Theft no longer a crime in Mississauga (Part One)

[billtebbutt]

(it's been an odd couple of months for me......)

About 6 weeks ago, at 11AM, my 17 year old daughter calls me at work in downtown Toronto (from the house in Mississauga) - "Dad, there's some old guy in a tye-dyed shirt stealing your motorcycle". It was all little odd - weird looking gaunt guy, 41 degrees Celsius with the humidex, rolling the bike from the side garage to the road (about 250'). She had not called the police, so I hung up on her and called dispatch.

I didn't call 911 because nobody was dying here - its just a sweet old 1976 Honda 550 Supersport, maybe worth US$6,000. I wait on hold for 12 minutes (!), and get a dispatcher on the phone. I explained that my kid called me re the theft, and the dispatcher was upset that she had not called 911. The dispatcher proceeded to question why I had not taught my kid to call 911, what was wrong with my kid's thinking, etc. I had to force this woman into a discussion of next steps, that went like this:

"I need the VIN and the plate"

"I can't give you those, they are at home, I am working in downtown Toronto"

"Well, I can't do anything without them"

"You could use my driver's license to look up my licensed vehicles, just like you would at a traffic stop"

"Well, I could do that, but for some reason (after inputting my license) I can't get the system to work"

"OK, then just send a car. It's 41 degrees, he's got no keys, he won't get far"

"How do you know he doesn't have a truck? How do you know it isn't on the truck by now? I am sure the bike is gone by now"

"Just please, send a car. I am virtually certain you will find the bike AND the guy in minutes"

"Yeah, we're not sending a car"

"Why not?"

"Its not an important crime. Nobody is dying. I will have an officer call you tomorrow so that you can file a report - your insurance will pay for the bike"

(Folks, I can't make this stuff up). So I get off the phone, and call my wife at home and ask her to drive around the block. One minute later, she's found the bike (on its stand, in front of house at the end of the street that folks were moving out of). They tell her that an old, gaunt guy parked it, dropped his empty beer can beside it, and walked off into the woods.

At that moment, TWO police cars screech to a stop in front of them. They are looking for an old gaunt guy in a camouflage jacket. My wife has the audacity to suggest that, at 41 degrees, he's taken the jacket off and is wearing a tye-dye shirt. The police, because they can't triangulate, insist that that is not their man. My wife insists it is, it is the guy who just stole this motorcycle, etc. They leave, unimpressed with my wife's ability to do simple deductive reasoning.

One of the movers can ride and offers to ride the bike back to our house (my wife has the keys), where my wife sends him back to the crew with a cold six pack for his troubles.

I get home at 6pm, and my neighbor Jeff texts me a picture of an axe leaning against one of his trees with the question "Is this your axe?". So I go over to Jeff's and yes indeed it is my axe. He shows me the security video of tye-dye man chopping down Jeff's hammock! Apparently, tye-dye guy attempted to break into the house behind us and was scared away by the elderly woman who lives there. He jumped the fence, and saw my garden shed. Went in, got the axe, chopped down the hammock, tied it to his bicycle and rode away. Then came back and stole my bike.

[billtebbutt]

Three days later, I am walking the dog a few blocks away. I had heard that there are been a house fire three days earlier, and come across the house as I bump into another dogwalker (I don't know his name, but I know the dog's!). He's filling me in on the fire. Apparently, the house has been owned by the same family for generations, and its become a place where most anyone in the extended family can crash for weeks or months if needed. ("Flophouse" is too harsh, but you get the idea.....)

Except for one family member, who was recently thrown out of the house/family and told to never return. He waited until the rest of the people had left the house the next day, and then set the house on fire.

It was tye-dye guy.

Set's house on fire (it was a huge fire, set in multiple places, intentionally). Attempts to break into my neighbor's house. Takes my axe and cuts down a hammock. Steals motorcycle. God knows what else. And what might have happened had this guy (who was clearly suffering from mental illness) had been surprised in my backyard by my wife taking the puppy to pee? I mean, a guy who is so deeply distressed could do.....anything?

My tax dollars at work. Sorry for the rant

best,
bt

And the Mississauga police "on the scene" were too smart to listen to my wife - nope, they needed a guy in a cammo jacket. Great lateral thinking there fellas

[Peter Olivola]

Was that south Mississauga?

[old 59]

Bit of a sketchy area BT

[billtebbutt]

Was that south Mississauga?

Yes. 11th Division. We are in Lorne Park/Clarkson

bt

[E1pix]

That’s just sickening Bill, and sorry you went through this.

Any of us with functioning memories never forget things like this, and it’s damned hard to think positively afterwards.

And as in this case, it only seems to happen to good people.

[tlracer]

Crazy, mad, incompetent...but sadly the same the world over. Here in the UK less than 7% of domestic burglaries end in the offender being charged, while for theft it's 4% and only one percent for car theft, according to recent official figures.

Yet drive at 3mph over the limit on an otherwise deserted town road and you're treated like the devil incarnate!

[Peter Olivola]

Yes. 11th Division. We are in Lorne Park/Clarkson

bt

Actually I was being snarky. The only important word in my comment was "south."

[R. Pare]

Yet drive at 3mph over the limit on an otherwise deserted town road and you're treated like the devil incarnate!

Low man-hour income for the city.

[E1pix]

There’s a video on YouTube that demonstrates what we’re talking about. It’s hard to watch, the truth hurts but it can’t go on.

As a parallel of sorts, thefts of our specific vehicles are common compared to anywhere else in Seattle, Portland, and the Bay area. They get caught, they get booked, they walk away, and the process repeats. What are we doing?

There’s a segment by a cop here that just makes me sad. Watch at own risk, and no offense to these great cities intended:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70...BkeWluZw%3D%3D

[billtebbutt]

There’s a video on YouTube that demonstrates what we’re talking about. It’s hard to watch, the truth hurts but it can’t go on.

As a parallel of sorts, thefts of our specific vehicles are common compared to anywhere else in Seattle, Portland, and the Bay area. They get caught, they get booked, they walk away, and the process repeats. What are we doing?

There’s a segment by a cop here that just makes me sad. Watch at own risk, and no offense to these great cities intended:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70...BkeWluZw%3D%3D

That is tough to watch...................
bt

[E1pix]

I know Bud, Man oh man...

[problemchild]

I think the lesson is that we need to be on guard in even the most affluent areas.

Almost 10 years ago, I stopped in Bill's neighborhood to visit my folks on my way to Mosport on a Thursday morning. I then stopped at an upscale little plaza nearby (Lakeshore and Mississauga Rd), where I withdraw some cash from the TD bank. I put it in my briefcase and drove about 10 miles to my next stop. I was followed by a pair of dirtbags who then went into my unlocked vehicle and stole my cash as I talked with friends less than 50 feet away. I had my back to them, but it was a private parking lot with dozens of workers standing around on break. I'm sure there was a splendid crack party that night! Neither the police or the bank really cared. While we later viewed all this on security cameras, their plate was unreadable, and I have another racer/travel story to tell.

[Robert J. Alder]

Had my tow truck stolen from the motel two weeks ago. Grrrrr. Luckily the trailer and race car had been droppped off at the track. Pueblo, CO police seemed less than interested.

Which prompts the question. What geo tracking systems do folks use for your truck and/or trailer? You do use one, right? (I didn't. That's on me and won't be repeated. So I've posted the question on the Coffee/Donuts forum. Respond at that thread sp others my benefit. Thanks.

https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/sho...116#post657116

[billtebbutt]

I think the lesson is that we need to be on guard in even the most affluent areas.

Almost 10 years ago, I stopped in Bill's neighborhood to visit my folks on my way to Mosport on a Thursday morning. I then stopped at an upscale little plaza nearby (Lakeshore and Mississauga Rd), where I withdraw some cash from the TD bank. I put in in my briefcase and drove about 10 miles to my next stop. I was followed by a pair of dirtbags who then went into my unlocked vehicle and stole my cash as I talked with friends less than 50 feet away. I had my back to them, but it was a private parking lot with dozens of workers standing around on break. I'm sure there was a splendid crack party that night! Neither the police or the bank really cared. While we later viewed all this on security cameras, their plate was unreadable, and I have another racer/travel story to tell.

(Sigh....)
Sorry about that Greg - I know exactly where you were! Across the street from that bank, they are now building a 16,000 dwelling unit site - yeah, that's gonna make it all better.

But, you are right. We need to be aware, constantly. It's exhausting. Between your guys, and my recent tree guys, it is sometimes hard to have a lot of faith in humanity. But, dammit, every time I feel there is no hope left, someone does me a solid

best,
bt

[TimH]

But, dammit, every time I feel there is no hope left, someone does me a solid

I've heard it said that in any general group of individuals, there are about 5% of them that will ruin your trust of the other 95%.

My experience has been that it is wise to avoid tempting anyone to join those 5%, but some of them are incorrigible.

[LenFC11]

Last year went to Lowe’s. A lady grabs about 4 cordless drills and starts running for the door full throttle…

She runs past a few people who work there each only say to her please don’t steal that. Nothing more said or done.

When I ask the check out lady why no one did anything she says they are instructed not to by their insurance company.

They didn’t even look to see what kinda of car she got in.

Unbelievable !!

[Allemay]

I was trying to get the cops and the DA in Madison, WI to prosecute my brother who stole $5,000 from my mother's account the day after the funeral. He admitted to the whole thing. The DA said that in Madison the chance of a conviction was iffy. Instead of being charged with felony identity theft he got a $200 ticket .

The copy told me that one of the judges there won't charge anyone with retail theft. His reason was because all the big box stores are insured for it.

Dumbass world we're living in.

Sorry to hear about your story.

[billtebbutt]

I was trying to get the cops and the DA in Madison, WI to prosecute my brother who stole $5,000 from my mother's account the day after the funeral. He admitted to the whole thing. The DA said that in liberal Madison the chance of a conviction was iffy. Instead of being charged with felony identity theft he got a $200 ticket .

The copy told me that one of the judges there won't charge anyone with retail theft. His reason was because all the big box stores are insured for it.

Dumbass world we're living in.

Sorry to hear about your story.

I appreciate that, and I totally understand the points made in your post. But, you've inadvertently run afoul of forum rules (no political references), so please adjust you post accordingly

best
bt

[problemchild]

But, you are right. We need to be aware, constantly. It's exhausting.

Or you can just chill, take reasonable precautions, regardless of the community, and live life. Other than looking over my shoulder as I leave a bank with cash, I would do nothing different than I did that day. I will continue to do business on a handshake and trust my "dirtbag radar" will protect me most of the time. Life is too short!

[Allemay]

I appreciate that, and I totally understand the points made in your post. But, you've inadvertently run afoul of forum rules (no political references), so please adjust you post accordingly

best
bt

Yeah, my bad. Thanks for letting me know. It's a good rule.