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Legal Question - Eboydell et al
Wyatt Earp
Member Posts: 5,871
Ok, I'm too tight to seek legal advice I have to pay for on this, so let me hear your free opinions.
I have very clear security camera video of a girl/lady stealing something from my business. The item isn't expensive and not worth a lot of effort, but it's irritating and I'd like to see her and her accomplice caught and hanged...ok, maybe just caught. [:)]
I'm tempted to post the video to YouTube then run an ad in the paper pointing to it and offering a $100 reward for info. Again, in the video the theft is very clear so I'm not worried about wrongly accusing her, I just don't want to risk being sued.
Thoughts?
I have very clear security camera video of a girl/lady stealing something from my business. The item isn't expensive and not worth a lot of effort, but it's irritating and I'd like to see her and her accomplice caught and hanged...ok, maybe just caught. [:)]
I'm tempted to post the video to YouTube then run an ad in the paper pointing to it and offering a $100 reward for info. Again, in the video the theft is very clear so I'm not worried about wrongly accusing her, I just don't want to risk being sued.
Thoughts?
Comments
A theif is a theif. Nail their nutts to the floor.
IIRC you live around Lubbock.
Is it in Lubbock proper or in one of the surrounding cities?
I'd just title it "Lubbock(or whatever city) Shoplifter Sought."
I'd probably put Lubbock in there even if you do use your town's name just to get more views.
I don't know that you can post links to youtube on there though.
We had to get to your second posting to find out you had even talked to the police. Is that all we need to know? Did you file a theft report with police? Have you or the police identified the female?
At this point, your video is sufficient for the police to make an arrest. But, the female in question is still innocent (that is, not yet convicted). You can ban her, or anyone else, from your business. Any attempt at public shaming, & you leave yourself wide open to legal action.
I'm not a lawyer, but I slept in the dumpster behind the Holiday Inn Express last night.
Neal
fulfilling your own need for vengeance will only create more trouble for you in the long run.
We shouldn't have to drag the details out of you.
We had to get to your second posting to find out you had even talked to the police. Is that all we need to know? Did you file a theft report with police? Have you or the police identified the female?
At this point, your video is sufficient for the police to make an arrest. But, the female in question is still innocent (that is, not yet convicted). You can ban her, or anyone else, from your business. Any attempt at public shaming, & you leave yourself wide open to legal action.
I'm not a lawyer, but I slept in the dumpster behind the Holiday Inn Express last night.
Neal
If we'd identified the female, this'd kinda be a dead issue, no?
A police report was filed, but it's a low priority for them. In the past I have gotten much better results handling these things myself...as I'm doing right now.
Isn't it my civic duty to see a thief caught? Chances are they have stolen other stuff from other people. It's kinda like I taught my son: When you see a 2x4 laying on the highway, 99 out of 100 drivers will go on by not caring that it might cause major damage to a smaller car or cause a wreck for an inexperienced driver...be the 1 out of 100 that stops to throw it in the ditch.
can you blow up a still picture of her, with item in hand? post by front door of your business, asking if anyone has seen this thief????
I did that but got no results. Here are the videos - tell me what you think:
www.redbaroncarwash.com
I realize the detail at night isn't great, but there are a few things that separate that piuckup from most others. It is extended cab 4x4, no bed liner, black plastic tailgate trim, black side mirrors. I've ran across 20 other white pickups similar to this in the area, but n one have all those features.
2003-2006 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
How'd you glean all that from the video?
back of bed says Z71 as it drives away-second video
not many 2003-2006ish white chev silverado extended cab p/us like that running around without a bedliner or spray in bedliner, should be something you can spot if its local. No fender flares like mine.
I'll take my hundred in the form of a GB Gift Certificate [;)]
quote:Originally posted by shilowar
2003-2006 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
How'd you glean all that from the video?
I do this for a living [:D]
lol she stole a traffic cone with a paperbag over her head????
Good gosh man, I've watched that video 20 times and didn't notice the bag on her head!!! I thought it was just blonde hair in an updo. Sheesh, I'm impressed with your attention to minute detail! Now that you say that, I'm not sure it's a she - it kinda walked like a she I guess.
Now I'm even more pissed!
I always worry about retaliation, even when I turned in the poacher. I mean, those are neighbors, with guns. They could shoot one of my dogs, vandelize my property any number of things that would escalate the situation but you have to stand up for what is right.
I think I would wait til they come back to the store and then detain them for police.
Let the police do what they are paid to do.
post the video here so we have something to talk about [:D]
I always worry about retaliation, even when I turned in the poacher. I mean, those are neighbors, with guns. They could shoot one of my dogs, vandelize my property any number of things that would escalate the situation but you have to stand up for what is right.
I think I would wait til they come back to the store and then detain them for police.
Let the police do what they are paid to do.
They got EXTREMELY lucky!!! I have 15 cameras and 2 are dedicated tag capture cameras. They came at just the perfect time of low light when my cameras were changing from color to IR, and at the perfect angle to elude my tag cameras. So, I'm not too worried about retaliation. I'm more worried what they might do next if they get away with this.
youve already put way more effort into apprehending a traffic cone thief than i ever would have considered, so i cant help you.
Well, ok, thanks for informing me of that useful info.[:D]
quote:Originally posted by KEVD18
youve already put way more effort into apprehending a traffic cone thief than i ever would have considered, so i cant help you.
Well, ok, thanks for informing me of that useful info.[:D]
anytime
What kind of low life steals a orange cone?
The same kind who rip me a new one when I have the audacity to tell them they cannot wash 200 roofing nails, screws, and tar onto the parking lot from their pickup bed.
A certain percentage of people (around 2%) are too stupid to understand even basic common sense - and you're wasting your time trying to get through to them, you might as well just run them off.
I would go through a local crime stopper type system rather than doing it yourself. I know of cases where the victim decided to go on their own investigation only to bungle it to the point where even a confession to the police would be tainted.
My main goal is to criminal tresspass them so I never have to deal with them again. I can do that if I don't like the shoes she wears.[:D]
Also
Isn't it my civic duty to see a thief caught? Chances are they have stolen other stuff from other people. It's kinda like I taught my son: When you see a 2x4 laying on the highway, 99 out of 100 drivers will go on by not caring that it might cause major damage to a smaller car or cause a wreck for an inexperienced driver...be the 1 out of 100 that stops to throw it in the ditch.
Who throws a 2x4 in a ditch! That's useable wood dammit
Can you post it and not be sued ? NO. They have the ability to tie you up for more $$$ than what they took. Think of it this way, it's a business deal. You only spend X dollars and after that, you stop. It's no longer worth it. They count on it. EVEN when they have no case, they still cost you money.
Can you sue them? Yes. But again, is it worth the time and money? If they had anything (other than the truck) then it's less likely they'd be stealing something as simple as a cone.
You may want to consider a simple order barring them from your property and save yourself money in the long run.
Just your simple thought process. Remember, you said your too tight to actually pay for this info, thus too tight to pay for a lawsuit or to defend from one!
COB
Wyatt - going back to the original question...
Can you post it and not be sued ? NO. They have the ability to tie you up for more $$$ than what they took. Think of it this way, it's a business deal. You only spend X dollars and after that, you stop. It's no longer worth it. They count on it. EVEN when they have no case, they still cost you money.
Can you sue them? Yes. But again, is it worth the time and money? If they had anything (other than the truck) then it's less likely they'd be stealing something as simple as a cone.
You may want to consider a simple order barring them from your property and save yourself money in the long run.
Just your simple thought process. Remember, you said your too tight to actually pay for this info, thus too tight to pay for a lawsuit or to defend from one!
COB
You're exactly right. I called my attorney today to get his advice on this. He told me to be careful not to call her a thief, or a "bag lady" as I was calling her. He said only refer to her as a person of interest, but that I have every legal right to post my security video. He also said that the general public has no expectation of privacy once they enter my property.
I've decided not to be too aggressive. But when/if I do catch her, unless she has a pretty darn good explanation that I cannot imagine at this moment, I will see to it that she faces criminal charges over it. Then I may sue her in small claims court for $12. [:D]
I'm sorry but I gotta laugh at that. First, who steals a traffic cone. And second, who does it with a bag over their head? Ahahahaha. And that is the truck shilowar said.
I suspect it is someone I've tangled with in the past just trying to irritate me. In 6 years I have pissed off maybe 20-30 people who committed various acts of dumbfoolery.
The conenapper might be emboldened that she got away with it, and make the mistake of thinking my cameras won't nab the bad guy 9 times out of 10.
quote:Originally posted by coltpax
I'm sorry but I gotta laugh at that. First, who steals a traffic cone. And second, who does it with a bag over their head? Ahahahaha. And that is the truck shilowar said.
I suspect it is someone I've tangled with in the past just trying to irritate me. In 6 years I have pissed off maybe 20-30 people who committed various acts of dumbfoolery.
The conenapper might be emboldened that she got away with it, and make the mistake of thinking my cameras won't nab the bad guy 9 times out of 10.
Pissed off 30 people in 6 years? That's like my daily average haha
COB
quote:Originally posted by Wyatt Earp
quote:Originally posted by COBmmcmss
Wyatt - going back to the original question...
Can you post it and not be sued ? NO. They have the ability to tie you up for more $$$ than what they took. Think of it this way, it's a business deal. You only spend X dollars and after that, you stop. It's no longer worth it. They count on it. EVEN when they have no case, they still cost you money.
Can you sue them? Yes. But again, is it worth the time and money? If they had anything (other than the truck) then it's less likely they'd be stealing something as simple as a cone.
You may want to consider a simple order barring them from your property and save yourself money in the long run.
Just your simple thought process. Remember, you said your too tight to actually pay for this info, thus too tight to pay for a lawsuit or to defend from one!
COB
You're exactly right. I called my attorney today to get his advice on this. He told me to be careful not to call her a thief, or a "bag lady" as I was calling her. He said only refer to her as a person of interest, but that I have every legal right to post my security video. He also said that the general public has no expectation of privacy once they enter my property.
I've decided not to be too aggressive. But when/if I do catch her, unless she has a pretty darn good explanation that I cannot imagine at this moment, I will see to it that she faces criminal charges over it. Then I may sue her in small claims court for $12. [:D]
Pissed off 30 people in 6 years? That's like my daily average haha
Well, I was using New Math.[:D]