I’m not going to be a victim when I have the capability to fight for my belongings. Too many friends have had their things stolen and never had the opportunity to stop the thief.
I don’t usually let myself go down rabbit holes in my personal life. I try to stay on track with my main focus, real estate, mortgages, and development, with a little crypto for fun.
But I don’t think it would be fair to write my regular blogs without at least sharing a little “insider information” for my loyal followers on my “situation” that happened last week. It was February on the way to REVN (Real Estate Vancouver Investment) in my hometown of Vancouver, WA.
I just got gas and noticed my left front tire was a little low. I was in a rush and needed to get across town, so I was only going to add air to the front left. When I was getting out, I noticed my briefcase was sitting on the passenger seat with a couple of new homebuyers’ applications I had just signed that morning, along with some financial information from my clients that I needed to scan. I thought to myself, DO NOT GO IN THE STORE AND LEAVE YOUR CAR UNATTENDED.
So, as I was getting air in my tire, a vehicle drove by and dropped off the assailant around the corner. The assailant quickly ran up as I bent down by the rear tire, jumped in the car, and started the engine.
I heard the door close, and I remembered MY BRIEFCASE!
It Was 30 Seconds
I opened the door; he put it in reverse and floored it as I lunged at him, and as the car flew backward, I kind of crumpled up on the dash/window. When I came down, I was able to shove it into park. He took one swing and knocked off my glasses, and that’s when I knew I had one chance, and this was a life or death situation.
I went straight into a headlock with my left arm while taking a couple of punches. I reached down to grab my gun that I usually carry only to realize I left it at home but came back with my finger in his temple, yelling, “I have a gun, and I’m going to blow your F#&$in brains out.” I kept throwing swings while ripping off his face cover and hat to get a good look at his face.
He had a change of thought, and his last words were, “Let me go, let me go.”
I Refused to Be a Victim
I am fortunate this ended the way it did, and I realize I took “a risk,” but I have no regrets and refuse to be called the “victim.” Like most men, I’m approaching this with a “fix it” mindset and using this negative experience to make a positive impact in Washington State instead of leaving. I’M STANDING MY GROUND.
Why Take the Risk?
Being robbed and having someone try to carjack you is a terrible feeling that is hard to explain to anyone who’s never been in that position. It can wreak havoc on your sense of security and create fear that can linger forever. I empathize with anyone who has been in this position, and the fight today goes out to those who were stolen from in the night.
I appreciate those who have reached out to join in on a calvary to go clean house, but vengeance will not fix the problem.
The State of Washington Went Too Far
The state went too far with changing laws to protect the bad guys. They allowed the media attention and pressure from George Floyd, BLM, and the WOKE to push to defund the police, restrict them from pursuing bad guys, and enable the thieves to prosper by stealing cars to use for transportation and not being able to pursue them when they drive by. (See HB-1054, and we are working on HB-1363 to at least allow a police officer to pursue without getting a superior to approve.)
Stolen Vehicles are Used to Commit Other Crimes
These stolen cars are driven to rob stores and residences. They usually dump the vehicles when they sell the goods to purchase drugs. As drug use increases, so does mental illness, homelessness, and crime.
The state and local governments want to increase taxes to pay for the homeless issues, but they could be upstream if they focused on stopping crime before it ruins the state or more people get killed.
The mainstream media, as usual, cut out my “opinions” on the crime. With news stations in the northwest, freedom of speech is not a thing.
By Bill Black
Bill Black is a Senior Mortgage Broker at NW Funding Group Inc. He has 16 years of experience in the mortgage industry and provides tailored mortgage planning solutions in Washington.