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Here's why police keep telling you not to leave anything interesting in your car
By adamg on Sun, 12/21/2014 - 4:02pm
A Fields Corner resident forwards this video from her surveillance camera this morning: It shows a guy peering inside cars on Ditson Street (0:15), trying the door of a car that has something that piqued his interest, all casual like (0:30) and then, when it turns out the car is locked, he goes and finds a rock (1:10), which he uses to smash in the car's window (1:59) - a task that takes him several tries. He reaches in, grabs and pockets something, saunters away - and then returns (3:50) to open the car and spend some quality time inside the car rummaging around.
After all that effort, all he got was a flip phone.
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Comments
What's the going fence rate on a 2001 flip phone?
What a blessed world we live in when someone can earn donut money by committing a felony. #moronlivesmatter.
Is there some privacy advantage?
Sometimes older technology has the advantages of difficulty tracing it, or can't eavesdrop on it as easily, etc., if it can be made to work.
Not that this is a likely motivator here - just something to consider.
But a flip phone though?
But a flip phone though? There are recycling programs for these ancient devices, an available surplus that are freely distributed to people in need of a device to contact emergency personnel with. If he really needed one of these, he could probably have his pick.
Unless, of course, it's a crazy modern japanese import flip phone. In which case, yes, that's valuable (to some degree.)
Maybe it was a Vertu?
Maybe it was a Vertu?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/25/vertu_ayxta/
Was $6128 brand new!
Did the witness call police?
Was the resident/owner of the surveillance camera watching the crime while it was it was occurring? If so, why no call to 911? The guy committed at least 3 felonies and every judge in Dot Court would put this dirtbag behind bars. I assume this was observed after the fact.
Yep, I posted this on Youtube
Yep, I posted this on Youtube two hours after it happened. I didn't see it happening or I would have called 911 obviously. I recorded this with my phone... from the screen of my surveillance system. I am no tech genius, and I don't know how to transfer this type of file.
As for this guy being put behind bars for a while; don't count on it. Over the years, I've heard numerous stories directly from cops who have arrested this kind of crook: A guy may have multiple offenses on file, but if there is no violence, he returns to the street within days, and goes right back at it. There are a few legendary characters who fit that profile in Dorchester.
Does BPD know about the video
Does BPD know about the video? If the C-11 Detectives are made aware it may prompt them to print the vehicle. He clearly touches the handles and rifled through the interior. There are some distinguishing things on the video too. He breaks the window with his left hand, etc. The cops post stuff like this internally on BRIC (Boston Regional Intelligence Center) and someone from BPD will probably recognize this clown. If a cop recognizes him, from a previous arrest etc, the cop can testify as to his identity in court without you having to get involved. You did a good thing here and hopefully BPD is made aware.
I don't claim to know
I don't claim to know anything about how C-11 detectives do their business, but I imagine they have bigger fish to fry.
My locker was broken into and car keys stolen at the gym. They probably would have taken my car if I had driven there (thankfully not the case). In this situation, the front desk employees immediately knew when I mentioned what had happened - a "very sketchy" individual had come in tried to run straight to the locker room under the guise of just using the bathroom. They forced him to swipe in, and he came out a minute later with a bloody hand, presumably from breaking the combination lock I'd used on the locker.
The gym had surveillance video of the dude coming in, leaving, and his FULL NAME and address on file because he used his gym pass from a partner gym in Malden. Normally I'd write this off as "life", but decided to make a report at C-11 because of all the info available. The gym -- understandably -- wasn't just going to hand it over to me, but said police would have access. Seemed like an easy one. Never heard back.
I don't blame them, given all the really bad things that need to be investigated in that district. But based on my experience, I'm not inclined to think they care much about property crimes. Which, again, is not something I'd expect. I'd rather be out $300 and have them pull in someone for a gun crime.
Priorities
When police can confiscate cars, money, and property in drug cases, claiming they were obtained from illegal dealing profits, what's in it for them for catching a guy who took your car keys? If they caught him, the DA wouldn't bother prosecuting and if he did, the judge would give no more than a slap on the wrist. This situation seems like speeding tickets where a higher threshold must be crossed before any attention or action will happen.
Nice white jacket
This would be good for visibility at night as a pedestrian, though its more like camouflage during the day. He probably wears dark clothes at night for the same reason.
White has another advantage for the thief. Cameras have automatic gain control to try and keep images from being too bright or too dark. The white coat and hood make the gain drop so dark facial features are harder to see or the white overloads the sensor.
Revenge on whitey. Film stock and video cameras were designed to work best on white and Asian skin tones. Hence, dark skinned criminals show up poorly on surveillance.
I had my car broken into once
I had my car broken into once in East Boston ,passenger side door window smashed in , do you know what the thief took , change in the console, first thing came to mind, heroin addict braking into cars searching for change , so he can have enough money to buy his heroin.
Cost me close to $400,00 to replace window.
What, no car insurance.
Glass replacement is an automatic in Massachusetts - no deductible involved.
Not necessarily
Glass is covered like that only if you have comprehensive insurance.