Chuck's story reminds me of a similar experience I had with an ex-girlfriends step son. He showed up back in town several years after a hasty, unexplained exit. Girlfriend never showed anything but kindness to this loser, and, of course, several days later, her home was broken into and trashed. Among the mostly worthless things taken was a softball sized brass statue of a roaring African lion.
I asked a neighbor lad of the same age as loser if he had seen him, and where he was staying. Well, turns out he was staying in a trailer park, less than one mile from his step mom's home. I showed up at the trailer (stepson wasn't home, but, a roomie was) and there in the bay window, sat the brass lion! I borrowed roomie's cell phone to summon the police, who informed me in no uncertain terms they were "too busy" to play around like this! I was flabergasted, and the police dispatcher assured me his rap sheet was very long for a person of his age, but, that was the end of it.
Several months later, said loser made the national network news when Coon Rapids police arrested him among a gang of thieves working the expensive property along the Mississippi river there. Notable, was the fact, loser was armed, and tried to escape, running over a police officers foot with a vehicle, and was apprehended, after the police had fired nine shots into his vehicle (one shot struck loser, and it wasn't life threatening). I remember thinking with nine shots, a good excuse, and a badge, I would have seen to this puke's meeting with St. Peter, but, I digress.
Last I heard, loser thought he he was going to sue the Coon Rapids police, claiming the shot to his left arm caused permanent damage.
Good luck with any relief from the constabulary, but, experience has taught us that solving, or resolving crime, just isn't their forté.
Best,
Ted
