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True Crime: Tales straight from the Las Vegas streets

Compiled by Erin Ryan

Sylvia Rowe: “Some crackhead tried to rob my son—a boxer—outside a 7-11, but he only got a broken thumb and a nice kick to the side of the knee for his effort.”

Dan McDonal: “My truck parked in the TI parking garage was broken into, and thieves only took one bag filled with my brother’s clothes from his visit and shopping spree, leaving a laptop, my GPS in place on the dash and a $150 pair of Oakleys sitting on top of the center console. Only thing of real value taken was the leather motorcycle jacket I gave my brother after his first deployment in the Navy.”

Sharon Gehringer: “They broke into my condo while I was at work. What hurt the most was the things they took that I couldn’t replace—gifts that weren’t worth a lot of money but had strong sentimental ties.”

Gabriel Saldana: “I left my house’s door unlocked in November; two disheveled men entered calmly in daylight. I thought my wife had hired them for something. But one pulled a shotgun; the other loaded my big-ticket stuff into their van. They shot my leg; then they left.”

J. Summerhawk: “Wanted to get a jump on my trip to Santa Fe with my daughter. I packed my car with our luggage. I guess some criminal saw me and smashed my rear side window. My daughter was really upset. I told her we were still going. Got the window fixed, and we were on the road by 10 a.m.”

Aaron Smith: “About five years ago at a bus stop, when I refused to give up my empty wallet ’cause of my ID, ATM card and sheriff’s card, I was shot.”

Tracy Oeser: “I was in the Lied Library on the UNLV campus in one of the more secluded areas of the book stacks. I put my purse on a shelf while browsing through books. After finding my books, I went to check them out and realized I didn’t have my purse with me. Went back to the book stacks, found my purse, but my wallet had been removed. I wandered around and walked into an older gentleman who was hiding it under a book and tried to tell me he was trying to return it. I took it away from him, went to security. They arrested him. I was told that students are quite susceptible in the UNLV library. Because of the close quarters, they think their stuff is secure when they walk away, go to the bathroom, etc. Predators—and people who aren’t even students there—are quite rampant walking around waiting for an opportunity to take things.”

Mike Conrad: “I got robbed working at a 7-11 on the graveyard shift about 12 years ago. I got pepper-sprayed in the face, and the crackhead who sprayed me got away with about $3 from the cash register.”

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