Boomaker Robbery

[gordie1]

What a shame for that poor guy who died robbing Ladbrokes with an immitation gun I know it was wrong I wonder whether he had a heartattack?

[needawin]

No sympathy whatsoever. Same goes for burglars shot and bomb planters blown up by own bombs.

[EDDIE51]

NOX it was not a 'toy' gun it was a replica. Replica's are an exact copy of the real thing same weight same size . The only way to tell a replica from the real thing is to try to fire it, relicas even have the trigger and fireing mechanism but the barrel is partly solid so it can never be fired. Some can even fire blanks but not bullets.

[RATTER15]

I know one thing for sure, if someone threatens me or my family with any gun, given the opportunity I would kill him before enquiring as to whether the gun was real no!

[naomi24]

If he hadn't been robbing someone it wouldn't have happened. I have no sympathy for him.

[RATTER15]

I agree Naomi, however my opinion would change if we learned he had mental health issues.
No issues would change my immediate response of protecting my family first though.

[maggiebee]

Can't put my feelings about this case in any better way than to quote John Donne:

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

[RATTER15]

I like that Maggie, so very true it is!

[Sqad]

maggie....sorry....I didn't understand that at all......my deficiency, not yours.

Is that yes....or a no?

Could it be put more simply?

[RATTER15]

Sqad, I take it to mean that any death is a loss no matter who or why.

[Sqad]

RATTER....thanks.

[maggiebee]

Sqad, I take it to mean we are all part of mankind. Any death affects us because we are part of the whole; therefore when the bell tolls it tolls for all of us.
Find this very difficult to put into words, sorry.

[237SJ]

It`s a bit of a shame really but if you live that kind of life, you expect to suffer the hazards and on this occasion, he was unlucky.

[joeluke]

Career criminal, no great loss to society

[Sqad]

\\\\therefore when the bell tolls it tolls for all of us. \\\\

Maybe! maybe! but i have seen very little evidence if this.

I can understand the next of kin affecting this alcoholic drug addict (if that is what he was) but I cannot see the concern by the majority of the community.

[naomi24]

Ratter, I’m not sure it is true. I can think of one or two with whom I have no empathy whatsoever – and I’ll bet Maggie can too. John Donne’s words here are pious pie in the sky.

[DJHawkes]

The customers in the bookmakers acted instinctivly and you have to admire their bravery, the staff in the bookmakers will have been given instructions on how to handle armed attempted robbery but the customers won't have been and they did what they did in unity which I think is amazing. If it is anything like the bookies in our village, they will be regulars and probably knew each other well, that would have possiblt accounted for their joint response. The robber could well have had a diminshed breathing capacity not just due to the gas mask but he was possibly already intoxicated with one substance or another. The heros on the plane that was hijacked in the US on 9/11 did their best, if they had killed those terrorists and got that plane back they'd still have been heroes. Give these heroes that same respect.

[RATTER15]

naomi24, in some situations you are probably right.

[New Judge]

Yes terrible shame. Absolutely tragic. I think the vicious thugs who sat on him whilst awaiting the arrival of the police should be arrested, pushed down the stairs in the nick, tried, convicted then hung, drawn and quartered. Oh, and the bookmaker should be prosecuted for failing to exercise their "Duty of Care" towards the unfortunate felon by allowing their other customers to treat him so badly.

[sandyRoe]

If they do find themselves up before the bench they'd better be praying your not sitting that day. :-)

[anotheoldgit]

NOX

/// It was not a real gun, there is a massive difference between going armed to kill and waving a toy gun around. ///

Not if one happens to be facing the muzzle end of the gun and believes that it is indeed a real gun.