February 23rd, 2004, 02:24 PM
I used to be a law enforcement explorer at the Redmond, Washington Police Department. One day, as me and several other explorers were helping to direct traffic at a farmer's market/flea market, the most amazing series of events took place just a few blocks away. By the end of it, we were all listening to our radios in total fascination...as was most of the police department, at least, those not directly involved in the fiasco itself.
You see, this guy walked up to the front of a convenience store carrying a pair of bolt cutters. He snips the lock off a bicycle at the rack, picks up the bicycle (NOT riding it) and walks away. All of this not five feet in front of the police car parked in front of the store; The officer had gone there to buy coffee, and had just gotten back into her car, when this all took place.
Not really believing what she'd just seen, she got out of her car and challenged him...he started running. To make a long story short, they did eventually catch him; But it took nearly two dozen officers, in cars, on bicycles and on foot, nearly twenty minutes, and the chase went all over the downtown shopping district. At no time did the bike thief ever even ATTEMPT to get on the bike and ride it...he just carried it over his shoulder as he dashed around town. As fast as he was, if he had actually ridden the bicycle, he'd probably have made a clean getaway...as it was though, they eventually cornered him.
:rolleyes:
You see, this guy walked up to the front of a convenience store carrying a pair of bolt cutters. He snips the lock off a bicycle at the rack, picks up the bicycle (NOT riding it) and walks away. All of this not five feet in front of the police car parked in front of the store; The officer had gone there to buy coffee, and had just gotten back into her car, when this all took place.
Not really believing what she'd just seen, she got out of her car and challenged him...he started running. To make a long story short, they did eventually catch him; But it took nearly two dozen officers, in cars, on bicycles and on foot, nearly twenty minutes, and the chase went all over the downtown shopping district. At no time did the bike thief ever even ATTEMPT to get on the bike and ride it...he just carried it over his shoulder as he dashed around town. As fast as he was, if he had actually ridden the bicycle, he'd probably have made a clean getaway...as it was though, they eventually cornered him.
:rolleyes: