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Oh, boy - Possible entrapment? An actual trap? Or just prank?

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since9

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I just received a call in which someone who sounded much like someone I know called to say they were being held hostage at a local eatery less than a quarter mile from where I live. I got my gear (gun/holster) but as I went to respond, however, I noticed an LEO car sitting on the corner, next door to the restaurant, and asked my friend (still on the line) if she'd called 911. The line went dead, and when I called her back, she said, in a slightly different voice, more like hers, "What the hell you talking about?"

I checked my phone, no return number, so nothing to report. I called the restaurant, and same response: "Everything's normal here."

I tell you, all sorts of alarm bells are going off in my head right now. LEO entrapment? Prank caller with a marked car on the corner next to the restaurant? Thank God I called her back on her line!

Not falling for this sort of shi, er, crap. Ever. What I'm most concerned about is WTF is going on with this call? I called a very good friend on the force, and they're as genuinely perplexed as I am. Happened minutes ago.

Grr...
 
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nonameisgood

Regular Member
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Dec 4, 2008
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1,008
Location
Big D
You say "respond", which makes me think you were contemplating acting in a manner more consistent with a police action than that of a normal citizen.

Unless you lived somewhere without police service, I would think that this is a really bad idea for so many reasons.

I think you have been punked. Maybe it was a friend, maybe an enemy, or maybe a prank caller.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
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18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
Entrapment? Prank? Who knows at this point.

First, I'd try to find out if my phone security was compromised. Regardless of anything else, it seems a little too coincidental the caller named a restaurant that close by. And, then called you without leaving a return number on your phone, assuming yours was a cell phone.
 

UglyGun

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
47
Location
Mountains of VA
I think this needs to be investigated.

Have you started a paper trail with the Police?

What if the same caller had called 911 seven minutes earlier and reported that someone was coming to kill her?

Be safe.
 

ChiangShih

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
628
Location
KC
Well, I tried.

Dang.

Lol.



As for OP, jumping up to "respond" was a terrible idea in the first place. You should have called the police. I mean what were you expecting to do if this was not a trick? Go in, shoot the bad guys and rescue you friend? You should have never left the house, you especially should not have grabbed your gun to head to a possible active shooter/ hostage scene. If there were other LEOs on sight and an actual hostage situation was taking place, you may have been mistaken for a threat.

What were you thinking?



--Edit-- Also, if you saw the LEO and you still thought there was a hostage situation inside, why wouldn't flag down the LEO or again call them in the first place.
 
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coorsleftfield

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
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57
Location
Phoenix, AZ
People like you deserve to have their CCW yanked. What would have been your plan if you had arrived on the scene and this had been a real situation?
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Think about it---if she had time to call YOU, wouldn't she have had time to call 911?

Really...

I'd be more afraid that someone was trying to get me out of my house so they could rob me, than worrying about the LEOs trying to "entrap" you.

Plus, inserting yourself into a situation under those conditions is NOT "self defense". There is NO WAY you would have gotten off in court if you HAD gone there and found some sort of hostage situation.

Think, man, think...
 

Barnett3006

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
98
Location
Tennessee, USA
There are website out there that allow someone to call someone's cell phone from any number the caller chooses. I don't know if the caller can choose to not allow callback numbers, caller ID recognition or to make calls from "unregistered" numbers but I also don't see why they wouldn't be able to.

If the call showed up as your friends name/number when you answered but it was not your friend and there are no callback numbers I would say that someone used this online "service" to get you to leave the house as others have suggested.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
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Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
For the harsh critics, lets keep in mind that he did think.

Caught off guard, his tendency was to accept the report at face value, as some of us might. When he saw the cop, he asked about 911. When the line went dead, rather than charge forward in a frantic panic to save his friend, he originated a call to who he thought had called him.

It all worked out.

There is a difference between critiquing and and harsh criticizism. Lets stick with the critique. This is how we learn--by sharing our experiences.
 

rodbender

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Messages
2,519
Location
Navasota, Texas, USA
It was obviously a mobile phone. How many people does anyone here know that doesn't look to see who is calling? I know no one that doesn't. No way to post a link to verify and no way to disprove it either. Possible but not plausible. What entrapment, for what reason? What actual trap, for what resason? Prank? Doubt it.

Sorry, 9, I call BS on this one. Not saying it definitely is BS, just saying that's what it sounds like to me.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Here I sit, a day later, and nothing has happened. Learning point: Please keep a calm head.

I didn't sleep well last night, but I'm still here, and my fish and relish dinner are very good. Then again,,well, you get the idea.
 
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Freedom First

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
845
Location
Kennewick, Wa.
Jeeze. You guys...

Must be nice being perfect and having a perfectly tuned "Spidey sense". Or is that your 20/20 hindsight? Give since9 a break.

I wouldn't have stayed home either. I would have made sure my family was safe (armed) and then left, calling 911 on the way, and done a pass by of the site.

In this world, you never know what's really happening. If it was a real situation maybe the person on the line was really in trouble and 911 wasn't working. I have been working in telecom for the last 15 years and I have seen 911 OFFLINE several times... For hours.

So, am I Mr. Tactical Ninja? Nope. Any plans of charging in to save the day? Nope. Gonna follow up on it? Yes, just in case. The key words here: Friend in danger.

Have a good day folks.
 

Freedom First

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
845
Location
Kennewick, Wa.
Since9,

Caller ID can be blocked or spoofed but your cell provider CAN determine where that call came from. If they just used the CID blocking feature on their phone line, the CID is still recorded and can be traced back. If they used the internet spoofing options, they will be able to find where the call entered their system and sometimes they can find out more.

I would definitely let LE know what happened because this might not be a solitary incident. Remember they aren't psychic, they need to know what happened. I would also let your cell provider know and start an investigation there as well. Be safe!
 
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