Witnessed A Vandalism CLOSE-UP (UPDATE Post# 116)

[Laurajean]

Quote:
If you mean the mailboxes that were there, they are DESTROYED. Not even usable at all. They REALLY mangled them, flattened them, doors are gone, the plastic ones are in little bits and pieces, none of them could be used at all, it's literally just scrap metal and plastic shards. If you mean new mailboxes, I don't think I trust the idea of just having them sitting on the ground, since it's down the road and not within sight, ya know? It could so easily be stolen. I'll just wait until I can get my dad or someone to help me fix the stand and install a new one. I wish my neighbors weren't so lazy, but I can almost guarantee that none will fix it. I am the only person on our road that contributes money for road work (it's a private road), while they all tear it up with their trucks and contribute nothing. That one really good neighbor I mentioned only has his garage on my road, he actually lives on the next road, so he doesn't have a box there and won't be fixing it. I'm just feeling frustrated because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one on this road that cares about anything.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
They already know, Wendy. There's only one carrier for our whole town, it's small. They are holding all of our mail for us. I seriously doubt it would do any good to talk to them about it. I wish I could explain the attitude in this town, but everyone just shrugs their shoulders. No one wants to make any waves because they ALL know each other.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Wow! Knew they were no strangers to trouble...just never been caught before. No respect

This really goes beyond " few houses" could you add any charges for fearing for your life the night of the rampage..emotional trauma? No way, knowing the extent of damages they have caused would I'd let them go without someone replacing and installing my private property that these punks destroyed. What if you didn't have the extra cash to replace and install a new mailbox?.. Would the post office demand you do it or no mail?

 

[Whiskey Bay]

I know what you mean about the small town thing and all.Where I live,the whole COUNTY is a small town.People here have MULTIPLE dui's.even the teens.One local drove drunk in front of a train killing his best friend and he gets probation.Why? Cause his brother is(wasbeen) a famous GBP quarterback.Good ole hometown boy... Their sister involved in a drive by shooting .....nothing...Same sister busted IN a meth lab apt in a wealthy area ?...nothing.....Just last week 18yr old driving drunk kills his best friend and cousin is now a veggie....nothing..Why? you say? Because he didn't mean for it to happen.It's bad enough that he's gonna have to live with it.One of the guys I know (who is good friends with them) says this too...This ia a man with a dui record.But believe you me, if a drunk driver killed his daughter or granddaughter...he'd be wanting the death penalty. Such two faced,small town people.Here elections are coming up.They are hoping a certain person gets ssheriff...They say they won't have to worry about getting in trouble.... 17 yr old boy dies driving drunk ,they all mourn,18 yr old wakes up in hospital from wrecking driving drunk ..... she's still doing it.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Yep! Make SURE you are listed as a witness and also as one of the victims. They will send you a letter asking you if you want to give a statement to the judge. They sent my mother a paper that she filled out, it just asks what happend and how you feel about it, and what would YOU like to see happen...etc...
She didnt have to testify in court, but the judge got to read her statement.
So make SURE you are listed on that report, and you actually might get your money back from this too.... my mother did. The judge made the kid pay my mother in cash at the courthouse.

I've read several posts about making sure I'm a witness. The thing is, I don't think that would be a smart idea. I live alone, way out on the outskirts of town, and I'm the "outcast" here because I moved here from the city. I really think if I went to the court and made a big stink there would be revenge later. I'm so remote I can't even use a cell phone on my road. It just seems like a dangerous idea going and being a witness. I mean, if they insist I come fine, but they won't. There's plenty of evidence without me. There are other witnesses too, from the other towns.

Without going into great detail, let me just say this: When I first moved here, there was an "incident". The short version is I had an uninvited guest that was drunk and not welcome. I knew he was good friends with my neighbor, so instead of calling the police I called him and had him come over and get his friend outta here. Later I told my neighbor that I almost called the police, but I knew the guy was harmless and just drunk, so I called him instead. He said "That's good. You should know we don't call the police around here". They are all known as the "Good Ol' Boys" and I feel it's important not to draw unnecessary attention to myself. Don't get me wrong, I will of course ignore the neighbor's "rule" that we don't call the cops out here, as I did the other night. But my point is that being a witness over a stupid mailbox is just not worth setting myself up for on the flip side when they decide to "pay me back." They could do something to my chickens, or my house, or me. And now that I know my neighbors don't believe in calling the police, that's pretty risky, you know? Right now I'm the quiet girl that no one bothers with. I'd prefer to keep it that way than be known as "the trouble maker".

 

[Lisa202]

I would fix my mailbox and let all the others stay on the ground. Stick a pole in the ground all by itself with your house # on it, nice and big so there's no confusion.

I would also be a witness and ask for anonymity for your safety for retaliation from their families. You never know...if these kids act like that, the parents are probably not upstanding, moral citizens of the community. Let the judge know that you are afraid of them because of the violence you witnessed. But I think it's important that you do speak up or else they may just get community service and end up not doing any of it. These kids need a little "scared straight" time and they also need some kind of record from keeping them from buying guns in the future. The thought of them with real weapons.

All in all...you tell a good story. This was the most interesting thing I read in a long time.

 

[Keltara]

I definitely would go to full length of pressing charges on felony offence. The 3-18 year old MEN and the 14 year old all know the difference between right and wrong. They didn't just make a bad "decision", they made a calculated plan to violently destroy a multitude of property that night. Who knows what their next crime would have been, had they not been caught. They committed a crime and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Our society is too soft on crime and accountability and it is a darn shame. I encourage to prosecute them to the full extent. They may not have a prior record, but this may have been just the "first" time they were caught. You were smart to hide the way you did, there is NOOOOOO telling what could have potentially happened to you. Prosecute!

That's my 2 cents.

And one last thing. I think all the men and the boy involved (including the parents of the 14 year old), should go to every person affected by this crime and give a face to face apology for the wretched behavior they exhibited!

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Sorry to hear the people over there are so passive aggressive. We have that kind of attitude on our gravel road. With some people contributing time and money to fix it, while others do nothing but use the road and contribute to it's degradation.

I'm not one for guns, but I wish you had a shot gun on you that night and let one off into the air, right in the middle of their barbaric spree. THAT would have scared the bugeezuz out of them.

We had someone going into our mailbox so we bought one of those $125 steel box types. They might be able to knock it over but they wouldn't be able to do much damage. Plus I think ours has some sort of guarantee. You might consider one of those for your next mailbox.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Good luck LauraJean

I hope it all turns out fine in the end for you.

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
Yep! Make SURE you are listed as a witness and also as one of the victims. They will send you a letter asking you if you want to give a statement to the judge. They sent my mother a paper that she filled out, it just asks what happend and how you feel about it, and what would YOU like to see happen...etc...
She didnt have to testify in court, but the judge got to read her statement.
So make SURE you are listed on that report, and you actually might get your money back from this too.... my mother did. The judge made the kid pay my mother in cash at the courthouse.

I've read several posts about making sure I'm a witness. The thing is, I don't think that would be a smart idea. I live alone, way out on the outskirts of town, and I'm the "outcast" here because I moved here from the city. I really think if I went to the court and made a big stink there would be revenge later. I'm so remote I can't even use a cell phone on my road. It just seems like a dangerous idea going and being a witness. I mean, if they insist I come fine, but they won't. There's plenty of evidence without me. There are other witnesses too, from the other towns.

Without going into great detail, let me just say this: When I first moved here, there was an "incident". The short version is I had an uninvited guest that was drunk and not welcome. I knew he was good friends with my neighbor, so instead of calling the police I called him and had him come over and get his friend outta here. Later I told my neighbor that I almost called the police, but I knew the guy was harmless and just drunk, so I called him instead. He said "That's good. You should know we don't call the police around here". They are all known as the "Good Ol' Boys" and I feel it's important not to draw unnecessary attention to myself. Don't get me wrong, I will of course ignore the neighbor's "rule" that we don't call the cops out here, as I did the other night. But my point is that being a witness over a stupid mailbox is just not worth setting myself up for on the flip side when they decide to "pay me back." They could do something to my chickens, or my house, or me. And now that I know my neighbors don't believe in calling the police, that's pretty risky, you know? Right now I'm the quiet girl that no one bothers with. I'd prefer to keep it that way than be known as "the trouble maker".

It's amazing that these people act like monsters and you would be the "trouble maker". May I ask what part of the state you are in? I ask because my mom lives in NH (Meredith) and she says that you can't get away with anything there.