I was mugged tonight .. what should I have done/do next time?

zzaaaaaaaaaap

Ok, so I was mugged tonight (I have a part time delivery job - was a fake delivery). This has never happened to me before, so I'm a bit shaken after it all.

The guy (young enough lad, scarf over his face, hoody) opened my car door as I was parked and demanded my money, while holding a knife in my face. Gave him 80 quid (all I had in my wallet) but not my credit cards/iPhone ... but now... now I feel stupid. What should I have done? What if it happens again? I wish I had pepper spray or something, but no doubt I'd end up in court or something and I'd be the one punished. I just feel really stupid after this. .

Thoughts/opinions/ideas

ted1

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

Ok, so I was mugged tonight (I have a part time delivery job - was a fake delivery). This has never happened to me before, so I'm a bit shaken after it all.

The guy (young enough lad, scarf over his face, hoody) opened my car door as I was parked and demanded my money, while holding a knife in my face. Gave him 80 quid (all I had in my wallet) but not my credit cards/iPhone ... but now... now I feel stupid. What should I have done? What if it happens again? I wish I had pepper spray or something, but no doubt I'd end up in court or something and I'd be the one punished. I just feel really stupid after this. .

Thoughts/opinions/ideas

You did the tight thing, doing anything else could have elevated the attacker and you could end up with a screwdriver in the head, it knife etc. You walked away without an injury

zzaaaaaaaaaap

ted1 wrote: »

You did the tight thing, doing anything else could have elevated the attacker and you could end up with a screwdriver in the head, it knife etc. You walked away without an injury

Thanks... .I'm just mad at myself though now. I don't know... Or what if this happens again, what can I do to prevent it?

Pawwed Rig

Sorry for you man.
You did the right thing as you aren't physically hurt.

Re your question, check where you are and who is about before unlocking the doors of your car or switching the engine off. Bring a cheap phone, no cash. Better to lose your stuff than have a nasty scar somewhere or worse. Easy to say now though. Hope you're feeling better soon.

ColeTrain

Head up, wasn't your fault and you made the right choice.

InReality

OP - just to say you might not sleep tonight , that's pretty normal after something like that. Fair play for coming home safe , if the guy was armed then thats all you could be expected or needed to do.

zzaaaaaaaaaap

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Sorry for you man.
You did the right thing as you aren't physically hurt.

Re your question, check where you are and who is about before unlocking the doors of your car or switching the engine off. Bring a cheap phone, no cash. Better to lose your stuff than have a nasty scar somewhere or worse. Easy to say now though. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks... I have to carry cash on the delivery job though, which they of course would know I guess. I suppose a cheap phone (fortunately they didn't have the sense to take my iPhone even though I was on it at the time) wouldn't hurt. I'm worried it happening again now though, and I do need this job.....

Pat Mustard

Report to Gardai and see what you can recover from these people.
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Criminal_Injuries_Compensation_Scheme

As you are probably exposed to attack as a night time delivery man, all you can do is probably keep your doors locked, keep a torch etc. in the car, and maybe get a dashcam.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056815237

zzaaaaaaaaaap

The cops were really nice - I called 999 and they came out soon enough I suppose.

HurtLocker

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

Thanks... .I'm just mad at myself though now. I don't know... Or what if this happens again, what can I do to prevent it?

I have a heavy metal flashlight in my car after I had a nutcase chase me once. Dual purpose I guess.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000IXAJVY?pc_redir=1405418871&robot_redir=1
(Not sure if exact one I have)

You can also try turning on auto door locks in your car if you have them. I turned mine on after a different incident. Once I go over 5 mph all my doors lock on the outside and only open from the inside or when I turn the engine off and remove the key.

the_syco

Don't unlock the door until you feel it's safe to do so.

Get a cheap phone, cheap wallet with under a tenner in it. Have your actual phone on silent, and not-vibrating, under the seat.

A weapon (of any type) is only of use if you intend on using it. Otherwise it gets used against you.

mylittlepony

You did the right thing nothing more you could have done.

Where were you parked at the fake delivery address maybe that gave opportunity thief advantage if they can hide from you unseen.
Was your door unlocked when parking or were you just about get out.

I would keep doors locked at all times check surroundings if you feel safe if not dont get out.
check that address is occupied.
trust your gut instinct.
Try to park as close as possible to the address if there a driveway drive in etc.

P_1

Maybe getting a second wallet might be worth considering in future? Keep the bulk of the cash from the deliveries in it and keep it under the seat or some other safe spot in the car. Keep a 'change wallet' on you with the tenners and fivers in it for giving change from the deliveries but make sure you never have more than €20 in it at any one time. That way you'd only be down 20 if somebody tries it on you again.

Unless you know how to properly use one, a weapon is never really a good idea.

Mint Aero

Depends. If it was a stanley blade then ya i'd give him the money, considering i'm seated, wearing a seat belt etc and effectively strapped while he's of advantage. However if it was a..Swiss pocket knife, butter knife, some of mammies bread knives etc then i'd probably beat the sh*t senseless in self defence considering the car is my property which I've the right to defend etc.

Del2005

Mint Aero wrote: »

Depends. If it was a stanley blade then ya i'd give him the money, considering i'm seated, wearing a seat belt etc and effectively strapped while he's of advantage. However if it was a..Swiss pocket knife, butter knife, some of mammies bread knives etc then i'd probably beat the sh*t senseless in self defence considering the car is my property which I've the right to defend etc.

These can be sharpened and regardless of how sharp a knife is it'll still do damage, recently watched a program about WW2 and they purposely didn't sharpen bayonets as they did more damage blunt.

The only thing the OP could have done differently in this instance is have a "muggers" wallet with €20-€30 in small notes in it and a cheap phone.

One thing to consider OP when delivering is always make sure you stop the car pointing in a direction that you don't need reverse or hit a dead end in the direction you are pointed, only stop and unlock the car when pointing the same way you came in(unless it's oneway) then if someone opens the door or sticks a blade in the window you can drive off.

zzaaaaaaaaaap

mylittlepony wrote: »

You did the right thing nothing more you could have done.

Where were you parked at the fake delivery address maybe that gave opportunity thief advantage if they can hide from you unseen.
Was your door unlocked when parking or were you just about get out.

I would keep doors locked at all times check surroundings if you feel safe if not dont get out.
check that address is occupied.
trust your gut instinct.
Try to park as close as possible to the address if there a driveway drive in etc.

hey - I was in the car with the door unlocked.. where I live is actually (I thought) really safe, so I was complacent. The address was occupied, they just used it as a fake address and waited outside behind a bush.

zzaaaaaaaaaap

Del2005 wrote: »

These can be sharpened and regardless of how sharp a knife is it'll still do damage, recently watched a program about WW2 and they purposely didn't sharpen bayonets as they did more damage blunt.

The only thing the OP could have done differently in this instance is have a "muggers" wallet with €20-€30 in small notes in it and a cheap phone.

One thing to consider OP when delivering is always make sure you stop the car pointing in a direction that you don't need reverse or hit a dead end in the direction you are pointed, only stop and unlock the car when pointing the same way you came in(unless it's oneway) then if someone opens the door or sticks a blade in the window you can drive off.

I feel stupid in a way.. like in hindsight, I could've grabbed his arm and pulled him in the car halfway to trap him, you know?

eezipc

I think you did the right thing as well. 80 quid vs a serious injury or worse is a good outcome.
Reminds me of a time in Amsterdam years ago where I almost got mugged.
It was during the day when I was sitting on a bench and a guy sat down beside me and asked for a cigarette. I don't smoke so obviously I said I didn't have any. Then he got incredibly aggressive and said if I don't give him his wallet, he will kill me. If I try to run, he will kill me. If I make a sound, he will kill me.
I was crapping myself and I said to him I need to stand up to get the wallet out of my pocket. As I stood up (it felt like an eternity but probably happened in a milli-second) I put various scenarios through my head of my options. I decided that if I gave him my wallet and phone then I would not be able to get home and at that moment I just wanted to go home so I legged it.
He ran after me but luckily I was not far from a busy street so he stopped running. The last thing I heard him say was, "I'll see you later my friend".
I was staying in a hostel with friends but I was too scared to go back to the hostel in case he followed me. Every black guy I saw, I thought it was him. Any body in the distance wearing a red baseball cap, I thought it was him. I just wandered the busy streets until night time and I made it back to the hostel safely.
It's a scary thing to happen and I can honestly say it changed the way I behave in places I am not familiar with. Now I will never walk a quiet street, even during the day. I often think about whether I did the right thing because as I ran, I slipped on the pavement and almost fell to the ground. I shudder to think what would have happened if I did actually fall.
I've never forgotten his face or his last words, and the hairs are standing on the back of my neck now just thinking about it...

"I'll see you later my friend".

AlanS181824

Jesus OP hope you feel better.

Awful thing to happen to you and I hope the authorities find the individual in question.

zzaaaaaaaaaap

I've just had a thought...

Ok, I went back in my car like 15 minutes later to see if I could see him. I don't know why... but there he was, with the girl. He saw my car and threw a can of lager at it (!)... now there's only one shop in the village, and they sell this lager. So it'd be safe to assume he bought it there, maybe an hour before.... can i go to the Garda and tell them this, that surely they'd be on camera buying this beer? Right? Or...?

zzaaaaaaaaaap

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Jesus OP hope you feel better.

Awful thing to happen to you and I hope the authorities find the individual in question.

I've just had a thought...

Ok, I went back in my car like 15 minutes later to see if I could see him. I don't know why... but there he was, with the girl. He saw my car and threw a can of lager at it (!)... now there's only one shop in the village, and they sell this lager. So it'd be safe to assume he bought it there, maybe an hour before.... can i go to the Garda and tell them this, that surely they'd be on camera buying this beer? Right? Or...?

or do I let it go as it might cause further trouble? I know like 99% he must be local

SterlingArcher

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

I feel stupid in a way.. like in hindsight, I could've grabbed his arm and pulled him in the car halfway to trap him, you know?

Hindsight is glorious, look karma will get him. Sorry for your troubles . You are looking to blame yourself in any way possible.

Have you considered Had you grabbed him and struggled could have ended up being forced to stab him with his own knife. Then might be saying why didn't I just give the money.

SterlingArcher

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

I've just had a thought...

Ok, I went back in my car like 15 minutes later to see if I could see him. I don't know why... but there he was, with the girl. He saw my car and threw a can of lager at it (!)... now there's only one shop in the village, and they sell this lager. So it'd be safe to assume he bought it there, maybe an hour before.... can i go to the Garda and tell them this, that surely they'd be on camera buying this beer? Right? Or...?

or do I let it go as it might cause further trouble? I know like 99% he must be local

Nice go to it serpico. He threw a can at your car? I better log off blood boiling.

Del2005

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

I feel stupid in a way.. like in hindsight, I could've grabbed his arm and pulled him in the car halfway to trap him, you know?

Never drag someone into your car, then it'd be your word against his. Better to drive off than risk the scumbag stabbing you or else you getting in trouble for driving off with a pedestrian hanging out the door or as you've posted below he could have backup who would corroborate his story

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

I've just had a thought...

Ok, I went back in my car like 15 minutes later to see if I could see him. I don't know why... but there he was, with the girl. He saw my car and threw a can of lager at it (!)... now there's only one shop in the village, and they sell this lager. So it'd be safe to assume he bought it there, maybe an hour before.... can i go to the Garda and tell them this, that surely they'd be on camera buying this beer? Right? Or...?

or do I let it go as it might cause further trouble? I know like 99% he must be local

No harm in dropping into the Garda station in the morning and saying it to them.

Santa Cruz

I know a taxi driver who carries a cheap wallet with dud notes. He always carries the zapper for the car in his pocket so if he is dragged out he can turn off the ignition when he is safely away and watch from a safe distance while they try to start again and again. Luckily he hasn't had to put this plan into action yet

No Pants

zzaaaaaaaaaap wrote: »

Ok, I went back in my car like 15 minutes later to see if I could see him. I don't know why... but there he was, with the girl.

Well done on simply not running the little no-mark over.

irish_goat

Santa Cruz wrote: »

I know a taxi driver who carries a cheap wallet with dud notes.

Good idea.

Little CuChulainn

When you went back and saw him did you ring the Gardaí and let them know he was there?

Sala

You did the right thing. Don't feel stupid or mad at yourself as you say - you were the victim of a crime, you should be proud of yourself for keeping your cool and doing what you needed to do to protect yourself.

If you see him don't approach him but ring the Gardai asap and tell them. I hope them find him

BeerSteakBirds

Del2005 wrote: »

Never drag someone into your car, then it'd be your word against his.

Whatever the best tactical decision was, would the justice system not give the word of someone with no criminal record who works for a living a greater weight than the word of a known scumbag ? The reason the OP had to be in that area was clear - to do his job . The criminal had no legitimate reason to be there and that would come out in any subsequent story.

No harm in dropping into the Garda station in the morning and saying it to them.

No. Do it right now. Don't go to bed while this lunatic is on a rampage. You dont have to come in contact with him again but you should let the Garda know that this person is a danger to others right now.

Do you really want to live in a society where people turn a blind eye to crime ? If someone had seen you been killed and the scumbag running away , would you have told someone to wait until morning before reporting it ?

...__...

Hi op first off Id like to commened you you have come through the other side of an experience no one wants to go through.
Please ignore the knee jerk reactions of some people.
You have to face reality when you look back at these situations. if you did carry any kind of weapon with you I doubt anyone would have the reaction to draw it when needed without the proper training. Most people when faced with a situation like that will freeze and do what ever the offender says that is the right thing to do. having sprays or torches or knives or bats will only make you feel worse because you had them in the car but could not either get to them quick enough or were abe to assert yourself with them.
The only good advice I can give you is either get a second wallet you dont have to put money in it just little bits of paper and maybe a few 5 cent coins. once a mugger gets this he will run fast not stand around counting.
Take some Krav Maga lessons if it happens when you walking to the house you will have the training and experience to deal with it.

zzaaaaaaaaaap

BeerSteakBirds wrote: »

Whatever the best tactical decision was, would the justice system not give the word of someone with no criminal record who works for a living a greater weight than the word of a known scumbag ? The reason the OP had to be in that area was clear - to do his job . The criminal had no legitimate reason to be there and that would come out in any subsequent story.




No. Do it right now. Don't go to bed while this lunatic is on a rampage. You dont have to come in contact with him again but you should let the Garda know that this person is a danger to others right now.

Do you really want to live in a society where people turn a blind eye to crime ? If someone had seen you been killed and the scumbag running away , would you have told someone to wait until morning before reporting it ?

++++ FOLLOW UP!! ++++++

Ok, so it's reassuring to know that there's some justice in the world.
His girlfriend's mother turned him in. He was arrested last night, confessed to the robbery and was charged (specifically with what charge I don't know just yet - but he was apparently up in court this morning).

I'm relieved the scumbag was caught, but now I'd like to know if there's any chance I can take this to a small claims court situation and try to get my money back? Will that cost me more money than it's even worth?

JanaMay

Glad he was caught. Scumbag.

Just a thought. Do you take phone numbers for all deliveries ordered? Could you tell people that you'll phone them when you're outside their door, and stay in the car until the door is opened? Might cost you a few extra minutes but at least that way you'll be sure it's a genuine order.

ETA: you definitely did the right thing though!