Gunfighter

M.W. · Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 130 Location: inside the loop

Defensive driving has a whole new meaning these days...

We all know about carjackings,kidnappings,auto thefts,etc and now we have an added threat. Car robberies are not new but as Brian has correctly predicted with rising food and fuel costs and a weaker economy the have nots are getting bolder and attacking the haves in their driveways.

Any city,any community is vulnerable and this is a perfect example of why our mind must be in the ON position at all times.
Bellaire in Houston,TX is a high income area,considered "safe" (no such thing,areas alone don't protect you)and has an excellent local police force. The crooks are saying,so what? we go there anyway,even they know to fish where the fish are.
My guess is that these groups rotate from neighborhood to neighborhood,mine is next door to Bellaire,so keep your eyes open no matter where you live.
This trio is 2 males and a female,perhaps the female is a distraction,and the males are heavily armed with a shotgun and a pistol.

Check this out -
(2:35 mins vid and written article) click on small box in lower right hand corner for full screen
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6321225

I am so grateful that Brian offers his Vehicle Gunfighting Class that we just had a couple of weeks ago and highly recommend you get this instruction if he ever offers it in your area. The tactics he teaches are exactly what we could use to avoid,evade, and if necessary defend ourselves in this situation.
We must keep training,stay alert,and as Brian says keep our head on a swivel and always be looking for the threat...it may be following you in your rearview mirror right up to the driveway and steps of your own house...

Lodge2004 · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 41 Location: Humble

I sat on the jury a few years ago for a young man who spent his summer doing driveway robberies with 4 friends in the Sugar Land area. Virtually all the houses they hit were in "safe" neighborhoods.

After spending a week listening to victims recount thier experiences, it was very obvious they all had one thing in common - driving around in condition WHITE. None of them saw the robberies coming until guns were already pointed in their faces.

One interesting tactic from the trial was how they would make a beeline for the weakest member of a party in order to obtain compliance from the other victims. In other words...Mom/Dad/Kids get out of car and BG's go straight for the kids with their guns to insure Dad doesn't get any ideas. In one case, they pushed a Mom to the ground and held a pistol to the head of the infant she was carrying.

I suspect that most of these incidents can be avoided by maintaining situational awareness. They are cowards who are looking for a quick ambush on an unsuspecting victim.

M.W. · Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 130 Location: inside the loop

Excellent analysis,Lodge2004 and I agree totally that they are cowards but they are smart enough to target sheep people who are not paying attention. Also,all family members should be involved as much as practical in defense awareness.

Sometimes a person in the car just putting eyes on them and telling the others then making several turns if you think you are being followed in your car (DON'T lead them to your house) is enough make them go for someone else.

M.W. · Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 130 Location: inside the loop

Bellaire update - The Detectives ID'd the crooks involved in the Bellaire robberies and have them in custody...chalk one up for the good guys.

Unfortunately,there is always others. This one just today in another area of Houston is more violent because the woman would not give up her purse,not smart on her part. She was followed home from her bank.
(Video on right side,double click on it for full screen)

http://www.click2houston.com/news/17233851/detail.html