La Marque, garden spot of Galveston County

[seamusTX]

For the third time in two months, criminals committed home invasion robbery in La Marque, on or near Main Street (FM 519) east of I-45.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... 1d9f7bede3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I find it interesting that the victims could identify the criminals' weapons as AK-47s. I could not identify an AK-47 by sight in the dark, even if I weren't being threatened and robbed.

Money quote:

Investigators believe money was the motive in the robberies...

Good thing it wasn't poinsettias or tamales.

- Jim

[WarHawk-AVG]

The AK is one of the most known weapons platforms the world over, the media splash it up as often as they can...I can almost bet that if you just saw a quick flash of any part of the firearm you could identify it...

With that said

I am getting more and more sick and tired of home invasions...I can't believe criminal scumbags are so brazen as to kick in someones door and attack them in their own homes...what has our country come to...and if we allow it..we will become like the UK...utterly defenseless!

[seamusTX]

I am getting more and more sick and tired of home invasions...I can't believe criminal scumbags are so brazen as to kick in someones door and attack them in their own homes...

Robbing individuals on the street is a loser's game. Most people (including me) carry little cash these days. Few people in La Marque wear expensive watches or jewelry.

Stolen IDs and cell phones can be sold, but doing so requires a minimal IQ and leaves a trail.

Robbing convenience stores rarely nets more than $50 and a couple of cartons of cigarettes, and they always get the robber on tape.

Home invasion lets robbers get all kinds of stuff, force the occupants to open a safe, force them to go with the robbers to an ATM, and maybe engage in some recreational violence.

I'm surprised it is not more common than it is. Perhaps the high level of firearms ownership in Texas keeps it down. Few people carry, but many keep loaded weapons at home.

- Jim

[bryang]

The home invasion has become the new wave of the future they seem to be accruing at an alarming rate all over our country.This just reinforces what has been discussed here many times....we must be alert at all times and ready to defend ourselves constantly. We use to be able to feel safe in our own home...but, not any more.

-geo

[rm9792]

What surprises me in my neighborhood in Alvin is that people leave their doors open till bedtime. They usually leave a glass screen type door closed but that isnt going to stop anyone. Nice to feel safe but I wont risk it. I drive around occasionally as neighborhood watch and want to run up and close their doors!

[seamusTX]

Alvin seems like the kind of place where you don't get a lot of transients, except near 6 and 35. That allows people to feel secure and leave doors unlocked.

We lived in a town like that in Illinois.

I have never been able to rest easy without the doors locked. Maybe it's just something in my makeup.

Anyone remember the ironically name Angel Resendez, who used to hop trains, get off at random, break into homes, and kill people?

Alvin has a freight railroad line.

I also want to point out that these home invasions are not all kick-down burglaries. Some of them start with the residents outdoors and the doors unlocked. That strategy indicates good planning on the part of the robbers. They know that the burglar alarm is off and the residents probably can't hit the panic button even if there is one.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

No progress on solving these robberies.

Total police calls in La Marque were up 25% in 2008, from approximately 20,000 to 25,000, including theft. burglary, and robbery. Officials attribute the increase in crime to the deteriorating economy.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... 9b1c8bf21b" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Purplehood]

My youngest brother was over at my house last night and asked why I had my handgun on a nearby table.

I told him that 24/7 carry meant just that... he nodded and walked off.

[seamusTX]

City council and police chief discuss the rising rate of robberies and burglaries in La Marque:

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... 6e18d7f867" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No news, really. The police chief says they don't have enough cops because they don't have enough money. It's a relatively poor town in a recession with declining property values. It doesn't look like the situation will improve in the foreseeable future.

- Jim

[mr.72]

My youngest brother was over at my house last night and asked why I had my handgun on a nearby table.

I told him that 24/7 carry meant just that

Is that "carry", or 24/7 "leave out on the table"?

I figure if a BG breaks into my home while I am in it, he has even odds of being the first to get to my gun if it is laying out on the table. When I am at home, my gun is on my hip.

Still trying to figure what I should do with my wife and kids home alone all day while I'm at work. We have a pistol at the house but usually it is in my wife's car and she isn't the type who is likely to carry it back and forth between the house and the car. I guess I figure it is more likely to be needed when the family is in the car, rather than when they are at home. Maybe I am wrong about that. The real solution is to get a couple more pistols and get my wife her CHL.

[seamusTX]

La Marque police released video of a game room robbery that took place in December 2008. The robber was described as a black man, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, heavy build, with severe acne on his face. He was wearing a white fedora. He is suspected of three robberies so far.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... 4a34be0f97" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oddly, the video does not seem to be on any web sites.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

From the Galveston County Daily News, this date:

Pizza Delivery Driver Robbed

LA MARQUE — A pizza deliver woman was jumped and robbed Sunday night, La Marque police said.

The Domino’s Pizza driver was delivering pizza to a house in the 1100 block of Roosevelt about 9 p.m. Sunday when the robbery happened. The delivery woman told police she was handing food to a man sitting on the porch when he sucker punched her.

That’s when two men jumped from behind some bushes and joined the attack. The men forced the driver back into her car and drove her about two blocks away before they got out and took off on foot, police said.

The robbers made off with only $20 in cash and about $50 in pizza and chicken wings. The driver did not suffer major injuries.

Investigators are trying to determine what connection the robbers had to the house where the robbery happened. The order was placed from a house about a block away.

Police said Domino’s is offering a reward, as is La Marque Crime Stoppers.

Anyone with information should call 409-938-8477.

— T.J. Aulds

Domino's, of course, prohibits its employees from carrying weapons or defending themselves in any way.

- Jim

[BluHog]

Hmmm... lemme see here - I can obey company rules and get mugged and/or killed - or I can defy that rule, carry my weapon, defend myself, possibly take a mugger/murderer off the streets, but lose my minimum wage job.

Hmmm...

[seamusTX]

Tough decision, isn't it?

The management of Domino's and other delivery places must have rocks in their heads. Their stated reason for prohibiting weapons is that customers might be anxious if they knew employees were armed.

Customers, like everyone else, have no way of knowing whether anyone is carrying a concealed weapon legally or illegally, regardless of the business's policy.

One of these days, one of their employees is going to be injured or killed on the job, and they are going to face a multi-million-dollar lawsuit. I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.

- Jim

[Fangs]

My room mate's cousin was robbed at gunpoint (shotgun) here in San Marcos less than a year ago. The call was made from a pay phone and he was told to deliver it to what ended up being a vacant apartment. He's a delivery driver for Valentino's, and I have no idea what their policy is on personal protection. I don't know if it even made the news.