August 30, 2011

"I never imagined it would be this bad... I'm not a bad man. I'm really not."

"We had no intention of stealing TVs, anything that was of value to them, real value. I just seen a couple bottles of liquor there and figured they wouldn't miss it... I didn't know [the cameras] were rolling, so I was caught red handed... I never had no felonies, got a six-year-old daughter I'm taking care of by myself. I'd be pissed if someone came in my house and took some liquor, too... I apologize. I shouldn't have snatched the liquor. I didn't think it was gonna be this big of a deal, really. It's just bottles of liquor, but I'll help you rebuild your house Ms. Robinson. I really want to apologize."

Man — caught on camera looting a house wrecked by a Hurricane Irene tornado — now, on camera again, cries his regrets.

IN THE COMMENTS: pbAndjFellowRepublican said:
That Robinson house tried to seduce him.

49 comments:

FloridaSteve said...

Never underestimate the positive powers of shame.

traditionalguy said...

Give that man a drink.

Dustin said...

Sad.

Throw the book at him so there are fewer sad cases the next time there is a disaster and someone wants to steal.

Had he stolen food to feed his family, in an emergency, I would see it differently. Stealing booze?

edutcher said...

Getting caught makes a difference.

Sprezzatura said...

Someone's got to say it:

That Robinson house tried to seduce him.

Carol_Herman said...

.. And, the stores were closed.

He should have left his business card.

Perhaps a note?

Like you're supposed to leave when you sideswipe a parked car ... and nobody sees ya.

On the other hand? Yes. This is sad.

Maybe, he can be an advertisement for "but I drink to forget?"

What's the punishment gonna be?

Anonymous said...

If he had sold assault weapons to Mexican drug gangs, perhaps we could overlook the matter.

But stealing a bottle of Jack is intolerable for a civilized and law abiding society.

I'm Full of Soup said...

What's that you say Mrs. Robinson, Jolting Joe has come and gone away...

The Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Drill SGT said...

That's why the conventional response is to shoot looters. Shame doesn't always work

jeez, these were neighbors

BTW: he says, TP, then liquer, the Ipod and speakers, he doesn't mention.


Notice some PC here. It's great to have a black reporter interviewing a white looter. But if a White reporter were to do that to a black looter, that would be all "judgemental" and "racist" :)

The Drill SGT said...

60 Grit,

we think along the same lines.

Don't be trying to liberate anything from my house after a Hurricane

AllenS said...

This man isn't bright enough to realize that a simple "no comment" would have been the best answer.

After I typed that, I wondered if I should post it or not.

The Drill SGT said...

Sixty Grit said...
Looters will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.


and make sure they are dead. Don't want two versions of the story.

also, drag them inside the window if the 12 gauge blew them back out.

Chip S. said...

I might take him up on his offer to help rebuild the house, but I'd decline his offer to install new locks.

Anonymous said...

Bush's fault.

bagoh20 said...

Today my company had a robbery. Earlier today a man came onto our property and stole some metal worth a few hundred dollars. He was seen as he drove out with it.

Just about an hour ago, he returned with a woman and an infant (too young to walk) and were in the process of doing it again, when my employees caught them and closed the gate trapping them inside, then called 911. The guy is much bigger than my rather diminutive employees. I'm surprised at their bravery and ask them not to stop anyone like that again. This is freaking Compton Ca. - Home of the Crips and Bloods, and you don't know who you are dealing with.

The cops came quickly, but before they did, the woman with her baby climbed over the fence - an 8 foot fence with barbed wire on top!

This is when I show up with two large dogs at my side. They are great at changing attitudes, even with big guys.

The guy couldn't leave because we had his truck blocked with a forklift. He proceeded to try and talk me out of pressing charges. He admitted taking the stuff, but claimed he thought it was worthless, and he needed the money to feed his kids, neither of which makes sense in the U.S. today.

So, the cops get there and arrest him, I decline to press charges (feeling sorry for the guy, and not wanting the hassle), but I start the process of filing a restraining order to keep him away from the place.

We give the cops a description of the woman with the baby. As she was leaving she yelled back to her man that she would be catching the bus at the corner to go home, so the cops knew where to find her. Turns out she has a warrant, so she's going to jail.

The guy's truck was towed away for some violation, and he was taken, but will probably be out tonight.

According to the girl the baby is his, not hers.

I don't understand some of my fellow humans. He could have made more working for me today than robbing me and he would have went home with his "family" and pride intact. We've been hiring for some time now.

After all of this, including me not pressing charges, I talked to a guy who works next door that said this guy has been coming and ripping me off regularly. He thought he worked here.

mariner said...

I see the link is to a Virginia TV station.

Virginia is a shall-issue state.

It's a good thing he was caught by cameras instead of an armed homeowner.

RC3 said...

@ bagoh20:

"Today my company had a robbery... So, the cops get there and arrest him, I decline to press charges (feeling sorry for the guy, and not wanting the hassle)."

Not wanting the hassle? Feeling sorry for a guy who lied (your assessment) after you caught him?

"This guy has been coming and ripping me off regularly."

I have no sympathy for your losses.

Milwaukee said...

Looters are shot on sight. Simple and easy, and make sure the first shot does the job. Screw up and you'll have to pay legal and medical bills for the rest of that louse's life.

I would favor a shotgun. With a handgun or rifle the authorities can match the bullet to the weapon. I believe that they can not so match a shotgun slut. As far as handguns go, I would favor a revolver over an automatic. With the revolver you can take the spent shells home with you, instead of leaving them around for crime scene investigators. If there are any crime scene investigators.

Anonymous said...

Bagoh20, are you serious? You spent my tax dollars calling the police and then did not press charges. Why did you call the police? Let the asshole steal from you if you don't have the stones to follow thru to prevent crime. This guy is laughing all the way to his next burglary.

sakredkow said...

The thing about mercy is that you can make yourself show it.

You can't make yourself be loving, and you probably can't make yourself be compassionate.

But you can make yourself show mercy, even if you aren't loving or compassionate.

Sprezzatura said...

"Not wanting the hassle?"

Don't underestimate the amount of hassle involved w/ such matters.

Based on my own experience: You'd need to go down to ID the gal-perp out of a lineup. This takes much longer than it should. And, when things get to the court phase you can count on having plenty of your time wasted as you're waiting to be called in court.

Fromt he cost benefit perspective it's not so obvious that it'd be worth the bother. After all Bag is very busy every minute of the day as he is running a business and reading this blog, it's not like he has extra time for such silliness.

And, keep in mind that Bag didn't know that this guy was such a recidivist when he skipped the charges

bagoh20 said...

"I have no sympathy for your losses."

I get that. I get robbed like this regularly, and I've been through the court system a lot, and have quite a few convictions under my belt (5 in the last last year alone).

This guy with his woman and baby were just pathetic, and I just didn't feel like it this time. It would cost me a couple grand to pay my people to show up at court, and the cops didn't catch him with the goods, so he could get off anyway, but if he is stupid enough to come back, he will end up in jail.

I love putting crooks in jail, but I've bagged my limit this year, and I'm throwing them back unless they are real keepers.

MadisonMan said...

If it really was his first offense, I think mercy is warranted.

edutcher said...

bagoh20 said...

...

I don't understand some of my fellow humans.

That's because some are devolving.

AllenS said...

You're a good man, bagoh20. Sometimes when you have someone on the ground, you have to realize that there's a time to stop kicking him in the head.

sakredkow said...

Showing leniency and mercy whenever possible is wisdom.

bagoh20 said...

"After all Bag is very busy every minute of the day as he is running a business and reading this blog,"

Actually, I make all my business decisions through the day based on what I read here, so this is my job.

If the hillbilies are angry, I'm compassionate, and if they are compassionate, I raise my prices. We have been cutting prices for some time now.

"You spent my tax dollars calling the police and then did not press charges. Why did you call the police?"

Believe me I pay enough taxes to cover it.

I called the cops before I even knew who it was or what the story was. If I didn't get them involved then I'd have to just let him go, which would be like putting out a sign for free stuff.

What I did was make it a huge hassle for him, rather than me. If he had a record, or a warrant, he'd be going to jail. Plus we caught the woman who did have a warrant.

You have to call the cops to know who you're dealing with. He had no record and was 50 years old. That plus the kid, got him a break from me.

Sprezzatura said...

"I love putting crooks in jail"


I'm guessing that you (along w/ all tax payers) are paying much more than the couple of thousand dollars in salaries that you noted were associated w/ each conviction.

Add in the time for all involved w/ the judicial and law enforcement and post conviction (i.e. jail or some sort of monitoring) systems, and your five convictions could be costing ten, twenty, forty, or who knows how many thousands of dollars.

Not that there's any other remedy. But, it is worth remembering that convictions cost dough. Your tax dollars at work!

bagoh20 said...

"it is worth remembering that convictions cost dough. Your tax dollars at work!"

Sure, but crime is a regressive tax. Prisons like everything the government does is paid for by rich people, so it's cool.

RC3 said...

@ bagoh20:
" "I have no sympathy for your losses."

I get that. I get robbed like this regularly, and I've been through the court system a lot, and have quite a few convictions under my belt (5 in the last last year alone)..."

Okay, fair enough if you're contributing to our laws, yet have to reasonably balance your time. I'm personally familiar with the frustration of sitting around court waiting to testify.

I also appreciate the way you started your comment with "I get that," acknowledging why I was frustrated by your original comment.

Peter V. Bella said...

Throw the book at him. Max him out.

bagoh20 said...

pbAndjFellowRepublican gets an Althouse tag.

You are the envy of the blogosphere, even if the real people in your life have no idea why. We know the awesomeness that you now are.

bagoh20 said...

I wonder how many of these pathetic criminals are Althouse blog readers. Crime is a direct result of the digital divide. You can't read Althouse all day and have time to steal liquor, even if you badly need it...the liquor I mean.

Then again some do find the time for roadkill collection and preparation while still commenting regularly and earning a fortune in sales on the side.

Karl said...

MKE said "I believe that they can not so match a shotgun slut."

I know it's typo, but pretty funny anyway.
I'm kind of a gun slut. I like to invite liberals to go shooting.
Most decline.
The ones that go have fun.

BTW, "Tactical" shotgun rounds have LESS powder than, say duck hunting rounds. Less recoil is good in a defense situation.

Go low brass for home defense. High brass is for geese & turkeys.

David said...

Those white people--always stealing and looting in a crisis.

Sprezzatura said...

"pbAndjFellowRepublican gets an Althouse tag."

As a self professed commenter w/ trollish tendencies, I prefer earning Meadehouse reprimands in the threads. And, let me tell you that I've received a fair number of those, over the years. Food!

Different strokes for different folks.

P.S.
I (using different names) have already been pushed into the text of the post at least a couple times (though, those were pre-tag-assignment days). I've always interpreted such as a sign that I'm not being annoying enough.

Must do better.

P.P.S.
At least (from my trollish POV) Althouse had to type out the absurd (and absurdly long) name that I'm currently using. Ha!

Humperdink said...

"Go low brass for home defense. High brass is for geese & turkeys."

Why not high brass in all cases? Aren't we looking for full penetration in these circumstances?

Writ Small said...

Was this post really necessary, Ann? Sheesh.

Known Unknown said...

"Go low brass for home defense. High brass is for geese & turkeys."

Why not high brass in all cases? Aren't we looking for full penetration in these circumstances?


Hell, the mere sound of a shotgun pump is often enough to make any would-be burglar run for the hills.

Sal said...

He didn't go into a house looking for toilet paper. That's bullshit. The fucker is still lying while he's crying.

I can tell he's shitbird just looking at him. Or is that racist?

The Drill SGT said...

Why not high brass in all cases? Aren't we looking for full penetration in these circumstances?


with buckshot load, you don't waqnt to send those pellets through too many drywalls.

what you cae about is getting the muzzle back on target, hence the light loads.

energy bleeds off shot rapidly, but at 10 feet, the energy transfer from a light load is plenty much and won't knock the wife on her ass...

better she holds it steady and doesn't flinch with a light load, than jerks off a miss with a heavy load...

Karl said...

Why not high brass in all cases? Aren't we looking for full penetration in these circumstances?
The idea of low brass ( less powder, less recoil) for home defense is that
you would be at close range and not need the extra muzzle velocity and recoil. ( you won't be wearing any hearing or eye protection, by-the-way.)
A little gal like AA would be well served with a 20 gauge, youth sized shotgun.

I would read Masaad Ayoob's Stress Fire II book......

bagoh20 said...

"better she holds it steady and doesn't flinch with a light load, than jerks off a miss with a heavy load..."

How did I get on pornadvice.com

chuck b. said...

It sounds like now he could really use a drink.

Carol_Herman said...

If he drank out of the mouth of the bottle you want the bottle back?

This reminds me when the Pope forgave the man who shot him. But the forgiveness was for another place. I don't think Italy let the shooter go free. (That's Lockerbie.)

Hard to keep up with these appeals.

But if it was me, I'd say "thanks for the apology. But there's nothing I can do. I'm an individual. It's the STATE that's bringing the charges."

Oh, and you can keep the bottle. But NEVER, EVER, come again! And, don't send any of your relatives, family, or friends ... either ... neither.

William said...

"That motherfucker got a summer home. Me, I got nothing. I can't even afford shaving cream. Goddammed right I looted his summer home. Fucker deserved it. He got the money for that home by screwing people like me. I was just getting a little of my own back.".....The Madison Defense. He could probably go for defamation damages against the homeowner.

Wince said...

Climate change made him thirsty.

Also, it looks like Mr. and Mrs. Robinson really do sleep in separate beds.

Unknown said...

phx --

"Showing leniency and mercy whenever possible is wisdom."

I disagree. Showing it when appropriate is wisdom.