Coping With Muggers

The key to coping with muggers is to avoid making yourself vulnerable. As a police inspector in Leeds, England, noted: “Mugging is an opportunist business, that’s the thing to remember.” So if circumstances compel you to be in an unsafe area, stay alert. Don’t give muggers an opportunity. Act in keeping with the Bible principle: “A sensible man foresees danger, and hides from it; but the simple pass on, and are punished.”​—Proverbs 22:3, An American Translation.

Keep your eyes moving over the street ahead and occasionally look behind. Look ahead before entering a block​—anticipate danger. Try to avoid traveling alone after dark. If you are at a meeting place, wait to walk home with a friend. When driving your automobile, make sure that all doors are locked. If they are not, a criminal can easily enter when you stop at a signal.

But what if, despite your precautions, you suddenly find yourself face-to-face with someone who has a knife or a gun? Remember: Your life is your priority. No possession can exceed its value. So if your attacker wants money, give it to him. Some people living in dangerous areas carry ‘mugger money’​—a little money in a wallet or purse to satisfy a mugger.

Remember too: Act calmly. Speak firmly and with your normal voice. Look the person in the eye, and try to hold his gaze. Do not reply in kind to insults or threats. Apply the Bible counsel: “An answer, when mild, turns away rage.” “Be gentle toward all.” (Proverbs 15:1; 2 Timothy 2:24) Be ready to apologize even though there may not really be anything to apologize for.

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Will you struggle to keep your money and perhaps lose your life?