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Couple Baits Thieves With Unsecured Bikes And Then Beats Them With Bats, But Not Everyone Thinks It’s Okay
A couple in California was left without solutions when police neglected an epidemic of theft in their neighborhood. The plan they improvised to get revenge on the thieves, though, has drawn greater legal consequences and criticism from people who think that they went too far.
Video recordings show that the couple had a camera trained on an unsecured bike outside their home. When the camera registered motion and it appeared that someone was trying to take the bike, the couple emerged with baseball bats and chased them into the street, sometimes seriously beating them. Police reports say this happened at least four times and none of the would-be thieves’ injuries were life-threatening, but a neighbor told local news that there were weeks when they heard the assaults happening almost every night.
RELATED:
A couple in Visalia, California posted these videos on Youtube and Facebook
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Police say that the case is complicated by the fact that few victims are likely to come forward, as describing the circumstances of the assault would require confessing that they, themselves, were attempting a crime. This is what has commenters split on whether the couple should have taken matters into their own hands.
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
A California legal defense agency states that it is possible in California to make a citizen’s arrest in response to a misdemeanor like petty theft, but the process is not as easy as it sounds, and not doing it by the rules can invoke criminal liability. Making a citizen’s arrest legally, according to the agency, requires contacting police immediately and restraining the suspect without the use of excessive force until they arrive and can make an arrest, apparently not the couple’s intention.
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
A local news segment shows clips from the couple’s videos
The pair was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Image credits: CBS47 KSEE24
Some people think their use of violence was not justified
Some take the view that the thieves simply faced the consequences for deciding to steal. A baseball bat is a potentially deadly weapon, however. The case would be very different if they had simply hit someone wrong, and petty theft is not punishable by execution. Another neighbor told local news that while the community was initially supportive of the couple’s neighborhood watch, people on their street gradually started to feel unsettled by their motives and the blood left on the sidewalks after the attacks.
Others think the thieves had it coming
What do you think ?
Sterrinatu 5 years ago
I use to live that area. My house was robbed in the middle of the day, they took my computers and a gun. It took over 12 hrs before the police came to file a report.
Concerned 5 years ago
I'd like to point out that it is the fault of politicians - via voters - that created that situation. Calizuela's pro-criminal stance and continual gutting of police resources and capability have led to this and its going to get worse.
Load More Replies...
John Louis 5 years ago
UNDER THE LAW The couple has the right to make a citizen's arrest and detain the thieves. UNDER THE LAW Assaulting them and not calling the police is a CRIME. If you don't like the LAW call your state legislators and try to get the LAW changed. Otherwise, you are committing a crime (not my opinion - just the facts).
Angie 5 years ago
Call State legislators. Yeah that'll help! smh. We all know that's a waste of time.
Load More Replies...
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
On the one hand, you have theft of property worth say $150. On the other hand, grievious bodily harm inflicted as a first step --- not as an escalation from words to a scuffle to a full-blown fight. To the law, and to any sober thinking human it's quite clear where the balance lies.
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deanna woods 5 years ago
I am not defending the thieves, but I do believe that the couple's actions were a bit over the line. The thieves shouldn't be stealing, but the couple shouldn't be beating someone that severely over something like a bike. Now they will have to do jail time over a 150-300 dollar item. If they ever catch the thieves they should do jail time as well. In a civilized society, you don't take the law into your own hands. That's how lynchings occurred.
Daria B 5 years ago (edited)
I still think beating the thief so much is not the right thing to do. Maybe restrain them and call the cops, but to just beat up like that is barbaric. Besides that, after reading some responses featured within the article, it makes me think of cases when "theft" is being presumed rather than witnessed. And, speaking in general, misunderstandings can happen as well. What if the supposed thief were not really a thief? For example when some stupid racist makes assumptions, or simply when someone's package came to the wrong address and the addressee noticed that and wants to take what has been misdelivered. No, unless you were assaulted, or something, there must be better ways of dealing with a thief.
littlesaresare 5 years ago
I'd love to know how going onto someone's property and stealing their stuff is a 'misunderstanding'. The desire not to be robbed does not make you a racist, Daria.
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Stephanie Blasyak 5 years ago
That's the price you pay when you steal someone's property...you never know how unbalanced someone can be, however that being said these people baiting thieves so they can beat them is pretty sick.
Kevin Hickey 5 years ago
Why aren't the police doing their jobs? I'm not criticizing the police, I'm asking a question. Is it lack of resources and personnel? We can afford to spend trillions on bombs and prisons but we can't afford proper police protection?
K.Kobayashi 5 years ago
Local police forces are mostly funded by local taxes. Some areas have very low tax revenue.
Load More Replies... Sterrinatu 5 years ago
I use to live that area. My house was robbed in the middle of the day, they took my computers and a gun. It took over 12 hrs before the police came to file a report.
Concerned 5 years ago
I'd like to point out that it is the fault of politicians - via voters - that created that situation. Calizuela's pro-criminal stance and continual gutting of police resources and capability have led to this and its going to get worse.
Load More Replies... John Louis 5 years ago
UNDER THE LAW The couple has the right to make a citizen's arrest and detain the thieves. UNDER THE LAW Assaulting them and not calling the police is a CRIME. If you don't like the LAW call your state legislators and try to get the LAW changed. Otherwise, you are committing a crime (not my opinion - just the facts).
Angie 5 years ago
Call State legislators. Yeah that'll help! smh. We all know that's a waste of time.
Load More Replies... Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
On the one hand, you have theft of property worth say $150. On the other hand, grievious bodily harm inflicted as a first step --- not as an escalation from words to a scuffle to a full-blown fight. To the law, and to any sober thinking human it's quite clear where the balance lies.
Load More Replies... deanna woods 5 years ago
I am not defending the thieves, but I do believe that the couple's actions were a bit over the line. The thieves shouldn't be stealing, but the couple shouldn't be beating someone that severely over something like a bike. Now they will have to do jail time over a 150-300 dollar item. If they ever catch the thieves they should do jail time as well. In a civilized society, you don't take the law into your own hands. That's how lynchings occurred.
Daria B 5 years ago (edited)
I still think beating the thief so much is not the right thing to do. Maybe restrain them and call the cops, but to just beat up like that is barbaric. Besides that, after reading some responses featured within the article, it makes me think of cases when "theft" is being presumed rather than witnessed. And, speaking in general, misunderstandings can happen as well. What if the supposed thief were not really a thief? For example when some stupid racist makes assumptions, or simply when someone's package came to the wrong address and the addressee noticed that and wants to take what has been misdelivered. No, unless you were assaulted, or something, there must be better ways of dealing with a thief.
littlesaresare 5 years ago
I'd love to know how going onto someone's property and stealing their stuff is a 'misunderstanding'. The desire not to be robbed does not make you a racist, Daria.
Load More Replies... Stephanie Blasyak 5 years ago
That's the price you pay when you steal someone's property...you never know how unbalanced someone can be, however that being said these people baiting thieves so they can beat them is pretty sick.
Kevin Hickey 5 years ago
Why aren't the police doing their jobs? I'm not criticizing the police, I'm asking a question. Is it lack of resources and personnel? We can afford to spend trillions on bombs and prisons but we can't afford proper police protection?
K.Kobayashi 5 years ago
Local police forces are mostly funded by local taxes. Some areas have very low tax revenue.
Load More Replies...
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