From the "duh" files

jesus marion joseph · February-14th-2007, 02:28 PM

So I'm reading the online version of my local paper, and I come across this article with a genius headline and even more insightful quote from the local police:

Police: Foil car breaks by locking doors
CENTERVILLE – A rash of car break-ins is spreading, especially in Centerville.

There were four new break-ins last night, again in the neighborhood bounded by Old Stage Road and Oak Street, according to Barnstable Police Sgt. Sean Sweeney.

Another victim reported a similar crime after reading about the rash of break-ins on capecodonline earlier this week.

Since Jan. 1 there have been 60 car breaks in Barnstable, 44 of which have been in Centerville. Sunday night there were five within a quarter mile radius of Five Corners and Lumbert Mill Roads.

Most - 57 out of 60 – occurred when vehicle owners left their car doors unlocked.

“If these people were to remove valuables from plain sight and lock their vehicles, these crimes would not occur,” Barnstable Police Sgt. Mark Mellyn said earlier this week. “They’re providing an opportunity to criminals.”

- By staff reports

jeff54 · February-14th-2007, 02:40 PM

sure, blame the victims

Jimmy Cantiello · February-14th-2007, 02:41 PM

A couple of weeks ago I read in the business section of our local rag that a certain mortgage company was filing for bankruptcy. The company specialized in lending money to clients that had bad credit and/or questionable credit histories. Well, duh.

Gary Sisco · February-14th-2007, 05:29 PM

Somebody frosted a passenger door window on my car some years back in Burlington, trying (unsuccessfully) to steal the stereo but successfully stealing about 20 tapes in a Case Logic zip bag. I was complaining to a junkie friend about the pain in the ass the next day. He says, "See? If you hadn't locked the door, you wouldn't have to pay for a new window."

Dr Dave · February-14th-2007, 05:33 PM

Centerville is where the Country Club set lives on the Cape. Fuck 'em.

Monte Smith · February-14th-2007, 06:47 PM

Fixed:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Duh.

GoodSpeak · February-14th-2007, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

So I'm reading the online version of my local paper, and I come across this article with a genius headline and even more insightful quote from the local police:

Police: Foil car breaks by locking doors
CENTERVILLE – A rash of car break-ins is spreading, especially in Centerville.

There were four new break-ins last night, again in the neighborhood bounded by Old Stage Road and Oak Street, according to Barnstable Police Sgt. Sean Sweeney.

Another victim reported a similar crime after reading about the rash of break-ins on capecodonline earlier this week.

Since Jan. 1 there have been 60 car breaks in Barnstable, 44 of which have been in Centerville. Sunday night there were five within a quarter mile radius of Five Corners and Lumbert Mill Roads.

Most - 57 out of 60 – occurred when vehicle owners left their car doors unlocked.

“If these people were to remove valuables from plain sight and lock their vehicles, these crimes would not occur,” Barnstable Police Sgt. Mark Mellyn said earlier this week. “They’re providing an opportunity to criminals.”

- By staff reports

What a sad state of affairs when we need to remind people to lock doors.

What is sadder still is the fact we have to lock them in the first place.

patricia · February-14th-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

What a sad state of affairs when we need to remind people to lock doors.

What is sadder still is the fact we have to lock them in the first place.

If only that's all it took.
My youngest has had her car broken into twice and her CD player, plus her CDs stolen both times.
Nobody saw anything.
In a parking lot with all the same people there every day.
She locked her car, parked in a busy, well lighted lot and had her valuables under the seat, out of sight.
Didn't help.
I guess that people aren't being taught that if it isn't theirs, to leave it where it is anymore.

Sad.

GoodSpeak · February-14th-2007, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

What is sadder still is the fact we have to lock them in the first place.

.

Dr Dave · February-15th-2007, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

Fixed:

I'm glad to know you're always there to protect the interests of the overpriviledged, Monte.

Monte Smith · February-15th-2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

I'm glad to know you're always there to protect the interests of the overpriviledged, Monte.

From car break-ins? Why not?

stonemonkts · February-15th-2007, 10:50 AM

I've noticed most people where I live never lock anything, cars, sheds, homes, etc...

The dirtbags from my hometown in NJ would have a field day out here.

Dr Dave · February-15th-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

From car break-ins? Why not?

It's not a break-in if the fucking door is UNLOCKED!

DUH!

jesus marion joseph · February-15th-2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

It's not a break-in if the fucking door is UNLOCKED!

DUH!

From a legal standpoint, it is. If the door were left open, it wouldn't be a break-in.

Monte Smith · February-15th-2007, 05:36 PM

Hahaha, you filthy bolshevik! Who's holding the DUH now?

(Thanks, shyster).

patricia · February-15th-2007, 05:44 PM

So, if your door is unlocked, that means that whoever walks by can help themselves?
Does that mean that if you leave anything in your yard not bolted down, whoever walks by can just take it?
America really is The Land Of The Free.

groover · February-15th-2007, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patricia

So, if your door is unlocked, that means that whoever walks by can help themselves?
Does that mean that if you leave anything in your yard not bolted down, whoever walks by can just take it?

I'm no lawyer or cop, but I think it's still considered unlawful entry, trespassing, and theft, though not breaking and entering if no locks are violated.

If you live in an urban area, I wouldn't expect much sympathy from the cops, though they should still file your complaint and add your lost items to their list of unrecovered stolen property.

It's obviously much easier to rob you if your stuff is unsecured, but it's still robbery.

Monte Smith · February-15th-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patricia

Does that mean that if you leave anything in your yard not bolted down, whoever walks by can just take it?

I think Dr Dave would want to see your tax returns first, but yeah.

patricia · February-15th-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

I think Dr Dave would want to see your tax returns first, but yeah.

Just checking.

groover · February-15th-2007, 05:57 PM

In principle it's still theft, unless it's a smug fat-cat like Monte's stuff, in which case it's being liberated and returned to "the people".

jesus marion joseph · February-15th-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groover

I'm no lawyer, but I think it's still considered unlawful entry, trespassing, and theft, though not breaking and entering if no locks are violated.

Under Mass. law you could be charged with a larceny offense, since you knew or had reason to know that the items taken were not yours. Can't think of any "unlawful entry" law that would apply to cars. Trespass requires prior notification by the owner that you are unwelcome on the property, either orally or written. It may also only apply to real property (cars are personal property). Christ, this is like a bar exam question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

I think Dr Dave would want to see your tax returns first, but yeah.

Dr. Dave once described to me some of his former neighbors when he lived on the Cape (basically country club republican types), and had me in stitches. I don't know if he said the name "Col. Mustard" or I just imagined it, but one of his descriptions seemed to fit that character from Clue.

groover · February-15th-2007, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

Under Mass. law you could be charged with a larceny offense, since you knew or had reason to know that the items taken were not yours. Can't think of any "unlawful entry" law that would apply to cars. Trespass requires prior notification by the owner that you are unwelcome on the property, either orally or written. It may also only apply to real property (cars are personal property). Christ, this is like a bar exam question.

Sorry, but any legal info you give here is voluntary and unbillable, jmj.

Nevertheless, I believe it's always illegal to take other people's stuff, unless it's obviously in their trash or has a sign on it saying "Please take me!". Right, jmj?

jesus marion joseph · February-15th-2007, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groover

Nevertheless, I believe it's always illegal to take other people's stuff, unless it's obviously in their trash or has a sign on it saying "Please take me!". Right, jmj?

Basically, yes.

Dr Dave · February-15th-2007, 11:28 PM

All right. All right. But you have to be some kind of fucking idiot to leave valuables in a car and not lock the door. Even in Centerville.

jesus marion joseph · February-15th-2007, 11:30 PM

One does occasionally find oneself overburdened with jewelry and without an appropriate place to put it all...........

patricia · February-15th-2007, 11:39 PM

But the stealing of stuff is still the crime, right?
Not locking your valuables up is not a crime yet is it?
Sad.

Hudson Boy · February-15th-2007, 11:49 PM

For a number of years in NYC, Before Giuliani became mayor, I remember people putting signs that said "NO RADIO" on their dashboards.

Jimmy Cantiello · February-16th-2007, 05:48 AM

I remember those signs too. The cars that had those signs already had their radios stolen. The owners of the cars were trying to avoid a broken window at that point.

jesus marion joseph · February-20th-2007, 04:54 PM

Well, our suspect in the Centerville unlocked car breaks caused quite a commotion at the old court complex this morning. I had to divert all the way across Hyannis to get to court thanks to him:

Robbery suspect shot during court escape
BARNSTABLE - A man, awaiting arraignment for a rash
of recent break-ins, was shot this morning as he allegedly escaped at the county court complex on Route 6A in Barnstable Village. The suspect was Anthony Roberts, 22, of Centerville, according to his attorney Drew Segadelli, who was there for Roberts' arraignment this morning on charges of receiving stolen property. Roberts was arrested after a hit-and-run accident on Route 132 Friday. He was linked, police say, to a series of recent break-ins to cars and homes in Barnstable and Dennis.

Roberts was among four
suspects that Barnstable police were bringing to court this morning in a van, according to Barnstable Police Sgt. Sean Sweeney. Roberts was able to step through his arms, cuffed in back.

About 8:30 a.m., Roberts bolted out of the van, and, still handcuffed, ran to the parking lot of the Barnstable General Store, across Route 6A from the court complex. Pushing a driver out of the way, Roberts allegedly stole a green Honda Accord from the store’s parking lot and was going to drive away.

Cape Cod Times driver Richard Ruggiero was leaving the Barnstable General Store parking lot when he saw officers trying to stop the suspect in the car. Three officers yelled at Ruggiero to block the exit with his van and he did. He watched as officers, on foot, chased the Honda around the parking lot and broke its windows.

“They kept yelling 'Stop!' and he wouldn’t stop. The officers had their lives in their own hands,” Ruggiero said.

The suspect drove forward and then backed into the delivery van. Then he did another loop around the parking lot and then found a space to go

flying out onto Route 6A. As he did, a Barnstable officer fired one shot into the car on Route 6A and hit Roberts in the upper torso. The Honda kept moving across the two-lane road, into the court entrance and stopped against the curb near the wall at the Superior Courthouse..

Megan Burke of Barnstable, working in the store, heard at least one shot about 8:45 a.m.. When she looked out the store’s door, a court officer was running toward the Accord and got into the vehicle.

Roberts was flown by helicopter to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston where he was listed in critical condition early this afternoon, a hospital spokesman said.

Check back here for more about this developing story.

_______________________________________________

I'm sort of surprised they didn't point to this as one more reason to lock your car.

steve(thelil) · February-20th-2007, 05:02 PM

I don't know this for sure, but I think while the crime is the same in most jurisdictions same whether or not the doors were locked, the name of the crime is not "break in". The term "break in" is a lay term that refers to "breaking in" and NOT to merely opening an unlocked door.