Pizza store Heroics concern "Safety Watchdog"

[Yahoshua]

This is ridiculous. This woman wants people to remain victims instead of taking any action to defend themselves. She needs to see a psychiatrist.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...7-1702,00.html

[RedMenace]

Uhh, I agree with the lady. Good for them, stopping the robber and all, but when it comes down to it, I'm not gonna risk my life over a few bucks.

If someone is robbing my store with a gun, I'm just gonna hand over the money, and call the cops, because Its not in my plan to get shot.

[Payoff]

Sad fact is, even if you cooperate you stand a good chance of being shot. Robbery seems to have lost it's chivalry these days. I think it would be wiser to consider these may be your last few moments alive on this earth. What are you gonna do?

[Platapus]

""The best course of action is to co-operate with the robber – it is never worth putting yourself and others at risk in these situations by trying to be a hero," she said."

This is the crux of the argument.

If you believe that cooperating with a robber will not escalate the crime to a more violent level than resisting is a bad idea

If you believe that cooperating with a robber will not prevent escalating of the crime to a violent level then resisting is a good idea

It may sound whacky but if I could "trust" a criminal just to do the original crime I could accept the non-resistance opinion.

However, the news is full of stories of petty criminals just shooting, stabbing, beating up people who were cooperating. It all comes down to what was the motivation for the crime

I fear that many crimes are not motivated by a desire for efficient easy money but for a sense of control and what better way to demonstrate your "control" over a stranger then by hurting them.

Personally, if I feel I have a good chance I will resist. Now if I am totally out gunned then I have to take my chances. But in today's violent society, I feel that "trusting" the criminal to only rob you and not hurt you is folly

[bookworm_020]

There has been some sad cases where people have tried to stop theives, and have ended up dead as the result. As mentioned above, sometimes it's best to co operate, others it's best to resist.

[August]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

There has been some sad cases where people have tried to stop theives, and have ended up dead as the result. As mentioned above, sometimes it's best to co operate, others it's best to resist.

Figuring out which course to take in a given situation is the problem. I think if resistance was more common there'd be less crime overall as all the weaker criminals would be too afraid of the potential consequences to attempt it.

[RedMenace]

Originally Posted by Platapus

However, the news is full of stories of petty criminals just shooting, stabbing, beating up people who were cooperating. It all comes down to what was the motivation for the crime

It doesn't matter whats on the news, the truth is, most robbers just want a quick buck, and have no want for anymore trouble than they already have. Robbery is already a serious enough offense as it is. Most criminals have no plan to get themselves jailed for life.

Now, that doesn't apply to all robbers, but in general, I, again, have no plans on risking my life over a few dollars. I would rather take my chances and give them the money, rather than get shot in the face trying to protect some stupid company's money.

[August]

Originally Posted by RedMenace

Robbery is already a serious enough offense as it is. Most criminals have no plan to get themselves jailed for life.

I disagree. That's only valid if the criminal expects to get caught which they obviously don't or else they wouldn't be attempting the crime in the first place. On the other hand any fool knows that dead people don't testify.

I'd say if the criminal identifies himself to his victims, say by not using a mask, cooperation is not a good idea. You might just be cooperating in your own death, and maybe those around you as well.

[TteFAboB]

Given the different outcomes no single attitude will be the best course of action in every situation. It's a matter of analyzing it and judging your chances. To decide a priori and stick only with either the worst or the best you can imagine or know is to ignore a multiplicity of possibilites and previous cases that unfolded one way or the other. By doing so whenever presented with a situation that demands the contrary you will end up taking the worst alternative, no matter how good your intentions were, if at all.

Considering the best course of action as that which has everybody walking out alive, in a case where a robber is going to kill the victims and no opportunity to succesfully overcome him is ever presented attempting to subjugate him or not is indifferent to an outcome that won't be the best. Even so, tragedy is still better than slaughterhouse. On the other hand, if the criminal will murder someone and he can be successfully stopped inaction is a transgression itself.

Personally, I've done each once. Kicked a gang of robbers out of a house with an old S&W .22 and spared one victim from stabbing or perhaps everybody else, myself included, and remained immobile and quiet in the back seat of a car while a little thief completed his robbery with a knife held to the neck of a front-seat passenger. Although he ran away with his back turned to us, I allowed him to get away as I was sure he was a minor. Won't go wrong with prudency and sound judgement.