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off-roader BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, STAFF WRITER Mar 29, 2005 A Yuman who came back from Iraq just two weeks ago was robbed at gunpoint Sunday night in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Matthew Sharrar, 21, said he had a gun pointed at his head while thieves stole his 1997 Ford Explorer, $700 in cash and his cell phone. The thieves are believed to have entered the country illegally and then f led back to Mexico. The robbery occurred at about 8:30 pm PST, accordi ng to the US Border Patrol. "To be terror ized in my own country, it's more upsetting." Sharrar said a Lincoln Navigator pulled into a camp that was 50 yards awa y from the one he was in. About five people from the Navigator began to "get rough" with the campers. Sharrar said the Navigator was used to ram the trailer twice and shots were fired into it. "They took off in my car, and then 20 minutes later the police finally sh owed up," Sharrar said. Sharrar, a specialist with the California Army National Guard, was in Ira q for a year before returning March 15. El Centro sector Border Patrol spokeswoman Danielle Suarez said agents re sponded as soon as they received a call from California Highway Patrol. Matthew's father, Flash Sharrar, said Border Patrol agents were only thre e miles from the incident but slow to respond. Flash Sharrar said a woma n at the camp was making calls to 911 as the incident was occurring, and he made calls once he was notified. Matthew Sharrar contends that the incident occurred in the Buttercup camp ground. He said he could see the freeway from where they were camped and were not close to the border. However, Suarez said that according to Border Patrol reports, the robbery occurred southwest of Swingle's Hill, which is only a quarter of a mile from the border. She said it would take only about 15 seconds by vehicle to get back acros s the border after making the robbery. And after such a traumatic incide nt, Suarez said time can slow down and make even a short response time " seem like forever." Officer Joe Miller, CHP spokesman, said their office, Imperial County She riff's Office and Border Patrol searched the area, but it was believed t hat the suspects had already fled south. Miller said Mexican authorities were notified of the robbery. The official report of the robbery was taken by ICSO, Miller said. Messag es left with ICSO's Off-Highway Vehicle unit Monday were not returned. F lash Sharrar said border security failed and that agents should have bee n monitoring the Navigator's entry. "I told (Matthew) he should stay in Iraq, it's safer," he said. Suarez said with thousands of campers on the weekends, and many driving v ery close to the border, it is hard to know who is whom. "We keep this area pretty beefed up, but on the weekends this is like a town. Agents could also have been tied up by medical calls, Suarez said. All agreed that an armed robbery was out of the ordinary for that section of the dunes. Suarez said Border Patrol knows of no other recent armed robberies in the area, which is generally considered safe. Flash Sharrar had kind words for the Yuma Police Department. He said they came to his home after the incident and kept patrol nearby overnight. H e said his son stood as armed guard at the house all night. Matthew Sharrar spent Monday buying another car, which he will have today . He said if he goes back to the dunes it will be in an area farther to the north. Flash Sharrar, who has been closely involved with Operation Troop Comfort for those overseas, acknowledged the irony in his son going to Iraq to fight a war on terrorism only to forced to guard his own home. "(People) know how much I care for our troops," he said.
View Replies To: off-roader Three words come to mind: Concealed Weapons License. Of course, I realize that that's a nearly impossible item to come by in C alifornia, to the government of that state's shame. It'd be nice to see some private citizens out there try to get a measure on the ballot that would make California a "shall issue" state. There's a lot of good peopl e out there who should have that right, if they so choose.
"To be terror ized in my own country, it's more upsetting." There are quite a few illegals coming in th at don't leave their victims that way. All the more reason it's time to put an end to the playground.
View Replies To: off-roader "Agents could also have been tied up by medical calls, Suarez said." Now if BRODER PATROL agents are tied up with medical calls who do you thi nk they are assisting?
View Replies To: off-roader "Sharrar, a specialist with the California Army National Guard, was in Ir aq for a year before returning March 15. A soldier risks his life fighting for freedom in another country only to return home and be robbed by "guest workers."
View Replies To: Texas_Jarhead "Agents could also have been tied up by medical calls, Suarez said." "Agents could also have been tied up by rounding up illegal alien invader s, Suarez said." "Agents could also have been tied bribery investigation, Suarez said."
View Replies To: A Jovial Cad Concealed weapons are nice to have when you are out and about. However, a t home or in your camper a 12 gauge shotgun with buckshot in it will det er the lawless and or make hamburger. Also a red dot from a laser sight does get ones attention when they notice it on their chest. If they get past my alarm system, my dog, and my bolted doors it is fair to assume they i ntend to harm me. ps refuse to attend a gunfight if your caliber of weapon does not start with the number forty or higher.
I investigated a poor guy w ho went there in an 88 Toyota 4runner. Many men came o ut from a dune, beat him up, broke windows out, flattened all four ties, stole his stereo out of the car, beat him with clubs, and stripped him of his wallet. Border Patrol told him t hat this was not unusual, and his attackers came from over the border.
View Replies To: A Jovial Cad Unfortunately with people that have CCWs (like Di Fi) would never allow s uch a thing. Just to think that a common person could have the right to defend themselves. Just a thought in passing: You are responsible for your own safety until the police arrive.
View Replies To: off-roader If this guy wants his car back he should check out the parking lot of the nearest Mexican police station. Chance are it is being driven by the lo cal Chief of Police.
View Replies To: Ramonan Funny, when I read: "All agreed that an armed robbery was out of the ordinary for that sectio n of the dunes. Suarez said Border Patrol knows of no other recent armed robberies in the area, which is generally considered safe." I sort of thought officer Suarez might have some problems with the truth.
View Replies To: A Jovial Cad "Three words come to mind: Concealed Weapons License." yea , and it should be for a CAR-15 in the trunk , not for some pocket pe a-shooter....
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