“We’re gonna stick it to him!”
That’s what the police officer said as she finished writing taking down our information. She was the same officer who came out when some hoodlum kids tried to steal the decoy, and even before we had hard evidence, she was sympathetic to our cause and encouraged us to call the police when we finally caught him on camera.
When she first came, we showed her the footage, and she asked for a copy of the files to attach to the report. She said that she will have the landlord (who lives in the building) come into the station to identify the culprit, and then she will throw the book at him.
So how does society punish gum bandits these days? Most likely, he will get a $165 ticket for disorderly conduct. However, the officer said she’s going to try to make a case for a criminal damage, which may carry a heftier fine. Either way, he’s going to have a misdemeanor on his record, and hopefully the fine will make a dent in his gum-purchasing budget. Plus, our landlord will be notified by the police, which may carry its own consequences.
Hopefully, very soon, the bikes of Prairie Street will be free from the wrath of the Gum Bandit.
Does this mean that I get damages for my bike?
Sweet!
[...] July 27, 2010 at 5:29 pm This morning, at 7:50 am, I got a call from Officer Ferguson, of “We’re gonna stick it to him” fame. She told me that she wanted to interview the property manager/landlord about the gum [...]