Austin is a thirty five year old tow truck driver in a midsize city. His job brings him in contact with all kinds of people. He enjoys his work. It provides a good living for his family and he gets the chance to help people. Calls for his service can range from the simple disabled vehicle to the horrific accident.

One day he received a call for a tow truck. He was in the shop at the time, but quickly answered the call for help. It was a woman who sounded distressed. She said her vehicle was disabled and she needed to have it towed. He took all the information and headed on his way. When he got to the vehicle, he saw the woman. She looked liked she was pregnant.

She was leaning on the car. He thought, this looks like and easy tow. The car was perfectly aligned to the road, a tow truck drivers dream. He got out of his truck to take her information. At that moment, 2 guys jumped from behind the car. They startled Austin. One pulled out a knife. They asked for his money and the keys to the tow truck.

All Austin could think about was his family. He was outnumbered. There were 2 of them and only one of him. He gave them the keys and his wallet. They told him to move away from the vehicle. He moved over to the side. They jumped into the tow truck and the woman got into the car and they all drove off. Austin whipped out his cell phone and called the police.

He reported the incident. His tow truck was never recovered. His business insurance covered a replacement truck. The criminals were never caught. The police said there was a gang operating in the area, who stole tow trucks. They used them to steal cars for parts. They theorized that the tow truck was probably taken to a nearby hideout and reworked.

Stopping to help someone is a risky business even for professionals. It is really dangerous for the ordinary citizen. Criminals have been known to use scams to trick unsuspecting individuals when they stop on the roadside to help. You should use precaution when offering assistance. A better way to help is to call for the proper authorities.

Do not risk getting caught up in a scam for the sake of doing a good deed. Things are not always what they seem. Criminals have been known to use elderly people and even their own children in perpetrating roadside scams. They know that most people will stop to offer assistance to any one of these groups.

They also use beautiful women to get men to stop and then rob them. Some of these criminals work in groups. It may look like there is only one when you pull up. Then the others are signaled and before you know it you are out numbered. You should always be aware of your surroundings. Always have a self defense strategy in mind just in case things get out of control.