If this were to happen to me, there would be a thief in a coroner's van, and me in cuffs for carrying a concealed weapon. Good luck to the DA on getting a conviction. I don't care what State law says, unless I can get my own personal police officer everytime I go anywhere, I WILL protect myself. I'm not a mindless, trigger happy, redneck... just a man who doesn't live in the naieve state of mind that my street address makes me "safe".

There have been occasional reports in the Gazette of men being robbed on North Parker Dr., in the block north of Center Avenue after leaving a bar on a Friday night. It seems they were carrying all the cash from their paycheck. Some or all of those reports might be true, but I have to wonder how often someone calls the police and reports a robbery of this nature to avoid having to explain how they drank or gambled or otherwise lost a week's pay to someone at home.
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I love cash, but absent a big lottery win, I wouldn't be carrying that much cash around. That's what checkbooks and credit cards are for. On rare occasions when I'm traveling a long distance out-of-state, I sometimes pick up a few Traveller's Checks from the credit union, in case I lose my credit card or it gets stolen. They are good indefinitely and are safer than cash to carry or stash in the home as a money reserve.

the only thing the elderly man did wrong was stop,but he probably was in shock and so his wallett was on the seat so it had money in it that is not a crime at all, robbing someone is.
jpd is doing the best they can we as a society need to help them and ourselves by reporting suspicious behavior and people, we need to keep our guard up and learn to protect ourselves and to protect those at risk people.
B

Why would someone have eight hundred dollars in their wallet? This story sounds strange to me, but I hate to jump to conclusions. Regardless, if this is a true story it is unfortunate. Hopefully the perpetrator involved is apprehended.

I have seen men remove their wallets when they sit because of back problems. They can't seem to figure out that you can carry a wallet in your front pocket.

Why didn't the man defend himself? Oh...wait...I forgot....No concealed carry in Wisconsin....

I'm going to take your word on that one. :-)

Ok well here goes...I know I'll get some feedback on this!!! Broad daylight,black man with a bandanna,steps in front of a truck and the driver stops!!?? and the thief reaches across the driver and grabs his wallet off the seat!!??and of course everyone lays their wallet on the seat and just happens to carry $800.00 cash !!!! I can't believe this doesn't raise some suspicion with anyone else. IF IT SMELLS,LOOKS AND TASTE LIKE S--- THEN CHANCES ARE IT IS.

1st of all 4th ward not that everyone down there is bad but when i drive thru i see alot of trash,
2nd ,Black male wearing a red bandana in the 4th ward robbing someone,hmmm sounds about right Id stay away from the ward if I was a person at risk IE elderly,female with kids,or unarmed however like I keep saying and believe
"I hold my right to bear arms close very close"

or maybe we should try to educate the criminals and give them free school and free medicare and free money and free food and free housing and feel sorry for them when they rob us maybe we should pray for them or invite them to dinner ;)
Biscuit

Not IF;When they catch him,I hope when he gets to prison,he gets every INCH of justice he deserves.

Crimes against the eldery, punishment to the full entent if the law, as should crimes against children. When are the Judges going to wake up. Hemichich, I hope your Grandfather is OK, I am glad that was not my Grandfather I would be out hunting for this guy. The JPD will find this guy give them time, however he needs to sent to prison for some time for this crime

There has been a very visible police presence in the Fourth Ward today. Hopefully they are following up on tips or leads, but if not, then they are making extra loops while on regular patrol. (I'm actually looking out the window at one of my favorites: when the *bike cops* pull over a vehicle for a traffic citation!) It does make us feel safer around here.
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I agree completely with what JCK said. The police can only act on the information they are given. Citizen involvement is essential. We in the Fourth Ward do not expect to get safety handed to us as a gift; we know it is something we all need to work for as a community.

Hemi the police told my bf that it does match the description of who he saw and who your grandpa described. they are going to check out ace and talk to employees

Westside tell your boyfriend thank you! Even if it isn’t him! I hope it is though. Unfortunately if people don’t stand up to what they seen in circumstances like these people never get caught.

I am ready for a little vigilante justice. I will be riding around town with my 357 mag.(as I always do). However, I will be in the downtown area with my wallet in one hand and the heater in the other. aaahhh yes, come get some.

Hey Gazette... What clothes was he wearing?

Police can't be everwhere and can't protect every citizen 24/7. But citizens who are alert and get actively involved when they believe they may have relevant information can be of invaluable assitance. Even if you are uncertain but you think there is a possibility that you do. They can only process the information that is or isn't relevant if they are made aware of it. It's very unlikely the grandfather would ever get his money back however it's possible the citizen's involvment could help put this scum bag in prison and spare others the danger of being a victim.

Sarahb- my boyfriend assumed that he did steal it because he kept looking over his shoulder staring at him. my boyfriend is speaking with police now in person

Westside: I bet $10 that if that is the guy, then he stole the knife from Ace Hardware. Maybe they can find him on security film. Hemchick243, I will pass along the latest information to my friend who was also in the area at the time of the robbery. This crook better hope he can find a good hiding spot.

Hemi- my boyfriend just read the story and told me he was at ace around this time and saw the exact description of this man looking at knives. he is calling the police as we speak. I HOPE THE POLICE FIND THIS DOPE HEAD

You know that everyone hopes that your grandfather is okay. He did the right thing. It's the other guy that people are upset about. If Scott would let me, I could post a very lengthy string of expletives This could happen to anyone. That's what makes it so frustrating. I am sure that your grandfather is going through a maze of emotions after an experience like that. You have my sympathy.

Sarah B. if your friend had seen something then sorry. He was driving his old pick up truck which I still think doesn’t matter, but if she see something I hope that she will call the police. People are acting like he he's elderly. He may be 74 but he sure doesn’t act like it all means. To everyone stating that they hope he's ok thank you! He was very shaken up yesterday but will be fine!

Too bad he didn't try to rob me. I would have grabbed his arm rolled up the window. the proceed to drag his ass down the street. After had some nice road rash I would ask "do you still think it’s a good idea to rob people?"

We need to be able to carry guns in WI, because we can't carry cops !

What do you do with people like this? It is pretty obvious that the victim was marked and tracked by the thief. Watch out for people hanging around stores or parking lots. Keep your money out of plain sight whenever possible. Don't stop for strangers (obviously you should not run them over unless absolutely necessary). Women should never walk out of a store with their car keys in plain sight. Don't let guilt cloud your judgment. These people are cold and calculating, have no remorse, and know how to take advantage of good people.

The police can't be everywhere all the time. Meemees' is a fixed location and was the subject of an investigation. How hard is this to understand?!

Yooper: Just get a Minnesota permit because Wisconsin honors it.

what a COWARD ! hey thug pick on someone your own age. taking advantage of the old is as low as you can get, LOOSER ! i drive by this area all the time, i hope you try this crap on me and i will run you over !

Who leaves their wallet on the seat? And who knows it?

Hemichick243: The question about the car was asked because a friend of mine was in the area at 11:30 a.m. and thought she might have seen something. She does not have computer access and asked me to inquire. Now I am sorry that I even bothered to ask the question. Regardless, my thoughts and prayers are with your grandfather.

This is absolutely pathetic! i am embarresed to call janesville home. my prayers are with him and the family

Let's say the robber (crackhead) did meet the victim at the hardware store and observed his wallet was full. Hopefully the hardware store has surveillance cameras and caught his face on video. Then plaster it all over the paper. Some other crackhead is bound to turn their buddy in for the reward money so they can buy more goodies for themselves.

OK, I live in that area, and I have made shots fired calls to 911 and had JPD there within minutes. We haven't had so much need for them this summer; although there are a few slummy looking parts of the neighborhood, I haven't seen anything I could call active open drug dealing from one address, which used to happen literally across the street from us, around the corner from us, down the block from us. There are regular police patrols including bicycle patrols. If you want to joke, fine, but realistically robberies happen almost anywhere, even places with good police coverage.

good point trimmo89. The JPD was probably occupied trying to track down another ferocious feline or theyre scared to go in that area because there is bad people there.

Janesville...and they say downtown is safe ahaha! Now maby if we had a good police force things like that, at NOON wouldn't be happening... Who robs the elderly anyways, grow some balls ghetto thug superstars!

The robber could have observed him using his wallet at Ace.
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It does seem like there's a lot of questions here, though. Fear can muddle memory and short-circuit rational action. He shouldn't have stopped and should have driven off when either the bandanna or the weapon were produced. You can always kick yourself for what you didn't do in a situation. Lord knows, living in the Fourth Ward (and my family's first apartment in Janesville was right at that corner), I've been in several situations where I wished I had gotten plates or a better description of someone or followed a different course of action.
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Yooper, there is no evidence of lower crime rates in concealed carry states. At the same time, concealed carry applications are very limited and the under 2.5% of gun owners who apply tend not to be involved in criminal situations because they are the more responsible owners. But that doesn't change anything for those who don't own a gun in the first place.

Good point gazettefan.
This obviously looks like the robber knew the victim, and that he had a lot of $$$ on hand. Very doubtful that it's just a coincidence that he robs a guy who just happens to be carrying that much $$ on him.

hemichick, i hope your grandpa is ok, some people can be so heartless, even if they dont mean to.

TWO WORDS: CONCEALED CARRY!!!! get with it Wisconsin politians. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! If they cannot see that we are being over run by crackheads and pure losers, take matters into your own hands. I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6! Protect yourselves and your families, because they will not do it for you!! I am glad the gentleman was not injured, this time.

The victim is my grandfather and what does it matter what kind of car he was driving?! That has nothing to do with the fact of what happened this afternoon. And he also didn’t pull of over the man had walked in front of him so last time I check pedestrians do have the right away! Even when the person is up to no good! So if you don’t know what you are talking about please keep your mouths' shout, and be thankful that is wasn’t anybody in your family!

They couldnt help the old man because their still investigating screemin meemees

That should be pursue not purse

It's unfortunate that the elderly gentlemen was unable to purse the thief in his car....and run him down.

This is a tragic case of the world's luckiest theif robbing the world's unluckiest victim. Hmmmmm.

sounds like the robber knew who he was robbing....

It doesn't take a cocaine user to come up with this easy crime. What kind of car was the victim driving?

Also, I have a couple of questions for the reporter: Did the bandana go up after the driver stopped? What kind of vehicle was involved?

I bet the victim is kicking himself for stopping, for having $800 on him and for setting his wallet on the car seat. However, I think it is presumptuous to tag the doer as a crack cocaine user.