a woman working at the shop. When three men came into the store as customers, they also were bound, Medford's Deputy Police Chief Tim George said.
A surveillance video released Friday afternoon showed the robbers forcing people to the floor, gathering items and striding from the store.
Medford police said the robbers grabbed an undisclosed amount of jewelry. They left in a bluish-green Ford Aerostar van dating from the mid- to late 1990s that had been parked in front of the store.
Officers and detectives rushed to the shop in a busy neighborhood next to Black Bird Shopping Center when the call reporting the armed robbery came in. Spanish-speaking officers were summoned to interview the victims and witnesses, who were taken to the police station.
George said the department had three bilingual employees on duty during the day shift on Friday to assist with interviewing the people involved and translate their statements quickly.
The clerk and customers told investigators that they hadn't seen the robbers at the store or around the neighborhood before, Medford police Sgt. Kevin Walruff said.
Hugo Gonzales, one of the owners listed on the business records, said no one was hurt in the robbery, but he declined further comment.
Police sought witnesses from outside the store who might have seen the men fleeing. They also hope someone who recognizes the men or their van will step forward with more details.
The first robbery suspect, a man in his 20s, wore dark pants, a white hooded long-sleeved shirt with wide stripes, white shoes and a baseball cap.
The second suspect, an older man estimated to be about 40 with a mustache, wore blue jeans, dark shoes, a white jacket with dark shoulders and sleeves, a striped gray shirt and green baseball cap.
The third suspect, who appeared to be in his 20s, wore a polo-style shirt with light and dark stripes, dark pants, dark shoes and a dark-colored baseball cap with a logo on the front.
The fourth suspect, who appeared to be about 40, wore a white shirt with a set of stripes across the chest, dark pants and white shoes.
So, how do you think you would react if you were a customer in the store at the time the robbery began? The first reaction I had was to comply with their demands, and hope for the best. After all, there were four of them, and most of them were armed. But, when the robbery began, you would have had no idea that they intended to tie people up. What if you were carrying, and they felt your weapon as you were being bound? That could go badly for you.
Also, since the incident took place in an apparel store, it re-ignited a thought I had several weeks ago. How effective would a round rack full of shirts be at stopping handgun bullets? If fired through the center, the bullet may not hit much fabric at all and zip right through. But, if it hit near the outside of the rack, it may have to go through a dozen shirts or more. Has anyone done any ballistics tests through multiple layers of clothing hanging loosely? Just something I was thinking about the other day.
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