Posted on 03/23/2007 5:16:41 AM PDT by Puppage
(Manchester-WTNH) _ A chaotic scene at a Manchester auto parts shop Thursday night. Police say a man tried to thwart a theft by pulling out his gun, but he's now facing charges.
It happened around 7:00 at the Pep Boys on Spencer Street in the K-Mart mall.
Police say it started when someone went into the store to steal a generator.
"Guys have been stealing generators from us off the shelves," Pep boys worker Dave Sciaudone said. "We knew who they were, what their license plate was because they've been hitting all our stores. And my boss saw him grab a generator tonight, walk out the door and throw it into the truck. And he pulled his gun to stop him."
While the manager did have a permit for the gun, he was arrested.
"There's a line you can not cross when you're running through the parking lot chasing after a suspect brandishing a gun," Sgt. Christopher Cross said.
There was no evidence any shots were fired. The gunfire sounds people say they heard was likely backfire from the getaway truck.
"The truck was backfiring like crazy, so if there were shots I didn't hear anything like that. I heard backfiring a lot," Tracey Wilkerson of East Hartford said.
The manager, whose name was not available, may be charged with breech of peace and reckless endangerment.
"Right now my boss is in jail, but he didn't do anything," Sciaudone said.
Police are looking for an older model maroon Chevy truck that they believe was used by the thieves.
Quick skim of this excellent article leads me to believe that the guy with the gun did not violate the law. Now if he'd SHOT, then there would be an issue maybe. But brandishing it? I think the cops erred.
The idea that theft is not a capital offence is a VERY recent Socialist creation, and one that does not seem to be working.
Yup, just ask the State Legislators and RINO Rell.
Pathetic.
This is OUTRAGEOUS!!
WV bump!
Pass the word, if you are ever on a jury and the person violated a law that violates the 2nd amendment, just vote not guilty.
When the thief realizes that the wrong man was arrested, he'll surrender the property and himself to the nearest LEO.
These kinds of laws alone are enough to keep me out of New England. When I was in c ollege, Massachusetts passed a law that if someone breaks into your house, it is your duty to run. I live in Arizona, and if a burglar breaks into a home here, he has a 70-30 chance of being shot : )
LOL!
Most states now have a "Castle law", which means you do not have to retreat in your own home from an intruder. You can essentially shoot first and ask questions later.
Chasing after an intruder is a different matter. My instructor, and publications by Ayoob and others I have read, agree that a gun should only be displayed if you are directly threatened.
Judging from the newspaper story, I have sympathy for the guy arrested, but I believe he was wrong to give chase and in this case the cops are correct. Strange, however, that the robbers with the backfiring pickup are still at large.
ITA
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
More insanity from this wonderful state of ours PING!
He did in CT.
Well How tough can it be to arrest a shopowner instead of a criminal.
It's a good law.
Blame the victim mentality
Um, a donut shop owner did that to his employee. Showed up at the store, found his employee was shot by a robber, dragged him outside the store..
All because he wasn't carrying Workmen's Compensation Insurance.. Granted, it was California, with huge premiums that most small business can't afford, but trying to make it go away, in the end, makes it worse.
One should be careful about suggesting the movement of bodies and or contaminating a crime scene. People go to jail for less. (that's my legal advice for the day)
..you have never been robbed, in a fight or jumped.... or dealt with punks that did that... not the scratching, faux fighting of the tv or school yard but the hair pulling, biting, kicking, stomping, use anything in your hand kinda fight... I have... I grew up with punks like that.
Stealing gum or stealing a knick knack from Saks or Dillards is one thing, but the punks who steal crap they can pawn or sell for dope or giggles are a different breed.
Honor? for property... it's the fact that they felt they could without you offering any resistance that makes you a bigger target, dumba@@.
why not get your wallet with your ATM card, drag you to the machine then cap you off so they don't pull some time in Huntsville?
you can choose to be a victim. Me, the wife and the 3 daughters and son will kill you if you come in our garage or house with the intention of theft, same with busting our car window while we're in it...
My daughters have been told to fight and die in a parking lot, cause once you're gone, they'll rape and kill you anyway.
Be a victim, good luck. I don't need luck, I just need to stay calm, look at the front sight and squeeze (not pull) the trigger.
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