Reply to Re: Armed Robbery at my Grocery Store
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I had probably the worst experience of my life today or one of them and it is related to what happened that Saturday evening/ Sunday night.
Today I got a phone call from the police asking me when I could come in to talk to them. I told them today in between my first and second college classes since I have five hour break between. I drove an hour to get there.
The same investigator that was at the scene was there to talk to me. He went over all the information I gave him before and asked me to write a statement. I did write a statement saying everything that happened to me in it.
Then he broke some very unhappy news to me. He told me that under the circumstances of the crime they believe that the three robbers had an "inside man" who helped them. Since I was treated so oddly both by being allowed to follow behind one of the robbers and also being the the last to be put into the freezer as well as being the only one who had their money taken the police thought I was the "inside man". They said it's the only thing that made sense. Since I was allowed to follow the one robber around from behind they obviously trusted me. Since I was left behind at first they obviously didn't feel I was a threat. Worst of all he said to me that after viewing the tape all the other workers were practically dragged or treated roughly through the whole affair except me. I hadn't known that. I knew the one stockworker was bleeding where he got hit in the head, but I didn't know anyone else was treated that way. I just figured they left them alone just like me.
The police investigator was nice about it. He explained in was just a suspicion and they wanted more information. He asked me a lot more questions basically wanting to know why I would be treated so exceptionally well. My answers were basically either "I have no idea" or "In other ways they obviously didn't have a plan so my treatment wasn't sensical either". The investigator told me to wait and he left for some minutes then another man returned. I don't know what his position was, but he was obviously an officer. This guy asked me many more questions, but I got the impression he wanted me to admit to something I didn't do. He told me "I've seen much on that camera that verifies with my experience that you were involved.". He went on to say how as I walked alongside the one robber I was conversing with him. How everyone was mistreated except me. Most of all he said that on the video he did not see at any point any of the robbers take my money. I said I felt terrible that everyone was treated roughly and that I was only being blindly obedient as I followed the robber around. As for the money...I explained to him exactly where and how it happened and that I can only explain that it didn't end up on tape maybe, because the area I was in at the time was in a corner with a camera directly above (with the camera aiming down the hallway and not straight below it). This questioning went on for quite awhile and he did make statements like "I see how nervous you're getting.", "You can get off a lot easier with only a few words.", and "Maybe they approached you beforehand asking you to help and you were afraid.". Eventually he left and after some more minutes I was told I was no longer a suspect and that I could go.
The expression on the investigators face made me think that he's still suspicious, but that he couldn't find any evidence. What's really sad is that I totally agree with him. The entire time since the incident it won't leave my mind even though I've never tried to think about what happened. The main thing that keeps bothering me is what if I had resisted and would I have lived? This eventually led to me questioning why that dumbass let me walk behind him while he was by himself and holding his weapon in one hand. Of course the officer was suspicous. It makes totally no sense that anyone could be that dumb. I was most shocked not by what I already knew, but by the fact that the officer told me everyone was treated roughly except me. I knew the one stockworker got hurt, but I figured everyone else was treated as well as me since no one else was hurt. This makes me want to believe I was a part of it just to explain things that make no sense. I mean I know the guy put me in last, because when he found me he was yelling "No one else is here let's go!" so when he told me to get up I figured he must have forgotten me and found me while leaving.
I've been scared before, but not like this. Growing up I would get blamed for things other kids did, because I was too quiet to speak up and I hated often getting punished for things I didn't do. I always thought it was the worst thing in the world...one person being punished for doing nothing wrong while another evil person was left totally free. Of course back then it was never anything of significance. This time though, I could have went to prison and been as good as dead. No friends, family, education, or fun and all for something I didn't do. I've never felt so bad.
I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight without heavy doses of medicine and I hate using any form of drug. I have finals in a few days and my classes are either barely above a C or barely above a D and the difference in my grades could be pass or fail easily. Really most of the stuff on them will be from the past and I should know that by heart so it probably won't matter.
Hell the investigator was probably suspicous of the fact I didn't take a week off from work or college. I really feel bad for him. I would suspect the exact same thing in his position and he was just doing his job, very well I might add. I just have the grandly horrendous luck of not only being robbed at gunpoint, but then becoming a prime suspect do to mere coincidence brought on by the stupidity of such felons. I'm now hoping they catch the guys not to get the money back they stole from the store as well as to prevent them from hurting anyone in the future, but more so I can get an answer as to why they acted the way they did.
I've been thinking about it so much that I can only come up with one good thing from this and I meant to mention it earlier. So often I've wondered what would happen if I resisted. The gun may or may not have been real. Regardless I may or may not have been able to wrestle it from him. I exercise quite a bit and I do think I'm stronger than most people, but there's no telling the robbers strength with all that heavy clothing. Even if I had subdued and maybe even incapacitated him I didn't know how many other guys there were or if they were armed at that point. However under the circumstances I would rather die fighting a felon and think myself a hero than die in prison especially for something I didn't do. My Uncle is a fervent gun collector and supporter and he has a license to carry and is always armed with a pistol. Once my semester is over and I go to the regular family visits I normally go to when I'm not busy seven days a week I'll ask him to immediately enroll me in some firearm training courses and get me a license. Also I want to check the legality of carrying a knife. I realise most people carry knives usually, because there so handy and you never know when you'll need to cut something, but I have no idea if it's ok or not.
I feel bad for the cops just as much as for myself. They were only doing what was obvious and proper and so was I.
Sincerely,
The Vault Dweller
*EDIT*
Oh I forgot to mention that when I thought about being armed before todays interview I decided against it due to the fact that I'd never kill anyone except in blind uncontrollable anger which I'd no doubt regret. I have sinced changed my mind.
Today I got a phone call from the police asking me when I could come in to talk to them. I told them today in between my first and second college classes since I have five hour break between. I drove an hour to get there.
The same investigator that was at the scene was there to talk to me. He went over all the information I gave him before and asked me to write a statement. I did write a statement saying everything that happened to me in it.
Then he broke some very unhappy news to me. He told me that under the circumstances of the crime they believe that the three robbers had an "inside man" who helped them. Since I was treated so oddly both by being allowed to follow behind one of the robbers and also being the the last to be put into the freezer as well as being the only one who had their money taken the police thought I was the "inside man". They said it's the only thing that made sense. Since I was allowed to follow the one robber around from behind they obviously trusted me. Since I was left behind at first they obviously didn't feel I was a threat. Worst of all he said to me that after viewing the tape all the other workers were practically dragged or treated roughly through the whole affair except me. I hadn't known that. I knew the one stockworker was bleeding where he got hit in the head, but I didn't know anyone else was treated that way. I just figured they left them alone just like me.
The police investigator was nice about it. He explained in was just a suspicion and they wanted more information. He asked me a lot more questions basically wanting to know why I would be treated so exceptionally well. My answers were basically either "I have no idea" or "In other ways they obviously didn't have a plan so my treatment wasn't sensical either". The investigator told me to wait and he left for some minutes then another man returned. I don't know what his position was, but he was obviously an officer. This guy asked me many more questions, but I got the impression he wanted me to admit to something I didn't do. He told me "I've seen much on that camera that verifies with my experience that you were involved.". He went on to say how as I walked alongside the one robber I was conversing with him. How everyone was mistreated except me. Most of all he said that on the video he did not see at any point any of the robbers take my money. I said I felt terrible that everyone was treated roughly and that I was only being blindly obedient as I followed the robber around. As for the money...I explained to him exactly where and how it happened and that I can only explain that it didn't end up on tape maybe, because the area I was in at the time was in a corner with a camera directly above (with the camera aiming down the hallway and not straight below it). This questioning went on for quite awhile and he did make statements like "I see how nervous you're getting.", "You can get off a lot easier with only a few words.", and "Maybe they approached you beforehand asking you to help and you were afraid.". Eventually he left and after some more minutes I was told I was no longer a suspect and that I could go.
The expression on the investigators face made me think that he's still suspicious, but that he couldn't find any evidence. What's really sad is that I totally agree with him. The entire time since the incident it won't leave my mind even though I've never tried to think about what happened. The main thing that keeps bothering me is what if I had resisted and would I have lived? This eventually led to me questioning why that dumbass let me walk behind him while he was by himself and holding his weapon in one hand. Of course the officer was suspicous. It makes totally no sense that anyone could be that dumb. I was most shocked not by what I already knew, but by the fact that the officer told me everyone was treated roughly except me. I knew the one stockworker got hurt, but I figured everyone else was treated as well as me since no one else was hurt. This makes me want to believe I was a part of it just to explain things that make no sense. I mean I know the guy put me in last, because when he found me he was yelling "No one else is here let's go!" so when he told me to get up I figured he must have forgotten me and found me while leaving.
I've been scared before, but not like this. Growing up I would get blamed for things other kids did, because I was too quiet to speak up and I hated often getting punished for things I didn't do. I always thought it was the worst thing in the world...one person being punished for doing nothing wrong while another evil person was left totally free. Of course back then it was never anything of significance. This time though, I could have went to prison and been as good as dead. No friends, family, education, or fun and all for something I didn't do. I've never felt so bad.
I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight without heavy doses of medicine and I hate using any form of drug. I have finals in a few days and my classes are either barely above a C or barely above a D and the difference in my grades could be pass or fail easily. Really most of the stuff on them will be from the past and I should know that by heart so it probably won't matter.
Hell the investigator was probably suspicous of the fact I didn't take a week off from work or college. I really feel bad for him. I would suspect the exact same thing in his position and he was just doing his job, very well I might add. I just have the grandly horrendous luck of not only being robbed at gunpoint, but then becoming a prime suspect do to mere coincidence brought on by the stupidity of such felons. I'm now hoping they catch the guys not to get the money back they stole from the store as well as to prevent them from hurting anyone in the future, but more so I can get an answer as to why they acted the way they did.
I've been thinking about it so much that I can only come up with one good thing from this and I meant to mention it earlier. So often I've wondered what would happen if I resisted. The gun may or may not have been real. Regardless I may or may not have been able to wrestle it from him. I exercise quite a bit and I do think I'm stronger than most people, but there's no telling the robbers strength with all that heavy clothing. Even if I had subdued and maybe even incapacitated him I didn't know how many other guys there were or if they were armed at that point. However under the circumstances I would rather die fighting a felon and think myself a hero than die in prison especially for something I didn't do. My Uncle is a fervent gun collector and supporter and he has a license to carry and is always armed with a pistol. Once my semester is over and I go to the regular family visits I normally go to when I'm not busy seven days a week I'll ask him to immediately enroll me in some firearm training courses and get me a license. Also I want to check the legality of carrying a knife. I realise most people carry knives usually, because there so handy and you never know when you'll need to cut something, but I have no idea if it's ok or not.
I feel bad for the cops just as much as for myself. They were only doing what was obvious and proper and so was I.
Sincerely,
The Vault Dweller
*EDIT*
Oh I forgot to mention that when I thought about being armed before todays interview I decided against it due to the fact that I'd never kill anyone except in blind uncontrollable anger which I'd no doubt regret. I have sinced changed my mind.
