I was mugged in downtown Athens, Georgia in 1993. No guns were involved, but I got socked in the face pretty solidly.
Once the muggers (plural) had gone I went to the nearest pay phone and called the cops, and about five patrol cars showed up with their lights flashing. They acted very concerned, and said reassuring things like “we need to get these assholes behind bars,” but they never arrested anyone. The muggers got $17, and I got a few years of intense anxiety at going out in public (which has since quieted into mere “intensely heightened awareness”).
If there’s an upside, it’s that the muggers, having taken my wallet, removed all the ID, library cards, etc. from it and left them on a sidewalk somewhere. Someone found them the next day and called the police, who returned them to me, so at least I didn’t have to go get a new driver’s license, Social Security card, library card, student ID, etc.
I was the victim of an armed robbery in a strip mall. (It turned out to be a BB gun.) He got $17, but I convinced him to give me my purse back. Then I drove to the parking lot of a nearby restaurant while he robbed another woman of about $40. (Poor thing kept robbing teachers.)
I kept an eye out to see which way he went and as soon as I could get IDIOT WOMAN off of the phone inside the restaurant, I called in a report to the police. A high speed chase ensued and they caught the guy. The car was also stolen. He got twelve years.
Well, it’s good to know that something ususally happens. Sorry about the speeding tickets dig, Loach; it was kind of a joke but it does bug me that cops have time to send four units (that’s eight cops) out to pull me over for expired tags (we moved and didn’t realize they’d expired, no ticket) but act like dusting for prints is a rediculous suggestion when a house we were restoring-vacant-gets broken into 3 times in about 4 months. The house was 2 blocks from the police station, and the first time it was broken into we just walked to the station, where there was a sign which basically said “be back later” so we called the main station where we got an answering machine. We had to call 911 to get anyone out there to write a report, say “sorry” and leave.
A few months ago I witnessed a purse-snatching in broad daylight in a Target parking lot on a busy street. Idiot jumped a woman from behind and wrestled her purse away (she didn’t make it easy on him). Myself and a bunch of bystanders (including a guy on a bike) gave chase. I got on my cell and called 911 while hauling butt after the mugger.
He dumped the purse contents and his jacket, I stayed on the phone and gave a good description while the victim and store security caught up with me, other pursuers kept following the guy while he ran off.
They had about four police cars there in a few minutes and caught the guy (I’m pretty sure that the other people chasing him just kept him in sight and pointed him out when the police showed up).
Officers took statements from everyone and had the victim and I ID the guy. A police detective was there as well and he took down a complete report.
Catching him wouldn’t have been too hard since one of the things in the jacket that he tossed was paperwork from HIS PAROLE OFFICER, including his name and address (discovered that while I was talking to 911, said “I can make this very easy for you”).
I was a little made at myself for not trying to tackle the guy (he ran by me that close) until the detective pointed out that this individual was known to them and already had two strikes (California has a “3 Strikes” law); given that assault & battery and purse-snatching might be the third strike he wouldn’t have had anything to lose by murdering somebody…
Anyhow that’s my experience with the OP - it took a few minutes to get through to 911 (cell phone rings to highway patrol which has to transfer to local PD) but they responded quickly and forcefully, caught the guy, had us ID him, took statements, etc.
Good. My advice would be to work that angle if the local authorities aren’t sufficiently interested.
I had an experience somewhat similar to yours some years ago. In my case someone who worked in the apartment building I lived in used my info without my knowledge or permission to apply for credit cards in my name. These they would steal (they had access to the mail room) and use for cash advances.
The first I heard of it was when the credit card company called us to alert me of large amounts of cash being withdrawn on my card. Problem was, I had never applied for it. The company became very interested, and asked me if I wanted the account closed which I did. They gave me a record of the recent charges and I told them none of it was mine.
IIRC they asked me to file a police report which I did. I don’t remember if the local police did much but the US Post Office investigator did get involved because the mail was being tampered with and I remember giving him a long written statement.
In the end they caught the guy (or guys, there may have been more than one involved). He was one of the building security guards.