Brickbat: Don't Do the Crime

Samuel Scott Jr. has sued the city of Miami, Florida, and five police officers for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. Scott's problems began when he called to report his car had been stolen. Police spotted the vehicle and gave chase. But the driver—described as a "Black male, bald, about 6'2"—crashed into another vehicle and escaped on foot. When cops arrived at Scott's home, they immediately began treating him as the suspect, even though he was dressed differently and four inches shorter than the suspect. They arrested him and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident, false reporting of a crime, failure to carry a concealed-weapon license, and possession of marijuana. The district attorney dropped all those charges.
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There is something delightfully karmic about this story... not to mention the unusual failure by cops to shoot and kill the victim. Brickbats rule!
The didn't shoot his dog either. Lazy cops.
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This is why you don't call the cops.
That and the clearance rate for property crimes is under 25%.
If you validly report your car stolen, the odds are against the cops ever finding either the thief or your car.
True...I think GTA clearance is even lower than that. However, you might have to report it stolen for insurance purposes.
It is necessary to have a police report for any insurance to kick in.
Also, Grand Theft Auto is the property crime with the best clearance rate. A car is big and identifiable via the plates. Still, only roughly 20% are recovered, which seems shockingly low.
You don't report your car stolen in hopes of recovering it. In fact, you generally hope the cops never find it.
You report your car stolen so that you get the insurance coverage and so that you aren't held responsible for what the car was used for after it was stolen.
"He reported to the cops because he believed that the cops were actually going to assist him..."
At least he learned a valuable lesson.
When cops arrived at Scott's home, they immediately began treating him as the suspect
Pretty generous to assume that they waited until arriving at his home to begin treating him as the suspect.
Someone did something criminal.
Hey, you'll do for that. Get in car long hair. You're coming with me, I'm the police.
1. Guy reports his car as stolen.
2. Police locate and pursue car after this report.
3. Guy is charged for stealing his own car.
There's a time travel aspect to this crime.
People report their cars stolen AFTER something bad happens with the car. How stupid are the Miami police? Oh wait, isn't this the same department that hired Acavedo from Houston as its police chief?
At least he wasn't trying to deliver newspapers early in the morning with his headlights off.
Hopefully Samuel get’s off scott free.
no true Scottsman would leave his weed in his car for both to be stolen
No true Snotsman would say this is something to sneeze about.