A man and woman sitting in a car in the 200 block of Lafayette Circle were startled by tapping on their car window and confronted by a masked man in a hoodie who brandished a firearm and demanded a Rolex watch.
The theft was apparently the latest in a dismal trend of jewelry/watch thefts conducted in lightning fashion throughout the 24/680 and the state. Neither victim was believed harmed in any way, reporting the robbery to police at 9:20 p.m.
The gunman got into a car described as a black Infiniti sedan and was last seen making the turn onto Mount Diablo Boulevard. It was not immediately known if he acted alone or if he had an accomplice.
The suspect was described as a black male, 20s, 5′ 11″, 170 pounds, last seen wearing a black hoodie and a yellow face mask. He was armed with a black handgun.
Keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them dogies rollin’, rawhide
Through rain and wind and weather
Hell bent for leather
Wishin’ my gal was by my side
All the things I’m missin’
Good vittles, love and kissin’
Are waiting at the end of my ride
I think we are being Rounded Up…and rustled.
Of course that scene from City Slickers came immediately to mind…
Iconic scene in Blues Brothers as well!
Straying from the Rolex Robbery Trail like a dogie to clean water but, yes. Movie references can be fun…
Me, I’m thinking Tombstone. You’re no daisy, no daisy at all. 108RS
Wear a Timex. And where are they running into these people and following them home from? Do they have some type of Rolex technology that I’m unaware of?
It would be nice to hear from this couple (glad they’re okay) to see if they felt they were “cased” prior to the stickup.
It would be interesting to interview these thieves and learn how they actually spot these marks. I don’t think it’s “Rolex technology” that is at work, but hey, that’s why you ask the bad guy, “what is it you saw?” I’m guessing that people who have expensive jewelry wear it to be noticed, and it is.
Funny you ask… we were contacted tonight by someone who was set upon recently and we’re hoping they’ll detail events leading up to the robbery. We shall see. And unless any of the dudes running in these crews opt to drop a comment in here we’ll have to wait and see if they get arrested and are up for a jailhouse interview…
I hope this robbery victim does come forward to provide his/her first hand account of what transpired and the surrounding circumstances just prior. There may be some lessons to be learned, or at minimum creating heightened awareness of one’s surroundings.
David,
It’s very simple. Wanna be career criminal spends a few hours in a nice town, spots someone wearing a Rolex, calls his crew over and they follow the victim until he/she/it winds up in a quiet location and the crime goes down, it’s not rocket science. Firestone 11R
Thieves rarely work alone. A well-dressed partner could wander shopping areas checking everyone out, identifying a target, then notifying the thief. If the police search enough video prior to the robbery they might identify the partner.
You bet. These days, a canvass of local businesses with video surveillance is SOP for police – and for the reason you cite.
Looking up at someone tapping on your car window with a gun doesn’t leave a lot of room for argument.
I think it’s sad that you can no longer wear jewelry so many people have worked hard in order to afford a Rolex what was given to them as a retirement gift I don’t even wear my wedding ring anymore what is happened to the Bay Area???
No consequences for the criminals. They are either not charged or released in California.
You got that 100% right!
I quit wearing watches years ago. It gives me a sense of Freedom. Not wearing a watch is the ultimate status symbol. It means I don’t have to answer to anybody.. .
Ha! We know what you mean. We wore one as a youngster, until the day we saw a colleague dragged into a stamping machine by his watchband… and another by his ring. Haven’t worn either one since!
Many young people don’t wear watches because the time is always in front of them on their cell phone. 108RS
Quite right. Which also explains why so many people are walking into fountains and the sides of buses. But that’s another story…
Jeff: I gather from your posts on this site that you were at some point affiliated with law enforcement. What do you think is the best way to respond when someone sticks a gun in your face? I’m not trying to pick a fight here, just curious what you think folks should do. Thanks.
PatMac,
Yes, I was with law enforcement for sixteen years. The only answer is to do exactly what they tell you and hand over everything they want. Even if you have MMA training you will probably loose your life, even with a gun you cannot outdraw them, only have to wait for a tactical advantage. Firestone 11R
Jeff: Thanks for your reply.
Another of the many reasons I dress poorly and don’t wear a watch…
Ha! (Another “ha!” this morning)… Though looks can be deceiving. We’re thinking of a gent in San Francisco who was just assumed to be homeless and given food or money, though he was in actuality the scion of an old-money San Francisco family and worth millions. Comes down to that whole “Never assume…” maxim.
I dress like a flood victim and drive a car most here wouldn’t even be seen in. Instead of buying expensive junk, I save like a demon so I will be able to give some money to my kids who I suspect will have a much more difficult time economically than our generation did.
Why hasn’t it occurred to all you smart people out there that maybe it’s time to some people locked up again?
How is it ‘social justice’ or compassionate to let bad guys run around and victimize innocent people?
The slap on the wrists or citations instead of arrests needs to stop! We’ve sent a clear message to the youth of today that they can disrespect the police, rob people and have sideshows in front of our homes and get away with all of it. The CCC DA has made a mess of our once peaceful community because of her lax stance in prosecuting these criminals. She wants to “reform” these criminals so she gives them a get out of jail free card (or two, or three). They can “reform” after they serve their jail sentence for the crime they committed. Furthermore, these types of interventions are best done when these kids are growing up to prevent them from becoming criminals. Maybe our DA should get a job as a social worker so she can do those types of things because her job now is to prosecute criminals and she is failing miserably!
Pop quiz: YTD, how many armed robbery (Penal Code sections 211, et seq.) suspects in Contra Costa County were apprehended and issued “slap on the wrists or citations instead of arrest[ed]?”
The answer is likely zero. Don’t buy the mythology that defendants charged with violent felonies are summoned to face charges without a custodial arrest.
Further, many generally intelligent people around here do not seem to understand the arrest (defined as taking a suspect into custody) vs. citation dichotomy is separate and distinct from whether a suspect is ultimately charged and prosecuted then tried, convicted and sentenced.
Officers issue a citation or effect an arrest upon probable cause that an individual has committed a criminal act. Both a citation and an arrests result a summons to appear in Court.
Most people facing most charges appear when summoned, irrespective of whether the summons was issued pursuant to a citation or incident to arrest. The method of serving summons has no direct bearing on the ultimate disposition of a criminal proceeding.