The gun was gone.
The Victim: Joy Brock
The Crime: Burglary of a motor vehicle
Date: Thursday, Aug. 25
Time: Between 6:30 p.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Location: 6900 block of Ellsworth
Lakewood resident Joy Brock and her husband spend quite a bit of time at their East Texas farm. They have about 50 acres on which they cut hay and, on weekends, relax by the lake.
Brock also does quite a bit of night driving. When the couple married 24 years ago, her husband decided she needed to protect herself in case she was the victim of a robbery or an assault.
“My husband is a competitive shooter and grew up around guns,” she says. “So he got me this gun when we were first married for protection. You never know when something will happen. Property can be replaced, but I want to protect myself and my family.”
She kept the 38-caliber gun through the years, and carried it in her car during long drives. A few years ago, the Legislature approved a measure allowing Texans without a criminal background to carry a handgun in their car as long as it was hidden. Carriers don’t need a concealed handgun license to carry a gun in their automobiles.
Brock says she is normally very conscientious about locking her car every night.
“When I went out to go to work, the glove box was open and things were strewn about,” she says. “It was quite strange because I never, ever, ever forget to lock my car.”
The gun was missing, and it was the third time the Brocks had been victimized. In 1993, some things were stolen from their garage, and a four-wheeler was stolen in 2004.
“It’s almost like there are people walking around the neighborhood looking for opportunities,” Brock says.
The crime will not deter the Brocks from defending themselves, and at press time they were already preparing to replace the stolen gun.
“My husband just put the Cabela’s catalog in front of me and said to pick out a gun,” she says.
Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Geoff Pettay of the Northeast Patrol Division says that without a key, it is very difficult for thieves to break into a car without causing damage, and advises to always lock vehicles and remove property.
“A Slim Jim might do it [without causing damage], but even that may cause a little,” he says.
Pettay also confirmed that Texans are allowed to carry a handgun in their cars, “as long as you keep the firearm concealed in the vehicle, and only take the firearm out of the vehicle when you get to work and to your home.”
5
Vehicle burglaries happened along Oram between Abrams and Greenville.
3
Aggravated assaults occurred near Abrams and Henderson.
5
Burglaries of businesses happened along Haskell, Peak, Carroll and Fitzhugh between Gaston and Ross.
Source: Dallas Police Department crime stats for Aug. 13-Sept. 13
