Community Forums

FL420 · 05-21-2018, 12:05 PM

Dallas TV just aired a news piece about a man in an RV who had been beaten and robbed. He and his wife were parked in a parking lot in Arlington, TX that from the video looked a lot like a Walmart parking lot.

A little sleuthing with the aid of Google Maps and Earth makes it look like he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Texas man in RV beaten; Arlington police seek 3 suspects | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Old-Biscuit · 05-21-2018, 12:32 PM

Looks more like a World Market parking lot with associated strip mall businesses
Meineke, BBQ joint, Beauty Supply, SUBWAY, Hair cutting Salon, Spa/Nail place

Or maybe out by Shell station , Church's Chicken and the Live Life Freely

BUT don't see any sign of a Walmart

So can't pin it on Wally Camping or even the Group Home residents

Thugs ran away DOWN the street into the dark. Just some low lifes taking advantage of an opportunity

FL420 · 05-21-2018, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Looks more like a World Market parking lot with associated strip mall businesses
Meineke, BBQ joint, Beauty Supply, SUBWAY, Hair cutting Salon, Spa/Nail place

Or maybe out by Shell station , Church's Chicken and the Live Life Freely

BUT don't see any sign of a Walmart

So can't pin it on Wally Camping or even the Group Home residents

Thugs ran away DOWN the street into the dark. Just some low lifes taking advantage of an opportunity

Did you watch the surveillance camera video the police posted?

It showed a perpetrator running across a parking lot that looks exactly like the lot in front of the Live Life Freely building on the sat view. On the far side of the lot from the direction the guy was running was what looked to me like a Class B or small Class C.

I am not assuming the victim or muggers were associated in any way with the group shelter. I'm just glad it was not a Walmart parking lot. I have never felt unsafe unsafe in one of their parking lots and since we travel extensively and don't make reservations we have been appreciative WM "guests" when arriving after dark or on weekends when all campgrounds are full of locals with reservations.

MSHappyCampers · 05-21-2018, 03:53 PM

I would never stay in a deserted parking lot like that!

winniman · 05-21-2018, 03:53 PM

Avoid staying anywhere near large cities, and you eliminate 99 percent of the risk. I prefer to stay away from large cities, and use the toad to visit during the day. If I have to stay in a city, I will gladly pay the extra cost to stay at an rv park with good lighting and security. If you stay more in small towns, the crime rate is lower, and the parks charge far less than in cities.

FL420 · 05-21-2018, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winniman

Avoid staying anywhere near large cities, and you eliminate 99 percent of the risk. I prefer to stay away from large cities, and use the toad to visit during the day. If I have to stay in a city, I will gladly pay the extra cost to stay at an rv park with good lighting and security. If you stay more in small towns, the crime rate is lower, and the parks charge far less than in cities.

I have a motion sensor activated light by my entry door. I deadbolt the door and retract the steps when we go to bed.

I will do that when it gets dark from now on. The video shows the first of the 3 muggers approached the side door and entered the Class C RV immediately after leaving their hiding place behind the coach.

I recently added very bright "docking" lights that light up both sides of my coach. Given a few moments notice provided by the locked door the lights, along with a few loud blasts from the Shoreline Marine/Sport horn powered by an 8 oz. can of difluoroethane, should dissuade an attacker. If it doesn't I have a handy T-ball bat, chemical spray and other tools which I won't name in my "tool box."

I'm not sure other RVs in the parking lot would have prevented this assault.

Bigd9 · 05-21-2018, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL420

Dallas TV just aired a news piece about a man in an RV who had been beaten and robbed. He and his wife were parked in a parking lot in Arlington, TX that from the video looked a lot like a Walmart parking lot.

A little sleuthing with the aid of Google Maps and Earth makes it look like he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Texas man in RV beaten; Arlington police seek 3 suspects | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

I cringed and got a tear in my eye when I read your comment about " he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities." The residences in those homes have a hard enough time living in a home like that with all of the people in the area yelling and threatening them just because they are different from you and I. I know you mentioned in a later post you weren't trying to say they did it, but it still raised my hackles. I apologize if I am being overly sensitive, but we just got back to our house about 30 minutes ago after a gut wrenching and a very emotionally draining meeting where we had to very reluctantly sign permission to admit our youngest adult daughter to a home like that. After over 350 hospitalizations all over this beautiful country of ours from Oregon to Florida and from Pennsylvania to Texas in the past 37 years and with the fact she has been in a major university hospital since January 18th we just couldn't deal with the strain and stress anymore and still retain or sanity. Looks like she will be placed in a home just over 2 hours from us, the closest one who could provide for her needs. We just hope and pray she will be happy and safe.

Wundertaker · 05-21-2018, 05:29 PM

Sorry for the victim for sure...hope he makes a full recovery.

It really doesn't mean anything as to "where" the attack took place. It could have been in the middle of a church parking lot right next to the Police Station.

Albeit that it appears that RV'ers are not subjected to these types of attacks on any regular basis, it is for sure a reminder that these things do happen, and can happen to you, and me.

As much and as delicate of a topic this is, it is important that "all of us" need to decide for ourselves as to what level of safety and security we wish to accept and "prepare" for.

I guess my point is that this "does happen", and in today's mixed-up world, the sanctuaries of the past are no longer "safe" and cannot be taken for granted. I choose to be prepared to the best of "my" ability and pray to God that we, and YOU, will be safe while traveling and enjoying our beautiful Country.

FL420 · 05-21-2018, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I cringed and got a tear in my eye when I read your comment about " he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities." The residences in those homes have a hard enough time living in a home like that with all of the people in the area yelling and threatening them just because they are different from you and I. I know you mentioned in a later post you weren't trying to say they did it, but it still raised my hackles. I apologize if I am being overly sensitive, but we just got back to our house about 30 minutes ago after a gut wrenching and a very emotionally draining meeting where we had to very reluctantly sign permission to admit our youngest adult daughter to a home like that. After over 350 hospitalizations all over this beautiful country of ours from Oregon to Florida and from Pennsylvania to Texas in the past 37 years and with the fact she has been in a major university hospital since January 18th we just couldn't deal with the strain and stress anymore and still retain or sanity. Looks like she will be placed in a home just over 2 hours from us, the closest one who could provide for her needs. We just hope and pray she will be happy and safe.

I am very sorry that something I wrote has touched an understandably sensitive nerve. Please understand I did not mean to cause you or anyone pain and I hope you will accept my sincere apology.

I hope your daughter can receive the help and guidance she needs and you and your family can find the peace and comfort you need.

CampDaven · 05-21-2018, 06:30 PM

Arlington TX is not very safe!
I wouldn’t expect too many informed RVers would lot-dock there.
I have never needed any deterrents, and sleep feeling safe every night.
See the stats:
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/arlington/crime

sdennislee · 05-21-2018, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I cringed and got a tear in my eye when I read your comment about " he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities." The residences in those homes have a hard enough time living in a home like that with all of the people in the area yelling and threatening them just because they are different from you and I. I know you mentioned in a later post you weren't trying to say they did it, but it still raised my hackles. I apologize if I am being overly sensitive, but we just got back to our house about 30 minutes ago after a gut wrenching and a very emotionally draining meeting where we had to very reluctantly sign permission to admit our youngest adult daughter to a home like that. After over 350 hospitalizations all over this beautiful country of ours from Oregon to Florida and from Pennsylvania to Texas in the past 37 years and with the fact she has been in a major university hospital since January 18th we just couldn't deal with the strain and stress anymore and still retain or sanity. Looks like she will be placed in a home just over 2 hours from us, the closest one who could provide for her needs. We just hope and pray she will be happy and safe.

No need to apologize for defending those who may not be able to defend themselves. Something all of us should do.

Whirrlly · 05-22-2018, 05:31 AM

We would stay in that type of parking lot

Many times on trips.

Door unlocked?
Looks like in the video he gets right in fast?

Boy one thing we do is lock immediately in any situation when parking for a while. If someone was hammering at the door, breaking in, breaking it off it hinges almost and going wild on that door it would give us time to grab our gun and handle the situation, well, at least I hope it would happen like that

but a lot of it is all about location of that lot. What area is around it? Does it feel safe. If I get one hair standing in any way on the back of my neck we drive on and don't stop and rest

Feel for the guy tho. Life happens and sometimes it is just crap that comes at ya.

**Spdracr39** · 05-22-2018, 05:32 AM

Situational awareness. Parking in a big city and in an isolated parking lot with no traffic is a terrible idea. Surely there was a better choice in the area.

wa8yxm · 05-22-2018, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I cringed and got a tear in my eye when I read your comment about " he was parked in front of a building housing Live Life Freely, Inc., a group home for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities." The residences in those homes have a hard enough time living in a home like that with all of the people in the area yelling and threatening them just because they are different from you and I. .

I have seen orginations that did a lot of good kicked out because of things like you cite. People who had Absolutly NO CONNETION with the origination did some bad stuff in the parking lot They wer enever inside the building had no connection but the Pitch fork and Baseball bat types cried out SEE SEE BAD THINGS HAPPEN and the city shut 'em down..

And that is what most likely happned here too the bad guy ran AWAY not into the facility. No reason to think he had anything to do with Live Life folks. Not a bit.

I hope they find the bad guy
I hope the victims start using the deadbolt lock on their door when parked in a parking lot, I do, I may leave it unlocked in a CG with trusted neighbors but if I dont trust I lock ,.