Wanted to share a funny *theft* related story :)

[wisco]

This just popped into my head today.

Several years ago around the 4th of July a bunch of my friends and I nearly got arrested for grand theft of some form. Thankfully it was all cleared up fairly quickly.

I'm going to use a couple of different names here. We'll start with my friend "Sam". Sam had a cousin who legally purchased a shipping crate full of fireworks from a company called Fireworks City.

He sold a bunch to people he knew to recoop some of the money. Sam and I went out to where he had them stored... I bought a bunch for myself and Sam bought a "trailer" full, also to resell. By trailer I mean one of those little black hobby type trailers you might see around... about 6-8 feet long.

Sam and i took his trailer back to his house that night and unloaded most of it into an empty room he had. Another friend, "Mike" came by to buy some stuff... and then proceeded to take pictures with his camera phone and send it to a bunch of other people letting them know that "we" had stuff for sale cheaper than the local tents.

I told a few people as well, and Sam made a pretty decent profit. Technically what Sam did was illegal - a permit was required to sell fireworks in the city, but we really didn't think much of it. What we had was small potatos in the big scheme of things.

Flash forward to July 3rd. We have an annual July 3rd bash at yet a 3rd friends (Jim) house every year - he's on 60 acres outside the city. Sam along with everyone else loaded their "hoard" into his little trailer and lit everything off in one night.

Well now as luck would have it on the same night an entire semi-trailer full of fireworks was ripped off just outside the city - owned by Fireworks City. The cops got a tip that someone had been selling cheap fireworks, from Fireworks City, that had come from a trailer.

Key words here: Selling, Cheap, Fireworks City, Trailer.

In the wee morning hours of July 4th, Mike (the one who had sent out most of the pictures) got a knock at his door - a county sheriff. Conversation as it was told to me went like this:

"Mike, I'm gonna ask you ONE time. Where are the fireworks?"
"We blew them all off last night"
"you blew off an ENTIRE TRAILER full of fireworks in ONE night?"
"Well yeah, we had a lot of people there it didn't take that long..."
(You see, at this point Mike thinks we're in trouble for "illegally" selling fireworks, and the officer is referring to our wee little trailer)
"Who were all these people?"
...list of names...
"Where did you do it?"
"Out at Jim's farm, but wait... he lives in County A.... aren't you from County B?"
At this point, Jim had noticed the Sheriff was from the wrong county.. at least, not the county where the "violation" occurred.
"Let's take a ride"

At this point Mike rides with the Sheriff out to our buddies farm. The officer explains about the stolen trailer. Mike explains to him that our fireworks were not stolen, were legally purchased from Fireworks City, and that our trailer was just a little thing. After they got to the farm and the Sheriff saw some of the burnt out leftovers, he concurred that they weren't the same type of fireworks stolen.

He made a few phone calls, confirmed with FC that our stuff hand indeed been purchased. He didn't care about our little "under the table" stuff and that was pretty much the end of it.

Nobody got in any trouble, but we were all worried there for a bit!

[Outshined]

Oh God, ha ha ha ha breaking the law laughing about it, Ha ha ha it doesn't get any better than this. You realize you are on a law enforcement forum don't you?

[wisco]

Yes I'm well aware of where I am. The story was posted for fun, not to tout how we "broke the law" and got away with it.

Every single 4th of July in my area the laws are broken. Wisconsin requires permits issued by the mayor or his designee. Guess what? Nobody gets one. Permits to buy, sell, permits to display, permits dictating a specific time and date they will be used.... it's ridiculous, therefore really never enforced. If the "law" was followed to the letter, technically it's illegal to buy the little kiddie fireworks sold at Walmart.

Admitted by local officers themselves, the only time they will act is if someone (i.e. a neighbor) complains. And then, assuming the subjects don't act like asshats, all they will do is confiscate what is visible.

[Outshined]

Yeah well, I have been in the business for 25 years now, if you shoot off fireworks in my town you are going to get arrested. We are not out there for your amusement, we are there to enforce the laws. I don't care how funny someone thinks their situation is, screw with us pay the price. Ha Ha.

And just to add, I don't find it amusing when officers don't do their jobs unless they feel like it, we can do without these guys and gals who want to "fit in" with the crowd or "be part of the party". If the officers we have would enforce the laws on the books, we wouldn't have people going on the internet telling funny stories about the officers that didn't do their jobs.

[wisco]

Holy crap... what are you getting all uptight about? Nobody was screwing with anybody, nor trying to use law enforcement to our "amusement".

I thought it was simply funny pointing out the coincidental circumstances.

Sorry to ruffle your feathers, geez.

[Outshined]

Holy crap... what are you getting all uptight about? Nobody was screwing with anybody, nor trying to use law enforcement to our "amusement".

I thought it was simply funny pointing out the coincidental circumstances.

Sorry to ruffle your feathers, geez.

Well now you know why I am not all that popular.

[wisco]

And just to add, I don't find it amusing when officers don't do their jobs unless they feel like it, we can do without these guys and gals who want to "fit in" with the crowd or "be part of the party". If the officers we have would enforce the laws on the books, we wouldn't have people going on the internet telling funny stories about the officers that didn't do their jobs.

To respond to your edit.

I feel just the opposite. I commend officers who use their discretion and not enforce BS laws unless someone really deserves it.

I mean really, do you enforce every law to the letter? Do you cite for jaywalking? Do you cite the child who's puppy got loose for not having a leashed dog? I doubt it.

In my area, that's how the fireworks violations are treated. The "laws" are so damn strict that about all you can legally have is sparklers. If someone is firing bottle rockets at cars or something, yes they will be cited. But thankfully the police don't run in and shut down folks who are being responsible and just having a good time - and assuming that's the case, I don't think it's to "fit in". It goes a long way to garner respect from the public. If people respect you, it makes your job easier does it not?

[tcop733]

Unfortunately, in the agencies I've worked for discretion is becoming more and more rare.

[Norm357]

People actually get arrested for fireworks? At most here it is just a ticket. And the cop really has to be pissed!

[Outshined]

It goes a long way to garner respect from the public. If people respect you, it makes your job easier does it not?

So basically you are saying that ignoring laws is the way to garner respect from the public, especially those laws that just interfere with fun stuff, like explosives? After 25 years in this business I respectfully disagree. As a police officer if you are cutting breaks to people, which we all do every day, you are not garnering respect you are making friends. Not a bad thing, but totally different.

Discretion is used all the time in my department. We don't arrest for sparklers. We give lots of breaks on speeding and such. You are not being responsible because you are breaking the law, if you are shooting off expolsives.

That is like saying, yes I am drunk and driving but I am driving slow.

I do apologize, I may have come on a bit strong last night.

[Adrenolize]

Personally, I found the story to be amusing.

Why? Because in America I can be amused. Also, I did some pretty darn stupid stuff in my day that could have gotten me into a bunch of trouble. An officer showed some discretion and I totally turned myself around going to the USMC and then into police work with the idea of being one of the good guys. Without overly elaborating...that officer years later was on my oral board at an agency I went to work for. I got the job.

I agree that discretion is on the wane these days. It seems that common sense is becoming a victim to political correctness.While police are in fact Law Enforcement, there has to be a level of discretion otherwise we turn into a police state. In this instance, they poster admitted he did wrong and HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN IT. Sounds like a lesson was learned, aided by a cop who was after the more serious crime and not stopping to beat everyone down possible.

My 2 cents.

[retdetsgt]

Selling fireworks without a permit wouldn't get me very fired up, those are only designed to generate revenue. The fire marshal's office handles that stuff anyway. However, suspicion of stolen fireworks or other things is a whole 'nother program.

[Curt581]

Every single 4th of July in my area the laws are broken. Wisconsin requires permits issued by the mayor or his designee. Guess what? Nobody gets one. Permits to buy, sell, permits to display, permits dictating a specific time and date they will be used.... it's ridiculous, therefore really never enforced. If the "law" was followed to the letter, technically it's illegal to buy the little kiddie fireworks sold at Walmart.

Admitted by local officers themselves, the only time they will act is if someone (i.e. a neighbor) complains. And then, assuming the subjects don't act like asshats, all they will do is confiscate what is visible.

Yeah, and just about every year, (or every other year) there's an incident involving some idiot burning a building down, blowing his own fingers off, or burning a bystander... sometimes, a kid.

Last year, two rocket scientists ran out of regular fireworks, so they decided to lauch a military parachute flare which drifted down onto the roof of a local meatpacking plant and nearly burned it to the ground.

A few years ago, a nearby fireworks company with an excellent safety record had a major explosion and fire, which killed a few employees. A local newspaper article featured an elderly man who was missing a major part of his hand, to highlight the dangers of fireworks abuse. I remember another story of a father who grabbed a lit firecracker and clenched it in his fist to protect nearby children, costing him a few fingers.

Your 'friend' buying a crate of fireworks wasn't very smart. Storing them in a spare room in his house was ridiculously foolish. People forget that fireworks are explosives. Would he be willing to store a pipe bomb in his house? How about an open can of gasoline? A quantity of fireworks as you describe is the equivalent or more.

Fireworks are illegal in our area for good reason. People have been seriously injured or killed by their misuse. In most cases, alcohol played a role (surprise, surprise) Yes, enforcement has been somewhat lax in the last few years, but only because the number of police officers has declined, while the number of calls for service has gone up. We just don't have the time to enforce those ordnances unless a complaint is made... or an injury results.

I guarantee you, if your blase attitude about fireworks results in property damage, an injury or death, you will be charged criminally, and held liable civilly... just like the two morons that launched the flare.

[wisco]

So basically you are saying that ignoring laws is the way to garner respect from the public, especially those laws that just interfere with fun stuff, like explosives?

In a way, yes. But I'm only referring to those laws which cast undue restrictions. As an officer I'm sure you're familiar with the letter of the law vs the spirit of the law. I heard a good saying once: "No law is just so long as that law is absolute."

Indeed, fireworks are technically explosives. But there intended purpose is not to blow something up, or cause someone harm. They are for entertainment. Should someone be using them in a manner to cause harm or damage, I'd be completely on your side.

After 25 years in this business I respectfully disagree. As a police officer if you are cutting breaks to people, which we all do every day, you are not garnering respect you are making friends. Not a bad thing, but totally different.

I think they play together more than you think. I respect my friends... otherwise they wouldn't be my friends.

Discretion is used all the time in my department. We don't arrest for sparklers. We give lots of breaks on speeding and such. You are not being responsible because you are breaking the law, if you are shooting off expolsives.

Again here, if I were to treat or view fireworks simply as "explosives".... well, bullets use an explosive charge to fire. So I'm using explosives whenever I do some recreational shooting. Spark plugs create small explosions inside the cylinders of my engine, so I'm using explosives while on my way to my recreational shooting.

It's all in context. If I randomly shoot somebody just for the heck of it, it's a crime. If I randomly mow someone down with my car, that too is a crime. I'm using those devices for unintended means.

I view fireworks the same way... and that's where I think the law crosses the line.

I do apologize, I may have come on a bit strong last night.

No worries my friend. I do enjoy getting the viewpoints of people who don't think entirely like myself... the world would be a pretty boring place otherwise.

[wisco]

Selling fireworks without a permit wouldn't get me very fired up, those are only designed to generate revenue. The fire marshal's office handles that stuff anyway. However, suspicion of stolen fireworks or other things is a whole 'nother program.

I think that's the way the Sheriff felt. I dunno what a semi trailer full of fireworks is worth in terms of dollars, but I'm sure it's a lot.

Furthermore, as has been stated here - yes fireworks are explosives. If the theif had a malevolent agenda they could do some pretty serious damage somewhere with a trailer full of them.