What SHOULD I do to catch a thief?
I know the more astute of you probably see the similarity between this question and the question that I posted yesterday what can I do to catch a thief? Well… this is something of the follow-up/update to that question. This time however, It is an ethical dilemma. I am in a position where I CAN catch a thief… but SHOULD I do it?
Here’s the skinny:
On the advice that was given to me in my last question, I filed a police report last night.
After I did it, my little brother (A pretty shady character in his own right) pulled me aside and told me that he thinks that he might just know the guy who did it.
Apparently some neo-nazi skinhead kid that has the same MO as what happened to me (Breaking into unlocked cars with ipods or wallets left out.) knows where our house is, and was apparently pulling jobs around our area, along with a few other kids on Friday night.
Also, he doesn’t like my brother (mostly because he is a nazi skinhead and my brother is a quasi-hippie “share the love” type and tried to hug him once.) My brother says that there is a “high probability” that he will be able to get my wallet and Ipod back, but he says that in order to do this for me he would have to pull favors from some of the other kids that were participating in the crimes on Friday (Some of which were his friends) As a result, I’ll have to promise not to talk to the cops anymore and divulge the identity of the punk that stole my stuff.
Which raises an interesting scruples question:
Do I get my Ipod and wallet back, and drop the subject, knowing that the group probably will hit other houses on other nights (but not mine), or do I go against my brother’s wishes and report the information about the crime to the police, thereby taking down the entire group and possibly getting my ipod back… but also setting my brother up to be a snitch.
I am leaning towards the first option… but I just don’t know. Is it really ok to let something like this just slide, especially now that I know that the entire block was hit?
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16 Answers
I am one of those people who try to do the right thing, even when it’s not in my best interest. I have been burned by it before though.
I really can’t te you that I ever regreated doing it, but I sometimes think that on a few ocSions, if I had a do over, I may have made a different decision. Then when I really think about it, maybe not.
Beat the shit out of him and ask questions later is the best method.
Definitely report it! Are you kidding?! How could you even think about letting someone else be robbed because you wanted to be selfish?! Do not think of yourself and your brother here, think of the greater good for everyone. Eventually they could break into the wrong house and get shot or kill someone themselves! Call the police right now.
Ooops, I answered this in your other thread. Sorry.
At the moment all you have is supposition and hearsay – albeit by the sounds of it accurate information. As they say, what you know and what you can prove can be two very different entities.
The only link or name you would have once your brother gets the stuff back is your brother. Whether he decides to spill the beans is up to him. Whether the cops want to suspect him is up to them.
The cops can ask lots of questions and ruffle a lot of feathers but unless they find someone in possession of your stuff, or have a witness to the offence (or any forensic or CCTV evidence) then there is no conclusive proof of who did what.
So, in short you have to decide what your goal is. Your stuff back or a conviction – the latter of which is highly unlikely unless as I say someone is prepared to give specific information that would stand up in court.
Bear in mind that if you’ve made any insurance claim and then you get your stuff back you are legally obliged to tell your insurance company and the police. Of course that is up to you but I’m just pointing out the technicality.
Just a thought.
AC
@BBSDTfamily @ragingloli
in the ideal world, I would say that you are correct… but you have to understand, my brother is telling me this in confidence, and because he has had to make his involvement known to find this much out, he will be automatically seen as the informant if the police do track these kids down. Petty theft does not usually warrant jail time, but my brother would certainly be labeled as a “snitch” possibly provoking retaliation, and at least making him a pariah amongst his peer group.
Basically, if I did this, I would be irreparably messing with his life… He would never confide in me and he would probably never talk to me.
The other kids involved are probably otherwise decent kids… (except the nazi punk) who I might even know, so I also don’t want to mess their lives up for participating in one stupid act.
@shadowfelldown I think your latest response defines the question you must answer.
Is a ‘possible’ arrest/conviction worth the price you think will have to be paid.
Work that one out and take it from there.
AC
I think I would try to strike a secondary agreement with my brother. Agree with his terms, but add this codicil. He gives you the names of the kids involved maybe in a sealed envelope not to be opened unless, you get your stuff back, and he tells his “good kid” friends that if any more houses are hit, you will be opening the envelope and turning the names over to the police.
Leave the front door open and sit in the corner with a shot gun.
@shadowfelldown No they are not “otherwise decent kids” if they are stealing from people. Don’t kid yourself, and don’t make the excuses you are making to rid your mind of this responsibility you have. The right thing to do is to turn them in, period. If you don’t and something happens in the future such as someone actually gets physically hurt, you share in the blame as well b/c you could have prevented it. Even if they don’t get jail time, the police will question them at the minimum and they’ll know the police are onto them. Why do you assume anyone will have to know who gave them the tip? They will not release that information.
Strange. I was going to ask you in the other thread if there was any possibility that someone under your own roof could have been involved somehow. At the end of a long driveway, when you’re gone only a few minutes, and it seems like your habits must be known…I would be asking who would be in the best position to take advantage of that situation.
Something is causing my suspicious nature to wonder if there are any other kids in the picture at all.
I’m with @Jeruba. What are the chances your brother was actually involved?
1911 .45 in the face gets a lot of questions answered and raises a big “dont fuck with this person anymore” flag
that or get your stuff back, then report that part of the incident back to the cops
sure fire get yo shit, sure fire conviction. then tell your brother to put the heat on you. any one asks he simply says “Yo, what ever my sibling does is on them, talk to them about it”
Yes, if you’re fit conduct a citizen’s arrest and then call the police. Happened at my company a year ago or so. A delivery man was trying to steal notebooks. A colleague (a tall 6’4” guy who looked like a grizzly bear) was observing and intervened.
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