Robin's Reports

2/28/07 To catch a Thief

Last night, Jack was preparing to head off to work and I was brushing my teeth before bed. I had just let our boxer our for the night. It was an ordinary routine played out many times.

At the same time, our neighbors had arrived home from relatives after celebrating the arrival of a brother from Las Vegas. They were still outside having their final chat and smoke of the night before heading in.

One of them happens to see a shadow moving between our vehicles. Then a hooded person went down between our front porch and the boat, sitting half in/ half out of the carport. The brother asks the neighbor if that could be me. However, it didn't really fit the scenario of a person out walking their dog. So, they bravely took 2 different routes approaching our carport and the back of the boat. Out pops the hooded figure right in front of our neighbor, John. Knowing that they had been caught, the figure races down the street. John raced as hard as he could with his titanium hip, we call the bionic hip. He hears the thumping of feet behind him getting louder. It is Amber, his 17 yo daughter, who is about the lap him.

Meanwhile, we hear pounding on the door. There is a male voice yelling aggressively saying something about "Dog". It was Maurice, the visiting brother. Jackson, our boxer is going nuts. Jack looks out the window and sees nobody. Knowing that we have drug addicts across the street, he is thinking that they are strung out and causing trouble. He comes back to the room to get his weapon of choice and heads back to the Living Room. I , being more passive, grab the phone and peep out the front schoolroom window. There is another thundering rap on the door and I hear them calling my name through more dog barking. By then, Jack opens the front door and Maurice is satisfied that we are not harmed and now aware of the situation. He and Jack both jump in their cars to head down the street to help John and Amber out who were last seen chasing the hooded figure.

By now, Maurice's wife, our boxer and I am standing in the driveway, spooked and wondering what has happened as we see shadows of people and cars at the far end of the street. John pops into the light given by the lamp posted at the edge of our property. Jackson, being suspiscious, greets him with a fierce stance and hair raised. John knows to speak and then the guard is dropped. Soon, the cars followed each other back up the street with a young girl in the back seat.

Our mystery hooded figured ended up being a 12 yo girl from the far side of our subdivision who had run away from home. She had been hit either by fist or phone with some regularity by her mother. Tonight, she wasn't going to take it any more and ran. Poor thing didn't even have shoes on. She had intended to sleep in the back of the boat through the night. Possibly she thought the cuddy cabin would provide her a bed as well. Not only would she have had a bed, but also a toilet.

Anyhow, the evening ended with the local police speaking with her. They couldn't find any bruises on her, so therefore they weren't able to call in Child Protective Services. They simply took her home and had a talk with the mom. Our side of the street chatted for until midnight to retell the story from everyone's point of view.

Our affectionately named "Druggies" from across the street came out to see what all the fuss with cop cars was about. I think they were a bit jealous that they weren't involved.

So, we will pray for our 12 yo runaway and hope that she picks a better way to handle her situation. I would hate to have harmed her accidentally, thinking she was a thief. And we also thanked God for Amber's courage to chase down what she figured to be a girl as she studied the body in motion. And to Mr. John, who gave chase inspite of his bionic hip. I pray that he can walk without pain today.

Fortunately, nothing of ours was stolen or even touched. However, our friends from church had their entire NavNet system (radar & gps) stolen out of their boat this week.

Secure your boat!
Robin