Before moving to California we used to sit and watch programs like COPS, the chases always kept us on the edge of our seats and made you wonder just when the old PIT maneuver was coming or else why these people were even trying to outrun the cops.
Since we moved here we no longer watch these programs, with about 340 chases a year in this area and just four in the last week, all we have to do is watch the evening news and see the drama as it unfolds.
What do you think about seeing a wild car chase with money flying out the windows? This actually happened yesterday in LA, I don’t think it was one of our politicians fulfilling a campaign promise late in the game, but actually a bank robbery gone wrong.
To make a long story short and not repeat the newscast, a bank robbery resulted in a car chase ending up in South Los Angeles, a stolen SUV flying down residential streets with the suspects throwing money out the windows.
People watching the chase on TV ran into the streets to scoop up the cash, once the suspect vehicle was blocked and officers were attempting to arrest them, a crowd of about one hundred people surrounded them attempting to get their share of the free money so to say.
The officers had to call for backup, to control the crowd LAPD was forced to come out in riot gear to restore order, people were actually running out into the streets behind the suspect vehicle, causing police vehicles to swerve and brake in an attempt to miss them.
One woman was witnessed jumping into the suspect vehicle while the arrests were being made but she got away, no one knows if she took anything with her but I lay odds she picked up some cash, a man was taken to the hospital with complaints that he was struck by a police vehicle, I smell a lawsuit, and a fight broke out at the arrest scene with one woman claiming the police had laid hands on her daughter and grand baby, the daughter was said to be one of the robbers “Baby Momma” and the child his, my question is why were they at the arrest scene?
Police claim to have a geo tagging device that marks the location of items thrown from a fleeing vehicle, this is well and good but I don’t see any of the money being found lying on the street, because as one resident put it “This is our neighborhood stimulus package”
Several people were interviewed on the news, I had to laugh at the amounts of money they claimed to have picked up, one young woman said she only found two dollars, another said he ran after the suspects while the money was flying out the windows but never picked up any money, another said he had a substantial amount and planned to turn it in, although at the time of the newscast last night no money had been recovered.
The news is amazing, and the actions of people are scary at times, how much money do you really think will be turned back in? What would you do if you saw money flying out of a car window while being chased by the police?
I don’t see myself jumping into the path of a patrol car to pick up cash, and I would hope that if I were in this situation, I would realize the money in my hand does not belong to me.
I didn't see this on the news, but it sounds really interesting, Jimmy!
ReplyDeleteNo, I definitely wouldn't pick up the cash because quite frankly, it doesn't belong to me.
I once had an ATM machine accidentally spit out $40.00, when I only withdrew $20.00. The next day I brought the extra $20.00 back to my bank and returned it. And do you know what's funny? They didn't even thank me. But that's not the point, the point is...the money didn't belong to me.
We have done similar things Ron, Cindy once paid for our groceries and pushed the buggy out to the car, while unloading she found a large package of toilet paper underneath that she realized had not been paid for, she promptly walked it back into the store to pay.
DeleteThe look she got walking into the store with the TP, the grief she got trying to pay for something she brought in, but the satisfaction of doing the right thing is what matters.
There will always be those who expect something for nothing, whether by robbing a bank, or going for flying cash. And then there are those who will look for any opportunity to sue, even if the excuse is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteHow much money do I think will be turned in? None. (I hope someone proves me wrong)
Hey Ms. A, I really didn't think any would be turned in either but the news just reported nearly $1500.00 has been returned so far, I haven't heard how much was taken but this is a start.
DeleteThe bogus lawsuits really chap me, I am waiting to see if any pop up here.
Holy cow, I'm impressed!
DeleteGotta Love someone doing the right thing :^)
DeleteI watched this one from start to finish Jimmy. It was crazy. I was really worried that it was going to turn into a riot. I have to hand it to the cops in this one, they responded big time and managed to keep the situation from exploding. I heard on the news tonight the police had "recovered" some of the money thrown from the car. Probably good citizens turning in the bad ones.
ReplyDeleteThe police really handled this one well Pat, I agree with you 100%, I was so shocked at the idiots running out into their path scooping up the money, and at the end it was a citizen who actually blocked the SUV but the crowd that was cheering for the robbers and getting into the way of the arrest was really sad.
DeleteI also heard some of the money was being returned, thats a good thing.
I saw this chase on TV and sadly, I doubt any of that money will be returned.
ReplyDeleteWasn't that a wild chase? I am amazed many of these folks didn't get themselves ran over.
DeleteWow! I would have been too scared to go outside with all that going on. It reminded me of our recent riots when 'decent' citizens joined in with the looting.
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie, Isn't it amazing how normally law abiding citizens get themselves swept up into the mob mentality sometimes.
DeleteI would be fighting to get out of the way rather than right into the mix.
What you describe actually happened to me and My Dad - sort of.
ReplyDeleteWe were driving down the Southeast Expressway in Boston. I was 14, I believe. All of a sudden, we saw green stuff flying through the air.
"What the hell is that?", My Dad wondered aloud.
"Looks like money!", I said.
A twenty dollar bill landed smack on our windshield.
"It IS money!", Dad said, as he veered toward the breakdown lane and slammed on the brakes.
He hopped out of the car and grabbed the twenty off of the windshield before it flew off of its own accord.
To make a long story short, neither one of us ran into highway traffic after other bills; we weren't idiots enough to risk our lives for twenty bucks. However, we did grab two more twenties and a ten that were within reach on the shoulder.
To this day, I have no idea where the money came from. We scoured the newspapers the next day for news of a bank robbery. Nothing. And no other news item that could possibly explain it.
Thanks for bringing that to mind, by the way. I think I'll expand it into a post for next week!
ReplyDeleteHi Jim, Yes Sir I bet that was an odd sight a twenty stuck to the windshield, the difference here is you never knew where it came from, the people in LA knew good and well.
DeleteI look forward to reading your post on the subject :^)
I saw the chase on TV (well, bits and pieces of it) and asked myself what I would do. I like to think that I'm an honest person. I've told a waitress before that she forgot to put our drinks on our tab.
ReplyDeleteBut if I caught a couple of $20 bills flying through the air at me, out of a car that was being chased and disappeared quickly...I don't know. What if I was unemployed or really poor and a few $20 bills meant groceries for a week? Would I keep it then? Would my high and mighty righteousness go right out the window?
I don't know for sure, but I would hope I'd do the right thing. And hopefully, I won't ever have to find out.
I am sure a lot of these people most likely were out of work and needed the money, but also I wonder how many groceries they could buy had they been hit by a passing vehicle, I can't believe they were jumping into the street like they were.
DeleteI really hope I am never put into the situation where I feel I need to jump into traffic for a 20.
Most of us I feel would do the right thing if they found a wad of money.
I read about this incident in the newspaper, but it's more interesting to hear about it from someone who actually lives in that area. I'm still an optimist, and like to think that most people would do the right thing in these circumstances and turn the money in, but I've been proven wrong before. Plus, for some of those people, that money must've been like manna from heaven, or the thieves some sort of Robin Hood. As for anyone in a vehicle trying to outrun the police, it's such a foolish thing to do. Silly things. They can NOT outrun Motorola.
ReplyDeleteHey Susan, You know when I first saw this one playing out on the news I too thought of the Robin Hood scenario, I pray that folks do the right thing and for those that choose to keep it I hope it was manna from heaven and buys them food rather than being used to feed a habit.
Delete"They can NOT outrun Motorola" so true it is amazing that these people still try.
I read this on my email the other day. I didn't see it on the news. BUT OHMYGOSH. The whole thing is just shocking. I don't understand what the world is coming to, but one thing is for sure. Some people are desperate beyond comprehension.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of desperate people out there for sure, desperation can make you do strange things I suppose.
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