Another carr-jack killing. What's wrong with our society?

[hthom]

Doesn't this pi## you off? I must be getting old--- less and less tolerance by the day-----

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/17/la ... port-says/

[Van Canna]

Sickening indeed.

The article indicated the victim was getting into the driver's side of the car after having opened the passenger door to let his wife in. Nothing said about whether his wife was able to get out before the bastards took off.

It shows again and again that there is really no defense against an ambush, no matter how vigilant we may be.

This can also be said re sucker punches attacks, where any kind of defense we might practice is marginal at best.

Anyone that gets close to us...for any reason we may not suspect...can fire a left jab and or a right cross...without really a chance to block or sidestep or pre-empt...unless we get 'wind of it' in our subconscious.

Especially at this time of the year...we must remain extra vigilant in mall parking lots...where dangers lurk and 'security' is a joke.

[Van Canna]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/repo ... l-21229088

Apparently the 'jackers' ordered his wife out of the car.

[Van Canna]

"It can happen anywhere," Rockoff, 55, said. "You can't just stay home; you have to go out. But you do need to be a little more aware of your surroundings."

Sunday's encounter was the latest in a troubling pattern in Essex County, whose borders encompass crime-plagued Newark to the east as well as Short Hills and other affluent suburbs to the west. Carjackings have risen steeply in the past several years, leading local authorities to create a multi-agency task force three years ago after a spate of crimes that included brazen daytime attacks and the carjacking of a snowplow two days after a Christmas blizzard.

The partnership succeeded in arresting and prosecuting three groups responsible for most of the carjackings, and the crime rate fell temporarily. Since then, it has ticked up, with 416 last year in Essex County, a 44 percent increase from 2010.

Nearly 300 carjackings were reported through July 31 of this year, according to the county prosecutor's office. In August, authorities announced a program that uses billboards to display mug shots of convicted carjackers next to the number of years they are serving in federal prison.

[Van Canna]

This reminds me of the time I worked for a short time in Newark, in all kinds of neighborhoods, doing investigative work. What a nightmare even then.

One day, I was just driving down a street, when some punks on the sidewalk, threw their ice-cream cones at the windshield of my car.

Fortunately I was able to still see enough out of the glass to keep going to a safe place.

Another couple sewer holes I worked in were Paterson and Jersey City.

I wonder how I made it out of there in one piece.

[hthom]

One day, I was just driving down a street, when some punks on the sidewalk, threw their ice-cream cones at the windshield of my car.

Same here. One day I was driving down a wide street in a not too bad area during the day time while the whole world was working, this young punk was hanging around in the middle of the street for god knows why. "Avoidance" notwithstanding and how the heck one avoids this sort of crap, -- he smacked at my side view mirror as I was driving by and broke the thing. Good thing I was too smart to just backup and run the bastard over although I can't say I wasn't tempted. The mirror cost me a couple of hundred bucks. Hope he broke his da#n hand forever.

I am sure the bleeding hearts have all sort of pc philosophies for the whys.

[Van Canna]

Same here. One day I was driving down a wide street in a not too bad area during the day time while the whole world was working, this young punk was hanging around in the middle of the street for god knows why. "Avoidance" notwithstanding and how the heck one avoids this sort of crap, -- he smacked at my side view mirror as I was driving by and broke the thing. Good thing I was too smart to just backup and run the bastard over although I can't say I wasn't tempted. The mirror cost me a couple of hundred bucks. Hope he broke his da#n hand forever.

You were lucky not to have had cops at your door for a 'hit and run' complaint...plus a lawyer's letter for civil damages.

I could tell you stories from my office files.

[Van Canna]

Too bad you did not contact your insurance company, as the damage to the mirror might have been considered vandalism and covered without deductible under your comprehensive coverage that goes with your collision.

Say instead someone vandalized your vehicle and not that a person tripped and hit your side mirror. If a person was upset at you and hit your side mirror off with a baseball bat this would be considered vandalism by your car insurance company and thus be a Comprehensive claim.

Also, did you make a police report? Something that should be done in those cases.

[hthom]

Van, you are right. I should've made a police report to protect me from the punk and his uncles who are most likely collecting unemployment and welfare and disability and whatnots and more than happy to make up phony claims.

As to contacting the insurance company, I am always hesitant to contact them because I got screwed by insurance companies before. I don't remember what my deductible was at the time the mirror was damaged but definitely more than the couple of hundred dollars, and I didn't want the insurance bills to go up.

[Van Canna]

Good points, Henry.