# Stupid Thieves!



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

This has nothing to do with trains or with this hobby. It's just perhaps a bit of humor.

Someone somehow got my wife's Visa card number and used it to order a $300 tire from California. It will be delivered by UPS tomorrow morning before 10:00 am to about 5 miles from our home (same county). 

My wife noticed the charge online and called Visa, who cancelled the credit card. She then phoned the tire dealer and got the address the tire is being shipped to and the UPS tracking number.

Once we had the tracking number we phoned the Sherrif's Department and I emailed them a copy of the UPS tracking page.

Amazing thieves...

Thanks to their stupidity we were able to tell the Deputy where and when to go and wait for the thief to show up and get the tire they ordered with our stolen credit card.

Moral of the story:

If ya are gonna steal a credit card don't use it to buy stuff that will come with a tracking number - giving the cops directions to plus the date and time of the crime.

Jerry


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)




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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Can I be the "Fly on the wall"?, tomorrow morning!!

Case on going!! Read before opening mouth!!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry,
I had one almost like that. I bought some software from a company in Texas with my credit card. A few weeks later, what do I find on my statement but a charge at Chuck-e-Cheese for $54 and a Payless Shoes charge for $76.

You'd think they'd buy something useful with the stolen number, like a TV that they could resell?
(I called the company and talked to the CEO about his leaky accounting dept.)

Did you notice the story on the news a week or so ago where someone 'lifted' a dress from a local store, then posted a photo online wearing the stolen dress. The store owner happened to notice and called the cops.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I called the deputy and asked if they were going to be there when the tire arrives tomorrow. He said that even if they caught somebody picking up the tire they could not prove that that person was the one who stole the credit card. Rather than risk the guy getting away with a free tire I called UPS and told them I wanted the tire to not be delivered and sent back to the shipper.

UPS said that the instructions called for delivery without signature and although my wife was the addressee (totally different address) only the shipper could cancel the delivery. Although I told UPS my wife was the person that shipment was addressed to at the wrong address and that she would not be there and would not sign for and would not except delivery. They said they had to try to deliver it once before they could cancel the delivery.

I then called the shipper and told them (again) that it was a stolen credit card shipping to a fraudulent address and the credit card was canceled and the sheriffs department notified of the theft. I told them I did not know where they are going to get payment from because it sure was not going to be from us and possibly not from Visa since they had the opportunity to not deliver the stolen merchandise.

They finally agreed to cancel the delivery and have UPS return the tire to them but when I checked the tracking number again recently that tire is still scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.

That kind of makes me want to drive over there tomorrow morning and wait for the UPS truck, have my wife show the driver her ID and take the darn tire home with us but the way this is going they would probably put us in jail. 

Jerry


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Jerry,just be there when they pick up the tire,what are they going to do if they have the tire but no car(don't steal the car take it for a joy ride instead)


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Jerry McColgan said:


> I called the deputy and asked if they were going to be there when the tire arrives tomorrow. He said that even if they caught somebody picking up the tire they could not prove that that person was the one who stole the credit card.


Typical illogical statement from a dumb ass cop. Perhaps the thread should be titled 'Stupid Cops'. They may not have stolen the credit card BUT they are obviously the delivery recipient from the use of a stolen credit card. Once questioned they will incriminate themselves with lies or lag in the user of the credit card. Too easy.

Andrew


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

To be monumentally stupid you videotape your crew breaking the law then post and brag about it on YouTube.

Unsurprisingly YouTube has lots of these.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Vic, it's the narcissism of modern times. The 'look at me' generation living in their deluded fantasy of egocentric dysfunction. To heII with all of them. 

Andrew


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Self deleted post - was a short expound on common sense not being so common any more..


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd get the police to meet me there and take possession of the tire.

Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Be careful, people willing to steal may be willing to shoot too.
Yikes!

John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That was the reason for inviting the police. As a private citizen, I think you can shoot back too. Doubtful the thief would be expecting the police.

Greg


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

At this point UPS has the tire on the truck ready to make the delivery. We have nothing to gain by doing anything and could possibly have negative unforeseen consequences if we somehow interfere with the delivery.

If somehow we obtain the tire in a delivery that was addressed to my wife it could reasonably be claimed that our possession would justify our being charged for the price of the tire and there could be an assumption that somehow we were involved in the fraudulent use of my wife's credit card.

As the saying goes "you have to know when to fold them" and it's time for us to "fold them" and back away.

In awhile we will contact the sheriffs department and asked what if anything has been done and further I intend to find the name of the person(s) at that address in the hope that we can somehow figure out how they obtained my wife's credit card information.

Actually the story pales in comparison to the burglary of our home many years ago when my firearms were stolen. It's a long story not worth repeating here but perhaps best summarized when I was told by the police that they could not recover fingerprints from my handguns (nickel plated and or stainless steel) because such testing for fingerprints would destroy the firearms (yep - they really said that).

That burglary is why I no longer have many firearms and have toy trains instead.

What I learned:

1. Protect and be careful when using your credit cards and monitor their usage
2. If it's worth stealing, protect and insure it but don't trust your insurance company 

Jerry


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

> We have nothing to gain by doing anything and could possibly have negative unforeseen consequences if we somehow interfere with the delivery.


I was going to make the same comment. If you interfere you could be seen as implicated in the transaction somehow.

After our house was burgled while we were on vacation, the police weren't at all proactive - though they did call in the guys in the next town to take fingerprints (apparently they specialized.) Even when my neighbor, a high school teacher, overheard some boys bragging about the theft, the cops weren't interested in visiting the home where my furniture was purported to be.

They weren't interested in theft of property, just crimes against people. The former seemed to be an insurance problem as far as they were concerned.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Considering that in time my credit card number could be stored many times after many transactions so every now and again I destroy my card and report it lost so I get issued a new one with a new number. I have to do it that way because my bank refuses to issue a new card solely on my request. 
Credit card info is possibly stored then obtained by shifty workers then some time later to avoid being caught, sold to those who are scam artists. You can't necessarily trust everyone that works for a company you deal with. 
It is a slight hassle because then I need to notify any company that direct debits my card with a new one but there are not many though because I like prefer to pay my own bills rather than have others have direct access to the cookie jar.
I know that you are supposedly protected from false transactions but there are conditions in the fine print and I prefer to be self reliant rather than being in a false sense of security because of the banks sales pitch. 

A similar security issue I have is my MS Windows operating system serial number. It is out there and known by these Indian cold call centers claiming to be MicroSoft to get remote access, create a problem and demand repair fees. They call me 5 times a week for the past 2 years with a short break every few weeks. How they got my serial number and matched it up with my name and phone number is a complete mystery. Only I have access to my computer which I built and maintain myself. It could only have leaked from MicroSoft themselves. There is no other way those details connect.
I trust no large company and/or their staff. It only takes one bad apple! If they could steal your money and get away with it they would for sure.

Andrew


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew: In this case it sure seems that the criminals are going to get away with it since the police don't seem to be interested. No wonder it is becoming such a common crime.

As for those phony MS calls... I love to get those... I "play" with them.

A couple of times I have pretended to be very agitated about the supposed virus infection ("My wife will kill me if she finds out I visited that porn site!"). Then I got very depressed about it and cried a lot and eventually '_commited suicide_'... I "Shot" myself (by slapping a wooden yard stick against a door frame [BANG!]), then dropped the phone and remained quiet for a few seconds, then I pretended to be a different person coming into the room yelling, "Hey! Pops... What was that noise?" and started wailing, "Oh! Pops, what did you do?" I had a secondary conversation with another person (note: nobody else here but me!) and pointed out that "Pops" must have been talking on the phone... so I grabbed the phone and asked "Who is this? What were you talking about to Pops?". One time the dunce had not hung up and I got a lot of stammering out of him but never really got any sort of explanation about it.

Other times I pretend to be an old senile person and keep interrupting them asking to speak to my brother... "Is my brother Frank there? I want to speak to Frank!". That really throws them off. (But, one of them actually pretended to BE my brother! So I began to ask him about "Moma"; saying that I had been told she was dead!) After a while I "become" another person in the form an "Orderly" at a mental hospital and I scream "You inmates are not allowed to use the doctor's phone!" and then start screaming, "AAAH! HALP! Don't hit me again! OOOOWWW! Noooo!" as I slap the wall and chair and desk. Then I ask on the phone, "How'd you get this number? This is a private phone for the use of the psychiatrists only!" and hang up on them.

And I should point out that not once have any of them contacted any sort of authority to send me any help.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Regarding the firearms I eventually found out who the thieves were (from individual police officers) but even though one was caught with one of the guns (with the serial number ground off) and another's girlfriend told the police she saw her boyfriend dig up the guns and another pawned some of the firearms no one was ever arrested or prosecuted for the theft. I was told by the police that I had to pay the pawn shop to buy my own stolen firearms (Arkansas law - really). When I refused to pay the pawn I think the police got the thief to pay the pawn, gave me the firearms and (I think) let him go.

One of my wife's employees was caught stealing merchandise and money after hours when the store was closed (by my son and step-son) both physically in the store and on video tape. She could no be prosecuted for breaking in since she had a key as an employee and since the total in merchandise and money could be proven, all she was charged was for a minor misdemeanor. Another time my wife caught a customer stealing her purse but was unable to restrain her and when a stolen credit card was soon used locally nothing was done.

Considering that it cost about $40,000 a year to house a convicted criminal and the prisons are full I suspect it boils down to, as Pete said "They weren't interested in theft of property, just crimes against people. The former seemed to be an insurance problem as far as they were concerned"

It reminds me of years ago when a friend's car was severely damaged by someone driving without a license or insurance. The cop told my friend there was little that could be done. My friend asked the cop if he could at least "shoot him a little bit." The cop laughed.

This is not political and I don't blame the cops. It just happens to be how the "system" works. I don't even have the slightest idea of how the system could be made better. 

No one got hurt and there should be no actual cost to us. People get killed every day so I am not going to loose sleep over a tire.

Cheers,

Jerry


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

> what do I find on my statement but a charge at Chuck-e-Cheese for $54 and a Payless Shoes charge for $76.
> 
> You'd think they'd buy something useful with the stolen number, like a TV that they could resell?


I'll go ya one better:
I had to cancel my credit card last December when I noticed someone had put on a charge for $5.00 at the Disney store in Las Vegas. I'm in NY and haven't been been to Vegas in 25 years!

JackM


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

As expected:

Weight:26.00 lbs
Shipped/Billed On:04/27/2015
Delivered On: 04/30/2015 1:35 P.M. 
Delivered To: AUSTIN, AR, US 
Left At:Met Customer Man

With a description or "Customer Man" it should be easy for the police to find, arrest, convict and jail him.

Right?

Yea Right. 

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

At the end of the day, these thieves are not so stupid, if the laws won't protect you and your property.


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## adir tom (Dec 4, 2011)

ya wonder why police do not followup. about 20 yrs ago my brothers house was broken into and his gun collection was stolen. At a local trap shoot a club member recognized the gun. a sheriff was shooting it. My brother could not get an investigation going. A few months ago a person in our county had a home security video of a breakin at is house. Once apprehended, the thief admitted his fence was a county sheriff.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

After the tire was delivered we decided to drive down to the county sheriffs office and face-to-face ask them what if anything has been done?

Before we went to the sheriffs office I talked to someone from the prosecuting attorney's office and asked if perhaps there might be a benefit to talking to the prosecuting attorney. We were told "no the prosecuting attorney would simply tell us to go to the sheriffs department."

At the sheriffs department we were told the case has not yet been assigned to an investigator. I made the observation that so they seemed to have missed a golden opportunity to catch the thieves in the act of receiving the stolen goods because we had given them the date the time and location of where the stolen goods were going to be picked up by the thieves. I was told "you don't understand we don't work that way. The case will be assigned to an investigator and eventually the investigator will contact you for your information."

I told him that we were considering going to the see the neighbors on both sides of the house where the stolen tire was delivered to talk to the neighbors and get the actual names of the people living at that address so that we might be able to figure out who had stolen my wife's credit card. There would also be the satisfaction of the neighbors knowing the kind of person(s) living at that address and perhaps the knowledge that they would probably tell the thieves that we, the victims, knew who they were and - destroy any reputation they might have in their own neighborhood.

I was told not to do anything and not to talk to anyone because doing so might alert the thieves and could be seen as interfering with the investigation.

My point was to be sure that the prosecuting attorney and the sheriffs department are aware that we have no intention of simply disappearing and quietly never to be heard from again about this.

I had thought about contacting the local newspaper to see if they might like to have had a reporter go with us to the sheriffs department but that was a line my wife was not willing to cross. I had also thought that it might be fun to stop by the delivery address, knock on the door and ask if they might show us what a $300 tire looks like as we have never seen one. 

At some point of time in the future we fully intend to see these people face-to-face so they are forced to meet the people they chose to steal from. They may never be charged with anything but I refuse to be a nameless victim.

Jerry


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Jerry -

You worry me greatly that you might consider confronting the thief in person, particularly at his home. You may be less than entusiastic about how your loss is being handled but there's a reason for having the Sheriff handle it - or even NOT handle it. I'd be worried about some kind of 'Gunfight at OK Corral". Not worth a three hundred dollar tire.

I think we'd rather you were a nameless victim than a name on the Ten O'Clock News.

JackM

On the other hand, sure, we'd all love to go with you.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Is there a TV station that has a public advocate? Here in Tucson there is '9 on your side' where you contact them and they get involved for you....
Let them do the pushing...
John


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

JackM said:


> Jerry -
> 
> You worry me greatly that you might consider confronting the thief in person, particularly at his home. You may be less than entusiastic about how your loss is being handled but there's a reason for having the Sheriff handle it - or even NOT handle it. I'd be worried about some kind of 'Gunfight at OK Corral". Not worth a three hundred dollar tire.
> 
> ...


 Hi Jack,

Sometimes I may something say something even when I know there is very little chance that I will do it. It's like cussing out another driver for doing something stupid. You know they can't hear you but it relieves the tension just to say the words out loud that you think you would really love to say to them personally.

The facts are that the theft of that tire has actually not cost us anything. Visa will absorb the expense and whether the sheriff does or does not do anything we actually have no legal claim to the tire and wouldn't know what to do with it if someone gave it to us.

The truth is I would really prefer not to know anything about the thief unless it turned out the thief was someone that we know personally. It is sad to know that their personal situation is so bad that they were willing to risk jail and a criminal record by taking and using our stolen credit card. We know they did it and the sheriffs department knows they did it and whoever they sell the tire to will probably know they stole it so there are just too many opportunities for them to end up in jail whether for this theft or a different one. We saw their dwelling and it is clearly not the home of someone who could afford a car with $300 tires (I can't). The chances are that they have been in jail before and will probably end up again in jail in the future.

I guess rather than feeling a need for revenge, I feel sorry for them.

Jerry


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Yeah, we're all on the same page with you.

JackM


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