Trespassing + theft issue

[wedge40]

My thoughts: As I have indicated previously, I have felt very compelled to visit the couple in person while recording our conversation and demand payment with the understanding that if I don't get it I will go to the police. I am very even keeled in discussions like that and have no doubt that I would have been able to maintain my composure. However, my wife is typically a very good judge of character and was quite adamant that a personal visit would not end well. Additionally, they have had ample time to make things right of their own accord. It would have been very easy for them to have contacted my wife to set up a time to pick berries and simply overpaid for them as a way to save face.

Trust your wife's instincts. Don't know about Michigan law, but if you're on some else's property and they feel threatened they have right to to use force against you. As it should be. Let the cops and law handle this. I know it's the principle of it, but in the long run you'll feel better for it.
Wedge

 

[bdeboer]

Local Ace Hardware was sued by someone and lost because they had bounced checks on display... something to do with privacy and Bill Collection.

I wondered about that before and wonder if the account number etc. was covered if that would help.

A local quarry has a chalk board with names of their "cash" only customers.

 

[Mace Canute]

Yep, don't have any direct contact with them. Get the police involved and let them lay charges and when/if they get convicted (or they might even plead guilty), THEN you go after them in Small Claims Court for costs...ALL costs including pain & suffering and mental anguish besides your loss of product and filing costs and the time you have to take off from your real work to appear in SCC AND the time you spent dealing with the police and at their trial if you are asked to testify against them! Maybe even part of the cost of your cameras since they have proved that you need them to find out who was thieving from you. The judge just might give you a partial % of their cost too. Can't hurt to try, eh? If you don't ask for ALL costs at SCC, you can't go back for seconds...you only get one kick at the cat so to speak

 

[hawkeye08]

Glad you chose to go ahead with police action. I agree that if you go on their property, you are at risk.

 

[NorTracNY]

Going to their house...really! Your on their property, they can call the cops on you and then it becomes he/she said on what really went down. These people crawled under an electric fence to steal blueberries instead of paying for them. They will, when cornered or confronted yell the loudest and make the biggest stink. (I worked a 3rd job in retail for years, I know theives). Let the professionals handle it, wash your hand of them. You did what you had to do to protect your business. Dont have any bad feelings about going to the police....do you think they had bad feelings when they went picking and then eating with out paying. Put it this way they broke into your place of business and stole from you.
The less contact you have with them consider it as a gift for paying taxes that support the police. No way on earth I would go to their property, and confront them on their land, about criminal activity they did on your property. Now they come back on your property after the Police talk with them I would do what JJ's suggests

Well said!

I'm surprised to hear that you have not caught them in the last few days. I guess they got tired of blueberries?

 

[Car Doc]

I know what me and a few of my friends would do about it but we dont talk like that on a public forum but as far as answering your question its cut and dry imho.

Call the cops give them copy's of the pics save copy's for yourself for court just in case and go after them like a bulldog make it really sting personally for them they have it coming those lousy pukes need to learn from it.

You have every right to write a letter to your local paper and talk about the recent break in at your new orchard etc dont say you have photos or know who it is and then when the facts arise and hopefully a conviction and the names are released in court records everyone in town will relate back to the letter and know all about it.

 

[zzvyb6]

Call Detroit's WXYZ Channel 7 Action News department (wxyz.com) or visit their website and go to the 'investigators' page. This would be a great story for Investigators Heather, Scott or Bill. Imagine a TV news crew going up to your house and asking why you are stealing fruit when you live in a house and neighborhood like this? They will want you pictures and story, then they make a visit with cameras rolling. On a slow news day, this will get huge reviews. People (viewers) want to see stuff like this ! They (like folks here) only dream about revenge like this. I did this once about some cable company trespassing problems and this went Stateside (on Michigan ABC stations).

 

[Sulla]

I still say get some pigs!

Seriously stay away from these people. Anyone who would steal berries from a neighbor, berries for heavens sake, probably kicks their dog and beats their children. They'll have no problem getting physical on their property and then you have a real problem.

Walk away...let the cops handle it.

Then again there's always the pigs.

 

[David P]

I still say get some pigs!

Seriously stay away from these people. Anyone who would steal berries from a neighbor, berries for heavens sake, probably kicks their dog and beats their children. They'll have no problem getting physical on their property and then you have a real problem.

Walk away...let the cops handle it.

Then again there's always the pigs.

LOL@ the "kicks their dog and beats their children" comment!

Done! Dropped the info at the PD and gave them the go-ahead a week ago. I'll check back with them in another week for an update.

 

[YesDeere]

LOL@ the "kicks their dog and beats their children" comment!

Done! Dropped the info at the PD and gave them the go-ahead a week ago. I'll check back with them in another week for an update.

Please do. Been waiting to hear how this works out for you. Some people just suck. You did right.