Justice? Yeah, right...

[Veronica]

The DA declined to prosecute the folks who were in possession of our stolen goods for our burglary. Just because you have the stuff, doesn't mean you were the one who took it. WTF?

I am so angry. I guess crime does pay because apparently, if you steal stuff and you get rid of it fast enough, you're not going to get caught.

I know some of my friends think we're paranoid because we installed a video surveillance system. If I could I'd have a system that included a shotgun. Freakin' people! They really are scum.

I feel like I'm a weirdo because I actually have values, because I try to do the right thing because it's right. Not because it's convenient or because it suits my agenda. I guess in this world I'm an anomaly.

Remember if you buy expensive stuff on Craig's List or ebay and the seller doesn't have any proof that they actually bought it, it may be stolen. Especially if it's a really good deal. If the seller doesn't have boxes and receipts, be suspicious. Between watches and camera equipment those pr!cks stole more than $25,000 worth of our stuff. All three of Thom's very high end, unique watches were sold on Craig's List. We couldn't get our police department to follow up on it fast enough. And they sold it all to support their meth habit. Why do people do drugs? What's wrong with them?


So frustrated and p!ssed!

V.

PS Feel better now that I've vented. More yoga!

[Tuckervill]

I'm sorry.

What about theft by receiving?

I'm angry, too. Glad the vent made you feel better.

Karen

[maillotpois]

That completely blows.

I'm sorry.

:mad:

[Trek420]

I'm sorry.

What about theft by receiving?

I'm angry, too. Glad the vent made you feel better.

Karen

Yeah, I'm not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV but on the CSI shows I watch :rolleyes: that's called "receiving stolen property" but I'm guessing they could not plea bargain to get the scum who stole it.

You are not a weirdo because you have values, V. If you are then we need more "weirdos" teaching in our schools. You are an athlete, a great teacher and cat-mom with a great relationship and all because you have values. The addict looser may have your "stuff" but it's just "stuff". He can never take that from you nor have those traits himself (I presume a guy?). :o

[LBTC]

Hugs, V

Glad you feel better after venting, let the yoga help you release the rest. Easy to say, I know, but the longer you hang on to the anger, the more they win. And, like Trek says, we need more anomalies like you! You will receive something wonderful from someone soon, and it will remind you that there are other good people, like you, in the world. I'm hoping it's something shiny! :o

Hugs and big, gentle, peaceful butterflies, full of soul healing and release,

~T~

[Wahine]

Let that anger out V!!! That really does stink to high heaven.

It scares me when I think too much about how easy it is for someone to violate someone elses person/property. I also try to do what's right, because it's the good thing to do, not because of a pay off to me. I really don't understand how people that use or take advantage of others live with themselves. I know a lot of it has to do with addictions. But then I wonder what went wrong that made that individual decide to do meth or cocaine or whatever. Anyway, my head hurts so I'm going to stop thinking about it and focus on what I can do that's good today.

[sundial]

V--http://bestsmileys.com/hugging/3.gif

I'm so sorry our justice system serves injustice to good people who have been victimized. It makes me angry too when we work, pay our taxes, and live as law abiding citizens only to be shunned by our law enforcement and legal system when we need them most.

I can only hope that eventually those people will be caught and that justice will be served--eventually.

[KSH]

Stories like this really steam me up! :mad:

How frustrating... and idiotic.

Cameras around your house? PERFECT! If they come back for round two... they will be on film and will NOT get away with it a second time.

Yea, this really teaches people that they can get away with being crimminals.

Did you hear about the story in Texas... this guy saw his neighbors house being robbed and the robbers left the house and were running down the street. The guy left his house and shot both of them. In Texas that's how we do it. You needed a neighbor like that!

[smilingcat]

Hi V,

Just awful!! My sympathy for your frustration, anger, saddness/hoplessnes of it all. More salt into the wound by the DA.

Sad commentary on our society that police/DA/courts are too busy to deal with non-violent crime. The police didn't even bother when my partners new van was stolen.

smilingcat

[Melalvai]

Clearly we need more cyclists in the justice system.
It's odd but I don't really know anyone who is. My sister is in law school, I don't know exactly where she'll end up, she's interested in domestic law and might be a children's advocate. She has a hard time studying constitutional law (ie, Supreme Court decisions) because it's so depressing how idiotic the revered leaders of our nation are.

[farrellcollie]

Clearly we need more cyclists in the justice system.
.


I commuted by bike along with 4 other co-workers when I was a public defender (I don't remember any judges or prosecutors doing it though - it was considered to be the hippy bleeding heart liberal thing - not the law and order thing to do). I still commute by bike to teach now. One time a secretary at the pd office where I worked was robbed while at the office. We were (and still are) one of the nation's most poorly paid public defender systems- I think he got $1.75 from her.

ps - the people who stole from you will more than likely be caught eventually for another crime. We had a saying in our office that if they were smart - they wouldn't be clients.

[Veronica]

Thanks ladies. I hope no one minds being called a lady. :p I guess I could have said chicks.

I kept looking at my class bully today and thinking he's a burglar in the making. He does not follow any rules. He has no respect for anyone. If not a burglar, it will be something else, equally unsavory. He's 12, some of the kids in the ring were only 15!

And I have tried and been unsuccessful at turning this kid around. I truly believe that by the time a kid is in fifth grade (he's really sixth grade age) they are on their way to setting their path. And the path can be changed, but by the time they are this old, the kid has to buy in to the change. And I really think that he doesn't see anything wrong with the way he treats other people.

It saddens me.

And yeah, the stuff is just stuff. But it's made me paranoid. On my run yesterday I was convinced some teens on scooters were going to come rob me. You can totally see where I increased my pace to get off the trail I was on. :D I'm actually thinking about getting pepper gel to carry when I run.

We're trying to find out if they at least got charged with possession of stolen property. The cops found my driver's license and all my personal records in their apartment, plus some other stuff. What more proof do you need?

I totally get now why people sue. It's absolutely irrational, but I was thinking that we should have sued the city for allowing the apartments next door to our house to be built. Because apartment dwellers are evil. :rolleyes: We should have sued the owner of the apartments for not doing a proper background check. This guy was walking around our neighborhood, casing houses. He and his girlfriend lived in the apartment building right next door to our property. Talk about creepy.

Anyway... back to the suing thing... you just want someone to step up and take responsibility, to say they are fault. Or maybe you just want the money. :D Me, I want the parents of all involved in the burgalry ring to admit they were crappy parents and didn't instill any values in their kids. And I want the burglars neutered so they can't have any more children for money. Yes, the couple in the apartment where they found our stuff, did that.

V.

[Meaux]

Did you hear about the story in Texas... this guy saw his neighbors house being robbed and the robbers left the house and were running down the street. The guy left his house and shot both of them. In Texas that's how we do it. You needed a neighbor like that!

Didn't he end up being prosecuted, though? It's frustrating how our legal system caters to the criminals. When my car was broken into a few years ago, they caught the guys that did it and I was asked to testify against them. However, after taking time off work in order to get an estimate on the damage done to my car and taking time off work to go to court and testify against one of the kids who did it, the kid only got six months in juvenile detention. What for? So he could learn to break into cars and not get caught? I wasn't even offered anything to help fix my car. I declined to testify against the other guy. :(

[KnottedYet]

I sure hope the woman (with multiple past criminal offenses, driving a car not her own with a baby not her own in it) who plowed into MM_QFC and Linda at estimated 40 mph, injuring both of them and totalling each of their bicycles while they were in the crosswalk and other traffic had stopped, boy, I sure hope justice comes to visit her.

[Trek420]

If justice does not come a'knockin at her door maybe we should rassle up a posse. Betcha a bunch of super-fit mad cyclists in lycra will scare her into a settlement :mad: MM_QFC goes to see her surgeon re the knee tomorrow; butterflies, thing good thoughts, whatever you prefer.

Someone will likely reply this is cruel to think of the driver and let the legal system and karma work it's course and this is not nice to say and we don't talk like this here and Trek, whata surprise I thought you are so nice but .... sometimes karma takes too long and it only takes 60 lbs of pressure to break a kneecap, any one of us can generate 600 lbs easy with a kick. I can show you how. :cool: And then she can see how it feels, but most likely the moron does not move at all or use her knee, wouldn't miss it.

Why do things like this happen to fit/good people?

Across from me is a nice little condo, really the best remodel in the complex (till mine is done). A few days ago the agent was showing the unit to a couple, opens the door to leave and right there in front of her are two ^%$& teenaged twits (maybe your bully, V?) graffiti'ing her "for sale" sign. Looking right at her. Don't even have the b@lls to say they are sorry, the knowledge they are doing something wrong to skeedadle .... just finish their "art" and leave.

I have volunteered if she wants a camera in my window facing the unit ... let me know.

Lastly some good news cross posted from the ALC board. A rider there posted that her Dads bike had been stolen in LA. They did what we all do, sent pictures and a flier to allllllll the local bike shops. Well guess what? She got a call from The Bike Doctor, a small shop "we have your bike" and .... the shop secretly arranged for the cops to be there when the thief came to pick up "his" bike.

[DDH]

So I have to ask, did you at least get your things back? I know it doesn't take away from the paranoid feeling and the feeling of violation. I just wondered if you at least got the things back that they found.

I don't buy things off of ebay just for that very reason, and because I would be the one to get ripped off and get a piece of junk or something stolen.

I have always believed that if it sounds to good to be true, then it's really to good to be true.

I feel like you do as far as no one having any morals or sense of honesty anymore. Shoot, I have given back 20 dollars to the bank when the atm gave me to much, and let them know that it was giving out to much so they could shut it down before they lost anymore. I always let the cashiers know when they give me to much money back and it has happened on occasion. I let the waiters know when they don't charge me for something on the restuarant bill.
People look at me like I am crazy, but I wouldn't be able to fight of my conscience if I didn't say something, it would just eat me alive.

I hope they are able to charge them with something and I hope you at least had your items that they recovered returned to you.
It will take you a while to feel safe again, just give it some time.

[activediva]

Being one who takes them to jail, it is VERY frustrating to see prosecutor's who do not prosecute when it seems so obvious to us. I know they are over loaded too. Or, suspects just get out the next day when they lie that they cannot miss work (like any of them work!)

Here in Washington we have to prove the suspects knew the stuff was stolen to charge them with possession of stolen property. Rarely do the thugs who have it are the same ones who stole it. Everything gets traded for drugs, dealers many times "order" goods and people go steal what has been ordered. No one buys drugs with cash anymore, that was so last semester...

I hope you get your stuff back. There is a website law enforcement puts recovered items with no owner on, it's called stealitback.com

Good luck! :cool:

[Trek420]

Pretty substantial bike section :o

http://www.propertyroom.com/searchresult.aspx?STP=ADV&PageIndex=1&LST=1&SRTD=0&KWD=&CTG=347

[jobob]

I feel like you do as far as no one having any morals or sense of honesty anymore. No one? Painting with a mighty broad brush there, aren't you? :cool:

[activediva]

Pretty substantial bike section :o

http://www.propertyroom.com/searchresult.aspx?STP=ADV&PageIndex=1&LST=1&SRTD=0&KWD=&CTG=347

Holy crap! The sad thing is most of these are probably stolen, but the victim didn't have the serial number otherwise it would have been ran when it was found and the owner contacted. People steal them and ride to their destination and then ditch them.

Hmmmm.... I guess I should double check and make sure I have my serial number just in case mine disappears!

[KnottedYet]

This helps, too: National Bike Registry http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/

[Delta7]

Interesting. About a year ago, I saw a kid with his dad walking out of the bike shop with what looked like my stolen bike. It was an older bike and the kid looked so happy, I didn't say anything. I doubt they were the one's who actually stole it, but I suppose one could ask for the original receipt or box when buying stuff off craigslist. Fortunately, I had the original receipt and my insurance had covered the loss.

[Trek420]

Maybe you don't confront the kid, but sure as heck I'd ask the cops to question the LBS :mad: I think it's great that some LBS carry used bikes. They must be careful where that bike is from. Around here those I'm aware of will not buy/sell/trade a used bike without the receipt or it being a trade in from them.

[DDH]

No one? Painting with a mighty broad brush there, aren't you? :cool:

It was a figure of speech, it certainly wasn't meant to be taken literally.