The average crook is not really a thinking person; if he was, he wouldn’t be a crook. In most cases, the crook will imagine a scenario of how a crime will go down—essentially, the crook produces a weapon and the victim complies. Unlike the armed citizen, he doesn’t think about what to do if the plan goes wrong. One of the best things the armed citizen can do is to create a diversion that will mess up the crook’s pre-planned agenda.
If the crook is one of those who likes to engage a target in conversation in order to approach and get closer, the best thing you can do is to take over the conversation. And you do it in an authoritative manner—“Stop! That’s close enough. What do you want?” You, of course, should be in Condition Orange at this point, that is, you’ve got your hands free and your covering garment clear so that you can get to your firearm quickly.
In the case of being confronted by an obviously armed crook, you need to realize that the criminal has the advantage at this point. You need to do something to swing the advantage to your side. You may drop what is in your hands or, better yet, throw it at him. You might knock something over with your support hand while starting your pistol presentation. And, by all means, move and move quickly. Movement to the left or right, or on the diagonal is best.
It is even better when working with a partner that you have trained with. Even if that partner chooses not to be armed, or is not armed, he/she can still be part of an effective defense. If the crook’s focus is on you, then the partner creates the diversion. Again, knocking something over will create the distraction, as will screaming or yelling. You need anything that will attract the crook’s attention long enough for you to get into action.
Think about the things that you do during your daily routine and how you might create a diversion in those various situations. Discuss the subject with your spouse or partner to find ways that each of you can support the other in various situations. In all the circumstances that you might imagine, it is important to do something quickly and to include movement as an integral part of the plan. Crooks expect you to comply and you can ruin their day with an effective diversion.
