We in IT support, or computer repair, or those who get laptops fixed, or anyone else in the tech industry, has this nightmare. It’s the nightmare in which an angry customer comes back and wrecks stuff up. So for one Florida smartphone store, this is reality. Tech crime: customer destroys store.
So here is how it happens. In Palm Springs, Florida,we have 26-year-old?Shinobia Montoria Wright. Witnesses say she drove on the strip mall’s sidewalk. Then, she drove through the T-Moble store’s glass window. She also stepped on the gas to make it further inside. Furthermore, despite the medal wall, Wright’s SUV van made it quite deep in the store.
But there’s still more to Wright’s tech crime. T-Mobile employees tried to get Wright under control. But when they did, she got out to the car and attacked them. Thankfully, it wasn’t with a gun or knife, but with a squeegee! This is the first time I ever heard of someone using a squeegee as a weapon! Another fortunate thing is that T-Moblie employees avoided serious injury. In fact, the worst hurt was Wright herself. She’ll undergo emergency surgery because she cut up her arm so bad in this tech crime. She’s also facing criminal charges like battery and burglary. She’ll probably have a $30,000 bill coming to her doorstep. That’s what the damage costed.
Personally, I think Wright should get assault with intent to commit serious injury. This is no minor matter. Someone really could have been seriously hurt, if not worse. But this brings up workplace safety. In our Boston computer servicing shop, we come across disgruntal customers sometimes. Thank heavens none escalate to violence like this did. But anybody can snap at anytime. And it doesn’t even have to be between customer and employee. No wonder why so many in the tech world constantly watch their back. I don’t write this to spread fear, but what can we do to keep tech employees safe?
We at Computer Geeks wish everyone a safe and happy Dr. Martin Luther King Day holiday. Let’s honor his dream by loving and respecting each other.