Move Over Grand Theft Auto, Pondering A Real-life Armed Robbery In Our Neighborhood

/ Ally Bean
Because sometimes odd unexpected things happen…

Last week I learned that there was an armed robbery in this subdivision.  We’ve lived here over 20 years and this is a first.  I learned about it formally from the HOA [Homeowner Association] + informally from the neighborhood grapevine.

The robbery took place in the early evening and involved two men with guns stealing a new Volvo from a neighbor’s open garage.  It’s my understanding that the house security system with alarms and cameras wasn’t on at the time.

The neighbor heard noise in the garage, went to investigate, and found the robbery in process.  He was not hurt physically, although I cannot say how it affected him emotionally.  I don’t know him personally to ask him.

The police haven’t found his car and the men who stole it.  As of today this remains an open case.  My guess is it’ll never be solved, but will become part of the folklore of this large subdivision of 800+ homes.

• • •

A place to ponder. Drinking a mug of coffee while sitting on the deck on a foggy autumn morning.

• • •

It’s easy, and perhaps natural, to start thinking about why this robbery took place, to make up stories that might explain it.  I’m motivated by my need to make sense of this, to try to understand it.

It could be as straightforward as it seems.  The robbers who were driving a Volvo [and isn’t that interesting?] saw an opportunity to steal another one and took it.  It was a crime of opportunity, no advance planning.

This would be my preferred scenario.

Or it could be that the neighbor was working in league with the robbers, intending on splitting the insurance money.  After all, no one except the neighbor saw these two men, allegedly with guns, and because the security system cameras weren’t on at the time there’s no way to corroborate his story.

Or it could be that the neighbor owes money to someone, a bookie perhaps, and that someone arranged for payment in the form of his car.  Things like that happen in this world.  I watch police procedural TV shows;  I know things.

• • •

A view while pondering. Looking out from the deck into the backyard on a foggy autumn morning.

• • •

I’ve been trying to decide what I think about this robbery, discern how it makes me feel.  I’m not stressed by it.  I’m not worried about being safe. Instead I’m indifferent to it.

Is that peculiar?  Shouldn’t I be more panicked?

Of course, as Zen-Den pointed out, we always keep our garage doors closed plus no one wants to steal my 18 year old Honda.  Or his 5 year old one.  A fast risk-benefit analysis confirms his logic.  

Ain’t gonna happen.

Plus this robbery isn’t going to stop me from going for walks around this neighborhood.  If nothing else we might be safer now that more sheriffs are driving through here on a more regular basis.

From their point of view, we’re the place to be.

So that’s where I find myself this morning, hoping this is a one-off, an aberration and not the beginning of a trend.  I’m amazed that I’m writing about something so out of the ordinary that it doesn’t seem feasible, yet it happened.

And that’s all there is to it.

Comments, anyone? How would this make you feel?

164 thoughts on “Move Over Grand Theft Auto, Pondering A Real-life Armed Robbery In Our Neighborhood”

  2. It’s funny how some crimes worry you and some don’t. If you don’t believe you could be a victim, it’s easier to push out. I worry more about the crimes where people get hurt. Glad you are good and so are your old cars!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I like the “he owes someone something” option. I don’t think I’d be worried either. Besides, I’d like a new car so if someone wants my 7 year old Subaru I’ll just look the other way.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, you have to wonder why something like this would happen and the owing money angle has a ring to it. I know what you mean about looking the other way, other than I really like my ancient car so I’d be sad & miss her for a while.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. You came up with two plausible scenarios:

    Or it could be that the neighbor was working in league with the robbers, intending on splitting the insurance money. After all, no one except the neighbor saw these two men, allegedly with guns, and because the security system cameras weren’t on at the time there’s no way to corroborate his story.

    Or it could be that the neighbor owes money to someone, a bookie perhaps, and that someone arranged for payment in the form of his car. Things like that happen in this world. I watch police procedural TV shows; I know things.

    Let’s hope your neighborhood remains a relatively safe haven.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nancy, glad you concur on my possible scenarios. I still feel safe here, for any number of reasons, BUT I do wonder what the rest of the story is about this armed robbery. It’s very out of character for this subdivision.

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  6. “I watch police procedural TV shows; I know things.” LOL.

    I make up scenarios, too, although I think yours are much better. Every time something bad happens, we try to find reasons why it would never happen to us. Then we don’t have to confront our mortality or the scary randomness of the universe. It’s unfortunately why so many fall into the habit of victim-blaming. You should hear my cop neighbors excuse the LAPD for arresting and shooting innocent bystanders: “they shouldn’t have been there,” “when a cop tells you to do something, just do it,” etc. The police never do anything wrong, of course.

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, glad I could make you laugh. I wrote the paragraph about the bookie then realized it sounded like a plot line out of Columbo.

      You are so right about why we find reasons that bad things won’t happen to us. Sometimes the reasons are an indication of denial, while other times they’re based on common sense. In this situation I’m going with common sense. My car is 18 years old!

      I’ve a nephew who’s a cop, but I rarely see him or talk with him. He lives far, far away from me– geographically and I suspect spiritually. It’s interesting to know what your cop neighbors say. Oh to be that sure of yourself and your fellow officers!

      Liked by 1 person

      • I have a 17-year-old car. Right there with you.

        I don’t think my neighbors even care if their fellow cop are in the wrong. It’s very much an “us against them” mentality. If you’re a cop, they back you all the way. Although I haven’t really talked to them since January 6th…which was about the time their thin blue line flag disappeared.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Happy to know someone else drives a *vintage* vehicle. Mine’s paid for and is still reliable so why get a new one?

          Interesting about the thin blue line flag, disappearance of said. Also interesting about the “us against them” mentality. I wonder if that way of thinking happens as a result of being a cop OR is how you naturally think thus you become a cop? Rhetorical question

          Liked by 1 person

  7. Our neighborhood had an increase in break-ins, car robberies, and other crimes a few years ago. People were scared, and rightfully so. But panic is not the solution. We ran out of toilet paper in 2020 because of panic.

    I’m glad no one was hurt. And, as LA said, you now have stories. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  8. It’s disturbing, but like you said… the reasons could be myriad. Our neighbor was robbed of computers, jewelry and cash a few years back. They were away on vacation and the house is in the woods, not visible from the road. The thieves just drove in at midday, looted and drove out. The police deduced it was a cleaning service that had been hired for a one time job a few months before. Sadly nothing was recovered.

    Liked by 1 person

    • River, once upon a time we lived in a house on a private drive not visible from the street. I never felt safe there. The situation you describe is sad, but believable. All it takes for a burglary to happen is opportunity, like the one you mentioned. As for what just happened here, I find it more odd than anything else.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lies Jack Kerouac told Me, I agree with you. I’m not scared about this, just darned curious to find out the rest of the story… because there has to be more to this.

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  11. It reminds me of the time the neighbors behind us had a break-in/robbery years ago. It was a little unsettling at first, being so close. But then I went on to believe, like you, that they would most likely not strike again so close so soon. Crime often happens as the result of opportunity or convenience. Another friend had her entire house emptied out mid day. Her circular driveway had a fence of privacy bushes and the house not the driveway could be seen from the road. I think what concerns me is the prevalence of guns and the willingness of some to use them.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Maggie, I’m sorry to read about what happened to your friend. That’s just horrifying. I’d be devastated if that happened to us.

      I wonder if/hope that you’re onto something with how the robbers won’t come back to the same neighborhood again. Like you I really don’t like the idea that these men had guns with them. That’s what gives me the most pause about this: it’s not the theft per se, it’s the potential for physical violence.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Around Halloween 2013, I walked into my home while a burglary was on progress. Just lucky I didn’t come face to face – he went out one door while I came in another. It is a very disconcerting thing! And pissed me off, royally.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, I’m sorry that happened to you. Very scary. Decades ago, before noisy home security systems, I walked in on 2 break-ins. In one case he fled, in the other I came face-to-face with the man before he fled. Like you I was royally pissed off each time.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. The worrisome part for me is the gun aspect. It’s fairly common in these parts to have cars stolen from driveways and open garages because everyone seems to leave their key fob in their car. I don’t get that, but I guess that’s how lazy people roll? Of course, no one ever seems to witness the crimes, so maybe the suspects do have guns?

    I do find it very interesting that in your case, the getaway car was also a Volvo? Their dad’s car?? Lol!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bijoux, I agree with you about the guns, most worrying, and about leaving the key fob in the car, most lazy.

      I love your idea that the robbers were driving their dad’s car. Who knows, eh? Still I think it’s a wacky detail about this theft. Volvos are way expensive.

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  15. This is so strange. I had not considered the bookie or the insurance angles. You must tune into more detective shows than I do. Well done, Columbo.

    About 5 years ago there were several home break ins in our area. One was about 5 doors away, but across a main road in another neighborhood. She was on the corner and probably made getting away easy. This woman’s garage is SO organized and clean, that they could eat off the floor. I imagine the inside if more of the same. Coach and I looked around and agreed, if someone broke into our home they’d think that someone had beat them to it. Our decorating style is a bit ‘wev’e been ransacked’ so we decided we were safe. Plus if anyone cases our home, they’d be confused as cars come and go all day. No great time to break in here.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, I agree that this is strange. It’s soooo out of character for this neighborhood. Occasionally something is stolen out of a car, but never the whole car.

      I like your anti-theft approach to home decor. You’ve found a way to thwart would-be thieves and live your best life! You do make me laugh out loud. I hadn’t thought about how someone might case our house. Around here so many people work from home that there’s always someone coming and going up and down the street.

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  16. My husband’s truck was stolen once when it was parked in San Francisco. He had dropped his keys and didn’t realize it but the bad guy saw it and took advantage. Since the truck registration had our address and the house keys were on the ring we immediately changed all the locks in the house but after that stopped worrying. His truck was found right before the insurance limits were reached at which point he would have gotten a new truck. Fortunately (?) we live in the less affluent side of town and if people are going to steal things, they’re going to the other side where it’s worth it. LOL.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janet, that’s a story, isn’t it! Dropping your keys and then someone taking advantage of your mistake. Pity about the insurance limits. I’d change all the locks, too– but that thief isn’t going to come looking for you so I agree with you that you were safe.

      Where we live isn’t considered affluent by most people. Or at least it wasn’t when we built here. Now, I’m not sure. I mean, Volvos are pricey and I was shocked to learn that someone around here drives one.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. They just happened to be driving by when the garage door happened to be open AND all the cameras happened to be off? Driving the same kind of car as they stole? An inside job, in my opinion. Too many coincidences.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. It would make me feel nervous for a few days, and then I would probably forget about it, but then I drive a 15 year old Honda, although the robbers might find it to be quite reliable as a get-away car. I do like your alternative scenarios….you should write a murder mystery! PS. We have stricter gun control laws here, and never encountered much crime before, but the gangs (and gang wars) are infiltrating from bigger cities all over the province. I felt unsafe the last time I was in Toronto, which used to be such a safe city.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joni, I pretty much have put this robbery out of my mind. I just wanted to write about it here to see what other people had to say about it or what they’ve experienced when it comes to car theft. I’m curious.

      I’m sorry that going into Toronto isn’t as safe as it once was. That’s a bummer but I imagine you’re right about the reason why violence has escalated there. These are strange times for all of us. Sadly

      Liked by 1 person

  20. I should probably read all the comments, because odds are someone has asked. But how were the crooks going to steal the car unless the keys were in it (and how would they know that from the street), unless they planned on getting the homeowner out of the house and with guns force him to hand over the keys?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dawn, my guess is that, like many people, this man leaves his key fob in the car when he goes inside the house. Therefore stealing the car would be easier– Plan A so to speak. Whether the armed robbers knew this from the street I don’t know. They did have guns, so like you surmised maybe force was Plan B? 🤷‍♀️

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  21. Maybe you’re not panicking because you’re in league with the robbers, hoping to improve on your aging Honda…Just kidding. I read your other scenarios to my wife. Her mind works like that. I’d still feel safe walking around. We’ve had robberies, unarmed, I think, in our neighborhood, but they were most likely druggies looking for something to sell quick and cheap. We don’t always have our cars in the garage, but they are always locked. Most of the car thefts in this area are young kids stealing cars that have the fob sitting in the cup holder.

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    • Dan, uh huh. While your explanation about why I’m not panicking could be plausible, I’m here to tell ‘ya I had nothing to do with this theft. I might be able to guess about the reasons why it happened, but as for planning something like this? This is way beyond my pay grade, let alone I’d be breaking one of the 10 Commandments. 😇

      Interesting about who steals cars in your area, and how they go about doing it. I never leave my car key [and yes that’s how you start my old car] in the car. Even when it’s in the garage.

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  22. I find myself thinking about how many people live in neighborhoods where thefts and break-ins are a daily occurrence, and where the residents never feel safe. While it’s good to know we live in areas where such incidents are rare, we may be deluding ourselves by feeling unaffected by crime because it happens elsewhere. John Donne’s words come to mind, “No man is an island….” I’m in a cynical mood today–should probably keep my fingers off the keyboard.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Donna, I agree with what you’re saying. When I was younger I lived in neighborhoods where burglary and car thefts happened too often. I remember what that was like. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why this situation isn’t panicking me as much as it is other people. Donne was right, of course. Good to keep that in mind.

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  23. We live in a community that is considered safe but every now and then there’s an armed robbery and even a murder. Most of the time, the robbers have checked out a place ahead of time and are looking for specific things. My car is so old that I kind of hope someone steals it so I can get a new one but … not with a gun of course. I hope the robbery is solved quickly!

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    • Jan, good point about robbers checking out a place before robbing it. I suppose that could be what happened in this case. This makes me wonder if anyone saw the men prior to the robbery? I doubt that I did considering how far away we live from the scene of the theft. I’m smiling about your car, mine is old too. I love her, but will admit that I occasionally think about buying a new one. Not a Volvo, though.

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  24. Mary and I grew up in Chicago, and while where we live now is infinitely safer, we still take the same precautions as we did there. We don’t leave the doors unlocked, we talk to strangers through the door, and we keep the van in the garage and always make sure the garage door is closed before going into the house. It may seem paranoid, but particularly in this day and age, you can’t be too careful…

    Liked by 1 person

    • John, we do the same things that you and Mary do. When we were younger we lived in some places that weren’t too safe, so those habits have stuck with us, too. I’m guessing that this neighbor with the Volvo wasn’t/isn’t so inclined to be cautious.

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  25. The steamy mug of coffee looks tame compared to your story of theft. While you dream up scenarios, do keep your garage door closed.

    P. S. A woman two doors down leaves her garage door open all day. My husband thinks she is looking for a man. (Another made-up scenario, Ally!)

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    • Marian, you can rest assured that our garage doors are shut almost all the time. Especially when I, or we, sit on our deck at the back of the house.

      I hadn’t thought about the scenario that leaving your garage door open was a way to say “come hither” to a perspective Romeo or Juliet. Perhaps that is what your neighbor is really doing. Intriguing idea. 🤔

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  26. Huh. I’d only thought of the first scenario. Wouldn’t have considered the last two, so I find it interesting that you did. I’m so naïve though. I suppose that’s why some of my friends call me a Pollyanna. For a while cars were being stolen in our small town. But they were parked in the street. Unlocked. So we were told to “lock our cars when out.” Duh!

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    • Pam, I’ve always watched and read lots of mysteries so my mind is primed to look for the miscreants, figure out the angle– although in this case I doubt that I’ll ever know for sure what really happened.

      Laughing about the good advice to lock your car when you park on the street. Like you didn’t know that? Ever so clever of them to tell you to do that. 🙄

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  27. Years ago, some robbers broke into our house through a basement window. As we were coming in through the front door they were scrambling out the back. It didn’t really affect me much (I’m former military and had combat experience at that point, so this seemed really minor) but my former husband was panicked by it and bought a fancy alarm system. The next time the robbers came, they tripped the alarm but managed to grab a few things before the police arrived. After that, then-husband added a motion sensor. No more robbers but we kept setting it off ourselves; very annoying to the authorities.
    It’s interesting that they stole a Volvo. Maybe it was an opportunistic family of four? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Lynette, I’m glad you were safe when you stumbled upon the robbers. I’ve done that too, years ago, in a different lifetime. You raise a great point about home alarm systems. They can be tricky and while they alert you to trouble, you can also get in trouble when you don’t use them properly. [And YES I’m talking from personal experience, NO I don’t want to talk about it.]

      Laughing at your idea of a family of four who needed another Volvo. To make a matched set? 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  28. Hey AB, I found your blog via New Dharma Bums. Strange robbery, that. Hopefully it was merely a crime of opportunity. I had a 13 year old Prius parked in my parking lot, and one morning thieves blew through our complex, stealing catalytic converters from all the older Pruises. Cost more to replace than the car was worth. The crazy thing was, it was just steps away from my, and others’, back door and we didn’t hear a thing. Crimes of these sorts are pretty widespread these days. Kids can’t even drop their bicycles on the front lawn anymore! Sheesh.

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    • Tara, thanks for stopping by to read and comment. It seems like a crime of opportunity, but the whole deal about the robbers also driving a Volvo seems hinky.

      I’ve read about the thefts of catalytic converters & find it weird. I’m sorry your Prius was one of the cars that was affected. It’s amazing that you didn’t hear anything, but there you go criminals know what they’re doing. I’ve also noticed that kids never leave their bikes tossed aside on a front yard. That was the done thing when I was a girl.

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    • This comment just reminded me of what happened years ago to my friend who drove a VW Beetle. Overnight one night someone came and stole the battery from her car. Of course, she bought a new battery the next day. That night, they returned to steal the new battery! Seriously evil.

      I drove a 1995 Toyota Camry and it was stolen from outside my house (I live in the city; no garage) in 2008, so old cars are not always safe from theft. I loved that car and was on a mission to see if I could get 200,000 miles or 20 years from it and had maintained it accordingly. I was devastated.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I agree with you that the battery theft story is serious evil. What a lousy person, or persons, to have done that.

        I’m sorry that your old Camry was stolen. That sucks. I fear for my old Accord sometimes, too. I want to have her for 20 years and I’m so close– only 15 more months. 🤞🏻

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  29. My preferred scenario is the same as yours, Ally – crime of opportunity with no advanced planning.
    When I was speaking with my niece (33) on the phone the other day, she received two emergency alert messages saying that there was an armed and dangerous person in her neighbourhood. She was safely inside her apartment so the messages did not freak her out at all. As for her aunt – TOTALLY freaked out for her! :0

    Liked by 1 person

    • Donna, if it’s a crime of opportunity then it’s one & done which would suit me just fine.

      Two emergency alert messages about an armed person? Oh, if that happened to me that’d make nervous but I suppose it’s better to know what is going on than to not know. Still, I’m with you freaking out about it. 😳

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  30. We get weekly reports from Ring regarding incidents in our area. While there are a few break-ins and thefts reported, I generally don’t worry about them because there doesn’t seem to be a pattern or trend involved. Of course, the thing in your post that caught my attention was 800+ houses in the subdivision. 🤯

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I agree with you that break-ins and thefts are often so random that there’s little need to worry. However this armed robbery seemed out of the ordinary, by a long shot.

      Yes, this is a large subdivision that’s been built in phases over about 30 years. We are our own village in essence. I’ve never lived anywhere like this before and have come to enjoy it.

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  31. Where I live, police are now scarce. People are driving batshit crazy because there’s no traffic enforcement, and online neighborhood forums are full of posts about catalytic converter thefts from cars parked in driveways. They’re easy to sell, probably to the auto repair places that are doing big business replacing stolen catalytic converters. The type of event you describe would worry me, but not surprise me. I would see it as symptom of larger underlying problems.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rita, no kidding about the driving! Same here. I’ve only read about the catalytic converter thefts, don’t know anyone who has had it happen to their vehicle. You may be onto something with your suggestion about what the auto repair shops are up to. I agree that this theft is a symptom of a larger problem. I’m not worried for my safety, but I am aware.

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  32. Smells a bit fishy to me. I like all of your guesses, but would likely go with the ‘he owes money scenario.’ Garage door up, no cameras or alarms, fob inside – it’s like he was inviting them in. A neighbor we know claims he was beaten by (unidentified) intruders when he came home late one night – wife found him passed out in the shrubs with a few bruises. Sure, buddy, that’s what happened.

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    • Suzanne, yes I know what you mean about how this smells. I’m all about giving people the benefit of the doubt, BUT there’s something very convenient with this theft. I don’t know the man so it’s all conjecture. I hope this was a crime of opportunity & nothing more.

      Laughing about your neighbor who claims to have been beaten. [That sentence sounds completely wrong, doesn’t it?]

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  33. It would make me nervous if that happened in my hood. I’m glad it’s not having that effect on you, though. Certainly no one would steal our old cars, either, but I’d feel uneasy taking a stroll. The cops patrolling more is good, but how long will they keep it up? I much prefer thinking it was an insurance scam/bookie pay off. I like that idea. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Betsy, I figure that what happened was very specific to the man it happened to, so it’s unlikely it’ll happen to me/us. I think it’s odd, but I also realize that I can’t do a thing about it. I, too, wonder how long the sheriffs will be patrolling more often through here. At some point the novelty will wear off. Still, the robbery has made me, everyone, more inclined to pay attention to who I/we see on the streets and that has to be good.

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  34. Dateline has taught me everything there is to know about life. lol. In Houston, bad people would troll grocery stores and follow wealthy old ladies into their garages and rob em. It was awful and was a trend for a long time – probably still is. I think your neighborhood heist is an insurance scam!

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  35. I’ve been wondering how you were doing and when you might surface in the blogosphere but I didn’t imagine this post. 🙂 First of all, I like the view from your deck. I’d be happy sitting out there with a cup of something or a glass of something later in the day. Secondly, until we moved to Arizona, I didn’t really know anyone (except my brother and family) who lived in an HOA. But here almost every house is in one.

    Thirdly, the theft. I’m on NextDoor, which is for people in neighborhoods but unfortunately is too often like FB in the level of animus and rudeness. But quite often people in other neighborhoods tell stories about or show videos of people trying to break into cars/garages or who’ve left their cars unlocked and outside at night and have had people take things. (I’m sorry but I’m of the “Duh, lock your door” group.) People have also had things stole from their open garages (again, close it.) But I’ve never had anyone say they were robbed by people with guns. Guns take things to another level. As my martial arts instructor said many years ago, if someone has a gun, give them what they want!

    Anyway, welcome back for however long you’re here and take care.

    janet

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    • Janet, you’re right about sitting on the deck with a glass of something later in the day! That’s been known to happen here. 🍷

      I like your marital arts instructor’s advice. I agree with him/you that when guns are involved it’s a whole different level of crime. I’m not on NextDoor but I’m aware of it. I didn’t know people shared videos of criminal activity, but if that helps everyone feel safe it’s a good thing.

      I’m with you about “Duh, lock your door” or close it when it’s the garage door. We do both of those things as a matter of course, but apparently not everyone does. Still, even if you don’t immediately close your garage door, it’s not right to have your car stolen. Just saying, as one of the good people…

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        • Janet, you said it. I realize it’s possible that this car theft was one time thing, but I’m still going to be vigilant about our garage doors. Just another thing to attend to…

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  36. Glad no one was hurt and I love the fun speculation – what would I do?
    Oh, girl, with a view like yours from your back porch I’d grab a cup of coffee and cast my eyes upon that – away from the immediate goings ons in the neighborhood!
    HA!

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    • Laura, I can speculate all I want, but I doubt that I’ll ever learn the truth of this theft. Yes, it’s wonderful to sit on our deck and just be. It’s one of the best features of this house.

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  37. Wow! You really came up with some wild scenarios. The neighbor’s story sounds logical to me. People steal lots of cars, and Americans have way too many guns. My first thought was that it might be a good idea for me to turn on my security system a little earlier in the day. But I wouldn’t stop taking walks.

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    • Nicki, thanks. The scenarios just appeared in my mind. I am nothing if not creative! I’m hoping that the first scenario is the what happened. I don’t feel anxious about this, but like you said about your security system, I’ll be more diligent about being secure. On my walks, too, of course.

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  38. I can confirm the comment about Houston robberies. The big difference these days is that the robbers don’t bother following people home. They just knock them down in the parking lot, take what they want, and leave. The biggest reason is that the Harris County Judge, the DA, and the mayor have essentially begun letting everyone off on personal recognizance bonds, as long as they promise to show up in court. Of course they don’t, and many of them become repeat offenders: even repeat murderers.

    Our latest was a variation on your story. A pair of dudes followed a wealthy neighborhood couple home from a high-end restaurant in Houston — about 45 miles. They drove right in to the gated community behind them, killed the guy while he was still in the garage with the door open, and disappeared. Like you, I have questions, but not much worry. I doubt anyone wants my 2011 Toyota, and I seriously doubt anyone’s going to knock me over the head in a grocery store parking lot. Despite my age, I don’t look particularly fragile, I never wear jewelry, and … I am heading to that Toyota.

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    • shoreacres, Houston sounds like it has some unnecessary problems going on because of these personal recognizance bonds. What a lousy situation. Sorry to read about this, hoping it doesn’t happen here.

      I know that around here I occasionally read about someone who is attached in a grocery parking lot. I am like you, I present a low-key image, rarely wearing jewelry let alone anything flashy– my old car included. I’m not the most materialistic person to begin with so not being showy comes naturally to me. Might even keep me safe.

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  39. Ooooh never even considered to the insider theory but when you say it it sounds strange… Guns seem a bit OTT for a theft where you don’t expect to run into resistance… Then again Australia is a different place, I might be naive?

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    • charliefarlie99, I might be naive too but I’ve never heard about an armed robbery in this subdivision. I agree with you that it sounds over the top, more for show than go. Still I’ll be more aware of who’s following me home, and close my garage door immediately when I get home.

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  40. It might just be as simple as its pure evil. Which exists and only getting worse as the country and we the people suffer(s)…just saying. So scary…we use to be able to leave our doors unlocked and the keys in the car here, not anymore…I am afraid to state this, but petty crime is up, sigh.

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  41. Unfortunately our neighborhood and those surrounding have a problem with people going through unlocked cars. Of course, the car owner who leaves their car unlocked is to blame (why should anyone expect others to leave their private property alone … I am being sarcastic). Years ago, someone went through my 1984 VW Rabbit. We’d been living in Tallahassee for less than a year so it was “welcome to the neighborhood.” It totally creeped me out that someone had been in my car, especially since Greg was on a business trip at the time so I was alone at night. That said, I understand your suspicions about might have really happened and why you’re inclined to think this is a one-off in any case. Fortunately it sounds like you wouldn’t be a target anyway 😉

    We forget to lock our car doors sometimes but since one car is a 2014 Prius and the other is a 1994 Toyota pickup, I suspect anyone looking for unlocked cars will just pass us by. We’re not worth the trouble unless the robbers just need change for the toll roads.

    Stay safe!

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    • Marie, you made me laugh with your last paragraph. That’s about what you’d find in my car along with a tattered old umbrella.

      I can understand why you were creeped out about your car being vandalized at the time it was. You just never know who’s watching out there. That being said, if someone wants to steal an 18 year old car, there’s something more wrong with them than being a thief! Why bother?

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  42. The world’s craziness intrudes everywhere. Place you would never think
    (That’s how I felt after drive-by shootings started happening in our old neighborhood after resettlement after Hurricane Katrina…surely this can’t be happening – or it’s just a one-off dispute gotten out of hand….sadly, no)
    I can confirm completely all of what Shoreacres/Houston is saying.
    Last year a neighbor had his Prius stolen from his drive in the middle of the night…those are silent was they leave…(His lovely pickup also in the drive was entered but left as they could not drive stick shift. Prius was recovered as later it did run out of power, so they just left it and stole another car….)
    Best not to leave keys in the car, door unlocked, or garage doors open in any case. And never never leave a car running outside house or store while you run in quickly… ( Of course growing up those were thing my dad always was harped about anyway)
    Locally in this region, it is common now for criminals with plans to cruise around looking for typical commuter/suburban cars to steal (ones that blend in with the crowd and do not look out of place), put on paper plates and use those without fear for drive-bys, crashing through glass of storefronts in the middle of the night, stealing ATMS, robberies in town of homes or businesses, and for lurking in parking lots/gas stations until they spot someone they can jump out, knock down, and steal from.
    Like you and Shoreacres I am wary and moving briskly in parking lots and not wearing anything that looks expensive and could be sold on eBay/given as a gift.

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    • I have to laugh about the car thieves not being able to drive a stick, so they didn’t steal the vehicle. I can drive stick, started that way, and probably could still do it. Muscle memory is an amazing thing.

      I didn’t know about stealing cars that look ‘suburban’ so that someone intent on committing a crime could blend in unnoticed. Great logic actually, but doesn’t make me feel safe. Of course driving an 18 year old car, is a good way to never be noticed. That– and being a plain frumpy woman of a certain age. 😉

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      • Our “classic” Mustang is also stick – one reason I like it…fun unless there’s heavy traffic. It may be red, but they can’t figure out how to make it go HAHA. Still we know to watch surroundings when we take it out to play.
        Here that’s one of the age brackets that is at risk – may not have the expensive purses, but they are after the credits cards and whatever cash they can get. They lurk at banks/ATMs and watch for victims.
        Patios and decks and views – help a lot in a world gone mad!

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  43. Your own reaction mirrors what I would say if the same thing happened in our neighborhood: No one would probably want my wife’s Kia Soul (of which there are a gazillion on the roads), and they especially wouldn’t want my 14 year old Toyota with the big dent in the rear. But your main point, that an alleged armed robbery is taken as just something that happened — like a hit baseball crashing though a living room window, is indeed something to ponder. We’ve all become numb to everyday calamity now. – Marty

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    • Marty, you’re right that we’ve become numb to calamity now so this armed robbery doesn’t seem as upsetting to me as I think it should be– or it would’ve been five years ago. I’m sorry it happened, of course. But it is an insight into how life has changed gradually around here in this quiet suburb, and maybe not in a good way.

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    • Emille, yes I am checking the doors more, but other than that I don’t know there’s anything more to do to be safe. I’ve been good, laying low during the extremely hot summer, drinking cold beverages and reading books! And you, doing well?

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      • Something tells me you’re not that worried, haha:):) Am still “dressing”the house, sewing curtains, knitting lighter, more city-like sweaters than I needed when we lived in the forest, etc. venturing out in some 3D art work, life is good! Thanks for asking …

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  45. Last year, at the end of the street, a house that was up for sale as the elderly woman passed away, had the garage torched. It burnt to the ground and I went to view the remnants. I was shocked. From my neighbor, who is a night owl and saw the fire engines come up the street “silent” I learned there were two other incidents in a 1/2 mile vicinity. That made me nervous, even though I have my car parked in the garage and it’s an attached garage. I don’t like the crime around here at all. The farm market photos you saw in my post … here’s the rest of that story. I quit walking along the main street many years ago. People are too distracted. They text and drive or speed or cut in and out wildly. But, on that day, it was a gorgeous Sunday, so I walked an additional two miles from my house after arriving home from the Park as it was too nice to just go inside. I took my photos, returned home and in the City’s Facebook neighborhood forum later that afternoon, I learned that just a block away from where I was, someone was robbed at a 7-11 at the exact same time. I’ll never go that way again on foot.

    You are a good sleuth Ally. It does sound like a set-up to me too. As to sleuthin’, I have followed the Gabby Petito case from September 11th when she was reported missing. I have followed a reporter who does non-stop coverage of the case. It has been fascinating reading insight by former FBI agents, retired detectives, experts on tracking dogs/cadaver dogs giving their respective opinions. Also interesting has been reading the wide range of speculation by the reporter’s Twitter followers during the six-week manhunt for Brian Laundrie and the sensational news of the discovery/confirmation of his remains yesterday. I found it especially interesting since the owner of the diner I worked in while in college, went missing, seemingly he vanished into thin air. He was found in the trunk of his car, one month after disappearing, hog tied and his money, jewelry, gun and clothing in a neat pile next to his body. He was murdered by the Mafia.

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    • Linda, I wouldn’t like knowing, but would want to know, if garages in my neighborhood were being set on fire. That’s awful and so pointless. As for the 7-11 robbery that was going on with your concurrent visit to the farm market, that’s weird and disheartening BUT those things happen. I’m glad you were safe and agree with you that it’d be best to not walk that way again.

      I found the whole Gabby Petito case sad and curious from the start. I didn’t follow it like you did, but knew that things didn’t add up. I was relieved when the FBI confirmed the human remains. I doubt that there’s anything more to it now. As for your former employer, what a fate. I’m sorry that he died the way he did, but you know there’s a story there– one that we’ll never know.

      Strange world, eh? Stay safe

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      • Thank you Ally – I am always so careful after years of working and I finished my last two years of college at Wayne State University, which was not the greatest area, but both in Detroit. Now, I won’t go downtown any time of the day now because of the random freeway shooting. It’s crazy everywhere. They never rebuilt that detached garage which I found interesting.

        There were a lot of interviews in the Petito case that I listened to during the day while working. There have been a ton of conspiracy theories too; some are very absurd. I found out yesterday that the neighbors had hidden cameras trained on the Laundries’ home 24/7. Their longtime personal attorney was interviewed yesterday and misspoke several times, especially regarding the timeline. I think all three of them will come under scrutiny eventually.

        It was sad about the owner of the diner. His wife spoke no English. He returned to Albania to find a wife five years before he died. They named their child after me as he liked the idea of a female furthering her education. He may have had a dark side, but he really doted on that little girl. She and her mother were sent back to Albania immediately. You stay safe too Ally.

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  46. We had something similar in our quiet neighborhood a couple of years ago. A home had a gas explosion that turned the entire two-story home with basement into matchsticks. Some damage to adjacent homes. The police found it was a deliberate act; not an accident. Then that we all we heard. Murder? Suicide? Don’t know. I’ll bet the neighbors freak at every loud noise.

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    • KDKH, what an awful thing to happen in your neighborhood. That is much worse than our car theft. I agree with you, if I was a neighbor next door to the house that was torched, I’d be on high alert all the time now.

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  48. I’m glad no one was hurt, Ally, and that it hasn’t made you afraid to be in your neighborhood. Several years ago, my husband and I were watching television at about 6:00 in the evening. It was winter…cold and dark outside…when we heard a commotion on our porch. I got up to go see what was happening, when suddenly there was loud banging on the door and someone yelling. We could see a large man on our porch that we didn’t know. I grabbed the phone and called 911, while my husband called our neighbor, who happens to be a sheriff. He was sure this man would get in our house before the police could get here. By the time our neighbor got to our house, the man was sitting on the porch and quiet. The sheriff started talking with him. Suddenly the guy got agitated again and chased the neighbor home. Luckily, the police arrived and were able to take him without anyone getting hurt–but it took six of them. Turns out the man was high on something and an ex-football player, so very strong. The interesting thing is, after it was over, I was not afraid. We’d never had anything like that happen before (or since), and I assumed it was a freak incident, just by chance that this man ended up on our porch. In a way, I felt sorry for him and was glad that the police were able to stop him and get him to a hospital without hurting him. I don’t know if he got the help he needed longterm, but we haven’t seen or heard of him since. And I still love my house and my neighborhood.

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    • Christie, that’s quite a story! I’m glad you and your husband were safe. Obviously you and your husband’s fast actions helped keep you safe and make a bad situation a little bit better.

      I cannot imagine how I’d feel in the circumstance you were in. So weird that the man chose your house to attack, but I agree with you that it was a freak incident, nothing intentionally directed toward you. Like you I hope the man got the mental health care he needed. Still… scary.

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  49. Oh dear. There are red flags and red herrings to this crime. What thieves steal a Volvo? With a gun?
    Why were the security cameras conveniently turned off or not working?
    Why was nothing else stolen?
    I am suspicious of this being an insurance job. It certainly tops the experience of my pot plant going walkabout some months back!

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  50. Pingback: The week gone by — Oct. 24 – A Silly Place

  51. I would find this unsettling, too, but the robbers, as you say, probably took advantage of an opportunity. We are having a rash of car thefts state-wide and invariably it’s cars left unlocked in an open garage or on the street, sometimes with a key fob left in the car. One person’s security camera got a video of a thief walking down the street testing all the car doors until he found one unlocked. I don’t understand why anyone would leave their car unlocked… But, so far, I haven’t heard of any armed car robberies! That’s a lot more frightening than teenagers looking for a joyride.

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    • Barbara, I’m with you about wondering why anyone would leave her car unlocked when it was on the street. In your garage it’s one thing to not lock your car [with the garage door closed] but on the street…? I’m sorry to read about your rash of car thefts. That’s disturbing– with or without guns involved.

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  52. So glad you are back, Ally. And I see I missed a post before this one.
    This post hits home since as you know I wrote a post about theft. This is very unsettling. Too many thefts have occurred. To add insult to injury, of the thefts in my area, the thieves are armed and take action against the people trying to protect their property. Madness!

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    • L. Marie, none of this is good. I’m horrified by the idea of armed robberies, especially over cars and the parts therein. Staying safe seems to be more difficult anymore and knowing that wears me out. Madness, indeed.

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  53. A very pragmatic approach to take. You can’t let one thing out of the ordinary impact how you live your life day to day. It’s natural to look for meaning, but so is making peace with never knowing!

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  54. Robbery stories scare me. I neurotically double check every locked door before I go to bed at night, It always bums me out that people steal things among the myriad of other invasive things some humans do to others.

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  55. I think it makes a difference on whether you were the one facing the robber or it’s an interesting piece of neighborhood news. My neighbors are forever leaving their garage door up all day and I wonder if they want people to wander in and steal stuff.

    I have never felt safe again since I was burglarized. Turns out I know a lot of people who have had someone break in so perhaps in time I will feel better. I want to get some form of prevention, money is always an issue but perhaps it would be worth it for the peace of mind. The dead bolt on the big garage door helps – and oh, that’s a story I forgot to tell. That’ll give me something else to write about.

    Please be safe. Don’t be crazy afraid and paranoid but please be safe.

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    • Zazzy, excellent point about perspective regarding this armed robbery. It didn’t happen to me/us so I’m emotionally distanced from it. Probably why I’m carrying on as usual.

      Many, many decades ago I walked in on a burglary in process. Not once, but twice. Each time the burglar ran away and I was left standing there in shock. The odd thing is I wasn’t frightened while it happened, just later when I overthought it. I know that being safe is a combo of your precautions + your mindset.

      I look forward to reading what you write about what happened to you. Are you back to blogging? 🤞🏻

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  56. That’s a story to ponder for sure. The foggy pictures added to the mystery. Glad to read you’re safe and not worried. What if it was a double-dog-dare ya kind of thing for some young kids? Hopefully, the car will show up soon. Several years back near our neighborhood, we had a hit-and-run accident that killed 3 young girls and 1 mom (Girl Scouts) who were cleaning garbage from the roadside. The vehicle driver didn’t know that something in the engine was leaking after the crash. An astute cop noticed the trail of the fluid. They followed it and drove right up to his garage and arrested both the driver and the passenger who were both high from huffing. Every story has a good and a bad side to it, I guess.

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    • Shelley, you know I thought of your question too: “What if it was a double-dog-dare ya kind of thing for some young kids?” That would make me feel like this was a one-off and I’d never think about it again. No one was hurt which is good, unlike your horrible story. What a shocking thing to happen to people doing good. I’m glad the cop followed the trail. Not all that surprised that drugs were involved in the deaths. So sad, though

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  57. I feel bad for neighbor and hope for all of you that it was a one-off. Opportunistic crime feels so random. I’m wondering if the car could be tracked and if so, was it found? A friend of mine recently had her vehicle stolen from her driveway and it did have tracking. When found the next day, it was completely stripped. Robbed for parts and doors and seats, just totally bare-boned. Her neighborhood has some surveillance as did her neighbor, and both caught some footage. She got a nice new ride, but we all are dumbfounded by such high risk behavior.
    When I was in college, someone stole the large, rolling tool box from our garage while Papa mowed the back lawn. The question of whether someone knew his pattern or whether it was a crime of opportunity has never left our minds. A stranger was a door away from my mother and me and we were unaware. It did leave us all unsettled and ruined any sense of complacency. People want to feel safe at home, and theft interferes with that.
    In Georgia, I consistently texted other mommies late at night when they had left their garage doors up. Petty theft was high on that Army base.
    Maybe about a year ago, The Mister read an article about a stabbing incident in our community and informed us ‘some nurse lady stabbed someone when they opened the door’ and since then we lock the glass screen door, which we now call “the stabby door.” We live in the hood, on a VERY quiet street, with a lot of older people who are home all day. Still, we have a dog, an alarm system, and a low deductible.

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  58. joey, as of today I don’t know anything more about this robbery. Like you said it seems to me that there should be a way to track a new Volvo. Those things are pricey so I’d assume they have tracking devices, but who knows?

    I’m sorry and kind of freaked about the theft from your garage while your father mowed the lawn. A few years ago the HOA sent out a message about always closing your garage doors when you were working in the yard. We do that… most of the time. Still to have it happen like you did makes me realize we need to take the recommendation to heart.

    I like your “stabby door” name. It is perfect although the reason for calling it that is unnerving. A nurse went around stabbing people when they opened the door? That’s awful. To what end, I ask– knowing there’s no good answer to the question.

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  59. I was outside just now talking to my neighbor who is in the process of moving. We heard a pop-pop, pop, pop, pop. Five pops, and she said, “Were those gunshots?”

    I said, “I think so.”

    She said, nonchalantly, “I guess we’d better get inside.”

    Neither of us left too quickly. Did I mention she’s moving?

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  60. Ohhh this type of stuff scares the heck out of me… Random acts of violence 😕😑

    I never lived in a neighbourhood where I felt comfortable leaving my door unlocked. I guess that’s the pessimistic side of me? I admire your courage to continue living your life, though!

    We are same lol, I do the risk assessment and conclude that no one would want to break in bc our house is on the smaller, modest side of average homes. 🙏👍😎🏡

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    • Bosssybabe, it’s such a strange thing to happen here– both someone buying a Volvo and having an armed robbery to steal it. I can’t explain it, but will be more aware when I go out for my walks.

      We keep our doors locked all the time. If we’ve opened any windows we lock them before we leave the house. I don’t think you or I are pessimistic. I’d say we’re realistic.

      There’s something to be said for living in a smaller house. We’re in the same situation here. I love our house, but it’s puny in comparison to most of the houses around here. Oh well

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  61. Glad it at least didn’t have a bad ending. The Volvo will survive either whole or in parts. 🙂 Around here, they’re stealing catalytic converters. Park your car in a dark spot, and poof it’s gone and with the supply issue, they can’t get repair parts. They’ve taken out entire fleets of vehicles up here. I guess it’s easier to steal stuff than get a job even though there certainly are plenty of those. 🙂

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    • Judy, I’ve heard about catalytic converter thefts from some other commenters, too. Why work when you can steal car parts? I don’t know of any around here but that doesn’t mean they haven’t happened.

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  62. I love how you’ve weaved potential stories around your neighbour Big News 🙂 While I wasn’t quite so creative when something similar happened in a previous neighbourhood, I must admit it didn’t freak me out or change how I lived (I tended to leave my doors and windows open and unlocked). My neighbourhood excitement was that a body was found in a bin when the garbage collectors refused to empty it as it was too heavy. Turned out the woman had died of natural causes and for some strange reason, had been placed in the freezer by her boyfriend until moving out day, when he put her out with the trash. He wasn’t exactly hard to track down, so the whole thing was downright inexplicable. Freaked out friends of mine who’d worked with him 😀

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  63. Wow. I think it was scenario number two; he was in cahoots and needed the insurance money. Why were the cameras off? Hmmm.

    In 2014 there was a home invasion around the corner from us; the family had a side door open for their dogs to go in and out and five masked guys came in with weapons, stripped the family, tied them up, and ransacked their home over several hours.
    You bet your azz I was freaked out. This group hit a few more houses in our county over the next month before they were caught.
    The girls were still living here and I had a Sherriff come by to give us some tips on staying safe.
    One thing was to ALWAYS keep your doors locked (obviously) and to keep your garage doors shut. Plus, adopt dogs. Check, check, check. 😉

    I think in your case, you are going to be just fine though.

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    • Suz, I’m chalking this up to a one-time event [that may or may not be hinky]. We always keep everything locked or shut around here, plus our security alarm? It can raise the dead.

      The story you tell is awful, horrifying, and cautionary, isn’t it? I like that you had a sheriff stop by to talk with you and the girls. Smart move on your part. Sounds like you’ve done all that you can to be safe.

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  64. Guess there is an advantage to having older cars… Not sure how I would feel. Cautious, that’s for sure. But would try to figure out ways to return to peace again…

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    • Kathy, I agree with you. Our old cars aren’t showy so if someone was looking for a crime of opportunity, they’d look right past us. I feel pretty much at peace with this, but I am more aware now… so that’s good I suppose.

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  65. I’d be scared shitless thinking some malevolent gang of mom car thieves was staking a territorial claim right there in my subdivision. What’s next? Lawn sprinkler bandits? A cabal of plastic flamingo-nappers??

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    • Mark, you raise a good point. Forget about car thefts! What if all the plastic flamingos around here suddenly disappeared? We’d be living in a drab world without them, a world without whimsy. I shudder to think. 😳

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