Robber Stays For Wine & Hugs

[lizbud]

I could hardly believe this story. Now, that's weird.



Would-be Robber Stays for Wine, Hugs

July 13, 2007 03:12 PM EDT




WASHINGTON - Police on Capitol Hill are baffled by an attempted robbery that began with a handgun put to the head of a 14-year-old girl and ended in a group hug.

It started around midnight on June 16 when a group of friends was finishing dinner on the patio of a District of Columbia home, authorities and witnesses said. That's when a hooded man slid through an open gate and pointed a handgun at the girl's head.

"Give me your money, or I'll start shooting," he said, the witnesses told The Washington Post.

Everyone froze, they said, but then one guest spoke up.

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

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

The girl's father, Michael Rabdau, 51, told him to take the whole glass, and Rowan offered him the bottle. The would-be robber, with his hood down, took another sip and a bite of Camembert cheese and put the gun in his sweatpants.

Then the story got even more bizarre.

The man with the gun apologized, the witnesses told the Post.

"I think I may have come to the wrong house," he said. "Can I get a hug?"

Rowan stood up and wrapped her arms around the man and the four other guests followed.

The man walked away a few moments later with the crystal wine glass in hand. No one was hurt, but once he was gone, the group went inside, locked the door and called 911.

Police said Friday that the case was strange but true. Investigators have not located a suspect.

"We've had robbers that apologize and stuff, but nothing where they sit down and drink wine," Cmdr. Diane Groomes said. "The only good thing is they would be able to identify him because they hugged them."

(Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

[Marigold2]

Thank goodness everyone stayed calm and no one was hurt. How horrible to see a gun pointed at your child. I guess the way to a man's heart is really his stomach.

[mike001]

Shows what a little kindness can do, maybe the guy just needed that hug to make him realize what he was doing.

[CathyBogart]

Well, that's a happy ending.

[lizbud]

I read another article that said the robber actually left the empty wine
glass outside the back gate when he left. Boy, that Chateau Malescot St-Exupery must be great wine.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I read another article that said the robber actually left the empty wine
glass outside the back gate when he left. Boy, that Chateau Malescot St-Exupery must be great wine.

Some people go to great lengths for a nice glass of wine!

[RICHARD]

I shudder to think what would have happened if they wine had been cheap?

"This is the worst wine I have ever tasted!"


BANG BANG BANG.


And to think I laughed at wine snobs.


I guess a good glass of wine does help you live longer!