Petty thief

[wdfifteen]

I posted an editorial I wrote in response to this, but I don't think I related the incident here. ( 'nother editorial)

Back on Oct. 14th I was working in my shop organizing my tools until about noon. I left for the office for a couple of hours before my employee (through a temp agency) arrived, and I left a note for him to come to the office. He was supposed to arrive at 1:00. At about 3:00 he showed up with a bunch of excuses for being late. I went to the shop to do some work and immediately saw that a quantity of my tools were missing. I would have suspected my employee, but had no proof and he had seemed like a pretty reliable guy.
That night I Googled his name and found out he had half a dozen arrests for theft, was on probation, had violated probation - he was a bad guy.
The next morning I had him working on the grounds around my office. I set up a video camera in my shop and texted him and told him to drive out to my place and get the leaf blower. I told him explicitly that the leaf blower, gas, and safety glasses were on the deck by the house. When they called from the office to tell me he had left I ran out and turned the camera on and went in the house to watch and photograph him with my still camera. I called the sheriff and told him what I was doing and they sent a car to my end of the county.
When he arrived he drove right past the house, directly back to my shop and went in. He was in the shop for 5 mins or so and I called the sheriff when he left, but they didn't show up until Dalton was on his way back to the office, so we followed him. The sheriff put him in handcuffs and we went in to look at the video.
The camera captured him looking over the workbench, picking things up and putting them down, then spending 4 min. 48 sec. rifling through storage shelves. He then walked back passed the work bench, picked up a pair of sun glasses, and left. That's all I had evidence of him stealing. He stole over $1000 worth of tools and my grandson's nitro RC monster truck and all I have proof of him stealing is a $10 pair of sunglasses. The deputies just rolled their eyes and one went out to take the cuffs off.
Then I showed the other deputy the printouts of his record and the fact that he was on probation and they went back out and cuffed him again and charged him with petty theft.
Right away he got his probation extended and his trial was supposed to be today, but I just found out he got a continuance. They tell me there is on way anyone goes to jail for property crimes around here anymore, but he might get a fine and his probation extended even longer.
About the only thing I can expect in the way of justice is that I am adding to the misery of his miserable life. He has to pay the probation officer every week for checking up on him and I've already gotten that extended, he's had to pay a lawyer, and if he's convicted he'll have to pay a fine.



Dirtbag POS going into my shop - no sunglasses.




Dirtbag POS leaving my shop with my $10 sunglasses on his head. This is going to be one expensive pair of sunglasses for the SOB.

[Evans, Marv]

Typical of the justice system. Did you file a theft report for the previous day? Too bad there isn't some way to steer the dirt bag to the judges place to do some of his craft.

[ZOA NOM]

Shoulda left tastier bait.

[fastfredracing]

I would have wanted to handle this one myself.

[Neilk]

That really sucks. Did you complain with the temp agency that you were looking for someone without a criminal record?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Neilk

That really sucks. Did you complain with the temp agency that you were looking for someone without a criminal record?

Not exactly. They claim they do background checks. I owed them for 2 1/2 weeks of wages and I sent them the arrest report and copies of his criminal record that I got off of Google. I told them I was not going to pay them for the time he spent stealing from me. They never billed me for the 2 1/2 weeks.

[aigel]

Are you kidding? The temp agency sends people with a criminal record? One of the advantages of a temp agency is usually that they give their workers a detailed background check and drug test and clear them to where you don't have to worry about doing that legwork yourself.

If you did file a report on the previous day's loot, I also wonder why they didn't bother to get a warrant and search the guys car / house for your stuff.

While it is tempting to just go beat the snot out of that kid yourself, you did the right thing going with the system. You don't want to be getting on the wrong side of the law.

G

[aigel]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Not exactly. They claim they do background checks. I owed them for 2 1/2 weeks of wages and I sent them the arrest report and copies of his criminal record that I got off of Google. I told them I was not going to pay them for the time he spent stealing from me. They never billed me for the 2 1/2 weeks.

I would take them to small claims court for damages. May be a stretch, but they put the bad apple in your shop. They were negligent doing their background check if a Google search brings up his record.

G

[Baz]

Hey Patrick - sorry about having to deal with this low life but way to go doing your own detective work. We are proud of you, bro.

So what comes to my mind is setting a bear trap or something similar (inflicts MAJOR pain and suffering) as a way to mandate your own justice. There's gotta be a way. I bet we could gleam some good technology from the islamic terrorist organizations. They are about as sneaky as it gets....

[BeyGon]

I think you have to be careful with these thiefs, I had a maid once, worked for a day and when she left she was all bulky, bulges around her waist and such. I knew she stole something but didn't know what, I couldn't pat her down. a few days later I noticed a camera was missing, some other stuff I dont' remember. It was her first and last day, the real problem was I had a pistol in a drawer by the bed, I forgot to hide it and went into the bedroom and she was there, she had already seen the gun.
A week later my house was broken into and that gun was about the only thing taken. I told the police about her, they got in touch with her and then she got a lawyer and sued me. I couldn't prove she had anything to do with the theft and couldn't prove she stole the camera.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by aigel

While it is tempting to just go beat the snot out of that kid yourself, you did the right thing going with the system. You don't want to be getting on the wrong side of the law.

G

I think it was very much the right thing in this case. I don't want to be on the wrong side of this guy. He looks like some kind of psychopath and I think his career is just starting.

He is 20 years old since he turned 18 he has convictions on:

Theft
Criminal damaging
Criminal mischief
multiple probation violations including one with a firearm
Petty theft

From the local newspaper's court report site:
Carmax Business Services, LLC, v. Dalton L. Smith, et al., 4125 W. National Road, complaint for permanent possession of a 2008 Ford F350 truck due to breach of contract.

"Dalton L. Smith, et al., 4125 W. National Road, and Justin Schell, c/o London Correctional Institute, complaint for $16,500 for damages ..."

This is his friend Justin Schell:
"SPRINGFIELD — An Enon teen accused of robbing and killing a 21-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery.In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped a murder charge and asked that Justin S. Schell, 17, be sent to prison for 15 years..."
Dalton's friend's address is the London Correctional Institute because he robbed and killed a guy.

[gwood]

It's now illegal to discriminate against criminals in hiring:
Bosses could be forced to hire more workers with criminal records under new equality guidelines | Mail Online

[tharbert]

Should have just gone into the garage and shot the turd. He wasn't supposed to enter. right?

[gwood]

Should have just gone into the garage and shot the turd. He wasn't supposed to enter. right?

Ask George Zimmerman how things worked out for him.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Baz

Hey Patrick - sorry about having to deal with this low life but way to go doing your own detective work. We are proud of you, bro.

So what comes to my mind is setting a bear trap or something similar (inflicts MAJOR pain and suffering) as a way to mandate your own justice. There's gotta be a way. I bet we could gleam some good technology from the islamic terrorist organizations. They are about as sneaky as it gets....

Oh no Baz!!! Don't want to do this. You'll be sued for sure. Booby traps are a no-no.

[ZOA NOM]

I wonder if you could set up a remotely actuated shotgun, that you could fire from your iPhone while watching the intruder through your webcam app! I think it would fly in Texas, but since you aren't in danger, deadly force is prolly not authorized anywhere else.

[Rick V]

You should have set him up again and make sure he fell down (a few dozen times) in your shop

[bell]

How about the exploding packs banks use?

Yes officer.....he's the one covered in florescent orange paint lol

[Baz]

Originally Posted by 944Larry

Oh no Baz!!! Don't want to do this. You'll be sued for sure. Booby traps are a no-no.

Seriously on your own property you can't set a bear trap?

We're not talking about an assault rifle or anything......

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Baz

Seriously on your own property you can't set a bear trap?

We're not talking about an assault rifle or anything......

I can't find a link now, but I recall a news story about a store owner who got tired of having his store broken into. He put a couple of bare wires inside the building, in front of the window and plugged them into a 110 volt outlet when he left for the night. Someone broke in and was electrocuted. The store owner was charged with manslaughter. I don't t remember where this happened.