Trespassing + theft issue

Taylortractornut · Aug 3, 2011

About 10 years ago a customer of mine had a problem with out of towners that had lake home here gettin his apples from his orchard. One night he was out there after watching his grove. He caught a couple and their friends with 2 buckets picked. He had them at gun point. He made them eat what they had core and all. Mr. robbinson was a good old man but he had a twitch he picked up in Korea from an injury. He kinda jerks and talks really loud since he cant hear well. After
that no more apple were taken.

Id let the police handle it or catch them in person and make them eat to the bottom of the bucket lol.

Digdug5240 · Aug 3, 2011

Let the police handle it, & prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. As a property owner and past business owner I have learned from experince that it's not a good idea to confront people personally, it can get you into more legal trouble than they are in. There are some really nasty people out there that will take advantage of normal law abiding people like yourself.

Good luck and God Bless.

p.s. You are doing the right thing. They made a decision to steal from you.

foreman Etexas · Aug 3, 2011

Catch them on your place and "GIVE HIM AN GOOD OLD FASHION COUNTRY A$$WHOOPIN"!!!!!!!:thumbsup:

BoFuller · Aug 3, 2011

David P said:
Thanks for all the replies!

Update: Today I stopped by the State Police branch that patrols our area and touched base with the Sargeant. Her recommendation, based upon the attitude of the female thief and the number of times she has been back, was to have them prosecuted. I left a packet with her with a timeline, about 12 pictures (8 1/2 x 11) and copies of the MI trespassing law when stealing fruit is involved (or other crops). I asked her to have the Trooper I first spoke with review the materials and call me in the morning.

I must admit to being really torn. I believe that under MI law I am entitled to somewhere in the vacinity of $150 (3x actual damages). I would really like to approach them, either personally or by certified letter, providing them with a single opportunity to make things right or I will get the police involved.

In an interesting twist of fate I found out that my brother-in-law knows the husband (who also stole berries) and worked with him in the past. It would be kind of funny to leave the pic of he and his wife crawling under my electric fence on his desk sometime when he's not around. haha

So...... I will sleep on this another night and speak to the trooper in the morning. If my schedule permits I will post an update tomorrow night or sometime on Friday.

Unfortunately I think going to the police is the best option. You should be able to go over and discuss it with him as in Matt 18:15 but I have been burnt before trying to be the nice guy. The way things get twisted around these days, they would probably have you charged with harrassment or something.

atgreene · Aug 3, 2011

You made the right decision, but chances are the DA will opt for a quick plea with fines paid, no criminal trial.

hawkeye08 · Aug 3, 2011

If you choose not to go to the police, send the thieves an invoice for the berries. Add a fee for collection since they did not pay when picked and did not set up an appointment to pick.

bearhawk · Aug 3, 2011

hawkeye08 said:
If you choose not to go to the police, send the thieves an invoice for the berries. Add a fee for collection since they did not pay when picked and did not set up an appointment to pick.

Add an extra 100 for "After hour access."

groundcover · Aug 3, 2011

President of a big rose grower cought a woman in the rose fields picking roses. He got the license plate number and had a buddy at the PD run it and found the owner owned a big candy store/ factory in the city. One day when he was up there there on business he stopped in, loaded up a shopping basket and started out the door . The cashier stopped him and he said ask the owner to come down. He explained that the wife had been at his place of business and helped herself so here he was ,fair was fair. The candy factory guy was mortified ,send him off with the basket of goodies and one followed every Christmas for years !

These days it would probably go differently though.

Kyle_in_Tex · Aug 3, 2011

Well the couple certainly was BOLD about it. Repeat offenders. I'm with you as to what the best thing to do is, being a soft hearted guy myself. Go to cops, demand from them direct repayment and if they give attitudes, a misdemeanor trespassing (fine around $100).

It would seem that the police should have went to them after the initial pictures (which didn't catch them leaving) and told them if they trespass again they will be charged. You can go buy that light colored purple paint and paint the tops of your fence posts and that declares it no trespassing.

After reading enough posts from some of these guys, I hope my car never breaks down at night and I needed help around your places. Especially if you've been the victim of thieves lately. I absolutely know better than to knock on a door late at night. I would just sleep in the car until morning.

Here's a true story. Shortly after moving into our new home out here in the country, around 8pm past dark we get a knock on the door. My wife and I looked at each other with the "you expecting anybody" look??? After precariously looking thru the blurry crystal window and not yet turning on the porch light, I couldn't see anything but what looked like a large head but not tall. I went ahead and turned on the porch light and looked again. It was an elderly (80 year old) woman who was at the wrong house and should have been about 3 homes down the road. We didn't even have a good stairwell up to our porch yet and I was glad she didn't fall in the dark. That would have been an expensive hospital bill. Anyway, I brought her in, called her friends whom she was supposed to be visiting, and gentlemanly escorted her down the temporary stairs and to her car with a flashlight.

I sure am glad I didn't have the shoot first ask questions later mentality. It really caught us off guard. We now have a security driveway monitor, mounted motion lights for the yard, a quick pad security safe with a very nice double action pistol, and most of all I now will shout "Who is it?" before I open the door. Plans and Procedures worked out in advance usually work out the best. Ask seal team 6.