Ratio of reward offerings could drive clues
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the newsletter or RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Last week, KIFI Local News 8 reported the continuing saga of thefts from local construction sites, and how one electrician lost about $11,000 in trailer thefts. A $500 reward was being offered for clues leading to the conviction of these thieves.
A few minutes later KIFI reported a beef cow shot near Heise, and a $5,000 reward was being offered for clues leading to the conviction of that person(s).
How much is a cow worth? I’d expect their worth at least a few thousand dollars. How much has been stolen in construction tools and materials the last few months? I’d expect several tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars have been stolen from local construction sites recently. I’d also expect the construction thefts have affected many more local laborers than the one cow did.
When subcontractors lose their tools and equipment, that’s often the end of their job until they can replace the costly items. I asked a buddy in construction why they don’t have a security guard, and he replied they were lucky to get a toilet on site.
Perhaps the local contractors and developers could start a collaborative reward fund at a local bank. A more substantial reward in the thousands would be more likely to get one of these theives to rat each other out, or to motivate people like me to take a drive around at night looking for suspicious behaviors at construction sites.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Vote:
0 
0 We need a local ‘Dog’ to chase these crooks down, kind of a bounty hunter but chasing the rewards.
Now that you mention it, I do remember that 3D Fire theft and reward, I’d forgotten till you mentioned it.
Does our local police consider these thefts a priority? If there are clues and the detectives appear less than interested, that is symptomatic of apathy in the department. I would take it higher.
Has anyone else involved with reporting these thefts experienced apathetic attitudes from our local police?
I recall a story several decades ago where our local police officers were running a theft ring, robbing stores. That couldn’t happen today, could it?
Vote:
0 0 Joe, I remember the police theft ring you mentioned. I even know one of the officers that “did time” because of it. These officers had keys to some of the businesses that were robbed. I’m pretty sure that today’s police officers don’t have such easy access to businesses.
Vote:
0 0 Ehhh, I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything, I don’t have any proof of coure, I’m just hearing people saying they have clues to these construction site thefts and the detectives are giving the impression they’re not interested in the clues.
So without any proof or accusing anyone, I’m just wondering out loud what the chances are a local cop could be involved with these construction site thefts?
Vote:
0 0 I’m sure the local police are NOT involved in the crimes. It sounds like it would be a bit more appreciated if they communicated more with the victims as to progress on the cases. I’ve ran into their lack of communication in the past and that is probably their biggest problem which causes victims grief.
Vote:
0 0 Man — I read this thread with amazement! Do you people really believe that there are viable solid clues in a felony case like this and police just don’t care? Give me a break! Cops are like hungry dogs on a blood trail when it comes to catching a felon. Thats why they are COPS! Nothing makes a Police Detectives day (or career) like solving a big crime. People complain all the time. No one wants to take the time to say “man — those cops did a great job…” that is EXPECTED. Everyone will take the time to scream that the cops are doing nothing. The truth is that if the police have solid clues — they are investigating! If the victims are not happy — its a product of the system and/or the lack of leads in the case — and so who else do they blame it on. I did a burglary investigation once in Idaho Falls in which 100 pairs of high end sunglasses were stolen in a business burglary. There was no physical evidence to speak of — except some blood from when the bad guy broke a window — and some bicycle tracks leaving the scene. I worked on that case for 2 days solid! I followed blood drops over a mile and a half — which got me in the guys neighborhood. I had no other clues to go on! This was in the summer months — and I figured that it had to be a young high school or JHS aged kid — (sunglasses and a bike) So, my plan was to do NOTHING for 3 months. NOTHING. I waited until schools started in the fall. NOw I figured we would have a hundred pair of oakleys being sold somewhere. Once the heat went away — some time passed and school started — I knoew this idiot would start selling. A month before school started the owner of the business called me and in a very loud and vulgar way — expressed his displeasure with my abilities as a Police Officer. He actually called me vulgar names. A month after school started, I put a crime stoppers bulletin in the media — with a $500 reward. I had the guy in jail within 24 hrs. I recovered about 1/2 the sunglasses — and returned them to the business owner — who wasn’t even a big enough man to appologize or thank me for my efforts. So be careful before you start crticizing the police based on 3rd and 4th party information that you have no idea is accurate. It actually makes me sick that this discussion went from — those darn cops don’t do anything — right on down to subtle accusations that they may have been involved in the crime — KNow what you are talking about before you make such harmful speculation….
Vote:
0 0 and keep in mind — police have to be careful what details they give out to ANYONE in regards to an ongoing investigation — even the victim. Any information that is given to anyone could possibly jeapordise the investigation — you never know — the guys son or neighbor might have done it.
Vote:
0 0 FeelinLucky: ouch, you make sensible points there.
I am sorry if my wondering out loud seems like an accusation (and I can see how it does), I am just wondering out loud. The idea is not impossible (improbable yes, but not impossible).
Vote:
0 0 I understand the police have their hands full. My information about the seemingly lack of interest in potential clues is first hand. We really did get the impression (right or wrong) that we were more wasting their time with ideas or what we thought may be clues.
In the case of rewards (listed above)…..the reward we refered to was offered because the victims also got the impression that the detective did’nt want to hear from them beyond the initial report. Again, this could be a right or wrong impression. In either case, better communication (acting interested) would have helped the victims to feel their input was welcomed. I have also heard 2nd and 3rd hand occurances of this same situation and I agree that you never know the details in situations like this.
I will give the police department credit for a job I would not want to deal with. I did’nt mean to ruffle anyone’s feathers and I’m very sorry if I did. But opinions are opinions and, who knows, they may be changed with communication such as this.
Vote:
0 0 Oh, please! I have a friend whose boyfriend (let’s call him Bill) was badly beaten outside a local bar last month - broken bones, hospitalization, surgery, etc. My friend didn’t know the man (let’s call him Rick) who assaulted Bill, but she went to high school with Rick’s girlfriend, who was also there. She told the police who the girlfriend was and they contacted her and made their way to Rick. When they questioned Rick, he said he wasn’t there and it wasn’t him. (BIG SURPRISE).
End of story.
They never let my friend look at a photo array or a line-up and the investigation has stopped. The detective has even admitted that they stopped investigating Rick on his word that it wasn’t him. Puh-leeze! When my friend calls, they tell her they are trying to find some leads on who did it, and even though she suggests they let her look at photos, they refuse. This makes absolutely no sense. I would never say that Rick did it, because I don’t know, but I surely don’t understand why the police would take the alleged criminal’s word for it that he wasn’t there but not give the victim or his girlfriend the opportunity to identify him (or not) through photo arrays or lineups.
This young man was so badly beaten that he nearly died! It should not come as a huge surprise to any detective worth his salt that the man didn’t just confess. The two men involved don’t even know each other. This kind of attack is very scary and a full-bore investigation is called for. He nearly killed someone. What about next time? If “Rick” does it again, (assuming it was him, of course) the city would have some serious liability for not pursuing him in the first place, and you can bet Aunt Aggie’s pearls that I would be telling anyone who listened that they knew this man was dangerous - AND DID NOTHING!
I agree with Just Interested’s statement that I wouldn’t want their job either, but then I didn’t take that job and put myself in the position of accepting what went along with it whether it was positive or negative.
Vote:
0 0 one last comment — something that I saw in my many years on the IFPD… Cops are like Doctors, Lawyers, Waitresses or any other — there really are good ones and there are bad ones. I knew some cops that just had bad attitudes. I saw several badge heavy arrogant people that had no business being in that position. But those are rare on that department — at least from the ones I knew (there are so many new — young guys now) A Police Officer or a Detective should make the victim feel as good as possible — and he/she should be attentive to the victims needs. The best thing to do is to report a poor attitude or other inappropriate behavior to the police administration. Not that one single report will make a difference — but an officer cannot afford to have very many such reports come in from citizens before the boss starts realizing that they have a problem that needs to be dealt with. That way you are attacking the problem itself — not helping to spread a “rumor” — or general bad feelings about all cops. Those that care — and treat people well — and work hard to do a good jon deserve more than that. Enough from me. sorry so long and drawn out
Vote:
0 0 So I have not heard much in the news lately about construction sites being robbed, have the thefts tapered off?
Were any of the thieves apprehended?
Does anyone have clues to those thefts?
Vote:
0 0 I know of a construction business that had this happen to them about two weeks ago so I don’t think it has stopped.
A lot of construction sites, especially in the beginning stages, are like a revolving door with subcontractors coming and going, many of these people might not even know each other or know why the others are there. What about the possibility of some of the contractors taking items from other contractors for use on other jobs? I doubt that is the case in most of these but I am sure it has happened.
I saw something on Dateline or one of those shows like that where they were putting cameras at construction sites and recording the site overnight and then playing them back to help find the people that were taking stuff. Has anyone tried to do something like this here?
Vote:
0 0 I’ve heard of people putting fences around constuction sites with keycoded entry, but so many people need access to the site at different times that it may be impossible to completely stop thefts with this system.
Leave Your Comment
Our Community's Comment Guidelines:- Please stay polite and on topic.
- Your email will never be published.
- No profanity or euphemisms for profanity.
- No personal attacks, name-calls, put-downs, or baiting other guests, races, genders, or religions.
- Express opinions, facts, logic, and reasoning; just don’t argue for argument’s sake.
- No commercial links (unless absolutely relevant to the discussion) and no religious proselytizing.
- No religious discussions (for or against). Go to http://religiondebates.blogspot.com for religious discussions.
- Use the "I" word as much as possible to demonstrate responsibility.
- Limit yourself to using one name per thread to demonstrate responsibility.
- If you think a comment is inappropriate, ask Joe to review it.
Loading ...
Vote:
Recently 3-D Fire Protection, Inc of Idaho Falls had a truck loaded with tools stolen. 3-D Fire has offered a $10,000 reward for information/conviction.
It appears 3-D Fire has been investigating on their own and obtained some possible clues and the local detectives appear less than interested in looking into these clues. Thus, the reward is offered and is not to be paid to any person in law enforcement. This reward has been offered via notice in the Post Register and word of mouth.
So, my point is, I believe rewards are about the only legal way we have to take the law into our own hands. However for this system to work, we need to rely on people that associate with thieves.