Police detective/prosecutor question

[Frank Newgent]

This past weekend I was a dealer in a very nice gem, mineral, fossil and jewelry show in a large (unnamed state) city. Was set up near some friends of mine, a (unnamed city) couple who cut their own cabochons in all sorts of interesting gem materials and wire wrap them as unusual jewelry pieces. They had recently done a show in (unnamed city), where on set-up day their vehicle was broken into and had tens of thousands of dollars worth of cut stones lifted.

Second day of the show just now two folks walked in with trays of stones they were trying to sell to the dealers. They approached other friends of the (unnamed city) couple who thought these pieces looked just a little too familiar in style. He then suggested that he might know someone who would be interested in seeing them.

When *** saw his stones he somehow remained calm and mouthed silently "Call the police." Security guards restrained these folks without too much to-do and before long the (unnamed city) police arrived.

Let me reiterate that the lapidary in question was unique in style and material. I should add that the pieces were priced on the back in handwriting. Theirs. (unnamed city couple)

I don't know how anyone could be more clearly busted. Yet these folks were indignant, demanding badge numbers and acting wronged.

I had to assume sociopathic mania, plain criminal know-how (is there a difference?) or blind stupidity on their part. Hey, why weren't they nervous to begin with, trying to so blatantly sell stolen goods? I heard tell they had been walking through the show demanding to know who "was buying stones".

Their explanations for how they came to be in possesssion of this material varied. None of it made any sense.

What I am wondering is why they were released shortly after being led from the building in handcuffs. Were the police genuinely intimidated by their threats of lawsuit. Or was it to protect them from certain harm at the hands of a number of dealers in the building?

I do not know yet whether the stolen goods were actually returned to them before being cut loose. Maybe I'm assuming the worse too quickly and that they will eventually will be re-arrested and charged.

The lesson does seem to be that it's better not to involve the police at all. *** could have simply grabbed his stones. These folks were hopelessly outnumbered.

Any (former) police detectives or prosecutors out there that can explain this one to me?

 

[Brown]

I'm not a cop or a prosecutor, although I used to work in a prosecutor's office.

I have yet to meet a police officer who is intimidated by an indignant suspect or by a threat of lawsuit. Officers generally have considerable legal protection afforded to them as to how they enforce the law. Rarely is the officer's personal pocketbook at risk.

Sometimes cops let people go before arrest for a number of reasons. Sometimes the suspects are "let go" after arrest, i.e., they are released on their own recognizance or after posting bond, and are compelled to return to court later to answer charges. Nonviolent offenders often do not go to jail, especially if they have social ties (such as steady job and family), because often the jails are full.

The bottom line is that there could be a lot of things that happened here, and we don't have enough information to know for sure.

 

[Frank Newgent]

Thanks for answering. To answer one question, at least from what I understand, these folks were not required to post a bond.

The bottom line is that there could be a lot of things that happened here, and we don't have enough information to know for sure.

Like what?

 

[Frank Newgent]

I'll answer my own question: not a damned thing.

The followup is that the thieves were released and not charged. If they do not dispute, in writing, the lapidary they were trying to sell to the fellow it had been stolen from is his, the police will eventually return it to him. The other 4/5 of what was taken when ** 's vehicle was broken into is still on the market.

Police apparently won't be pursuing a case where thieves are caught red-handed trying to sell stolen merchandise to the very fellow it was stolen from.

I have to assume a lack of money in the * Police Department budget has led detectives to so specially interpret what cases can and should be pursued. Meanwhile, in reality, the lesson is...

 

[Luke T.]

I hate thieves. Hate them with a passion. And I don't use the word "hate" much.

As for the particulars of the case, I can't help you. But this caught my interest:

I don't know how anyone could be more clearly busted. Yet these folks were indignant, demanding badge numbers and acting wronged.

I had to assume sociopathic mania, plain criminal know-how (is there a difference?) or blind stupidity on their part. Hey, why weren't they nervous to begin with, trying to so blatantly sell stolen goods? I heard tell they had been walking through the show demanding to know who "was buying stones".

It reminds me of those guys on death row bleating they are innocent. They get some schmuck from 20/20 to put them on their TV show, and they look right in the camera and say "I wasn't there. It wasn't me. This is a rush to judgment." And some viewers are convinced of their innocence. My wife falls for this crap sometimes. She'll turn to me and say, "Maybe he is innocent."

Then you see some prosecutor roll out DNA evidence that places the guy on the scene. And five thousand feet of security camera film showing the guy stabbing the victim 48 times. And 18 witnesses testifying, "That's the guy." And teeth marks left on chewing gum at the scene which match the perp's dental records. And the victim's wallet in the perp's bank safe deposit box.

You get the idea.

Some people are definitely pathological. I had a sociopath that worked for me in the Navy who had scammed over a dozen businesses out of about $30,000 worth of goods. He and his wife would buy stuff on credit, and then when he was transferred by the Navy to his next duty stations, they would stop payments. The businesses couldn't or were unable to pursue. They did this over and over.

He would have gotten away with this except for something he said one day that got me curious. So I did a little digging on my own. Eventually, I backtracked and found every little scam he had pulled. It was a real adventure in detective work.

This guy felt not a twinge of guilt or shame. I'm not even sure that he comprehended what he did was wrong.

I turned him over to NCIS. Gave them a nice, neat bundle of evidence.