I recovered a stolen camera today!

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RdEoSg

RdEoSg

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Ok so it wasn't a rangefinder but still! I work at a camera store and had someone come in to sell a Nikon D70 with lens to us. It seemed odd because he had a camera and lens but no battery or charger or anything else. I checked the card slot and saw a card in it with some writing. As soon as the guy saw the writing he was like Oh wait lemme see that a second. I just brushed him off and said oh don't worry I got it back in, let me just go in the back and find a battery. I then pulled the card out to see what it said and saw that it had a local college's name on it and phone number. I went back out and told the guy he had to come back in a half hour when the buyer was in. I didn't really think he would, but I called the number anyways and talked to the school. They confirmed that 4 cameras were stolen and faxed me the serial numbers and the Police case number. I contacted the police to find out what to do and since they are in another city they said if I was willing, I could call our police if he came back and they could get him.

Well amazingly enough about a 45 minutes later I saw him outside. I told my boss who had been out running errands that he was back and so he stalled the guy while I went in the back and called the police. I then came back out and the guy decided he needed to use the restroom. We let him go in there and then I checked the camera quick against the faxed serials and got a match so I kept stalling and playing with the camera. The guy came back out and thought nothing of it I guess because he was asking all sorts of questions. I even gave the guy a lesson in f-stops and depth of field just to buy time waiting for the police!!!

After a few minutes they arrived and questioned the guy, took my statement, and then arrested him. Off he went in handcuffs!

I called the school back afterwards and told them we had the guy arrested and recovered one of the cameras and that the Police would probably contact them. They were really excited and happy about it!

So yep.. My good deed for the day! YAY!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀
 
Justice served. Rarely happens.

Not cool that someone had to go to jail, but it was the right thing to do.
 
Yep.. I guess he should have thought of it before he tried to sell stolen property. He said he was on probation for forged documents. So yea. He was familiar with the criminal justice system! He said he has 2 years hanging over his head and the cop told him his luck wasn't looking too good then. I feel kinda bad someone has to go to jail, but that isn't my fault. He should have thought about it first.
 
I'm very glad there are still people out there like you Chris. Really cool! Today I was sitting at home after a pretty long day staring at a computer screen & the phone rang... Kinda weird, 'cause no one calls my home # after 9.30pm unless its an emergency. Anyway, it was the local Chipoltle store (best damn burritos in the world!) saying that I dropped my wallet there at lunch! I couldn't believe that someone handed it in & the manager actually went to the trouble of looking me up... I'm not sure when I would have noticed that I had lost it! More power to all the good doers out there!

Peter
 
Hooray! I have absolutely no sympathy for thieves, you did the right thing Chris, and in a smart way.

And Peter, that's fantastic, but sad that we've come to expect that people's normal reaction would be NOT to turn it in. Unfortunately, too few people react like the person that turned in your wallet!
 
Chris,
Ya done good! Please don't worry/concern yourself about the bad effects on the thief. You did not put him in this position, he put himself there.
Rob
 
Congrats on doing the right thing. I used to work in a second hand store and we had a lot of stolen goods turn up in the time I worked there (no connection 😀).
 
shutterflower said:
Not cool that someone had to go to jail, but it was the right thing to do.
Click to expand...

You don't know if he will be given a jail sentence, if it was a first offence he may get away with a caution and hopefully learn his lesson, if it was not then he probably deserves to serve some time, I am sure the judge will take all the necessary facts into consideration.

I too I am for avoiding giving prison sentences if at all avoidable, unfortunately sometimes it is not.
 
Oopls I read your second post too late, and while it is not up to policemen to hand over sentences, his comment was probably made with no malign intention whatsoever, at the end of the day he only said that his luck was't looking very good, hardly an harassment and ,for what I heard in this forum, true.
 
rbiemer said:
Chris,
Ya done good! Please don't worry/concern yourself about the bad effects on the thief. You did not put him in this position, he put himself there.
Rob
Click to expand...

Agree 100% you did what every good citizen should have done in the same position, it is not up to you to decide whetever someone should go to jail or not, as I said a judge will take care of it taking into consideration all the necessary facts and mitigating circumstances (if any), but is is the moral duty of a good citizen to try to stop a crime happening, and ensure that the authorities are informed.


So WELL DONE, I wish there were more people like you.
 
Excellent story!

I hate theives myself, been hearing many stories about thefts and even run-snatches. Good to see something came of it.
 
Magus, the policeman didn't overstep. He wasn't playing soothsayer or giving a verdict but stating a fact: once you've been arrested, your future doesn't look too good.

I have no sympathy for thieves. I had things stolen years ago... they weren't valuable except for me. If someone goes to jail for theft, that's their responsibility and choice. Hence, Chris, you did very well. Congratulations!! 🙂
 
You acted properly like a good citizen.

When the thief gets out on bail, he might come back to the camera store with a gun and kill you.
 
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