Chapter 2. Scheme used in apartment building
Since the apartment buildings appeared, the presence of strangers near the home ceased to be unusual and disturbing. The criminals immediately took advantage of certain scheme specially used in apartment building lobby, which has become classics for many decades. A killer with a gun hid in the lobby or close to the front door, and then calmly shot the victim returning home. The most cold-blooded and skillful killers walk down the stairs towards the victim as if nothing has happened. Coming up, they politely greet and strike a lightning blow with a screwdriver or a long awl in the heart. Death comes immediately, quiet and for sure.
In modern apartment buildings, the most popular place for the killer is the elevator. It is the most comfortable moment to shoot when the victim comes into the elevator or leaving it. It is especially convenient to use piercing weapons there because the killer can get close to the victim without arousing suspicion. It is better to hold a dagger or awl in the package, and then to strike, without removing the weapon out of it, when the door is opened. Death convulsions can cause the stop of the elevator. To be stuck between floors with the corpse and all the evidence is the worst situation. Besides, the unexpected witnesses can be behind the opened door of the elevator.
Another type of the scheme used at apartment building entrance is the shooting in the car when the victim returns home or is about to leave the house. In the car similar to an elevator, a victim is limited in movement and becomes an easy target. If the killer is a little behind, it simplifies the task so as to turn back on the driver`s seat is extremely uncomfortable. Psychological factor is not the least. The fact is that the car is perceived as a private space in which a man instinctively feels secure and, consequently, the vigilance reduces. In reality, the situation is exactly the opposite - the car is a trap for someone who is in it. In the broadest sense, this scheme can be extended to the shooting of the car anywhere, not necessarily near home. It can occur at any car stop, for example, at an intersection or gas station. Another variant of the scheme suppose that the car is stopped intentionally by blocking the way or damaging the wheels. In addition, of course, nothing prevents a killer to dress up in police uniform, to stop the particular car and shoot the victim calmly.
Despite the simplicity, this scheme is quite effective. If you come home late and without proper protection, to defend against a killer is almost impossible. Over time, however, this scheme lost some popularity. Firstly, the service of concierges and closed guarded yards have become widely implemented. In any case, everybody who has any reasons to be afraid of killer lives in the houses close to which the potential killer will not have an opportunity to hide. Secondly, escaping the crime scene has become not so simple in the modern metropolis.
The advantage of professionals using apartment building lobby scheme is the price, as they charge for their services a modest price. If the victim lives in the appropriate house and returns later, the deal will be successful in general. The main disadvantage under the abundance of guards and cameras the chance to make a deal quietly fails. The killer runs the risk of being caught, with all its consequences for him and the customer. The killers usually hide the face and drop the gun immediately after the shot, but it helps a little. The camera sees the clothing, height, features of figure and gait. The traces of gunpowder and the inability to explain clearly the presence in someone else`s house will be enough for the prosecution.
The most difficult and crucial for this kind of scheme is the killer`s retreat after murdering the victim. The most popular way is by motorcycle. It combines the natural face hiding under the helmet, maneuverability and speed. An experienced motorcyclist who knows the region and has properly prepared escape route has a good chance to elude his pursuers. Even if we assume that the pursuit will begin immediately after the shooting (which is almost impossible), it is always possible to slip through the bottlenecks and immediately block the passage. In this situation, a partner can help arranging an accident on the way of the chase.
Of course, in order to catch a killer on a motorcycle it is not at all necessary to chase him. It is much more efficient to inform the police, which can organize the interception of a criminal on the probable escape routes. However, it is possible only when the witnesses of the murder are police officers who are able to mobilize their colleagues on the radio instantly. Otherwise, by the time the chase starts, the motorcyclist will already be in another city.
If criminals take the pre-planned measures to elude the pursuers, they can use a bicycle instead of a motorcycle. Despite low speed, the cyclist attracts less attention, causes less suspicion and does not have license plates. It is much easier for a cyclist to mingle with the crowd; he can get through where the motorcycle will not pass. Attention is usually paid to the brightest and most unusual details. Therefore, a cyclist can quickly throw off a jacket and a helmet of acid colors, detach bright and noticeable decorations from a bicycle, and immediately fall out of sight of his pursuers. A bicycle is much less distinctive than a motorcycle. Many people have it, it can be stored in an accommodation, and it is easier to steal it for a one-time use. In the end, you can just get rid of it without the risk of being identified as its owner.
It should be noted that two mentioned above categories of killers stand out. Everyone can be armed with a stick or a pistol; there is no trouble with equipment. No special qualification is also required; almost anyone can shoot or punch. Finally, it is not necessary to involve many people in the operation; anybody can easily do it alone. On the other hand, not everyone can be killed in this way, and even minimal precautions from the victim will put the operation at risk. Therefore, the killers of this level are recruited to kill ordinary people who do not care about their own safety. The customers most often make a deal with them directly, or generally keep them on the salary, threatening them with the compromising evidence and periodically entrusting them with not too complicated dirty work. Accordingly, it costs much cheaper than the service of the highly qualified specialists. Then we will talk about high-class killers, who, as a rule, act as a group or are members of a specialized criminal organization. They work with a guarantee, using other methods and at other prices. They can handle even the most carefully guarded person. The most qualified will disguise the murder as a natural death or accident.
End of the demo.
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