4 Aug 03

Unhappy story from SA, from a friend and student there:

"One of my (and, by proxy, your) students owned a security company here that specialized in high-risk movement of cash ("AIT," or Assets in Transit). Rudolph trained extensively and had taken five courses with me. On the job, he always wore body armor and two pistols.

Last week, Rudolph went to collect money from a local Pick & Pay store here in Johannesburg. He arrived early in the morning, went to the back door, and unlocked the security door that protects the inner door. He entered and locked both doors behind him, as per standard procedure.

Once inside, he collected cash boxes from the staff. Then, someone knocked on the outer security door. Rudolph, apparently thinking it was one of his staff, opened both doors. He was greeted by six armed robbery suspects, three with Kalashnikovs and three with pistols.

The robbers quickly forced their way inside, making everybody lie, face down. Then, they searched each individual for keys to the cash boxes. When they got to Rudolph, they disarmed him and, upon seeing that he wore body armor, obviously presumed him to be a threat. They immediately shot him in the back of the head with a pistol and twice through his soft body armor in the back with an AK. They then picked up the cash boxes and escaped. None of the others there were harmed. Suspects are still at large."

Lesson: You can do everything right a thousand times, then let your guard down only once. In Africa, few get second chances. Desperate, determined, and wholly evil men lurk everywhere.

Sometimes, we all may be faced with this formidable choice: I can die fighting here and now, or I can be murdered on my knees after I have been rendered helpless. In a case like that, you may as well go for it, because you're probably going to die anyway. Everyone needs to think about this unhappy situation in advance. For my part, they're not getting me without a fight!

/John