[BirdMan]

http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/County_M ... tation.pdf

See page 4.

As of FY2011, Multnomah Co. OR will no longer be able to prosecute the
following crimes (numbers presumably represent the number of active cases that will be dropped):
Theft of less than $500 from citizens and businesses- 3350
Possession of small amounts of Cocaine, Meth, Heroin- 435 misdemeanor and
150 150-200 felony cases
Trespass (Commercial, Residential)- 850
Minor Assaults/Harassment- 178
Disorderly Conduct- 1427
Criminal Mischief/Graffiti- 205
Reckless Driving- 110
Hit & Run property damage- 256
Driving while Suspended- 498
Resist Arrest unless there is physical injury- 65
Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle- 42
Attempt to Elude Police Officer- 18
City of Portland Code Offenses
All other misdemeanor crimes

So, if you want to walk out of Best Buy with a $450 TV, with a little meth in your pocket, spraypainting your tag on the window as you leave, then drive away recklessly with a suspended license, eluding the cops before you crash into a mailbox and resist arrest (without hurting the cops), all the while posting illegal flyers on the mailboxes you didn't hit...you can walk away with a slap on the wrist. You won't be prosecuted. Free stuff in Oregon, everybody!

 

[Puffyfish]

OMG! Kids snorting coke openly at the mall! A Godless place for sure.

 

[Owl]

That must be Obi Wan Kenobi in his younger, reckless years.

PS - I don't know if it was this post or one or two before it, but I just noticed I'm now married to GPDO. Now, get me my slippers and bring me the remote, woman.

 

[gunsmoker]

But the DA's office will still prosecute sex crimes :righton: and any firearms law violation!

Seriously, what the hell are these people thinking? Prosecuting crimes is a core function of government. Some types of victimless crimes that a substantial percentage of the people don't think should be crimes at all, okay, I can see using prosecutorial discretion to cut those out and save money.
But theft up to $500???? That's crazy.

Cut back on welfare or social services or the animal control unit instead.
Get rid of school crossing guards and recruit parents to do that job on a volunteer basis.
Lots of other ways to cut back.

 

[Savvy Jack]

Get rid of school crossing guards and recruit parents to do that job on a volunteer basis.
Lots of other ways to cut back.

I would as long as I get to OC! :lol:

 

[BirdMan]

Seriously, as I understand their little powerpoint, they're essentially saying that if you walk into a Wal-mart and put a $499 tv in your cart, then just push it out to the car and steal it...they won't prosecute?! They're essentially encouraging every petty thief in the state to just move on on. I don't understand the left coast.

 

[seereus]

Seriously, as I understand their little powerpoint, they're essentially saying that if you walk into a Wal-mart and put a $499 tv in your cart, then just push it out to the car and steal it...they won't prosecute?! They're essentially encouraging every petty thief in the state to just move on on. I don't understand the left coast.

To get the votes, you have to make some sort of payoff.

 

[Savvy Jack]

Seriously, as I understand their little powerpoint, they're essentially saying that if you walk into a Wal-mart and put a $499 tv in your cart, then just push it out to the car and steal it...they won't prosecute?! They're essentially encouraging every petty thief in the state to just move on on. I don't understand the left coast.

See, that just happened to me...I posted it somewhere on this forum. I guy steels a check made out to my power company from my mail box. Purchases a $600 vacuum cleaner from walmart. Register prompted for an ID. He produces a DL that was denied twice. Produces another DL and it was approved. REMEMBER the check was made out to my power company! My bank refunded my money but walmart sold their dept to a collection company that is hassling me about the $600 purchase.

NOW, this guy was released from prison on Sept 8th, stole my check on sept 9th and purchased the merchandise on sept 10th. He did it again to someone else on sept 20th and is now wanted for other crimes.

 

[Melissa5]

PS - I don't know if it was this post or one or two before it, but I just noticed I'm now married to GPDO. Now, get me my slippers and bring me the remote, woman.

Get it yourself, man.

 

[BirdMan]

See, that just happened to me...I posted it somewhere on this forum. I guy steels a check made out to my power company from my mail box. Purchases a $600 vacuum cleaner from walmart. Register prompted for an ID. He produces a DL that was denied twice. Produces another DL and it was approved. REMEMBER the check was made out to my power company! My bank refunded my money but walmart sold their dept to a collection company that is hassling me about the $600 purchase.

NOW, this guy was released from prison on Sept 8th, stole my check on sept 9th and purchased the merchandise on sept 10th. He did it again to someone else on sept 20th and is now wanted for other crimes.

You need to get a police report on the crime and keep it with you at all times (your wife too, if it was a joint account). The last thing you ever want is a miscommunication with the police about you passing bad checks that leads to a warrant. If you're ever hassled about it, you can produce proof that your check was stolen and it wasn't you. That's Clark Howard's advice, and I think it's probably good. You can beat the rap, but you could also (in this case) beat the ride with that report. I wouldn't trust Wal-Mart to have the brains not to swear out a complaint.