KPRC Houston: Restaurant, customers robbed in broad daylight in River Oaks area

[Steve5115]

Too close to home! Glad that no one was hurt.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/resta ... -oaks-area

[RHenriksen]

I eat there occasionally. It's less than a mile from my office, and 2 miles from home.

Sad to see, but some vindication for all those who cluck, 'I live in a nice area! Nothing bad will happen to me! Why would anyone need a gun to buy produce at Kroger's?!'

[Daddio-on-patio]

I like the (likely liberal democrat) fella in the comments wondering where the LTC'ers were to stop the crime. If one was in the Cafe and armed I, for one, applaud them for maintaining there composure and not escalating the scene. There were two armed men. I have been in plenty of hand to hand combative situations. Ive been whooped plenty of times by one guy. Against two, well, you need to be really good or lucky. And I believe that goes for most of us mortals when you are considering whether to initiate any action in a similar scenario.

[Soccerdad1995]

The robbers made an interesting choice to escalate the situation by deciding to go after the customer's valuables in addition to the stores' cash. This required them to split up and likely turn their backs to at least some of the customers. More importantly, it also drastically changed the threat situation for anyone who might have been armed.

My personal philosophy is to not get involved to save someone else's property. My property, maybe. My family's safety, definitely. I would have gone from "be a good witness" to "might need to take action" at that point. To me, this was even more brazen than the location or time of day.

I am also very curious about whether that restaurant was posted with a 30.06 sign. It just seems like the robbers were guessing that none of the customers was armed.

[hovercat]

I like the (likely liberal democrat) fella in the comments wondering where the LTC'ers were to stop the crime. If one was in the Cafe and armed I, for one, applaud them for maintaining there composure and not escalating the scene. There were two armed men. I have been in plenty of hand to hand combative situations. Ive been whooped plenty of times by one guy. Against two, well, you need to be really good or lucky. And I believe that goes for most of us mortals when you are considering whether to initiate any action in a similar scenario.

I OC, only. I must admit that this is a situation where choice is removed by OC, and an OC cannot just give up stuff, but has to draw and do their best.

[RHenriksen]

The robbers made an interesting choice to escalate the situation by deciding to go after the customer's valuables in addition to the stores' cash. This required them to split up and likely turn their backs to at least some of the customers. More importantly, it also drastically changed the threat situation for anyone who might have been armed.

My personal philosophy is to not get involved to save someone else's property. My property, maybe. My family's safety, definitely. I would have gone from "be a good witness" to "might need to take action" at that point. To me, this was even more brazen than the location or time of day.

I am also very curious about whether that restaurant was posted with a 30.06 sign. It just seems like the robbers were guessing that none of the customers was armed.

Cafe Express only posts 30.07.

I'd rather have a force multiplier on me and not need it/use it, than the other way around.

[ELB]

Looking at the video it appears there is either a 30.06 or 30.07 sign on the bottom of the righthand door. Texas3006.com lists four Café Express that have 30.07 signs, but it doesn't appear that the River Oaks is one of them.

Both robbers fired their guns. That would certainly increase my anxiety about waiting it out.

[TXBO]

From the video it sure looks like there is either a 30.06 and/or 30.07 on the door.

[bblhd672]

Looking at the video it appears there is either a 30.06 or 30.07 sign on the bottom of the righthand door. Texas3006.com lists four Café Express that have 30.07 signs, but it doesn't appear that the River Oaks is one of them.

Both robbers fired their guns. That would certainly increase my anxiety about waiting it out.

I agree, once they started firing their weapons I would consider shifting from letting them take what they wanted to defending my life and the lives of others.

[Soccerdad1995]

Looking at the video it appears there is either a 30.06 or 30.07 sign on the bottom of the righthand door. Texas3006.com lists four Café Express that have 30.07 signs, but it doesn't appear that the River Oaks is one of them.

Both robbers fired their guns. That would certainly increase my anxiety about waiting it out.

I agree, once they started firing their weapons I would consider shifting from letting them take what they wanted to defending my life and the lives of others.

Yes, that was definitely a second escalation decision. Very brazen and dangerous folks we are dealing with here. Let's all hope that they get taken off the streets sooner rather than later.

Besides, how much would they really expect to get from this? Most people pay with credit cards now a days, especially in that location, so not a ton of cash from the register or the customers. Maybe some diamond rings and a few Rolex's that they could pawn for 10 cents on the dollar. It's amazing to me that people like this place such a low value on their lives. Even so, surely there are other criminal activities where the risk / reward ratio is better?

[JALLEN]

The guy in Luby's in Killeen made the choice real easy, by driving his truck into the place and starting to execute people. Unhappily, no LTCs back then.

These situations are much more ambiguous.

[bigity]

Comments on that story are saying the place is posted. Not sure how to verify that other than to call em or go look. Being in Lubbock, I'll pass :)

[RHenriksen]

Comments on that story are saying the place is posted. Not sure how to verify that other than to call em or go look. Being in Lubbock, I'll pass :)

The comments are incorrect. I eat there periodically, and it's posted 30.07 only.

[bblhd672]

Comments on that story are saying the place is posted. Not sure how to verify that other than to call em or go look. Being in Lubbock, I'll pass :)

The comments are incorrect. I eat there periodically, and it's posted 30.07 only.

I had lunch at Cafe Express in Southlake yesterday - it's posted 30.07 only.

[ScottDLS]

Comments on that story are saying the place is posted. Not sure how to verify that other than to call em or go look. Being in Lubbock, I'll pass :)

The comments are incorrect. I eat there periodically, and it's posted 30.07 only.

I had lunch at Cafe Express in Southlake yesterday - it's posted 30.07 only.

I wonder if the bad guys know the difference between a 30.07 & 06. Perhaps they thought it less likely anyone would be armed in a place that posted at all (perhaps true).

The solution is for Café Express to post both signs. They already have enough problems with armed robbery and need less people carrying guns in their store.