There is a thief amongst us !!

[Barn Owl]

So, what kind of crimes is it ok to "handle yourself"? Which punishments are ok to hand out for what crimes? What kind of evidence does one need before one takes action? Is there a good way to keep us -- or a group -- all from convincing ourselves that it is the funny looking new guy with the poor social skills that is the culprit, and taking the "appropriate action". Is there a good way handle "oops, we jumped to the wrong conclusion and broke the wrong guys fingers"?

Nobody is saying it is ok to steal, just that vigilante justice has been tried, but not with spectacular success.

Well if I broke the wrong guys fingers then it'd let him know not to do any stealing thereafter.

Sorry but my liberal outlook of when I was a youth are long gone,too much have I seen and had done to mine.
I'm only speaking of taking such action to those that have harmed mine or my friends directly and I include friends as all who contribute on here.

That's my view nowadays and of course it's probably not spectactularly successful but compared to todays justice?...

 

[CaptainBeaky]

I'm not sure which is sadder - the fact that Mark's trust was abused, or this comment:

Well if I broke the wrong guys fingers then it'd let him know not to do any stealing thereafter.

So breaking an innocent person's fingers is OK as it will discourage him from stealing in future?

Really?

 

[SimonM]

Come on guys...enough!

We all had a fantastic weekend, don't let this incident be the one memory of Middlewood 2010 that lingers, forcing all the positives to the back of our mind.

Simon

 

[Mojoracinguk]

The venom in this thread will have driven the knife well underground now….(if any one has it at all!)

What if it was taken due to a misunderstanding/ honest mistake?....yeah although not likely but if it were…Yikes….now we have branded some one at the meet a Thief.

If it were ‘missplaced’ (like a lot of kit does) now again we have a theft problem….

Still IF it was plain and simple theft, the sentiment is about right….but would have been good to give peeps the opportunity to remedy the situation without the stigma….and the Bushcraft community would have felt a little more warm and fuzzy today (like usual), instead of poised and ready to take action.


Mojo
(Just an outsider lookin in)

 

[Magentus]

I agree with the last post - as much as stealing is wrong and destroys trust, this retribution talk is worse in my opinion. It leaves no room for the person who took the knife to make amends and give it back, and creates a climate of fear, that some people will attack you if they only suspect you of wrongdoing!

This is a great site, with excellent people contributing to it. Lets not allow one thing to damage that.

Magentus

 

[sapper1]

Some people seem to be missing the whole point of this discussion.
Stealing is wrong and needs to be punished,if you don't punish those who steal then there is no deterrent.I dis agree with a witch hunt but will say if it was my stuff that was stolen and I found out who it was then ,yes,I would dish out the punishment.The other way to go is to call the police who will give you a crime number.This is no deterrent.

 

[salan]

I was just waiting for some one to suggest we 'string em up!'
A knife went missing presumed stolen. VERY wrong, but just listen to the comments on here!!!
I am actually GLAD I do NOT attend these meets if this is the attitude of some of the people.
Nothing to do with bushcraft, but I have been of the 'wrong end' of this type of attitude.
I had to PROVE my inocence. even then it took a long time for people not to 'wisper under their breaths'.
I wasn't there, I am not prepared to judge what happened and I am not prepared to start being a vilgilante.
Where has all the 'bushcraft spirit' gone?
Alan

 

[locum76]

Now looky here:

1) the meets are fun and will always be despite the odd inexplicable error.

2) Barn Owl (who I've met once) aint all bad - he's apparently just lost some of his youthful tolerance - no doubt due to old age and indigestion. hence the cantankerous nature of the old git ;P

3) The thief/ misguided oaf/ absent minded magpie/ pocketer of trifles will now know what has happened has been noted and hopefully won't repeat the offence.

Move on folks, it's nearly christmas.

 

[Mesquite]

...Move on folks, it's nearly christmas.

Well said Locum

 

[Mojoracinguk]

Some people seem to be missing the whole point of this discussion.

Yes they are....the OP was to get the knife returned...either by:
1. A Thief making things right
2. Some one who found it at the meet (not going to happen know all the pitch forks are out)
3. Some one who took it as part of a miss understanding/forgetful moment. (Again....pitch forks!!!)
4. Lurch finding it in crack down the side of his display table (Sorry Lurch, but it has go in for fair discussion)

But hey why let logical thinking interrupt a good witch hunt!

Mojo

 

[Mojoracinguk]

OR what locum said!

I like Christmas (warm and fuzzy)
Mojo

 

[robin wood]

Now looky here:

1) the meets are fun and will always be despite the odd inexplicable error.

2) Barn Owl (who I've met once) aint all bad - he's apparently just lost some of his youthful tolerance - no doubt due to old age and indigestion. hence the cantankerous nature of the old git ;P

3) The thief/ misguided oaf/ absent minded magpie/ pocketer of trifles will now know what has happened has been noted and hopefully won't repeat the offence.

Move on folks, it's nearly christmas.

Well said, lets move on.

 

[Melonfish]

Well lets put it this way, we can make forks out of re-forged pokers and pot iron and cut hazel, and we can use bowdrills to light our torches.
bushcrafty enough?

I think its prolly a good idea a mod closes this thread now as some of the posts are quite inflammatory, its causing others to take offence and post their comments etc. etc. vicious forum cycle.

i think what has been said has been said, and all points have been covered. lurch didn't want to make a big fuss and thats exactly what we're doing.
Pete

 

[Hoodoo]

I think its prolly a good idea a mod closes this thread now as some of the posts are quite inflammatory, its causing others to take offence and post their comments etc. etc. vicious forum cycle.

Good idea.