Missed it by 20 minutes...........

[SJG26]

I was Christmas shopping with my 9-yr old son - getting gift ideas for my wife.........left the store about 7:30pm.....................
From the READING EAGLE TIMES (Reading, PA area paper)

"Two men smashed display cases Tuesday night in Van Scoy Jewelers in the Broadcasting Square Shopping Center and escaped with jewelry and watches valued at several thousand dollars, police said.
Two customers and several employees were in the store at 2733 Paper Mill Road, Spring Township, when the robbery occurred at about 7:50 p.m., investigators said.

No one was injured, police said.

Township police gave this account:

One of the men used a sledgehammer to smash display cases while the other scooped up dozens of pieces of jewelry and watches.

The men did not display weapons, but told the customers and employees not to move. The men were inside the store less than a minute.

The men got into a red or maroon Jeep Cherokee driven by a third person. It was last seen on Broadcasting Road headed toward Route 222.

Police did not have a specific price for the stolen items, but said they were valued at “tens of thousands of dollars.â€

The robbers were described as light-skinned Latino or black men, about 6-feet tall with medium builds. One wore a yellow windbreaker, mask and gloves.

Police from Spring and nearby municipalities were looking for the getaway vehicle late Tuesday."

P.S.
Sig 225(9mm) was riding OWB along w/ 2 spare mags (my general purpose rig)

Was a bit shaken as I watched the local evening news on this one and I keep thinking "What would I/should I have done another 20 minutes later?" considering my son was with me. I usually keep a VERY high awareness level (drives my wife nuts) and only recall an older couple in the store when I left( the 2 customers in the report perhaps).

Part of me almost, almost regrets NOT being there to have engaged in some live drills (I have a vehement attitude towards any lowlife that would threaten me or my family) but know avoidance is the best solution!

 

[charby]

Hopefully You would have just hit the floor covering your son. Trying to get a visual discription of the men for the police later if your were able to.

Not a time to be playing cowboy.

I have my CCW and I'd be on the floor too if in that situation occured when a small team was casing a store.

Different story if they were threating someones life with deadly force.

Charby

 

[Steve in PA]

I would hope you would have followed the advice given by charby.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Why would you have gotten on the floor in this instance? It doesn't appear from the story that the BG's ordered anyone to the floor. There's a reason they want you on the floor and it ain't good. Why do it voluntarily?

I think I would've just backed up as far from them as possible (hopefully to cover of some kind if possible.) Feign terror, stupidity, a liberal mindset, anything to make them think you're not a threat if necessary. Draw and shoot only if you or your son was directly threatened with lethal force.

At least I hope that's what I would have done and I hope that it would have worked.

Best thing of course was not to be there when it went down. Someone was looking out for you.

Tim

 

[charby]

Okay maybe hit the floor wasn't a good choice of words. Better I wouldn't have provoked a situation that could lead to something worse.

I pull my gun, BG's open fire on everyone. Situation like that.

I'd just stay alert, mind my own business and try to get a visual of the BG's.

If the guys are just casing the store, they just want to turn a quick buck. Shops have insurance for that and LEO's get paid to catch the bad guys. My life and the others around me aren't worth protecting the assets of the store owner(s).