The Victim: Michael Yearout
The Crime: Burglary of a motor vehicle
Date: Sunday, August 26
Time: Between 7 p.m. and 6:40 a.m.
Location: 10700 block of Longmeadow
After being robbed at gunpoint, he bought a gun.
Michael Yearout remembers the crime vividly. A few years ago, he was going to visit his girlfriend’s apartment. He approached the gate to enter her apartment complex and found it was locked. As he walked to another gate, a man began to follow. As Yearout approached the second gate, he felt a gun in his back and turned around.
“He had a gun in my face and asked for all my money,” Yearout says.
He was terrified, and quickly complied. Yearout was determined to try and not to be a victim again if he could help it. He now has a concealed and carry firearm permit and keeps a pistol in his glove box for protection. Unfortunately, his truck recently was broken into, and his pistol was stolen. The thief also made off with a camera and GPS. He is not sure how the thief got into his truck, but it is another frustrating instance of crime and a costly loss.
Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says that all property including guns can be identified if residents have the serial number. Keeping information like this can be of great help to police.
“If pawned, this is how the department knows that guns have been stolen and can possibly return the weapons to the rightful owners,” Jones says.
And if ever in the situation Yearout found himself in — with a gun in your face and demands for your money — Jones instructs neighbors to always comply.
“Property is not worth your life. Stay calm and get as much information as possible, such as height, weight, skin color, facial hair, vehicle description, and anything that would be helpful in identifying the robbery suspect.”
| crime numbers |
9000
Block of Skillman where a man punched a woman in the left eye after pushing her out of a vehicle because he didn’t like the type of music she was playing
$600
Estimated value of the front glass door of Jason’s Deli on Greenville that was smashed on Sept. 11 after someone threw a large stone through it; the suspect also opened company mail and threw it all over the floor
53
Size, in inches, of the flat screen TV stolen from an apartment on the 9000 block of Royal Lane Aug. 9; the thief entered through the front door, ransacked the place and took Wii devices, a DVD player, shoes and clothes
Source: Dallas Police Department crime statistics for July 10-Aug. 10
