Only in California NOW

[Grumpy]

Recently there was a post about thieves stealing catalytic converters from vehicles at boat ramps. Apparently that is kids play out in California where, according to the news, they are stealing Memorial Plaques and Burial Urns from cemetaries and funeral showrooms. Some Urns even had remains in them. At least its not that bad here YET!!

Grumpy

[Dave Stewart]

Actually it is that bad here. Plaques were taken off the Veterans Memorial in Paducah just last week...they were recovered a few days ago and are now back in place. There have been a number of reports of veterans markers being taken from graves in the southern Illinois area near here recently. It takes a really low down person to take the marker off any grave...especially that of a veteran.

[Grumpy]

Dave, I agree and I still say the police and other authorities need to go after the companies that are buying the "scrap metal"--there is no way that someone just happens to have forty or fifty manhole covers (which were stolen in E-town, 10 or fifteen catalytic converters, or a bunch of bronze burial plaques and sell them as scrap. This spring I was visiting a friend in Vine Grove and the police came to his door and asked if he had seen anything across the street the night before. Builders had laid the aluminum forms to cement a basement in a house they were buidling and someone stole all the forms. Again, there is no way a buyer can't figure out that no one will just happen to not need a bunch of perfectly good concret forms anymore and is selling them for scrap. Until they crack down on the scrap buyers, it will keep happening and get worse.

Sorry to hear that it is happening here--these are some real low-lifes!!

Grumpy

[Bobby Headrick]

They are also stealing the brass off of fire hydrants and anything of value like Dave said it is that bad here it just goes unreported, Also there are reports of people strippng wire off elec lines, and also stealing copper and stuff off of central air and heating units. Yes the scrap yards need to be better checked and monitered. That is the worse when they steal from a grave site espically someone who gave their live for this country that is too low. Nothing is scared anymore.

[zx150]

The scrap yards here in Louisville will not buy certain items, like manhole covers. As far as the "New Items" that are taken out of construction sites most are sold to builders or people in that trade. They should know the deal is too good to be true. They are as guilty as the thief.

When most of these people take stolen copper or other items to the scrap yard they look very used. The thieves are pretty smart. They know what they can get away with and what they can't.

There is so much legitimate scrap being sold it is hard to figure out what is illegal.

Here in Louisville you must leave your valid state issued ID before they will give you a check.

A lot of the scrap yards will hold items that they may think are stolen and call the detective to see if any reports come across their desk. A lot of thieves have figured this out and are heading over to Southern Indiana or Oldham County and vise versa.

It is a tough game to play. Trust me I know, I take several reports on this C%$* a week. I have taken as many as 4 in a day, that does not include the guys on the beats around mine.

[Grumpy]

Zx150, first I want to thank you for the work you do, I honesly appreciate you and all the other police and public servants that work so hard to keep us safe.

Now, I am not trying to argue with you, and maybe the salvage buyers in Louisville do try to report some stuff, but if the thefts are a frequent as you just indicated, the thieves are selling the stuff somewhere or they would be stealing it. I know that the police alone can't stop it, it will take a POLITICAL WILL on the part of many communities and that probably is not going to happen. The sorry part of that is that we all must spend more to protect ourselves.

Thanks again,

Gruimpy

[stoner]

It's my understanding that a scrap yard in Lexington has a police officer there during business hours.
Stoner

[zx150]

Thank You for the support Grumpy. I know in the area I work we have 3 or 4 scrap yards. That is in one district. Some don't have any, but most have several so it would take a lot of guys off the street. We are already short handed as it is.

I think the only answer is to build a bigger prison like the size of Texas and run it like Tent City (the Sheriff that makes all his prisoners sleep in tents in the middle of the desert, he has the lowest recidivism rate in the country). If you get 5 years than you serve 5 years. In Louisville you get 5 years and you may be out in 6-12 months if you even get sent at all. It is a joke here. Other counties are a lot tougher but some are as bad as Louisville.

In 4 days I will have been with the PD 11 years and it gets worse every year. The politicians don't want to hurt someone's feelings and really make the changes that it takes to clean up the towns. Until we get someone who does not care if 10 people stand outside his office to picket him it will never get any better (almost all of the people in the picket lines can't vote anyway because they are convicted felons).

[Grumpy]

That is a big part of the POLITICAL WILL that I was refering to. Unfortunatly, right or wrong, everytime a minority is accused of something, the preachers, the lawyers and other do-gooders start hollering prejudice and that is especially true the more high profile the crime is (read that to mean IN THE MEDIA where they can get their face in front of a camea). As you said, the politicians are afraid to do anything.

Hang in there, we need you.

Grumpy

[zx150]

Hey Grumpy will you run for mayor of Louisville?

[Grumpy]

Wow, zx150, my head is really going to swell up something terrible. First Moose asks me when I am going to run for President (although I don't think he meant that as a compliment) and now you ask if I will run for Mayor of Louisville. Thanks, but I am enjoying my retirement too much to get into politics, except to write letters and put in my two cents worth.

Grumpy

[zx150]

I don't blame ya one bit.