Well, well, well. How dare you be such a kind, forgiving human being. Who do you think you are? Jesus? Do you fish?
Sam_Lowry
· 1 year ago
No one can blame you for leading with your heart on this one, but crime victims, suspects, cops, reporters . . . all see things differently through the lens of their experiences. That's why, in law enforcement, as in journalism, there are boundaries . . . imperfect boundaries, but in place for mostly good reasons.
Whether we like it or not, Det Peck's job isn't to aid your catharsis. She's paid to investigate crimes and, in cases where there's a likelihood that 12 jurors would revoke the freedom of the persons alleged to have committed them, file criminal complaints with the District Attorney. Period.
I know you had the best of intentions in writing that letter, but, if the person who stole your credit card has the heart of gold you think she does, can you see how she might be a bit unnerved from having her victim track her down and leave a note on her car?
I also fail to see how calling Det Peck 'lousy' helps matters any.
Jim
· 1 year ago
That was a great article! What an adventure!
Albert DiSalvo
· 1 year ago
You have the comfort of knowing that Det. Peck will retire with a fat pension you'll be paying for--when she's 55 or so. The perp will go on to rip countless victims off whilst you may actually be added to some "Psycho" list they keep downtown for when they need to round up usual suspects. This is just one more confirmation that (in Long Beach) the only justice you'll get is the justice you take on your own. The lesson is, of course, not to have any contact with the "authorities" who will become your advisaries, but settle scores in your own good time and means. In short, don't be a victim when you can recoup losses the old fashioned way. I admire your pluck.
YOu Did a Great Job!
· 1 year ago
Dear, you are a chump. A kind, sweet, forgiving chump, but a chump nonetheless. The thief gave the Detective a sob story about how money is tight, blah, blah, blah. And then the thief spends your hard earned money on a manicure! Yeah, money can get tight real fast when it gets spent on frivolous stuff like that! I'm sure the Detective knew she was being scammed by the sob story, but both of them just wanted you to go away and stop bothering them. The Detective didn't want to do the work to prosecute and the thief didn't really want to apologize. This said, I think you are wonderful to pursue this the way you did. I only wish the thief had gone to jail. Remember, a first offense is the first time a criminal gets caught, not necessarily the first time he/she has committed a crime. If I had to guess, I'll bet the Take-the-Bread-Back-to-Trader Joe's-and-Steal-a-Wallet routine has been used before by your perp.
Please do not take offense at my use of the word "chump"--I'm one too! Carjacked after letting 2 "stranded" twenty-somethings borrow my cellphone. A very nice couple, who just happened to be carjackers. They'll never be caught, but if they were, I'd write to them too--while they are in jail.
Andrew Williams
· 1 year ago
Don't let these morons try to persuade you to recast yourself. You are neither victim nor villain. As one of the previous commentators pointed out, the thief couldn't have been that hard-up if she was using your card to get her nails done. She used you, and the Detective alternated between sitting on her ass, chewing you out, and making you the butt of a very cruel April Fool's joke. Most people would have gone ballistic at that point, cop or no. You have NOTHING to apologize for.
Sandee
· 1 year ago
How come she didn't use some of the cash on birth control? I don't feel sorry for her in the least. What's she studying--babymama I?
Mari
· 1 year ago
DID ANYONE DIE? I mean really?! My identity was stolen, and I don't think I made such a big deal about it. Did they catch the woman? Heck No! She's still out there probably stealing someone elses identity! How long has it been? Freakin' 3+ years that I've been dealing with the IRS. Don't blame the system for what is your responsibility. I mean, after all your the one that forgot your wallet. IT HAPPENS!!!
DETECTIVES do they're job accordingly, and may I say, AT LEAST YOUR CASE GOT FILED and READY FOR COURT. Shame on you for blaming Det. Peck for your mistake.
Dr. Fill
· 1 year ago
Let it out Mari, let it out.
So our bar for whether a crime is a crime that needs to be prosecuted is if someone dies? Or you just cannot speak to being a victim unless someone has died? Forget all laws that have been passed, except those that apply if someone dies, then it becomes important every other transgression work out amongst yourselves; but forgivingly because some people went through the same thing before and hey, IT HAPPENS.
So no more crime stories, unless, well you know.
LBRez
· 1 year ago
File a civil suit against the theif. Go to small claims and max out the amount you can file, I think it is $5000. She won't go to jail so she can stay home and have her kid, but she will have the judgement for a long, long time and won't be able to get much credit with it outstanding. You can always settle for less if she decides to pay anything. Make it big enough to get her attention and scare away any potential creditors; eventually she may come to you for the actual amount she stole and you can add in your cell minutes, etc and reach a settlement.
Mari
· 1 year ago
Justice for a forgotten wallet... hmmm; go figure. Hey, I give you kudos for doing your detective work though.
chris
· 1 year ago
i agree with taking justice into your own hands in long beach. never get the cops involved here. nothing gets resolved. some of the cops here can't even speak english let alone capture criminals. lb cops are excellent at writing seatbelt and parking tickets though! probably because it doesn't involve doing real police work.
Perp lexed
· 1 year ago
I have little doubt that LB officers exhibiting initiative will be put on a watch list and counciled to cease rocking the boat. Why not just go along and get along and get the paperwork absolutely correct when it's not possible to avoid it altogether. Avoid potential liabilities. Be invisible. Retire in style. That said, of course you shouldn't have forgotten your wallet. Naturally, now you must suffer silently as there is no reasonable civic remedy. Nevermind you've personally tracked down the perp on your own time and scored a confession. Don't trouble the public with your problems. Don't burden the police with such matters. Get over your alarming obsession with some kind of twisted version of imagined injustice. Maybe it is you who should be taken downtown, photographed and printed. You're sick. Get help. No wait, don't get help, just shutup about it and forget. I can hardly believe I'm wasting my time explaining this to you. To sum up--it's all YOUR fault! What kind of depraved and perverted sicko are you? Thank you. Thank you very much.
Janet
· 1 year ago
Yes, file in small claims court, and maybe Judge Judy's show will have it on tv. That woman knows where you live. To bad you didn't just go where she lives and bash in her windows. She's probably done this before. What a Det that person is, and you should apply for a police job.
Larry
· 1 year ago
Police departments don't care about stolen credit cards of I.D theft. Sadly, we have to take it into our own hands. You forgive these crooks by letting them spend time in jail and not beating the crap out of them. I can't believe someone can actually feel sorry for a crook who goes on a luxary spree. Somehow I'm not surprised to find out it was a black chick.
Mike
· 1 year ago
(Mari is the kind of lazy ass who depends on others to do the work for her) Gotta get off your ass sweatheart if you want matters taken care of. At least Jen did her own investigation which I doubt you do. Oh by the way, the majority of ID theft is due to illegal immigrants stealing and selling info.
Carol
· 1 year ago
Mahalo from Hawaii, Jenny! I felt your journey every outraged, outrageous step of the way. I, too, have gone after a few people who have taken advantage of me or my friends. I stopped short of the forgiving letter on the windshield, but I understand your desire to get your world back in order. You are a wonderful writer, and an even better human being.
sweet revenge
· 1 year ago
Had I seen the vehicle of someone who stole my wallet, I would have poured about a pound of sugar into her gastank. Shortly after she starts her car, the engine seizes and presto! her karma has caught up to her.
Steve Lydston
· 1 year ago
The police in Long Beach and "detective" Peck should absolutely be ashamed of themselves. Chris was right on when he talks about the Long Beach police vigorously enforcing parking fines! (By the way I have never been cited by the LB police for anything.) If the so called police work generates revenue for the city they have unlimited resources. When it comes to helping tax paying citizens you really find that you are not important to the police.
Some of those who commented implied that it was the victim's fault for forgetting her wallet. What a degradation in morality! Does that mean that any rape victim is to blame for wearing tight fitting or suggestive clothing? As the old saying goes, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Continually lowering the bar on acceptable behavior will ultimately end up in chaos for all of us. Several of the people who commented on the story already suggested that the only justice you can expect is vigilante justice. Come on! Let's have someone stand up for having individuals taking responsibility for their own actions. The thief for stealing a wallet and the Cops for ignoring their duty even when the victim did all of their work for them.
I admire Ms. Stockdale tremendously!
Chris
· 1 year ago
Wow... Amazed at this article and the fact it was on the radio. You said you were "Robbed" at least twice in this article. Prior to publishing did you look up to see what being "Robbed" consists of?
You left your wallet on the counter and are surprised that someone in Long Beach took it?
And on top of that you want immediately Police response action and CSI forensic team to respond?
You should consider moving to Orange County.
Sounds to me like this Detective did her job. Took your case. Collected evidence. Filed a case against the bad guy. Sorry if it wasn't within your time frame but Long Beach just MIGHT have more than a wallet thief (not robber) going on.
Sad you have to write so poorly about a Detective or job you know nothing about.
Sad you think you deserve special credit and recognition for trying to do something productive to ultimately help yourself and your case out. I'd imagine thats what she meant by calling you a good victim. One that cared enough to be a victim, and help if possible. But what does she know, she was just a lazy detective who only had YOUR case to work and solve and no other pending cases to follow up on I'm sure.
It sucks to be the victim of a crime.
It sucks more to have that same victim talk so poorly of the very person responsible for following through on filing a case on the suspect involved.
Please dont apply for a police job. You cant make the write decision on what to write and publish, let alone who should go to jail and have their rights taken away from them.
Next time, call CSI:Miami. They'll help you out. Scrape the returned bread for DNA and everything.
Steve
· 1 year ago
This last commentator, Chris, sounds like another LB cop! Yeah, the victim left her wallet on the counter. That makes it totally OK for this scumbag to pick it up and use the victim's credit/debit cards to buy the real real necessities of life: car washes, manicures, and pancakes?
If the victim was a cop or a cop's wife, mother, sister, etc. you can bet all the resources of the department would have been brought to bear.
I know there are plenty of good cops out there. There are also plenty like Detective Peck as well. Too bad for the average victim.
Det. Pecker
· 1 year ago
Peck sucks. Bottom line.
Sky
· 1 year ago
There is only one person here in the wrong. The woman who TOOK the wallet that didn't belong to her. She is the one who started the ball rolling in all the events that would follow. She should have done the right thing and that is turn the wallet in at the front office of the store who would then keep it in their safe until the owner could be reached. OK, so you as the victim want to "forgive". That's fine. However, restitution still needs to be paid, the consequences still need to be paid - you can't just let the woman off scott free. It only encourages people to steal wallets.
Dave Wielenga
· 1 year ago
I missed the radio show! Is there a way I can hear it on line?
Jenny Stockdale
· 1 year ago
Well, to start with, thank you for commenting on the story -- a story I didn't even want to write, and wasn't going to until my editors insisted upon it. Judging by your responses, though, I am both a wonderful person, a fool and a lunatic who has touched a nerve in the community, so maybe publishing it was the right decision. I also have to admit that I did not write (nor do I totally agree with) the headline of the story. I do not think Det. Peck is so much a lousy detective as a busy one who was juggling multiple, higher priority cases when mine landed on her desk. Nowhere in the body of the story does it state that I think she is "lousy." In fact, I tried remain as factual as possible and keep my soapbox out of it, mainly because (as many of you said) she was doing her job (maybe not as quickly as my self-interest would have dictated, but she did help me). The existing headline is not the one I would have written, but writers don't often get to choose their own headlines.
I will say though, that the Long Beach Police Department in general was not very receptive to my type of case, mainly because stolen wallets/identities are a dime a dozen and they simply don't have the manpower to correct the problem (parking citations are another matter, one that they can control because the criminal's car is parked in their plain view). I also understand that it is just a wallet (not an endangered life or a commercial burglary), but any crime committed against you is injurious, it chips away at your peace of mind, and is unnecessary. I also think that when the LBPD admits that wallet theft is low priority crime (which translates to: we probably won't get to this one) it enables people like my criminal to continue stealing things, because they can rest easy knowing the odds they might get caught are slim. I can't see how that's justifiable under any circumstances.
I also agree with comments stating that the woman who stole (or found-and-did-not-return, or robbed, or whatever) my wallet and triggered all this bad momentum is in the wrong, but I'm handing it over to Karma from here on out.
I think Sam Lowry's response is incredibly accurate, we all see things differently through the lens of our experiences. The lens on this story is my own. Maybe you share it because you've had a crime committed against you, maybe you disagree with it because you're on the other end of it, but it is what it is, and hey, IT HAPPENS.
Thanks for reading. And if you find a wallet, for Chrissakes, do the right thing.
LBRez
· 1 year ago
We has two $2000 checks written against our account at WAMU on a Saturday and a Monday--days when anyone checking online would not see the transactions until late Monday or Tuesday morning, when I discovered the withdrawals. The perp used counter checks and had my driver's license number, no other ID. He/she got the number probably from my writing check in local retailer and them writing the number on my check--never since will I let anyone write down my license number. There were two and I presumed the same teller who was probably in on it since no photo ID was presented. I called the LBPD who took statement and assigned a case number which I took to WAMU. The almost immediately credited us with $4k back into our new account that we had to open. I assumed they would look at the video tapes and see if I recognized the thief, but that was it. Never heard from everyone. Since WAMU made us whole, with the exception of changing out a checking account which is a pain but minimal compared to the loss of money set for important home project, we were done. I followed up with the Detective assigned and branch manager once and figured they were not interested. I wondered how much we would have to lose, or WAMU in refunding the amount lost, before it hit the radar of being worthwhile to pursue the crook and prosecute.
Everyone can be a victim very easily, that does not make it the victim's fault for the evil acts of another simply because the let themselves be a target. And it sucks. Some person with no moral compass has your information, your address, your account numbers, it is distrurbing. I admire the efforts you took Jenny to track down the crook who stole from you and did not do the right thing. How simple, "The lady who left in front of me left this on the counter."
Steve
· 1 year ago
I had a similar experience with the Bank of New York. Organized criminals intercepted (inside the US post office!) a bunch of newly issued credit cards including mine. In a week they ran my card up to the $10,000 limit with all sorts of luxury purchases. The Bank was very nice to me and with some minor paperwork on my part, the problem went away from me and was managed by the bank.
Here is the real problem:
That bank and all the other banks that are absorbing these charges are simply passing on the costs to shareholders, and customers in the form of higher interest rates. So we are actually funding a whole subculture of thieves in a way that is generally invisible to the society at large. Because we don't directly recognize or see the extra money we are paying to the banks, because it is hidden in the interest rate, we keep on supporting this parasite population.
So what you say?
For years the automobile companies paid off the unrealistic demands of unions and allowed poor quality product to roll off the lines because the American people had no other choice for a long time. Rather than fight for customers and other stakeholders, management just passed the cost on to the customers.
Fast forward to 2008 and where are all those people? The once dominant U.S. auto industry is nearly bankrupt. Tens of thousands of good jobs have gone overseas, and all those greedy unions and incompetent managers are out on the street whining about their condition! If they were the only ones who suffered I would not care in the least. The problem is that the whole country suffers when a major industry fails. Look at the social devastation and the rock bottom real estate environment that exists around the once mighty manufacturing center of Detroit!
We are now in the middle of a huge financial crisis in this country and banks are teetering on the edge of failure. Can we and the police turn our backs on this parasitic subculture, which may be adding a large percentage of overhead costs to these troubled institutions? What happens when they start to fail? We can't get mortgages and our taxes go up as the government tries to bail them out with our money! Why is it that we always seem to have large amounts of money available to fix a problem but we never have the small amount of money it takes to prevent one?
Solving this problem starts at the individual level. I agree with the author completely, for all our sakes, we must insist that people do the right thing, the good thing, the honest thing. We just can't continue to lower the bar on what is acceptable behavior. There has to be some sort of social punishment for violating the basic principles of honesty and decency.
Dave
· 1 year ago
I'm not surprised to see that the incompetence of the L.B.P.D. hasn't changed since I tried to get them to do something about a crime 32 years ago. I was assaulted by my wifes ex-husband, causing painful permanent damage to my jaw. A police report was filed and a warrant for his arrest was issed. To make a long story short , it took almost 2 years to track him down with the help of a few people he had stolen from. He drove daily in Long Beach without a license or insurance, received numerous tickets which he collected on the seat of his car that he never paid for, and had a couple other arrest warrants active. When we finally found out where he was living we called LBPD. Their answer was that the total dollar amount of his arrest warrants was less than the required amount so they would not go to his home & arrest him. He proceeded to flaunt the law for a couple of more years before he was finally arrested.
Thanks for the props, Ms. Stockdale. I hope you find your peace with this. I also hope that the person who did this will come to appreciate what a great person you are for taking the karmic high road. Maybe on the day she holds her newborn in a hospital, instead of a jail, she'll come to realize the kindness you've shown.
Gotta go. I've got a new pair of Vise-Grips and my neighbor's knitting me a headline-writer voodoo doll.
Nancy
· 1 year ago
Kudos to Jennifer! What tenacity! Any of you who are blaming Ms. Stockdale...I'm talking to Mari and Chris in particular...need to remove their heads from their a**es. Even if "money was tight" and the perpetrator used the money for groceries, or diapers it would be forgiveable, but to get her stupid nails done!!! That takes it into scumbag territory. Every decent person knows if you find a wallet, you turn it in to the store, or attempt to find the person yourself. Bad perp, b-a-a-a-d perp.
Jenny, You're Great
· 1 year ago
I can't believe that anyone could be critical of you. Just goes to show what kind of jerks there are out there. I have read the posts where others had crimes committed against them, and then they turn around and bitch you out because you did something about the one committed against you.
Leaving your wallet on the counter does not give anyone the right to steal it from you. Theft is theft. The wallet did not belong to the person who took it. It belonged to you, and you had every right to pursue justice. Theft is not a petty crime. It's a serious offense and those who steal from others should go to jail. Cops are the only ones who don't take theft seriously. Maybe it's just too much work for the donut-eaters. Perhaps the time it takes to arrest a thief cuts into their lobster hunting expeditions. You did the right thing and don't let anyone tell you differently! You're wonderful.
I thank you for writing the article. I know I'm much more careful now. It's the pits to think the stranger behind you in a grocery store might be someone who has no qualms about robbing you of what you have worked for, but your story made it very real.
Justice 4 All?
· 1 year ago
A neighbor of mine left his laptop in his car. He forgot to turn on his car alarm. Someone broke into his car and stole the laptop. The police forensics team was out in a heartbeat-- dusting for fingerprints and looking for other telltale signs to try to locate the thief.
Oops! I almost forgot to mention: the victim in this case was a cop!
Double standard???? Nahhh.....
LBPD's Reputation Sucks!
· 1 year ago
Long Beach Police are known for their unprofessionalism, and lack of work ethic. Being in law enforcement, I have had a chance to work with many departments/agencies, and I can honestly say that they are the WORST. They must be conditioned in their BASIC POST class to show up to work each day, eat a donut, and not cause ANY waves (translation: don’t do ANYTHING) at work. Their poor reputation speaks for itself, and I am not surprised at their pathetic response to your theft. Good for you for sticking up for yourself, and shame on LBPD. They should take away Det. Peck's fat, undeserved pension and give it to you!!! Unfortunately, they take care of their own in this department, and sadly, she probably wont be reprimanded. In fact, if I know LBPD well, she will probably be promoted.
Andy
· 1 year ago
I was broken into twice last year. The responding officers and especially the lab techs were responsible and thorough. The detectives were responsive to my queries and interested in my case, though if you expect them to go out and solve it McGarrett-style, you watch too much TV. And, yeah, I had to do a lot of the sleuthing myself.
They matched a fingerprint back to an arrested juvenile who skipped her arraignment. Did I get my stuff back or any satisfaction? No. Did the LBPD do everything reasonable within the constraints of staffing and workload? Hell, yeah.
I sincerely doubt the veracity of the above poster's (#34) "expertise". Or anybody that uses multiple exclamation points.
Brent
· 1 year ago
what an excellent story. kudos for writing about your hardship. yes all police departments are understaffed, but there seems to be a pattern here of negative LBPD experiences from several different people on the board.
as a resident of long beach for over 30 years, i can honestly say that the police in long beach are generally pretty incompetent. they are the weakest link of this city. furthermore, you can definitely tell which people on this board have truly been victims of LBPD's ineptness, and which people on this board are lazy LBPD police officers sitting in the east division, collecting overtime, and trying drastically to work some kind of LBPD public relations magic. unfortunately for them, the truth prevails, but nonetheless, for a good laugh see your taxpayers $$ at work and read posters #8, #20, #35.
Steve
· 1 year ago
Responding to Andy (#35) -- A burglary is certainly a higher level of crime compared to credit card theft. A burglar risks confrontation with the victim and along with this risk is the associated risk of violence that could result from such a confrontation. This may be why you got more attention than Ms. Stockdale. I'm happy the LBPD tried to help you even though you saw no effective result. That is their job. I know the LBPD has some really good cops. I've met a couple of them.
Unfortunately, it seems they also have some lazy slugs who won't go after the lower level but nonetheless pernicious parasites, who bit by bit wear away at the quality of everyday life. These people know that as long as they keep just a little below the radar, they can make a good score most of the time.
Just think about the thief in this case. We have heard in the story that she is now pregnant. What do you want to bet that she is an unwed mother and getting ready to stick society for the cost of that problem? And the circle continues.
The reputations of the good cops in LBPD are being degraded by poor management and mediocre colleagues. The public continues to suffer.
All Comments
Whether we like it or not, Det Peck's job isn't to aid your catharsis. She's paid to investigate crimes and, in cases where there's a likelihood that 12 jurors would revoke the freedom of the persons alleged to have committed them, file criminal complaints with the District Attorney. Period.
I know you had the best of intentions in writing that letter, but, if the person who stole your credit card has the heart of gold you think she does, can you see how she might be a bit unnerved from having her victim track her down and leave a note on her car?
I also fail to see how calling Det Peck 'lousy' helps matters any.
I admire your pluck.
Please do not take offense at my use of the word "chump"--I'm one too! Carjacked after letting 2 "stranded" twenty-somethings borrow my cellphone. A very nice couple, who just happened to be carjackers. They'll never be caught, but if they were, I'd write to them too--while they are in jail.
DETECTIVES do they're job accordingly, and may I say, AT LEAST YOUR CASE GOT FILED and READY FOR COURT. Shame on you for blaming Det. Peck for your mistake.
So our bar for whether a crime is a crime that needs to be prosecuted is if someone dies? Or you just cannot speak to being a victim unless someone has died? Forget all laws that have been passed, except those that apply if someone dies, then it becomes important every other transgression work out amongst yourselves; but forgivingly because some people went through the same thing before and hey, IT HAPPENS.
So no more crime stories, unless, well you know.
That said, of course you shouldn't have forgotten your wallet. Naturally, now you must suffer silently as there is no reasonable civic remedy. Nevermind you've personally tracked down the perp on your own time and scored a confession. Don't trouble the public with your problems. Don't burden the police with such matters. Get over your alarming obsession with some kind of twisted version of imagined injustice. Maybe it is you who should be taken downtown, photographed and printed. You're sick. Get help. No wait, don't get help, just shutup about it and forget. I can hardly believe I'm wasting my time explaining this to you. To sum up--it's all YOUR fault! What kind of depraved and perverted sicko are you? Thank you. Thank you very much.
Some of those who commented implied that it was the victim's fault for forgetting her wallet. What a degradation in morality! Does that mean that any rape victim is to blame for wearing tight fitting or suggestive clothing? As the old saying goes, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Continually lowering the bar on acceptable behavior will ultimately end up in chaos for all of us. Several of the people who commented on the story already suggested that the only justice you can expect is vigilante justice. Come on! Let's have someone stand up for having individuals taking responsibility for their own actions. The thief for stealing a wallet and the Cops for ignoring their duty even when the victim did all of their work for them.
I admire Ms. Stockdale tremendously!
You said you were "Robbed" at least twice in this article.
Prior to publishing did you look up to see what being "Robbed" consists of?
You left your wallet on the counter and are surprised that someone in Long Beach took it?
And on top of that you want immediately Police response action and CSI forensic team to respond?
You should consider moving to Orange County.
Sounds to me like this Detective did her job. Took your case. Collected evidence. Filed a case against the bad guy. Sorry if it wasn't within your time frame but Long Beach just MIGHT have more than a wallet thief (not robber) going on.
Sad you have to write so poorly about a Detective or job you know nothing about.
Sad you think you deserve special credit and recognition for trying to do something productive to ultimately help yourself and your case out.
I'd imagine thats what she meant by calling you a good victim. One that cared enough to be a victim, and help if possible. But what does she know, she was just a lazy detective who only had YOUR case to work and solve and no other pending cases to follow up on I'm sure.
It sucks to be the victim of a crime.
It sucks more to have that same victim talk so poorly of the very person responsible for following through on filing a case on the suspect involved.
Please dont apply for a police job.
You cant make the write decision on what to write and publish, let alone who should go to jail and have their rights taken away from them.
Next time, call CSI:Miami.
They'll help you out. Scrape the returned bread for DNA and everything.
If the victim was a cop or a cop's wife, mother, sister, etc. you can bet all the resources of the department would have been brought to bear.
I know there are plenty of good cops out there. There are also plenty like Detective Peck as well. Too bad for the average victim.
I will say though, that the Long Beach Police Department in general was not very receptive to my type of case, mainly because stolen wallets/identities are a dime a dozen and they simply don't have the manpower to correct the problem (parking citations are another matter, one that they can control because the criminal's car is parked in their plain view). I also understand that it is just a wallet (not an endangered life or a commercial burglary), but any crime committed against you is injurious, it chips away at your peace of mind, and is unnecessary. I also think that when the LBPD admits that wallet theft is low priority crime (which translates to: we probably won't get to this one) it enables people like my criminal to continue stealing things, because they can rest easy knowing the odds they might get caught are slim. I can't see how that's justifiable under any circumstances.
I also agree with comments stating that the woman who stole (or found-and-did-not-return, or robbed, or whatever) my wallet and triggered all this bad momentum is in the wrong, but I'm handing it over to Karma from here on out.
I think Sam Lowry's response is incredibly accurate, we all see things differently through the lens of our experiences. The lens on this story is my own. Maybe you share it because you've had a crime committed against you, maybe you disagree with it because you're on the other end of it, but it is what it is, and hey, IT HAPPENS.
Thanks for reading. And if you find a wallet, for Chrissakes, do the right thing.
Everyone can be a victim very easily, that does not make it the victim's fault for the evil acts of another simply because the let themselves be a target. And it sucks. Some person with no moral compass has your information, your address, your account numbers, it is distrurbing. I admire the efforts you took Jenny to track down the crook who stole from you and did not do the right thing. How simple, "The lady who left in front of me left this on the counter."
Here is the real problem:
That bank and all the other banks that are absorbing these charges are simply passing on the costs to shareholders, and customers in the form of higher interest rates. So we are actually funding a whole subculture of thieves in a way that is generally invisible to the society at large. Because we don't directly recognize or see the extra money we are paying to the banks, because it is hidden in the interest rate, we keep on supporting this parasite population.
So what you say?
For years the automobile companies paid off the unrealistic demands of unions and allowed poor quality product to roll off the lines because the American people had no other choice for a long time. Rather than fight for customers and other stakeholders, management just passed the cost on to the customers.
Fast forward to 2008 and where are all those people? The once dominant U.S. auto industry is nearly bankrupt. Tens of thousands of good jobs have gone overseas, and all those greedy unions and incompetent managers are out on the street whining about their condition! If they were the only ones who suffered I would not care in the least. The problem is that the whole country suffers when a major industry fails. Look at the social devastation and the rock bottom real estate environment that exists around the once mighty manufacturing center of Detroit!
We are now in the middle of a huge financial crisis in this country and banks are teetering on the edge of failure. Can we and the police turn our backs on this parasitic subculture, which may be adding a large percentage of overhead costs to these troubled institutions? What happens when they start to fail? We can't get mortgages and our taxes go up as the government tries to bail them out with our money! Why is it that we always seem to have large amounts of money available to fix a problem but we never have the small amount of money it takes to prevent one?
Solving this problem starts at the individual level. I agree with the author completely, for all our sakes, we must insist that people do the right thing, the good thing, the honest thing. We just can't continue to lower the bar on what is acceptable behavior. There has to be some sort of social punishment for violating the basic principles of honesty and decency.
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Gotta go. I've got a new pair of Vise-Grips and my neighbor's knitting me a headline-writer voodoo doll.
Bad perp, b-a-a-a-d perp.
Leaving your wallet on the counter does not give anyone the right to steal it from you. Theft is theft. The wallet did not belong to the person who took it. It belonged to you, and you had every right to pursue justice. Theft is not a petty crime. It's a serious offense and those who steal from others should go to jail. Cops are the only ones who don't take theft seriously. Maybe it's just too much work for the donut-eaters. Perhaps the time it takes to arrest a thief cuts into their lobster hunting expeditions. You did the right thing and don't let anyone tell you differently! You're wonderful.
I thank you for writing the article. I know I'm much more careful now. It's the pits to think the stranger behind you in a grocery store might be someone who has no qualms about robbing you of what you have worked for, but your story made it very real.
Oops! I almost forgot to mention: the victim in this case was a cop!
Double standard???? Nahhh.....
They matched a fingerprint back to an arrested juvenile who skipped her arraignment. Did I get my stuff back or any satisfaction? No. Did the LBPD do everything reasonable within the constraints of staffing and workload? Hell, yeah.
I sincerely doubt the veracity of the above poster's (#34) "expertise". Or anybody that uses multiple exclamation points.
as a resident of long beach for over 30 years, i can honestly say that the police in long beach are generally pretty incompetent. they are the weakest link of this city. furthermore, you can definitely tell which people on this board have truly been victims of LBPD's ineptness, and which people on this board are lazy LBPD police officers sitting in the east division, collecting overtime, and trying drastically to work some kind of LBPD public relations magic. unfortunately for them, the truth prevails, but nonetheless, for a good laugh see your taxpayers $$ at work and read posters #8, #20, #35.
Unfortunately, it seems they also have some lazy slugs who won't go after the lower level but nonetheless pernicious parasites, who bit by bit wear away at the quality of everyday life. These people know that as long as they keep just a little below the radar, they can make a good score most of the time.
Just think about the thief in this case. We have heard in the story that she is now pregnant. What do you want to bet that she is an unwed mother and getting ready to stick society for the cost of that problem? And the circle continues.
The reputations of the good cops in LBPD are being degraded by poor management and mediocre colleagues. The public continues to suffer.