My family lives in a very small, rural area. My grandparents have some really trashy neighbors who have been trespassing on other neighbors (my grandparents included) land, hunting on their land, and stealing from neighbors houses. Two of my Grandfathers deer stands were recently stolen, and my mother (who works at a library) saw them in the library listing two deer stands on Craigslist a few days ago. My Grandfather contacted the police, who told him "you don't want to mess with those people, they'll burn your house down or something."

Another neighbor had a large gate stolen from his house. He has his name permanently marked on the bottom of the gate in a discrete place. He drove by theses people's house and saw the gate in their yard. He contacted the police, telling them this and that they could find his name marked on the bottom of the gate. The police refused to even go and look.
Rumor has it that several years ago they burned down the sawmill of someone that they had a dispute with.

Why are the police so frightened of these individuals? Why are they allowed to live above the law? How can one go over the heads of the local police and actually get something done about the situation. Or should everyone just continue to let their rights be violated, for fear of retaliation?

[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 8:28 PM. Reason : ]

11/24/2009 8:27:35 PM

that sounds horribly crappy man.

11/24/2009 8:30:20 PM

witness protection. just call the mob.

11/24/2009 8:30:27 PM

Wow, that sucks. Is it county police you're dealing with?

11/24/2009 8:31:34 PM

you can sue them

[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 8:32 PM. Reason : the thieves, that is]

[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 8:33 PM. Reason : call the AG's office]

11/24/2009 8:32:05 PM

vigilante justice

11/24/2009 8:47:06 PM

I'd try to get all the neighbors together and call the police telling them that they either do something about it or you're going to call the news station and hire a lawyer to represent everyone. People like that shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.

11/24/2009 8:49:46 PM

sounds craptastic if you ask me

11/24/2009 8:53:52 PM

Quote :

"going to call the news station and hire a lawyer to represent everyone"

dude. seriously. its shit like this that makes people pissed.

i bet the laywer would do it pro bono.

see if you can record the police station refusing to help you out.

i hate saying turn this into a public spectacle...but it may just do the trick.

this makes me so



good luck.

11/24/2009 8:57:36 PM

11/24/2009 8:58:30 PM

Is this in NC? And by police do you mean the sheriff's office? Call/write the sheriff, he might actually give a shit since he has to worry about getting re-elected.

[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 9:00 PM. Reason : if you actually have a police force you ain't that rural]

11/24/2009 8:59:22 PM

the criminals are probably his cousins or inlaws or something... they're obviously just protecting them. don't believe the BS stories they're feeding you. like that shit really happens... much more likely its just a matter of favoritism.

11/24/2009 9:01:40 PM

set up bear traps around the property and laugh when their legs are shattered and they pass out from loss of blood...then call the ambulance and pretend you didnt know the traps were set.

11/24/2009 9:13:02 PM

Well if your biggest fear is that they will burn your grandparents' house down.....




I would suggest that you strike first.

11/24/2009 9:13:54 PM

I agree with Talage and Joie. Time to get serious about this or it will never go away.

11/24/2009 9:44:55 PM

gotta nip that shit in the bud

11/24/2009 9:49:12 PM

Unfortunately, your description of events is fairly typical for many small, rural towns across America. Witness one of the worst such cases that occurred in the town of Skidmore, Missouri, at the hands of this guy:

Quote :

"Over the course of his life [Ken Rex McElroy] committed dozens of felonies ranging from rape to arson to burglary, but managed to avoid prosecution by intimidating witnesses, victims, the police force with threats of death to individuals' family members. After two decades of terrorizing the town of Skidmore, McElroy was shot to death in broad daylight by at least two individuals in front of a crowd of 46 people. Every witness other than his wife refused to identify the assailants, and as a result no one was ever charged with McElroy's death. As of 2009, his killing remains unsolved."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McElroy



Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 – July 10, 1981)

The people of Skidmore took matters into their own hands. I suggest that your grandparents contact state and/or federal law enforcement first, but if this dangerous harassment keeps on happening, it could be time to consider the Skidmore method.

11/24/2009 10:10:25 PM

this title is all sorts of redundant

11/24/2009 10:16:18 PM

Quote :

"My Grandfather contacted the police, who told him "you don't want to mess with those people, they'll burn your house down or something.""

What is it worth to you? Seriously, if these people are that violent you will have to be prepared for the ramifications of taking them on. If this is a well enough known problem outside media attention and a group of likewise citizens might help the situation, but the media coverage will inevitably end. What then?


I'm not saying do nothing, and I'm most definitely not advocating violence, but the fact that you're already coming to TWW about it probably indicates that you're not going to do anything.

[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 10:47 PM. Reason : oh, and I'm soo tempted to post this: [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIfuaUTH9Y4]

11/24/2009 10:36:12 PM

^

11/24/2009 10:42:55 PM

If the victims know who stole their stuff why don't they go swear out warrants?

11/24/2009 10:43:17 PM

For the record, I am openly advocating violence.

11/24/2009 11:55:34 PM

^

11/25/2009 12:01:30 AM

Quote :

"Immediately after being released, McElroy had gone to the local tavern with a military style rifle, complete with bayonet. He loaded the rifle, and told everyone how he was going to finish the job by shooting Bowenkamp, then running him through with the bayonet."

11/25/2009 12:03:40 AM

whoh maybe I'm ignorant of small rural societies but this story sounds hard to believe

11/25/2009 2:32:24 AM

go back to your first world problems thread then, city-bwah

11/25/2009 6:12:00 AM

The best thing to do is make this public. You will be amazed how quickly the police force will change it's tune once the media discovers their unacceptable ineptitude.

11/25/2009 6:56:51 AM

make a call to the SBI or FBI about it, or hell, try the state police

11/25/2009 7:34:42 AM

make a call to the SBI or FBI about it, or hell, try the state police Charles Bronson and get him to sort it out vigilante style

11/25/2009 7:42:43 AM

^this sounds like more of a job for Patrick Swayze's Dalton from Road House. He's used to battling small town kingpins.

11/25/2009 8:15:41 AM

Yea Dalton would be all over it. He's nice, until it is time to NOT be nice.

11/25/2009 8:58:46 AM

or a job for Buford Pusser.


Seriously though, this sounds like the plot to Walking Tall.

11/25/2009 9:02:44 AM

some people really should just be shot for the good of the community

11/25/2009 9:19:11 AM

Quote :

"vigilante justice"

When law enforcement stops doing its job, this is the only option.

11/25/2009 9:52:51 AM

I'd say it's the only option after trying at least a little oversight. Don't local cops answer to anyone? County Sheriff? Mayor? Governor?

11/25/2009 11:15:48 AM

11/25/2009 12:19:20 PM

have all the neighbors bring them a turkey dinner and tell them they're sorry they're so broke they have to steal deer stands and gates.

11/25/2009 12:34:51 PM

whatever you do, document the fuck out of it. Let no incident, no matter how minor, go unnoted.

11/25/2009 1:18:41 PM

Quote :

"I would suggest that you strike first."

11/25/2009 1:28:01 PM

in this situation, i'd be scared

seriously...maybe i'm just a wuss, but fuckers who think they can (and obviously do) get away with this crap aren't afraid to fuck you (and/or your stuff) up...it really does seem like striking first would be safest and easiest, but it seems like you can't go just halfway

i mean, if you found them on your property and pointed a gun at them, saying you will shoot if they don't get off your property and leave your stuff alone, that's not going to intimidate them in the long run, it's going to make them push you as much as they can, perhaps so far as to hurt you or your family or your property

these are the kind of people that no one cries over when they die, except in happiness

11/25/2009 1:36:04 PM

You know this kinda thing can be handled real easily if you want to hire someone to get the message across to them.

Let me know how much $ its worth to you/your family to have the problem fixed.

11/25/2009 1:36:13 PM

^^

yeah, the only way to beat people like that is to escalate to or beyond the level they'd go to. Hell, that pretty much applies to everyone. Unfortunately, escalating to that level with people like these might mean doing something most people are not willing to do (kill someone).

11/25/2009 1:40:04 PM

The solution to this problem clearly involves a backhoe, a couple gallons of gasoline, and a large horny adult bear.

11/25/2009 2:13:41 PM

Three options:

1. Live with it (I imagine this is what they'll end up doing).
2. Move.
3. Be willing to go way beyond the law.

11/25/2009 2:15:10 PM

Burn their house down when they aren't there. Make them live somewhere else.

11/25/2009 3:30:38 PM

Quote :

"Burn their house down when they aren't there. Make them live somewhere else."

+1

11/25/2009 3:32:48 PM

lawyer up, involve media, be prepared to defend yourself?

11/25/2009 3:35:27 PM

get the law enforcement agency saying that stuff on tape

call up the local news station

[Edited on November 25, 2009 at 4:00 PM. Reason : your problem is with law enforcement, not the trash]

[Edited on November 25, 2009 at 4:01 PM. Reason : i edit my edits]

11/25/2009 3:58:10 PM

The problem is still with the trash if you do manage do get the cops to enforce the law, they get some measly penalty for whatever crime you get them on (sounds like a lot of stealing so we're not talking serious jailtime) and then they get out and burn your house down or shoot it up with you in it.

Getting them convicted for stealing a gate or a couple of deer stands isn't going to cut it if you're sure they are serious about their threats.

Are you sure they aren't related to the Sherrif or something? Related to someone in law enforcement in that area or the DA?

[Edited on November 25, 2009 at 4:10 PM. Reason : related to someone powerful?]

11/25/2009 4:08:49 PM

I absoultely hate people that live/thrive on making someone else's life a living hell.

11/25/2009 4:34:57 PM