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Convenience Store Robbed While Deputy Fuels Patrol Car

ConditionThree

ConditionThree

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http://www.redding.com/news/2009/jan/20/deputies-searching-johnson-park-robbery-suspect/

BURNEY — Shasta County sheriff’s deputies searched without success today for a man who robbed the J Mart gas station in Johnson Park while a deputy was outside filling his patrol car with gas.

The armed robber apparently didn’t panic after seeing the deputy and walked away without drawing attention to himself, Sgt. Marc St. Clair said. The man was wearing a ski mask, but rolled it up on his way out, St. Clair said.

The store’s clerk, who had been told to lie on the floor, alerted the deputy after the robber was able to get away, St. Clair said.

“The guy just got a jump on it,” he said.

Residents in Johnson Park east of Burney received emergency notification calls this morning at around 9 a.m. alerting them of the suspect.

The robbery of the J Mart convenience store and gas station on Highway 299 happened around 8 a.m., Lt. Forrest Bartell said.

The man pointed a revolver at the woman clerk who gave him an undisclosed amount of cash, Bartell said.

The man is described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall who wore a "balaclava"-style ski mask, a dark puffy jacket and large sunglasses, Bartell said.

Several residents have called in with tips, but so far the suspect has eluded capture, Bartell said
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When you think a Sheriff's deputy with a loaded weapon on his belt fueling a patrol car that has a shotgun in it is sufficient deterence to crime, you simply have to factor in the human element. Honestly, I believe the criminal in question did not have adequate situational awareness and a over-abundance of luck.

What I believe happened, though mere speculation, is that the criminal cased his target and decided to execute his plan, when the deputy arrived to fuel his patrol car. Having no other alternative, the bad guy completed his crime by making a quick departure without drawing the deputies attention.

What I think we should take from this is that despite 'being the deterent' there are some circumstances where criminals are either oblivious to,or simply not detered by, the possibility there might be an armed person around.

I think this guys dumb luck will run out if he hasnt listened to the little voice in his head, telling him that he dodged the bullet with the deputy... perhaps the next armed deterent he overlooks will be an open carrier or someone with a license to carry concealed.
 
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CA_Libertarian

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This also speaks for the deputy's situational awareness. Most of us have probably been equally unaware in similar situations. (I know that I don't pay much attention to the store if I'm paying at the pump.) However, it's the deputy's job to be alert for criminal activity.

Too bad the clerk or another nearby 'civilian' wasn't armed. Luckily, nobody got hurt this time.

(Within a mile of my home, there have been 4 armed robberies in the past 6 weeks. Yesterday, the clerk was shot at a Subway restuarant down the street - luckily the bad guy was a bad shot and only wounded the guy. Police have made no arrests in any of the recent robberies.)
 
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camsoup

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The fact this happened in Burney doesn't surprise me. :lol:


I cant imagine what was going through the perps head when he walked out and saw a deputy refueling.... pretty quick thinking on his part to just remove the mask and continue walking away.

Seems in this case the bad guy had more situational awareness.
 
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