If you ever needed incentive to pay attention to what the police are saying about the precautions that can keep you safe from car thieves and robbers, here it is.
A woman and a man went out for dinner at Red Lobster a while ago, and she thought it would be safe to leave her purse in their unlocked car – presumably because it was in the parking lot of the restaurant. You probably guessed where this is going: it wasn’t safe and an opportunistic driver just opened the door, took the purse and was off on his merry way.
Now, the Texarkana Texas Police Department is reaching out to the public for help to catch him, while using this example as a warning to all drivers. Leaving valuables in sight and / or the doors of the car unlocked puts you at greater risk of becoming a victim.
“A couple went out to eat for a nice meal at Red Lobster on Sunday night a few weeks ago. However, Mr. Sticky Fingers here completely ruined the night for them,” the PD says in a Facebook post that includes a pic of the suspect. “A little after 7:00, he pulled into the parking lot in a newer black or dark blue Ford Mustang with Texas tags. After he parked beside their vehicle, he apparently noticed the wife's purse inside their unlocked car.”
The suspect went in and out of his own car several times, and once inside the restaurant, making sure no one was around. He then made a move for the purse, took it and drove off. The couple only noticed the theft more than an hour later, when their dinner was over and they came to their car for the drive home.
Since it went online some hours ago, the post was flooded with comments along the lines of “who leaves their purse in an unlocked car?” so, to set the record straight, the cops are using this woman’s misfortune as a lesson for all drivers out there.
“It's not the victim's fault that this guy stole her purse. He alone made the decision to take it. However, locking doors and hiding your valuables is a great way to help prevent something like this from happening,” the PD says in a comment. “We all know that there is often little that can be done to stop a determined criminal from doing something. However, putting these simple obstacles in their way will usually convince them the potential reward is not worth the risk.”
Now, the Texarkana Texas Police Department is reaching out to the public for help to catch him, while using this example as a warning to all drivers. Leaving valuables in sight and / or the doors of the car unlocked puts you at greater risk of becoming a victim.
“A couple went out to eat for a nice meal at Red Lobster on Sunday night a few weeks ago. However, Mr. Sticky Fingers here completely ruined the night for them,” the PD says in a Facebook post that includes a pic of the suspect. “A little after 7:00, he pulled into the parking lot in a newer black or dark blue Ford Mustang with Texas tags. After he parked beside their vehicle, he apparently noticed the wife's purse inside their unlocked car.”
The suspect went in and out of his own car several times, and once inside the restaurant, making sure no one was around. He then made a move for the purse, took it and drove off. The couple only noticed the theft more than an hour later, when their dinner was over and they came to their car for the drive home.
Since it went online some hours ago, the post was flooded with comments along the lines of “who leaves their purse in an unlocked car?” so, to set the record straight, the cops are using this woman’s misfortune as a lesson for all drivers out there.
“It's not the victim's fault that this guy stole her purse. He alone made the decision to take it. However, locking doors and hiding your valuables is a great way to help prevent something like this from happening,” the PD says in a comment. “We all know that there is often little that can be done to stop a determined criminal from doing something. However, putting these simple obstacles in their way will usually convince them the potential reward is not worth the risk.”