Living in Long Beach is great; the beach is down the street, there's a small pocket of just about any group of people you can think of, and the weather is the envy of the nation. What happens though, when you run across the wrong person at night? Better yet, what if you encounter a robber?
Unfortunately, crime is a part of any city. So what would you do if someone were to try and rob you?
Sure, most guys would say something like "I'd elbow the guy in the face, and take HIS money!" but the reality is, that's the last thing anyone should do. I know it sounds dumb, but it is important to remain calm. Don't try to piss off the robber(s) by antagonising them because they might hurt you. Just listen to the robbers demands, give them whatever they want, make it as quick and painless as possible. If they say they have a gun, assume it's loaded and ready to fire; you're not trying to get stabbed or shot over that Metro phone. Try to get a good look at the robber(s), check out their clothing, hair, age, height, weight, tattoos, or anything that will make it easy to identify them later. Finally, when they make their get-away, try to watch what direction they might take. Remember, don't try to fight who ever is robbing you, don't try to reason with the person, just let them take what they want and go. Oh yeah, don't chase the punks because if the cops happen to be around, they'll mistake you for the robber and before you know it there's going to be another police brutality tape featuring yourself.
After the criminals have left, try and call the police immediately. Flag down anyone passing by, because in all likelihood, they took your phone as well. Tell the police where you are and where the robbery happened, as well as the direction the robbers took off to. Let the LBPD take care of the rest.
To try and avoid anything like this from happening, there are a few precautions you can take. Try to hang out in well lit areas and try not to park like a mile away to avoid paying for parking. A lot of the clubs and bars in the down town area have a lot of foot traffic, that's where you want to party at. Try not to be wearing a lot of jewelry because a lot of the time, the robbers will go after gold and silver to sell since the value of precious metals has gone up. Try to go out with a bigger group of people, and try to park in the same general area.
Remember that your life is worth a lot more than whatever you might have in your wallet. you can always cancel your cards and replace your phone, but a serious injury might change your life for ever. Have you ever been the victim of a robbery? If so, how did you react? What do you think compels someone to rob another person? How do you think you would react if someone were to hold you at gun point and ask for your purse or wallet?
562CityLife is in part funded by a Long Beach Community Foundation Connected Corridor grant supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Transformation Initiative.
This blog is in part sponsored by the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra
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