Corpus Christi: CHL chases & draws on pawnshop robber.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://www.kztv10.com/news/armed-custom ... hop-thief/

The CHL chased down a robber who ran out of a pawnshop with a $1200 necklace.

The robber had used his mother's gold Chevy Impala to go to the area, then when he failed
in his robbery, he got his mother to make a bogus call to the LEO's, reporting her car stolen. Sheesh.

I decline to be operated on by this brain surgeon.

SIA

[JJVP]

http://www.kztv10.com/news/armed-custom ... hop-thief/

The CHL chased down a robber who ran out of a pawnshop with a $1200 necklace.

The robber had used his mother's gold Chevy Impala to go to the area, then when he failed
in his robbery, he got his mother to make a bogus call to the LEO's, reporting her car stolen. Sheesh.

I decline to be operated on by this brain surgeon.

SIA

On average, between 250,000 and 300,000 Texans have a license to carry a concealed handgun. They must renew every couple of years.

Guess the reporter did his homework, NOT.

[jmra]

Chasing down a thief sounds like police work to me. I have a family to go home to. My life nor the life of anyone else in the store was in danger once the thief was out of the door. A necklace that the store was selling for $1200 does not come anywhere close to the potential costs (both physically and monetarily) associated with trying to retrieve said necklace/apprehend suspect.

[speedsix]

...agreed...now if he'd been an ARMED robber...actually threatened with a weapon, that's different for me...but no merchandise would be worth endangering my life or bystanders'...that was the one thing my Mgr. and I didn't agree on about our pawnshop...he said he'd shoot the next grab-and-run thief(having just been snatched of a $750 necklace)...and I said "You're nuts...I won't even draw on him..."...still feel that way...

[surprise_i'm_armed]

...agreed...now if he'd been an ARMED robber...actually threatened with a weapon, that's different for me...but no merchandise would be worth endangering my life or bystanders'...that was the one thing my Mgr. and I didn't agree on about our pawnshop...he said he'd shoot the next grab-and-run thief(having just been snatched of a $750 necklace)...and I said "You're nuts...I won't even draw on him..."...still feel that way...

Don't all robbers look unarmed until they draw their gun?

SIA

[sugar land dave]

I agree. Just because you can do something does not mean you should.

Which reminds me of the Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier who, together with some other bored geeks, er researchers, decided that it would be a good idea to develop the world's deadliest bird flu strain. My, wasn't that a good idea, just to show your buddies how good you were at doing something! Never mind that it could kill most of humanity if it got out of the lab.

So, the moral of the story is: sometimes it is better to not do dumb things. Wait! Let's change that to "usually."

[speedsix]

...agreed...now if he'd been an ARMED robber...actually threatened with a weapon, that's different for me...but no merchandise would be worth endangering my life or bystanders'...that was the one thing my Mgr. and I didn't agree on about our pawnshop...he said he'd shoot the next grab-and-run thief(having just been snatched of a $750 necklace)...and I said "You're nuts...I won't even draw on him..."...still feel that way...

Don't all robbers look unarmed until they draw their gun?

SIA

...armed robbers usually announce their intents as they draw their gun...the OP describes a THEFT...unless he hurt, shoved, or otherwise contacted the shopkeeper...ARMED robbery involves a threat to a person's safety and usually a weapon...also known as aggravated robbery...the response I'd choose to make would be because of the threat to health or life...not the theft of the money, etc...Texas law justifies deadly force to stop robbery or aggravated (armed) robbery...not stealing a necklace in a store and running with it...

Sec. 29.02. ROBBERY. (a) A person commits an offense if, in the course of committing theft as defined in Chapter 31 and with intent to obtain or maintain control of the property, he:(1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or(2) intentionally or knowingly threatens or places another in fear of imminent bodily injury or death.(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.

§ 29.03. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY. (a) A person commits an
offense if he commits robbery as defined in Section 29.02, and he:
(1) causes serious bodily injury to another;
(2) uses or exhibits a deadly weapon; or
(3) causes bodily injury to another person or
threatens or places another person in fear of imminent bodily
injury or death, if the other person is:
(A) 65 years of age or older; or
(B) a disabled person.
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the first
degree.
(c) In this section, "disabled person" means an individual
with a mental, physical, or developmental disability who is
substantially unable to protect himself from harm.

...it is very possible to steal an item of great value in a store and it not be a robbery...let alone an armed robbery...

[surprise_i'm_armed]

speedsix:
Thank you for the refresher course on theft vs. robbery.
It's good to be reminded of the difference.

It's true that this incident was a theft, and it appears that the thief never had a gun.

I believe that if a thug has a gun, he'll show it.

But the CHL in this case made an assumption that the perp wasn't armed.
If the thief had indeed been carrying, he could have drawn it and begun a gunfight.

I'm glad the CHL stepped up to the plate and got a bad guy ID'd for imminent arrest,
but I'm not sure the rest of us would have done the same thing.

SIA

[speedsix]

...it MAY be a robbery...not enough detail to know...
...a purse snatching from a shopping cart as you load groceries into the car is a theft...yanking it off your shoulder or out of your hand will likely be a robbery...if it hurts you...

...if he didn't see that anyone was in danger(i.e. see a weapon used)...in my old-guy opinion he shouldn't have given chase...just too much at stake...and, as you mentioned, that assumption could have been literally blown away...often a shoplifter will produce a weapon when cornered...store employees have been shot or cut being "heroes"...over insured merchandise...

[Originalist]

or places another in fear of imminent bodily injury or death.....

What makes us think the people in the store weren't in fear of imminent bodily injury or death... If he was tough enough to take the stuff while people were present isn't it reasonable to think that he would hurt someone if he needed to to get what he wanted or to get away? What was taught to me was even the threat of violence, whether verbal or not, was enough to make the crime a robbery.

[speedsix]

...reading the statute, the DA would have to prove to the jury that he had fulfilled:" (2)intentionally or knowingly threatens or places another in fear of imminent bodily injury or death." If I snatched it and ran...that'd not be reasonable to prove...unless I struggled with them or twisted their arm...the law says, in part, what you were taught...but did I do what (2) says by grabbing the merchandise and bolting??? Hard to prove without a struggle...pushing someone down, a verbal threat,etc. which would make it clear...

[Originalist]

First and foremost let me say, I wouldn't give chase except under some limited circumstances. None would be for a store's merchandise alone!

But, perhaps the BG walked in, sort of stared them down then grabbed something on the counter very braisen like and then again gave someone an "evil eye".... The act of intimidation would be enough to place someone in fear.... Obviously we don't know if any of that happen, I am just trying to think how one could feel they were threatened without actually being threatened. I agree most times an overt action or words will be used but sometimes they won't but that wouldn't make something less a robbery if they hadn't.

My real world scenario..... When I was 14 I was approached by 4 older teenage boys and they asked me if I had any money. I replied no but they didn't believe me. They never threathened me, demanded me turn over any money or anything like that but they did check my pockets to see if there was any money there... Would that be considered a theft or robbery? There was no violence, injury or threats but that didn't make me any less scared that I was going to get hurt...

[speedsix]

...paragraph 2...I don't think that would meet the requirements to call it robbery...I think without producing a weapon, roughing them up, or verbally threatening them, they wouldn't have committed a robbery...

...paragraph 3...if they stated that they wanted money, then 4 older boys went through your pockets...I think the charge of robbery would be fair...they detained you by force...the threat was implied (4 on 1) and they certainly controlled you as they rifled your pockets...like a robber would rifle a cash drawer...whether they got any money or not...I think this fits a robbery(whether the DA would file or not)...but I'm just an old not-so-fat anymore guy...what do I know???

[Originalist]

About as much as I do..... lol P.S. What is your definition of old.... I am almost 30.....

[speedsix]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....I don't even REMEMBER 30(yes, I do, but my heart ain't up to the memory)