Agents Used For Target Practice, Again. - Florida
Two repo agents are shaken, but physically ok after they say they were shot-at on the job. It's a rare but very real danger in a business that's become increasingly busy.
Agents from Richardson Detective Agency go out to repossess vehicles daily, but rarely have to dodge bullets, as two agents say they did on Monday night.
"Telling him, please don't shoot, please don't shoot. I'm a repo man here to check out the truck," Scott Van Dress described the situation. "I can honestly say, the shot was not a warning shot."
Van Dress says he and his partner were trying to repossess a pick-up at a home in Alva at about 11pm Monday night, when a man came out of the house with a rifle and started shooting.
"It would appear to be that we're common thieves, but our job is to fully ID ourselves and make a debtor aware we're here to pick up a vehicle," Van Dress said.
He told deputies he identified himself, but the man still fired at him, leaving the repo agents little choice but to get out of the way, and off the property.
"I'm not allowed to carry a firearm as a repo agent," Van Dress explained. "If I did, that would be a breach of peace."
"All we have is a flashlight and our hand," said RDA office manager Sharlee Walker. "So if somebody is shooting at you-- my life is not worth the repo. See you later, buh-bye, I'm gone."
Van Dress' managers says tough times in other industries have made it busy in the repo business. They're taking in about 70 to 80 cars a week right now, almost as twice as many as usual this time of year.
"I feel sorry for the people we have to go to take their vehicles, because they're families, they have kids."
Walker says while hard times for others are good for their business, it also keeps their agents busy and at risk.
"The laws are working against us," Van Dress said. "Some things have to change to make our jobs safer."
The Lee County Sheriff's Office says there are no charges yet against the man who fired at the two repo agents. The truck owner's wife told deputies he didn't hear the men say they were repo agents. But Scott Van Dress says he plans to press charges either way.
Agents from Richardson Detective Agency go out to repossess vehicles daily, but rarely have to dodge bullets, as two agents say they did on Monday night.
"Telling him, please don't shoot, please don't shoot. I'm a repo man here to check out the truck," Scott Van Dress described the situation. "I can honestly say, the shot was not a warning shot."
Van Dress says he and his partner were trying to repossess a pick-up at a home in Alva at about 11pm Monday night, when a man came out of the house with a rifle and started shooting.
"It would appear to be that we're common thieves, but our job is to fully ID ourselves and make a debtor aware we're here to pick up a vehicle," Van Dress said.
He told deputies he identified himself, but the man still fired at him, leaving the repo agents little choice but to get out of the way, and off the property.
"I'm not allowed to carry a firearm as a repo agent," Van Dress explained. "If I did, that would be a breach of peace."
"All we have is a flashlight and our hand," said RDA office manager Sharlee Walker. "So if somebody is shooting at you-- my life is not worth the repo. See you later, buh-bye, I'm gone."
Van Dress' managers says tough times in other industries have made it busy in the repo business. They're taking in about 70 to 80 cars a week right now, almost as twice as many as usual this time of year.
"I feel sorry for the people we have to go to take their vehicles, because they're families, they have kids."
Walker says while hard times for others are good for their business, it also keeps their agents busy and at risk.
"The laws are working against us," Van Dress said. "Some things have to change to make our jobs safer."
The Lee County Sheriff's Office says there are no charges yet against the man who fired at the two repo agents. The truck owner's wife told deputies he didn't hear the men say they were repo agents. But Scott Van Dress says he plans to press charges either way.
posted by Dave at 1:59 PM
1 Comments:
Stupid is as Stupid does!!!!
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