Today, while doing the weekly Pillage (grocery shopping) my friend and I were headed back to the car when we heard some exclamations then some shouting. Turned to look, thinking that maybe someone we knew was calling, and we see this tall drink of water young guy holding a black purse, tearing ass out of the shopping center, followed by some older people! Then in about 3 seconds I saw two elderly ladies (at least 85 yrs old each), and knew immediately what had happened.
I ran to the front of the car, but knew I had a snowballs' chance in hell of catching this kid. I saw a work crew about 100 meters away, and did something I hadn't done in over 20 yrs. Put on my "Parade Voice" and yelled "HEY!", all the work crews heads snapped my way. "GET HIM!! STOP HIM!!", pointing at the little bugger trying to dash away. The crew saw who I was pointing at and converged on him like ants to a sugar cube. He tried to dart this way and that, but they grabbed him, pulled him out of the roadway, and pinned him down, all the while him struggling and yelling obscenities. They didn't use excessive force, or beat on him. Just held him. He had the purse in his hands when they took him down.
I saw one of the little old ladies, shaken, getting ready to cross the street, (4 lanes of fast moving traffic) to go try to find her purse, but I took her hand and led her to a bench outside the store. "Sit here ma'am. You relax, and try to take it easy." I went back to the roadway, and saw a police paddywagon pull up, and two officers help the work crew hold this SOB down. They cuffed him, and loaded him, still fighting with them, into the back of the vehicle. I went back to the ladies, and told them "They got him, and have him loaded in the paddywagon." They were happy and relieved.
My friend met one of the gentlemen that stopped him, and he handed her the lady's handbag. We returned it to her. The ladies had a group of people around them, keeping an eye on them, making sure they were ok. A few of them looked at me and commented on how well I was heard from the mall, to the intersection of the street, over the traffic. Even my friend said she couldn't believe how much volume I was able to crank out, and how far it carried. One of the elderly ladies said I was her savior, but I said "Nah, I'm just lucky to have a loud enough voice that projects." The officer said good job on the fast thinking. (shrug) My personal hope is anyone, seeing that sort of thing happening, would also do what they can to correct or stop it. I am just glad neither of the bag snatch victims were hurt. (The little SOB tried to take two bags, but dropped one)
Nothing makes me madder than someone picking on the weak, whether it be a child, and elderly person, or someone that just cannot defend his/herself. I hope the little shit that tried this has a record, and this keeps him off the streets for some time.
*A*
