Average Jane Is No Nancy Drew

I think I saw a guy who's been breaking into cars near my office. I was walking to lunch and there was a man standing outside the restaurant where I was headed, leaning against the wall. He was dressed in dark clothes and wearing a backpack. More significantly, he was holding a huge chunk of asphalt in his hand that would make a very handy window-shattering tool.

I noted all this as I walked by, although I tried not to look too intently because that asphalt chunk would also be handy for braining someone. I had a fleeting thought that I could call the police. But what would I tell them? They already know that car break-ins are rampant in the area. When we had the rash of them in the garage next to my office the day my car stereo was stolen, several people saw the thief and were able to describe him to the police. 

Of course the police know that this guy (assuming he's the only one, which may or may not be the case) is in the area and continuing his ill deeds. I figure they're either stepping up their patrols or they're not. Probably not, considering that I recently read in the police chief's blog that their goal is to limit homicides in the city to 80 this year, which indicates that they have much bigger concerns.

So we crossed the street in opposite directions, me to get a slice of pizza and he to do whatever it was he was going to do with a giant, jagged hunk of asphalt. 

Should I have gone ahead and called the police or would it have been a waste of everyone's time? Was I too cynical or just realistic?

Photo credit: Paula Bailey

Comments

[Rita Arens]

I think I would email them. Or Tweet them. They are pretty active on Twitter, actually. I would freak if I saw a guy standing around with a huge chunk of asphalt.

[Faith]

Yeah, I'm with Rita. At the very least, if he isn't planning on breaking into cars with the chunk of road, he's planning on doing SOMETHING with it. Chances are it's not a Toynbee Tiles-type artist on the loose!

Give the police station a call...there's probably a detective in charge of this whole deal that you can give the update to.

[Xavier Onassis]

According to what I'm hearing from the Right Wing these days, you should have whipped out your concealed carry piece and dropped him where he stood.

Under "Stand Your Ground" legislation you could make the case that the chunk of asphalt in his hand caused you to feel "threatened".

One dead perp = one safe citizen.

[Melanie]

I would have called or like Rita said tweeted.. but then again I was at one of our local police stations today because I had a weird set of circumstances that made me wonder about identity theft. Apparently at this point, even though UPS calls me to say I am "on the hook" for shipping a package with no shipping label (that I have no knowledge of), they cannot tell me what credit card was used only that my name and phone number were given... and until I am OUT money there is no crime. So I am to keep going thru cc statements with a fine tooth comb to make sure nothing fraudulent hits. Long winded way of saying I guess I wasted an officers time today

[East Coast Girl]

Obviously, police are being kept busy with trying to curb homicides. It does not logically follow that they do not care about street crime. They can only be in so many places at one time. I would call or tweet or go to their online page where you can make an anonymous report. The sooner you report a crime in real time, the better the chance that they can catch the guy in the act with evidence in hand.

[kcyogachick]

Street cops can do very little during the day to 'curb' homicides. You shoulda called and maybe they would have gotten the dirt bag once & for all.