I posted an editorial I wrote in response to this, but I don't think I related the incident here. (
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/715049-nother-editorial.html)
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.