Law Enforcement

[Rick F]

I bet if you stole 45 dollars worth of gas out of their police cars they would have enough officers to handle the case. Sounds like a podunk county lazy police department. No offense to the county you reside in but that is absolutely BULL CRAP. I think I would be getting hold of the local TV station.

[SilverMallard]

In Ducky's defense, a LOT of stores have this policy of making clerks cover drive-offs and bad checks they take at a register. I don't believe it is even legal, but a lot of them do it...and get by with it. Some restaurants charge the server for walk-offs as well.

It is a horribly unethical business practice in my opinion. I have stopped patronizing businesses over this practice in the past when I found out they did this to an employee.

As for the police, I agree you should contact your local prosecutor and file a grievance. Tell them that if they do NOT investigate and prosecute (if evidence warrants), that you (clear with owner, of course) are going to the local news media to tell them that the police dept refuses to prosecute gas thefts under $100. The LAST thing they want is a rash of drive-offs causing gas station owners to shut down their pumps on a holiday weekend! And that probably wouldn't be hard to arrange with a bunch of phone calls. They need to get their heads out of their posteriors.

Finally, Danoinark is correct. Accessing police databases for unauthorized purposes is a FELONY...both for the person doing it and for the person who solicited it. However, there are legal ways to get DMV records. If the cops don't help, I'd call a private investigator who knows how to get it done without getting in trouble.

Now, that is not to say that the 2 fellas who offered here do NOT know how to do it the right way. Maybe they do. I have no idea. But make sure your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted.

Ah! If she violated a reasonable store policy (pre-pay), then she can be held responsible for the theft...dereliction of duty. In fact, if they could establish that she knew the person or somehow gained from the theft, she could even be prosecuted as an accomplice.

[MrDucky]

Gentlemen, remember if you ask someone to run the plate...which is exactly what Ducky's local police can do, and its not for legitimate purposes then its an NCIC violation. If one of us asked a police officer or dispatcher to run it and its not in their jurisdiction it could be a violation and its a crime. Ducky you need to take the license plate number to your district attorney or prosecuting attorney and file a citizen complaint. They should follow through on your affidavit.

Dano

Dan , the police department wouldnt even tell me what my options were . Thanks for the info , John and Chief thanks , Im gonna do it the legal way

[Terry Beeson]

If you find a chain of C-stores where this is NOT the policy, I would be surprised. I hate to say it, but it is a good policy IF there is a "pre-pay only" rule at the store. To me it is akin to selling booze or tobacco without checking ID first. My sister got nabbed for that one about a year or so ago. They let her off with a warning since she had asked for ID the four or five times prior they tested her.

Yep... it's a hard lesson to learn and Ducky should be commended for stepping up to the plate, but I do cross my fingers that the lesson was learned and she will not be so trusting again. Sad to say, it's hard to trust your own mother anymore.... sheesh...

One thing that does irritate me is when I pay for something with my credit card. I have the back marked in the signature block "Ask for ID." I've had to pull my DL out on many occasions and smiled at the clerk who asked me to do it. Those that don't ask for the ID make me wonder about the security policy of the store. When this happened one time, I asked the clerk about the note on the back and she said she thought that was my signature... she didn't even look at the back... Another good policy to have - check the back of all credit cards.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Finally, Danoinark is correct. Accessing police databases for unauthorized purposes is a FELONY...both for the person doing it and for the person who solicited it. However, there are legal ways to get DMV records. If the cops don't help, I'd call a private investigator who knows how to get it done without getting in trouble.

Now, that is not to say that the 2 fellas who offered here do NOT know how to do it the right way. Maybe they do. I have no idea. But make sure your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted.

Running a plate will not give you someone's driving record. It will show who is the registered owner of the vehicle. Well, I should say who owns the plate. That is why I asked for a description of the car also.

I can't access this info myself, but I do have some "connections"(don't you just love that word) that can get it for me. It may take me a few days. But should be able to get it done.

Now as for everything else in you post, I agree 100%! It sucks that the clerks have to pay for this, but that is the way it has always been done. Not that that is an excuse for the owners.

To me theft is theft and that is what the police are hired to take care of. Where is it written that there must be a certain dollar amount?

[Rusty]

Yep, if it's store policy to prepay, then I agree she should pay. A life's learning experience, and really, a cheap one at that. I wish that my mistakes would be that cheap.

[MrDucky]

if i can get this fella off the streets ,It might not have to be 100.00 or more . you know its kinda funny , they are being paid to try to stop wrong and enforce law . I think the next time on my way to work and i see 4 officers and there cars parked at IHOP , i might stop and ask if they have time

[Rusty]

You have to remember too, the police officer does not write the policies, laws and such. They enforce what they are told. If they are sitting at IHOP, then the town/county laws are to lax. Just my opinion though.

What would happen if someone drove off with the same dollar amount in pop, beer, candy and other stuff that could be purchased in the stores?

[MrDucky]

What would happen if someone drove off with the same dollar amount in pop, beer, candy and other stuff that could be purchased in the stores?

There is humor there aswell , we had a beer run . They stole an 18 pack of busch light , they were caught by us giving the tag nuber on the car , that was only 9.99 plus tax

[SilverMallard]

Terry, if they are a pre-pay store, I have no problem with the policy at all. I agree that it is probably a GOOD policy for pre-pay stations. The places I have stopped shopping in the past were retail stores that charged clerks for bad checks they took WITHIN the conduct of routine business in accordance with store policies. For the owner to pass that loss off on an hourly employee who did no wrong is reprehensible.

In the main instance I recall, my wife and I were frequent customers for years who often paid by check. We made a large purchase, and the check-out clerk said she couldn't take that big of a check and the person authorized to do so was not in the store (the owner). We have never written a bad check anywhere. And we had written dozens of checks in this store over the years in my hometown where I grew up and everyone knows me and my family. When I protested, the clerk explained that she had been charged for ALL bad checks she took in the few years she worked there...regardless of whether they required higher authorization or not. We told her we would find a new job. In fact, we offered to HELP her find a new job. We didn't make the purchase and I called the owner later and told him that we made the purchase elsewhere and would not be shopping there anymore due to the embarassment and inconvenience WE endured AND the policy of charging bad checks against the pay of employees who were just doing their jobs to make the owner money. He apologized for not being in the store to authorize our check, but that was all. And we never shopped there again. Several months later, we encountered the checker in another store and struck up a conversation about it. She said that she had taken our advice and found a job where they did NOT have such a policy...and she got better pay and benefits in the bargain.