Human Contact

[Atmos]

Recently I came across a rather precious opportunity (in my case,) when i found a local co-op has a back door open leading to a warehouse full of food, reachable by climbing a few walls and climbing over some storage blocks. After a couple of trips in and out there was some noise, i waited about 5 minutes then proceeded with caution. just as i was about to enter a man, having a fag in a storage container stopped me, i just told him i was really cold and about to go home, luckily for me i made this stupid mistake where the stakes where low and i could just walk out, but it made me think:

*Skip here If my ramblings don't interest you*
1:If your seen before you have committed a crime do you just run or weasel out?
2:That same night i was unaware if i had been seen, Should you just walk/run out, pray they didn't see, or greet them and act innocent?
3: What is the worst case scenario for simply being caught trespassing in a commercial area?

I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this.

[Xanatos]

The objective in such situations is to get out as fast as possible, how you do so is up to you. However, if you can 'weasel' your way out by playing it cool it's usually preferable to flat-out running. I don't know what the penalty is for being caught in commercial areas, I never hang around long enough to find out.

[vonunov]

One time I went out, half for shits and giggles and half to see if I could nick some food because I'd lost my job, to a grocery store where I'd found food shipments sitting around outside before. There was nothing outside, but the overhead door into the storage area was open, so I ducked in to see what I could find. I stopped off to rummage in a sort of desk area first, and when I stood up from behind the counter, an employee had walked in from the store proper and was no more than ten feet from me. There was no playing it off, because I had gone out all tacticool in black BDUs and a ski mask, figuring I'd be on camera anyway so I may as well protect myself. He stared. I stared. Said, "Hi, dude. See you!" and ducked right back out the door and ran off down the alley. Shouting and a flashlight soon followed, but no one came far after me, it seemed. Made it back to my bike and then to home without incident.

I probably scared the shit out of that guy. It was fantastic.

[Atmos]

Haha yeah there's no excuse when your wearing a ninja suit, but sprinting isn't my strong point, I guess it depends on who see's you, Because unless he is after a promotion or something i doubt a shelf stocker is going to put up much of a pursuit, while LP or a manager will take it a lot more personally. Im pretty sure employees cant touch you outside the premises anyone know if thats true or not?

Also i went back there 8ish this morning and there was a police officer there taking notes, not sure if it was related to me or not haha.

[Ghost]

Frankly, this is the exact reason why I ALWAYS wear full gear while i'm out opping. If I don't have access to full gear, I will not op. When you're wearing a mask, all you need to do when you're spotted is escape, hide, and then lay off the area until things cool down. Yes, seeing a guy in full ninja gear is going to bring more attention than a guy in civvies, but remember: no one realizes that the guy in ninja gear is you.

If you go out in plain clothes, or with your face uncovered, all it takes is one encounter to completely ruin you. Granted, it feels easier. You tell yourself that you'll be able to talk your way out of things, or reason your way out. You could always still run, too. And there's that little voice in the back of your head that tells you "hey, if you do get caught, and escape isn't an option... better to be some random guy in street clothes than a ninja."

But night opping is rarely about how things "feel". It's the cold, hard facts that matter. The skills you've built, the preparations you've made, and the combination of what your observations and instincts are telling you.

If you are caught without wearing a mask, even under the best circumstances, you've just linked your own face with suspicious activity. You've deliberately let others know that you, as a person, were doing something you shouldn't have been. You've created an association, in at least one person's mind, between yourself and possibly illegal activities. Even just a glance is enough for someone to know that you were up to something, regardless of if you're caught or not. To be perfectly honest, I believe it's both a dangerous and unprofessional mindset, and it WILL eventually land you in a situation you'll end up regretting. It's nothing more than a sloppy excuse to commit halfway to something that REQUIRES complete dedication.

[Æternaeon]

Agreed with Ghost wholeheartedly. Although it may seem easier to go casual and can take balls of steel to try to go unnoticed near people, it's surprisingly effective. At night, we're our own worst critics. We think everyone will hear little noises we make or can see us like we're illuminated because our eyes are so well adjusted to the darkness. But the truth is, when we do these things we are totally unexpected. There's not even suspicion. We're not there.

[Atmos]

This seems sensible. But you can never be to paranoid, it all depends on the location i guess

[Shinobi-No-Jutsu]

I was very confused about this on my first OP, i was so focused on my target building that i failed to scout the road i was on and i turned around to see man headed right for me. My mind was racing, i figured i would have no chance talking my way out of it looking like i did, and i thought 'do i have room to run or should i take him down'. of course the man stopped a few meters away from me and got into his car, but should he have actually been headed for me, i probably would have froze. The next day i thought hard about what i should do if in that situation again.

[Neurotic Anomaly]

This seems sensible. But you can never be to paranoid, it all depends on the location i guess

A certain level of paranoia is healthy for the operative. However, as with anything, too much of something can bad, and being over-cautious is not recommended.

The proper term for this is "Veteran's paranoia", or when you've reached a level of paranoia that you are rendered mostly incapable of opping because you feel like someone, somewhere knows about you're activities. And they're searching for you.

I suffered from this for a while. It was a direct result of me getting caught during an op and managing to just barely break contact and get away. It lasted for quite a while and made it to were I was uneasy with just walking through my neighborhood after dark.

This is dangerous during an op because it can make you immediately go comatose if you even suspect you're not alone on an op.

[Teutoni]

This is the reason that at the very, very least I always cover my face on an op. There is no excuse not to do it, once you're seen then that's it, it is much easier to find you afterwards. I would attempt to run and hide which is especially effective if you are familiar with the area.
I agree with Neuro on the paranoia subject as I have found myself getting "Veteran's Paranoia" at times and I simply can not function as effectively, though mine was from trying to do some basic training with new members.