Suburban Thrills

So, yesterday, Wende posed the question, "What's the most provocative item you read in the news today?" I figured I should probably read some news - I'd been at a client's industrial facility all day, away from devices of communication.

As it turned out, there was news indeed.

Just after last Christmas, a bank in a neighboring suburb was robbed by a fellow who turned out to be a career criminal with a 20+ year record. Mid-morning yesterday, he was being transported to a local courthouse when he overpowered and disarmed his guards. This despite being what the Tribune described as, "white, approximatley 5'6", 150 pounds, and bald."

He took their clothes and cash, and forced them to take him to a Meijer's store (akin to Super Wal-Mart) near the courthouse, where he apparently bought a shirt and stole a car. I'd love to understand the personal moral code which allows for grand theft auto, but not shoplifting. He drove to a neighboring town, stole another car, drove to a third town, and was spotted near his one-time residence. Which happens to be about a mile from my residence. Which is why it caught my eye.

A manhunt ensued with, as Wende put it, "police with big guns roaming suburban apartment complexes!" Cops from six towns (eventually more), state police, county sheriffs, and U.S. Marshals. Very big guns, in several senses of the phrase.

All this would merely be interesting, and perhaps a little unsettling, except for what happened later.

I went out to dinner with a friend after work, and driving home around 9:00, heard on the radio that the hunt was still on. As I approached my own neighborhood, I noticed rather a lot of flashing lights. There were multiple emergency vehicles on every visible side street. I'm sure I saw at least 20 within a couple of small residential blocks. And there were TV news vans.

It seemed a good idea to keep the windows closed last night.

Now, I honestly have no idea what that was all about. I've searched every news outlet and tried to check the local police blotter, and I can't figure it out. I even watched the 9:00 news, and it takes a lot to get me to watch local TV news broadcasts. If it had anything to do with Mr. Fugitive, it must have been a small enough part of a very large undertaking to not make it into the published accounts.

At any rate, very early this morning, he carjacked a woman a couple towns over, then he drove to yet another town and robbed a bank he had robbed at least once previously - not the one from Christmas, a different one from some other occasion - and eventually found himself being chased by police. The chase ended when Mr. Fugitive ran into a car that had pulled over and stopped because of the sirens.

Who said the suburbs are boring?