Gunman bursts into party, tastes cheese and wine, gets hug, then leaves

[FourScore]

WASHINGTON - A grand feast of marinated steaks and jumbo shrimp was winding down, and a group of friends was sitting on the back patio of a Capitol Hill home, sipping red wine. Suddenly, a hooded man slid in through an open gate and put the barrel of a handgun to the head of a 14-year-old guest.

"Give me your money, or I'll start shooting," he demanded, according to D.C. police and witness accounts.

The five other guests, including the girls' parents, froze -- and then one spoke.

"We were just finishing dinner," Cristina "Cha Cha" Rowan, 43, blurted out. "Why don't you have a glass of wine with us?"

The intruder took a sip of their Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry and said, "Damn, that's good wine..."

REST OF STORY (it's definitly worth reading):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19740787/

[DS1]

1. someone would want to go on record as having the nickname "Cha Cha"

?

[bryant69]

2. George Bush's America - Even our Criminals are underachievers.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[clu]

3. nice

their lives were worth more than the money for drugs

[Warpy]

4. Well, here's a clue

"I was definitely expecting there would be some kind of casualty," Rabdau said this week. "He was very aggressive at first; then it turned into a love fest. I don't know what it was."

Maybe it was being treated like a human being by people who were frightened but still inclusive, rather than exclusive.

I've always found that doing something off the wall and unexpected will defuse a lot of bad guys. Offering him a glass of expensive wine and nibble of cheese was all it took.

[qazplm]

10. eh they were lucky

95% of the time, someone breaks into your home, they are leaving with something of value, regardless of how warm and inviting you are.

[Mike Daniels]

12. "I think I may have the wrong house " probably explains alot

With that quote I'm betting the perp was looking for a particular house and walked into the wrong one by accident.

Even with that, most people who stick a gun to the head of a 14 year old aren't going to walk away without relieving someone of their possessions.

The people were just lucky they managed to get a crook with a conscience as there are a hell of a lot more cases where the victim cooperates with the crook and still ends up being assaulted or killed.

[marions ghost]

18. Crook didnt have a conscience necessarily...

but was susceptible to the brief feeling of being included (and also susceptible to wine). Risky psychology on the part of the hostess...he might have just as easily been offended.

[NeedleCast]

5. Note To Self

Buy a few bottles of good wine for "home defense."

[SayWhatYo]

17. hehe

[FourScore]

26. Yep! Good wine and cheese will always stop me from going on a rampage!

My husband has learned this quite nicely about me! :D

[Sequoia]

6. Was it the wine, or the cheese....only the shadow knows.

What a cool story...wow! Thanks.

[HonorTheConstitution]

11. Totally scared off by French Wine

If the story is true it proves many theories of psychologists studying violence and crime:

- Violence creates counter violence
- Depending on the situation deescalation strategies might work best (instead threating, crying yelling or pulling your own gun)

This does not work in all cases, but might be a lesson for crime fighters that chase someone hundred of miles across a highway for speeding.

[EFerrari]

25. We once had a burglar who broke in, stole a piece of cheesecake

and left everything else.

We figured it was someone with the munchies.

lol

[NV Whino]

7. Great story

I wonder if 2 Buck Chuck would have the same effect.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. What A Wildly Odd Story. So Strange! They Should've Taken The Bottle And Smashed It Over His Head

though.

[Mike Daniels]

9. This guy is still an ass - Who the hell points a gun at the head of a 14 year old?

[rhiannon55]

13. "Can I get a hug? How about a group hug?"

Just wow. What a story!

[ourbluenation]

14. Diplomacy Works! n/t

[Mike Daniels]

15. Oh bullshit...

These people were just extremely lucky.

[ret5hd]

19. So diplomacy doesn't work?

[Mike Daniels]

21. Something happened to change this crook's desire to rob these people

whether it was the people's reaction or some other factor I don't know.

That said, there are tons more people who have cooperated with the criminals threatening them and who haven't been as lucky as this group was that night.

[ourbluenation]

24. dude - i was kidding around.

[Marrah_G]

16. Now that story made me smile.

With so much crap today it's nice to see a story that doesn't end with someone injured or dying.

That must have been some wine...........

[OneBlueSky]

20. new approach to law enforcement? . . . offer 'em wine and cheese! . . .

just make sure it's the good stuff . . . :shrug:

[librechik]

22. that alwasy happens when I throw a party

learned my lesson--haven't thrown one since 79...

[marions ghost]

23. Maybe it would work on Chimpy...

...he likes to hug and he likes wine.

Darth would compliment the wine selection before shooting everybody in the face.

Different deviant personalities.