Found something interesting today - what would you do?

[Aerkuld]

Walking the dogs this morning around the neighborhood. They were doing the usual sniffing around in hedges when I noticed a black webbing strap. I looked in a bit further and there was a black backpack left just in the hedge. I retrieved it and looked inside the partially open zipper. At first I thought it was someone's gym bag - a pair of black gloves, and what at first glance appeared to be an exercise weight. On closer examination it was a slide hammer. The front pocket had a selection of lengths of wire, screwdrivers, and a flashlight, and a few other bits and pieces. I had a quick glance round to make sure nobody was watching, picked it up, took it home, and called the cops.

I was surprised at how quickly the sheriffs department got an officer to my door. I showed him the bag and he went through it's contents and found a set of various pliers and wire cutters, a bag of long screws, and a multi-tool. He than said, and I paraphrase "There's nothing in here I can do anything about. Just throw it in your trashcan". What? "If I take it back to the station I'll have to write a report. I could take it and dispose of it for you."

First, the bag looked suspicious to me. Either it was stashed to be picked up later, or was dropped in a hurry. Of course, there could be a perfectly innocent explanation like someone lost their bag of tools, or had a bag of tools stolen - yeah, I'm stretching here - and maybe they're looking for them.
Secondly, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't writing reports part of the job of being a policeman? It's not all helping old ladies cross the street and shooting people is it?


What do you guys make of this? Suspicious or not? What should I do about the disappointing lack of effort?

[Geronimo '74]

Sounds like a thief's toolkit to me.

Go to the policestation and deliver it yourself.
They must log it and take your story, no?

[Zeke]

What good would a report do? I you lost the bag and wanted to turn your loss into your insurance, yes then you need a report on file. I don't see anything helpful about writing up a bag of tools when the LEO said that it should just be disposed of. That to me is the key element here. Had there been something of real value in the bag — different story.

[jyl]

Thief dumped his bag in the bushes.

Take what you want, toss the rest.

I don't see what the cops can do with it. It's not like it's a murder weapon they can dust for prints, or stolen goods they can restore to the owner.

[Danimal16]

Just throw it out, to push the issue would alienate you from your local cops. Not worth it.

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by Danimal16

Just throw it out, to push the issue would alienate you from your local cops. Not worth it.

Makes sense too.
Over here, cops would have no problem with it.
If they did, I'd keep the good stuff and toss the junk.

[DanielDudley]

Ask the police to patrol your neighborhood for a week or so. Someone is casing your street. Ask a few neighbors to call as well.

Make sure all your outside lights are working, and up your security. lock everything, and disable your nice cars.

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by jyl

Thief dumped his bag in the bushes.

Take what you want, toss the rest.

I don't see what the cops can do with it. It's not like it's a murder weapon they can dust for prints, or stolen goods they can restore to the owner.

I returned a bag of airsoft guns, realistic looking stuff.
All busted, since we found it with a 20 ton excavator...

Cops came and picked it up on site.
Got a callback a while later, bag was stolen and hidden, owner got his broken guns back.

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Ask the police to patrol your neighborhood for a week or so. Someone is casing your street. Ask a few neighbors to call as well.

Make sure all your outside lights are working, and up your security. lock everything, and disable your nice cars.

Yup, all that, be on the safe side!

[ossiblue]

I agree it seem suspicious and is likely a thief's tool bag. However, unless there is an active investigation in the immediate area regarding a break-in where evidence has already been collected (read fingerprints) the bag has no connection to anything.

What would they do with it, check it for prints? To what end? Even if they found prints of a known thief on the tools, it does not connect him to any crimes unless, as stated before, they are already following up on a crime where prints, tool marks, etc. are trying to be matched.

I think a lot of us, including me, have a misconception of police work that has been created by t.v. and movies. The police have to prioritize their time and resources and cannot put every suspicion on the front burner. I can completely understand the officer's response in that he knows that even though the bag's location and contents are suspicious, it provides no value to them. Now, if inside the bag was also some object that had been reported stolen, then I bet he would take the bag and all the contents and process it for evidence. That could provide a lead to the thief.

The very least, I might expect a short period of heightened patrolling of the area on the assumption that an active thief was there and may return either for his bag or to follow up on this thievery.

[Zeke]

Considering this further, it would have been so cool to plant a GPS tracker in the bag and sat back and watched.

[Tishabet]

Maybe I'm just not in the know about thieves but what about some pieces of wire, screw drivers and a slide hammer says thief to you guys?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Sounds like someone stole a handyman's bag and when they tried to sell it for drugs, with no takers, they through it in your hedge.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Considering this further, it would have been so cool to plant a GPS tracker in the bag and sat back and watched.

And.............a trail cam discreetly hidden - but close enough to record who comes after the bag.

Not sure what you would do with that but would satisfy one's curiosity.

[Tervuren]

I would have left it, but check on it the next day.

[drcoastline]

I have never seen a cop help an old lady across the street.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Tishabet

Maybe I'm just not in the know about thieves but what about some pieces of wire, screw drivers and a slide hammer says thief to you guys?

Those are the tools of a car thief.

[HardDrive]

Well, you likely found the tools of some sort of criminal action. But it's admittedly hard to do anything about it.

[berettafan]

take pics and share them with your neighbors. tell them where it was found.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by Tishabet

Maybe I'm just not in the know about thieves but what about some pieces of wire, screw drivers and a slide hammer says thief to you guys?

Slide hammer pulls the door, ignition switch/locks or tumblers out in one pull. Bits of wire used to jump ignition to start and run engine. Screw drivers turn ignition assemblies when tumbler removed, or remove certain parts. Just some examples.