Now, though, if the proprietor even squeezes a tiny bit
too hard in grabbing the kid, he's liable to be arrested!
The best I could do is get passed the suspect and lock the door
until the police arrive.
Yeah, that's effective -- in the US, at least in Washington state, they have a law against "concealment for the purpose.." meaning they don't need for the perp to exit the store to have committed the crime (as in BC); sticking the item up under the coat counts as an arrestable(including citizen's) event
Can you not perform a citizen's arrest of the shoplifter? But beware of punks like I was, who amused myself on rare occasion by seeming to conceal an item for the purpose of stealing it, but either I didn't or I found a way to ditch it before I exited the store, & got the hand on the shoulder by security.
I could put on a real show of righteous indignation for those around me -- my only public acting experience.
I think I only started because I was annoyed by a guard following me like I was a shoplifter, when I had no intention of doing so. . . I figured I'd teach a lesson in assumption; I had so much fun performing I repeated on occasion throughout town.
My dad reached a breaking point when I admitted that I lied to
prevent my brother from a prolonged lashing. I ended up with
significant cuts to my back that took weeks to heal. I think I
was just 8yrs old at the time. Future beatings stopped after
the results of my beatings leaked to the public one way or
another.
Somehow, eh?
The rule used to be, for many, "What happens in the family home STAYS in the family home." which is perfectly fair until a line gets crossed & everybody knows what/where those lines are.
I had my share of welts, but always only on my buttocks, unlike my parents' generation, who would get them across legs & back, as well. My dad explained that God put the extra cushioning on the rear end to facilitate loving discipline, without damaging the children.
There's far too many horror stories out there! The community needs to step up and administer the needed belated discipline to certain people.
How many of us would much pity the doing to a dog abuser the same misdeeds the dog received? One dog here in my town was found buried alive, after being beaten so badly, the face was torn, dog was half-blinded, & ribs were broken. . People like this are dangerous to the general public - this is how serial killers begin -- torturing/killing animals, before working their way up to children & women. Not too many work up to actual men of equivalent size.strength. (a pity)
I don't want violent sociopaths in my city, when they can be identified as such.
Prison &/or a work-camp in the Northwest Territories or anywhere else decent folk have no interest in working, until they've breathed their last breath.
So tired of news stories like the time a car thief in Vancouver was released on a few weekends of using the ankle bracelet for house arrest after stealing his 2,000th car. My first thought was I wanted to check that judge's banking/spending history for the past few months.
I'd've said, "Clearly you're not going to stop doing this crime with normal sentences of 6-18 months in provincial prisons, learning new tricks of your trade, so it's time to up the ante, & see if that'll make you reconsider your chosen vocation."
Lots of options out there:
Labour to repay our provincial insurer the money lost in paying off the claims for 2K stolen cars comes to mind.
Let him walk around with his community with a sandwich board for the time normally given as jail time to a car thief, that says, "Beware; all I do is steal cars. Your car is not safe when I'm around."
Some public shunning might help prevent a host of criminals from getting started.
If you can't explain how you have income to live on satisfactorily, people should look elsewhere for backyard barbecue guests. . . Most acceptable being a J.O.B, of course; also acceptable
-receiving a pension
-having money in the bank &/or annuities/dividends.
-receiving assistance funding temporarily while actively & honestly seeking new employment when unexpectedly laid off.
I have far more respect for the 60-year-old alcoholic panhandling outside the liquor store, who greets people in a friendly manner & opens the door for those who are much-laden, than these 20-year-old panhandlers who sprawl on their backs across an entire sidewalk & DEMAND you "gimme some money."
I get to know the homeless people in my community, & learn their stories; most have a reasonable reason for being on the streets; it's extremely rare to meet someone there by choice who isn't actively working to improve his/her circumstances.
So you think public shaming is a good deterrent?
Yup; we humans are a herd animal -- it hurts to be excluded from our fellowman.
Currently, a guy chuckles how he "keeps the little lady in line with a few belts in the mouth" &the guys with him chuckle & agree he is doing right. Better if they stopped trying to "bro out" with a meatball, & just punch him right in the throat, & drop him from their circle.
Make it a feel good choice to cooperate with one's
community's police instead of a "look at me" infamy as
they currently report it. . .
I think the community of businesses (especially in a small
town) spread the word on a suspect to watch out for.
I know you're fully right there, & this helps, but as you note, mainly in small towns/communities. . .
I'd like to see it go further & have businesses post the photos of those who have stolen or otherwise behaved improperly, in every window, in a section by the door, "These people are banned from this store for the crime noted under their photos." & as the rest of the public realize this is done to prevent unfairly penalizing all with price increases to cover for thefts & insurance, it'll be well praised & catch on elsewhere. . .
Only my opinion/thoughts, but I might be right. . . or I could be wrong. . . Not for me to say--but for the greater communities' standards to prevail.
Be well! Hope you're also starting to see lighter temperatures & weather as we phase into summer
--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)