Long story short... I was getting bored and depressed, and decided to take a random spin in the FR-S around the city earlier this evening (my wife and kids are overseas due to my wife's grandfather passing away, so I don't have much to look forward to these days, except work and going to the track
).
And so I was just cruising around on a slow Sunday evening, and pulled into a strip of area full of stores / shops / restaurants (some were closed for the day)... I was continuing to observe around the area, much like a tourist... All of a sudden a cop
zooms past right in front of my view like he's chasing somebody... I glanced to see what in the world he was going after, but then I decided to not worry about it, and just made a U-turn in the parking lot area, and I simply continued about my journey of observing around all the shops and stores which I had never noticed in the previous times I had visited the same area.
All of a sudden... A cop (the same cop that initially zoomed in front of me?) started following me very aggressively... I noticed him immediately, but I did not want to panic because that would only attract extra attention towards me... And there was never a time where I was speeding, I kept my speed at >10 miles in the parking lot. I took a right to try to get out of his way since maybe there would be chance that he wasn't really after me... But as I took a right, that's when he turned on his lights, and it was
doomsday for me...
He got out of his police SUV and approached me with extreme caution... I looked back and greeted him very nicely, "Hi, how are you?"... He then asked for my I.D. and I happily provided it to him.
After reviewing my information and asking me multiple questions, he asked me to step out of my FR-S... Before he proceeded to ask anything further of me, I offered if he'd like to search my car... And he said that he actually would like to do that. I said, "Sure, no worries... I really don't have anything to hide." He proceeded to search my car thoroughly for about 10 minutes. Around that time or before, a second officer pulled up... He asked to search me, and I said "Sure." And then somewhere along that time, several more police vehicles (5+, maybe?) surrounded my area all around the parking lot.
After the first officer was done searching my car, he approached me and filled me in on what was exactly going on. He notified me that there was a robbery in one of these businesses within a 30 second window from the moment they spotted me driving through the parking lot. I told them that I had absolutely no reason to steal from anybody... I was only getting bored on a Sunday evening, and that I just felt like driving my sports car around in the area... No harm intended to anybody... I even told him that I wasn't speeding and was minding my own business.
They made me stay put and face a certain direction, etc... All the officers were waiting for any updates from the department / other officers, I suppose? Soon after, the second officer asked me to put my hands behind my back and was proceeding to arrest me... Then, the first officer told the second officer to hold off, and not handcuff me... And started to approach me, and said that I matched the
exact description of the thief.
I was at a loss of words, and requested them to
please view any surveillance video for the business that was robbed... I requested them to
please do their research before arresting me like this. I told them that I was NOT who they were looking for... And that they simply had the WRONG guy.
After several more minutes went by... He gave me my I.D. back and told me that I could go. I told him to please do call me at the contact I provided him with if they needed any additional info from me. I took my I.D. and sat in my car... I waited 5 solid minutes to calm myself down from this entire incident. At the same time, I also wanted to let it be known to the officers that I was a legit person and not in a hurry to leave the scene after they released me... And then I drove off peacefully after I let some more time go by as I was seated in my car.
I was trying to be as understanding and cooperative with the police, and let them know that I understood
completely in that they were only doing their job... And also telling them repeatedly that it wasn't me who was the bad guy.
Why me? I guess wrong place, wrong time... Unfortunately.
If this seems to be an off-topic matter... Please feel free to relocate, Moderators.
Thank you everyone for hearing me out on my small story for the day.
Texas FR-S