Converter thefts

[JDgreen227]

maybee they should allow drawing and quartering again.. go on a flash enforcement regimine for about 2 weeks and get a bunch of these suckers.. and then sell tickets and televise it.. put the message out that criminals will be dealt with badly? eh? to draconian?

Recall the recent thread Depmandog started about a state that ended capital punishment? As much as I think we should have more severe penalties for many crimes, "cruel and unusual" punishment seems to be the no-no everywhere now. But I like your idea...and lets do the D&Q with tractors, of course.....

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree. Cut the hand off a thief, the willy off a rapist, ect. Crime is a dangerous business. I think a fair number if criminals should be shot by either law enforcement or private citizens like myself protecting mine and my neighbors property.

Too many bleeding heart liberals making it hard for honest folks like me to protect what's mine.

Chris

 

[Gary Fowler]

Its not just the thieves that are guilty, its the guys willing to buy the stolen products knowing that they are hot that should have the bigger punishment. If the thief had no where to sell then he would have no incentive to destroy your property doing thousands in damage to obtain a $25 fenced item. The fence makes the profit with usually very little risk. There should be laws just like dope laws, catch a guy selling stolen property and confiscate everything in his shop. If he wants it back, he will have to buy it back at county or state auction. Pawnshops and junk yards would be more aware. I even heard of one auto dealer that was using hot parts to repair new vehicles. GREED that is the issue.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree.. make em pay...

 

[timster2]

Here is a quick story of thieves getting caught at the scrap yard. A neighbor of the late Chief got a plate number while they were loading the truck. I think they picked the wrong house.

Burglars hit late Chief Klee's property
Martin, 44, of Moscow; Nicole, 36, of Duryea; and Erik, 38 of Scranton, were stopped by police outside the Ben Weitsman and Son scrap yard on the Morgan Highway for the alleged theft of scrap metal from the home of late Scranton Police Chief James Klee. Police allege the trio entered Klee's former home on Moosic Street at least twice and later sold the items believed to be stolen to the scrap yard. Erik allegedly confessed to police that they were at the home and t��aking the items from the garage, but he denied taking radiators from inside the home. Scranton Det. Jeff Gilroy and Ptlm. Pat Bastek were the arresting officers.
They were each arraigned on April 10 on four counts of criminal trespassing, two counts each of conspiracy to commit theft and theft by unlawful taking, and one count each of receiving stolen property.

 

[timster2]

Seems that the scrap yards are doing a booming business. Reports of summer/vacation homes in the area having their copper pipes removed is a common feature on the nightly news. Churches and any structure that is not occupied on a regular basis are fair game for the scrap thieves. After a power outage last summer power lines that were downed in a storm were quickly stolen as soon as the power was disconnected. A whole section of power lines still has not been rebuilt.

My next door neighbor had all the pipes stolen from his house two years ago. At the time he was not living in the house. Thieves came in and in one weekend took everything. He is still rebuilding his plumbing. He is an old guy and was thinking of selling the property but now has an unsalable piece of real estate. You cant get a mortgage on a house without functioning plumbing.

 

[crazyal]

What's needed is a federal law taxing the sale of used cats. It could even have something written in so that the tax only applies when the cat is removed from the car Something based off of weight and equal to the value of the cat. Once there's no value in them the thieves can return to stealing copper.

 

[oldnslo]

If we fill the thieves full of lead, would this make them have some value at the scrap yard like old batteries?

Seems like recycling at its finest...

 

[timster2]

If we fill the thieves full of lead, would this make them have some value at the scrap yard like old batteries?

Seems like recycling at its finest...

Filling thieves with lead it known to the state of California to cause bodily harm.:thumbsup: and perhaps stop reproduction.

 

[JDgreen227]

You guys can call this dumb, but I have long felt the reason many people choose to steal, no matter what the form, be it selling converters, burglary, embezzlement, etc. is in part because it is tax free income. When you work and earn $100, you pay taxes, Social Security, etc. on that $100, leaving you hopefully $65-$70 of real earnings.

Those who steal and earn $100 are getting the full $100--no deductions. Tax evasion in the most basic form.

 

[300UGUY]

You guys can call this dumb, but I have long felt the reason many people choose to steal, no matter what the form, be it selling converters, burglary, embezzlement, etc. is in part because it is tax free income. When you work and earn $100, you pay taxes, Social Security, etc. on that $100, leaving you hopefully $65-$70 of real earnings.

Those who steal and earn $100 are getting the full $100--no deductions. Tax evasion in the most basic form.

As long as there is a market, there will be thieves. The scrap dealers buying this stuff know that much of it is stolen. We should license the scrappers, and only allow the yards to buy from licensed scrappers.

I agree with the tax thing. Kinda gets to me sometimes, I know several busineses around here that are cash only. One that I have talked to is really anti government also. Doesn't stop him from cllecting SS disability!!

 

[chopped]

LOL another tax..LOL good one..Where would that money be used? Why tax (charge) the legit people?

 

[jonyyuma]

Weld the converters to the frame of the car....Man that is Rich??

 

[Diamondpilot]

Here in Indiana you must have a drivers license and the take a copy of it along with a photo of you and your vehicle and run the plate in a data base.

This all started about 2 years ago when scrap became a real problem. Kind of funny that a group of Boy Scouts cant sell the cans they collect because they do not have a license but that is the way it is. Have to have the parents take them in.

Chris

 

[LBrown59]

Just the other day 11 Converters were stolen from 2 new car dealers here.
They got 6 at one and 5 at the other dealer .
1 was the Chevy dealer & 1 was a Ford dealer owened by the same owner .

 

[Soundguy]

man.. sign of bad times...

 

[Groo]

I wonder how many of these thefts are by stupid kids with no idea what to do with them when they get them, and end up just throwing them away?

I am glad they are cracking down on scrappers. Dunnage(sp?) theft used to be real bad in the auto industry, but state law has changed some. I don't know how much difference it has made though.