Robbery Spree

Since this case has not been adjudicated in court, the names, locations, and some specifics will be left out.

Recently, three men decided to rob recycling locations. This seemed to be an easy target; not a lot of people around, remote locations that are usually isolated from the busy streets, and plenty of cash to go around. These guys were good, they had been doing it for a couple of months without much notice of law enforcement. Nobody had been seriously hurt, and resources are thin.

They worked in a team of three; They had the get-away driver, and two armed suspects to go into the recycling yards to commit the crimes. They would usually get two to three thousand dollars each heist. Some of you may be thinking, that's not a lot of money. Well, take that over numerous robberies, in different areas, and it adds up. They got good at what they were doing; choosing the site and times carefully. They knew what they were going to do at each location, and wanted to get out as quickly as possible.

These guys were so good that nobody had a very good description on their faces, or their car for that matter. One day, they stepped out of the box and saw an elderly man walking down the street. They thought that he is an easy victim so they stopped, knocked him down, beat him up a little, and took his wallet. Well, some bystanders got a great look at the car and gave the description to law enforcement.

A couple of weeks later, some "sharp" street cops were looking in some of the less desirable areas of the city and spotted three guys getting into a car. That car happened to match the description of the street robbery. The officers got the plate and watched them for a few minutes but let them go. Knowing that they had a lot of research to do, they let them go to build a case against them.

I know what you're thinking; they could have stopped these guys and ended everything... After several more of the recycling robberies had occurred, they also had a vague description of the get-away car. Now, arresting these guys right away would only give the officers and detectives 48 hours to build a huge case. You would also rely on the victims and witnesses ability to pick them out of a photo line up (the suspect's photo along with five other photos). This is not an easy task.... These guys needed to be caught in the act.

The street cops got some highly trained detectives in on the case. These detectives work undercover and are really good at what they do. They started doing background work on all of the suspects. Then, they started to follow them. Did I mention that these detectives are highly trained and really good at what they do. Working a surveillance detail is not easy. It is certainly not for most cops, including me. Then add the fear factor of these suspects using guns to commit their robberies; that is a shooting waiting to happen.

It didn't take long for the suspects to hit another recycling location. This time, without their knowledge, the undercover detectives were following them. Two suspects entered the location while the other waited in the car. The detectives saw the suspects drawn their guns and shove them into the abdomens of the employees. The detectives "swooped" in on them and arrested both suspects inside, and the suspect outside waiting in the car. They also had the place surrounded so there was no escape, on foot or by car. I'll let you know in about a year what happened to all three suspects in the court proceedings.

I bring this story for several reasons. First, law enforcement cannot function without the help of citizens. Without good descriptions and witnesses who are willing to bring information forward, these suspects still may be on the loose. Secondly, there are good street cops and detectives out there trying to put bad guys away. You may not like the citation that you just received, or the police helicopter over your house, but too bad. That same officer that wrote you the citation, may have to, right after their contact with you, run into a burning house to save the occupants, get shot at, or solve a robbery spree. You just never know what you're going to get with law enforcement. Lastly, be aware of your surroundings while walking, talking, driving, or eating. You never know when the next band of thieves will come knocking at your door. Be safe!