Real interesting. To catch a thief on rural property.

[the old grind]

The reward is obviously about principle, not the $$. Takes a special kind of guy not to press charges.

A friend bought a house with washer and dryer included. When he got his keys they were both gone. Within weeks he'd met the neighbor an "er". (mine is __er than yours, or your friends or anybody else's I meet) Yep the washer and dryer were in the guy's garage. There was nothing that could be done but Dave got his number real quick.

 

[fishdrivel]

Stumbled across this on YouTube. ~ 20 minute video of a guy catching someone who stole from his property, the involvement of the Sherriff. A good watch.

Wow! I was just going to take a peek but I watched the whole thing. Brings back some memories!

 

[fishdrivel]

Very true, and that's the case whether you're in the city or the country - people don't generally travel to steal. If you get your car broken into or something stolen from your property, odds are it's one of your neighbors.

I had a neighbor steal a bunch of tools from me. Saws, chop saws, battery operated tools etc.
After reporting it to Sheriff, I called a pawn shop. They laughed at me. They said, "what, do you think they will walk in here with all that stuff, right in order of the list?"
The next day the guy walked in to the pawn shop with everything on the list.
Sheriff informed me of the investigation going on. Guy had prior conviction. They explained that NC was a "3 strikes" state and the guy was cooperating. Seems this would be 2nd strike and he would go for life if they connected him with 1 more.
2 days later Sheriff called me and said that he was in the car with him and leading him to all the places he could remember - they were up to 56 at this time. 2 more days and they were up to 72! Perp was sweating bullets because he was afraid he might have forgotten 1.
They convicted him of all the offenses as 1 crime. He plead guilty and did 1 year. Being a victim, they notified me of his release.
A month after his release he died of an apparent drug overdose.
A year later I voted for this deputy and he was elected to Sheriff. I shook his hand at the election.

 

[PILOON]

I actually once was responsible for the LEOs nabbing a thief.

Result was the owner and I were called to testify at the trial.
Owner could not as he was heading up a convention the day of trial.
I did attend the trial.
Owner would have faced serious problems but he opted to his commitments first.

The perp pled guilty and got his knuckles rapped.
The court paid me $4.50 for my lost 1/2 day.

Ask me if I want to ever testify again!

UPDATE:
It has been quiet on the theft scene for some time now.
I suspect that that 'perp' (well known local P.O.S.) is most likely enjoying 'time' at our expense.
Even his kin wanted us to lock him up.

 

[duffer]

As for sending him to "jail", that would just cause him to take revenge later on... right now the neighbor "owes" him to be good.

I totally disagree. I would have loaded up my stuff he stole, got the $1400 reimbursement for the cameras, and then turned to the officer in charge and said "Arrest his ass. I'm pressing charges". The problem with society today is no one is responsible for their own actions.

If the guy tries to get revenge, arrest his a$$ again.

 

[Molalla1]

Shocking... that old P.O.S stealing like that. No guessing where he fits in. I commend that young kid for behaving so well.

Well . . . It depends on what a person's definition of what old is . . . I would call him a young P.O.S. . . . but a P.O.S. nonetheless. . .

 

[JDZ735M]

Part of me thinks he really should have pressed charges, but the guy would not do any time. Within 3 years, this guy will steal again.

That turd has most likely stolen before and gotten away with it. He probably had other stolen stuff in those buildings. He might not even slow down and could be back to stealing within 24 hours.

Very few things lower than a thief. Because a thief will do nearly any other illegal thing in addition to stealing.

 

[dragoneggs]

P.O.S. is right. I could never behave as the young man did. I wanted the thief to hurt. Pay restitution. Maybe go through his house and property and take $1400 worth of his prized possessions.

 

[fishdrivel]

He makes PLENTY of coin from youtube... he's a shocker; one that takes a brand new vehicle and destroys it for "likes" and "views". Been watching him for a while....

As for sending him to "jail", that would just cause him to take revenge later on... right now the neighbor "owes" him to be good.

More than likely, he recognized that some sleazy attorney could take him to court for violating the perp's rights.
He did take videos without notification that he was under surveillance.
He did go to the perp's house and took videos before cops arrived.
He did post the videos on you tube without permission.

1) he got his stuff back.
2) the sheriff knows now who/where the thief is.
3) The sheriff allowed him to confront the perp.
4) the thief will not try to steal from him again.

and he doesn't need the money. I'd have had him arrested.

 

[JDZ735M]

P.O.S. is right. I could never behave as the young man did. I wanted the thief to hurt. Pay restitution. Maybe go through his house and property and take $1400 worth of his prized possessions.

Even if he is an old man now he still needs to have record as being a thief. A final felony conviction for theft (a crime of moral turpitude) will haunt a person no matter who they are. Their word is shot legally from then on.