For your safety...

Greetings Friends,
I wanted to share with you something that recently happened in a public place that scared me and my daughter.  I hope that by sharing this, you will be more cautious when you are out and about.

My daughter and I were at the Evansville Target about two weeks ago.  It was around 4pm and we had just gone through the toy section to pick out one item.  We were in the check out lane behind two other people.  I didn't notice anything strange at first. I paid for the toy without incident, and while waiting for the lady to put the toy in a bag, I noticed a guy standing over by the carts at the entrance/exit.  

At first, I saw a woman and a boy near the carts, so I thought he was with them and was getting a cart for the three of them.  Then I noticed he was not with them, and he was "straightening up" the carts.  So then, I thought, "he must work here."

As my daughter and I walked to the exit, I could see him out of the corner of my eye.  He wasn't wearing Target employee attire, and as soon as we walked past him, he followed us.  As I was walking through the exit doors holding my daughter's hand, I was very aware of his presence behind us.  My big purse was on my outer arm, and I thought for sure he was going to steal my purse or maybe something worse.

My heart was racing, and I knew something was up.  On the sidewalk outside the exit, no one was around.  I quickly decided to say out loud to my daughter, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot that," and then I proceeded to make a direct U-turn back into the store.  From the corner of my eye, I could see that he paused, as if he wasn't expecting that.  Then he turned and walked toward a white SUV with dark windows.  

My daughter and I waited inside the store near the carts at the entrance, hiding.  I waited to see what he would do.  He sat there for awhile.  As I started to think I needed to talk to the store security officer, the guy drove off.  I should have reported him.  He hadn't purchased anything.  He wasn't carrying bags.  He had been waiting at the exit, loitering.

Several  years ago, my husband ran after a guy and tackled him after he stole a woman's purse.  This was at the Target at Tinseltown in Louisville.  The lady was lucky, since my husband was fast and has a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. He was able to take the guy down and subdue him until the police arrived.

Moms, be aware of your kids and your belongings at all times.  I've heard too many similar stories like my own lately.