The Theft Explosion

[Queen K]

It may be tougher to sell golf clubs at the street market level. Let's face it, hauling away with golf clubs is difficult, they are heavy.

A bike, with its handy wheels, is sell-able, dumpable and can be broken down in to parts on a certain market.

My point though is that theft for all kinds of stuff seems to be reported all the time. From businesses to homes, name it, it's stolen.

[Queen K]

I'm adding this to The Theft Explosion even though it's covered under Pet Lounge.

Not everyone realizes Pet Lounge exists here, but the theft of dogs in the Okanagan is covered under this thread.

https://www.facebook.com/stolenandmissingdogsokanagan

[Queen K]

OH Gawd, how low does it go?

So I'm on the Kelowna Shop and Swap facebook site today and here's a post to make you want to slay someone.

So a family did what a lot of people do, put a "Free" sign out on a few things they want gone.
What happened you ask?
Some dirt bag thought everything in the garage was "free" too. No, I'm guessing not actually thought so, but rather, used the free stuff as a segway in to now get closer to the garage and help himself out to a rubbermaid full of construction tools. Yup, there's the free sign, "I'll stop and just take a closer look at .... geezzz the garage is there and the sign MUST mean stuff in the garage too, right?"

So a bunch of tools up in Silver Star area got stolen.

Yup.

[Piecemaker]

Not sure why anyone would leave the garage open with a sign in the yard saying, "free" which encourages people to stop and enter their property.

[Queen K]

There was nothing to say the garage had been left open. People do break in. But it was obvious what was the "free" part, the rest was just theft.

It's like victim blaming on bikes, "can't imagine why anyone buys cable locks anymore."

I was also thinking the same thing about a letter to the editor the other day.

A piano repair person left their piano repair tools in their truck overnight with predictable results. They tools were stolen, some of them were specially hand made for the job. All the pawnshops were called and all said that tools like that would not be saleable and they would not buy them from anyone (which opens further questions right there). So the letter writer goes on to describe the tool boxes and tools in great detail in her letter and if anyone has seen them to call the RCMP.

Well, do we victim blame all over again? Should have had a better vehicle, brought the tools in, etc.

Or is there just a theft explosion out there?

[Queen K]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#145288

The victim here obviously does not read the news or understand that theft is par for the course around here.

He left the cycle in a trailer and lo and behold, the trailer is gone! The thief probably didn't know the trailer had a bike this sweet. It would be like icing on a stolen wedding cake.

[Queen K]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/14 ... ruck-burns

But oh please, don't Rutland bash, it's everywhere.

[oneh2obabe]

[Bsuds]

That's cool but probably costs way more than my bike.

[Queen K]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#145719

Not that he's down, he's only very temporarily out of the theft business. As you can see at the bottom of the article, he's a prolific offender from Kelowna. Nice.

And this is why nothing is safe, even nailed down.

The very definition of "prolific" means nothing can really be done with him. NOTHING. It really is up the individual to safeguard their stuff because nothing can be done on any permanent basis with these guys. They get to go out and victimize all over again. Prolific.

[Queen K]

God forbid I post this here, but since it is the Theft explosion thread and that's exactly what my intution told me was happening out there, here goes:

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#146607


Bikes, vehicles, boats and even U-haul stuff (saw that one on the news last night), theft is everywhere.

[Rosemary1]

I wonder how much of the theft explosion is fueled by substance abuse and addiction and need to fund the habit and .
disposed youth and others with no jobs, no education or job skills and little chance of finding work from which they can make an honest living vs .career criminals who by deliberate choice find it more lucrative and easier than holding a regular job.

[Queen K]

Here's one, I'm going to say "drugs."

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#146928

[maryjane48]

http://www.*bleep*.com/watercooler/news/news/Kelowna/15/07/22/Kelowna_RCMP_Dismantle_Bicycle_Chop_Shop

Okay now.

One Bike chop shop closed, probably a few more to go.

And ta da! Omigod, bikes being linked to the currency of the drug trade. And lots of these low lifers have previous convictions, lots of previous convictions!

So what does that tell us? That the revolving door that is our injustice system does NOTHING to these drug traders. Nothing. Sets them free to victimize and re-victimize again and again.

Who bets they guys are out in less than a week or already are?

So if your bike has been stolen, GO look and you may be surprised to find your bike there. Hope you have an RCMP claim number as that may be important at some point.

Good luck!

great reasons to treat drug use as a medical issue and not a criminal one

[Queen K]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#151781

Theft from vehicles on the rise.
They never steal the books I leave in the back though.

But WOW, theft in Kelowna? Say ain't so!