Top marks to the police officer at Christchurch airport who was dealing with the case of my stolen laptop – he’s got it back.
The saga began early last month when I was careless. I put my laptop and case down while paying for parking, picked up the case when I’d finished and walked off without picking up the laptop too. When I realised what I’d done a few minutes later I returned to the pay machine to find the lap top had gone.
I reported it to a police officer who went through video footage in which he saw a bloke pick up the laptop and walk off with it. The information on how much he’d paid for parking enabled the officer to work out when he’d entered the car park so he trawled through the video from the entrance and got the car’s registration number.
He traced the driver from that to an ex-girlfriend’s address and then to two former employers but the trail went cold from there. However, he persevered, found the bloke, got him to return to the airport where he admitted he’d taken the laptop and still had it.
His story was he hadn’t had time to go to the police.
Do we believe him? No.
The officer said it’s up to me and his supervisor if he takes it any further.
The culprit doesn’t have a previous record so if he’s charged he’d be offered diversion. That means he’d have to make a donation to a charity and probably write me an apology.
I wouldn’t want to waste police and court time on this and since it’s a first offence I wouldn’t want him to have a record.
I haven’t seen the laptop yet but it needs a password so it’s doubtful that if he turned it on he got any further than the start-up page. Even if he had, it was only a couple of months old and I didn’t have any state secrets on it. The policeman said it’s working and the adaptor and camera lead are still with it.
But:
* He stole it. I was careless but an honest person would have called me back as soon as he saw me walk off without the computer and he’s had a month to hand it to the police since then.
* I was on my way to Australia when it happened and it was inconvenient not having a laptop with me while I was away and for the couple of weeks after I got until I got a replacement.
* I had to phone Telecom to put a hold on the broadband connection because the Tstick was with the computer and we had to change a whole lot of passwords on the office & home computers.
* I had to make an insurance claim and buy another computer; and now I have to sort out with the insurance company what happens with the old computer now it’s been returned.
The theft wasn’t a hanging offence but it was an offence and a nuisance so: do I say thanks to the police officer for his good work and let it go or do I make the culprit do diversion?
Homepaddock 
HP.
If you do nothing then he has won and the officers efforts to find the individual have been wasted.
I would lay a complaint and put him through the court process. Whether or not you opt to allow the offender to seek diversion down the track is for you to decide however.
LikeLike
Alex – thanks for that. The police officer said he’d be offered diversion rather than being charged so if he accepted that offer he wouldn’t have to go to court.
LikeLike
I think he should be charged. He stole the laptop. He may have been an oppportunist who would not normally steal, but having no consequences for his actions will only encourage further dishonest behaviour. And I think it would be an insult to the policeman to now let the matter drop.
LikeLike
Also I think that if he does steal again and there is no record of this offense, the second offense will be regarded as the first.
LikeLike
I think it interesting that the thief had not got rid of it. As it was password protected, so it was of no use to him. That should count for something.
Some good police work went into its recovery. Diversion is a fair cop. A shot over the bow that will prevent a future momentary lapse of reason, one hopes.
LikeLike
Hang the little scrote!
If you let him off without charge – he will do it again.
You are not wasting Mr Plod’s time – they are paid through your hard earnt taxes to find your stolen kit and charge criminals. That is their job. Sounds like they have done that part correctly for once.
Diversion is the entry level Court and the Modern Criminal 101 course. Next time he will rightly be front the beak. Only if you press charges.
Nil mitigation, the scrote has had your kit for a month, stole it initially and had no conscience attack of guilt since. Till Mr Plod found him, that is.
Hang him.
LikeLike
Superb work by the police. The thief most certainly should be charged.
LikeLike
If you follow through with the Police and he is given diversion, next time he does something similar diversion is no longer available to him and he will have to face the consequences.
Perhaps he has done something similar in the past and nothing was done then which is why he is eligible for diversion this time. It happens a lot.
Deal to him and follow it through.
LikeLike
Hmmm…. on the other hand, he’s now “known” to the police. That may be enough to ensure that he behaves a bit better in future. If your object is punishment, then sure, go ahead with the charge. If your object is to ensure that he doesn’t behave in a similar way in future, then it could be that being known to police is enough to ensure that. Or it could be that a charge and diversion is a better way of ensuring better behaviour in future.
LikeLike
In this day and age a charge + diversion will do more good than doing nothing. It will also help the police in justifying the time spent tracking down the miscreant – especially if he does not re-offend.
LikeLike
My son got involved in a ‘high jinks’ episode when he was very young. Three of them got diversion, and it was a big wake up for him and his mates.
So I strongly recommend you proceed with the charge.
LikeLike
Yep, a charge and diversion, and not just as revenge for the considerable inconvenience he put you to. There have to be consequences, otherwise if he gets away with this he will do it again.
LikeLike
Charge him and well done Mr. Plod.
LikeLike
BTW – pleased you got the laptop back.
LikeLike
I suggest you get him to do diversion, Ele. It might deter him next time. Also, I would think it makes the policeman’s efforts at finding him and the laptop worth while.
Cheers
– Paul
LikeLike
[…] Homepaddock blogs on her stolen laptop: Top marks to the police officer at Christchurch airport who was dealing with the case of my stolen laptop – he’s got it back. […]
LikeLike
At the risk of being seen as a member of a lynch mob, I agree with those who say charge him. The alleged offender may be dealing with an isolated moment of stupidity in which case the consequences should be brought to bear, if however it is behavior that is on going then this may be a rare opportunity to bring him to account as a result of your quick reaction and the commendable efforts of policeman X.
In either case it is always good to do the right thing even if it is inconvenient and forgiveness, if appropriate can follow.
LikeLike
Actions have to have consequences Ele, and the crook who stole your laptop needs to face the consequences of HIS actions. If you let it go, your are giving him licence to do it again; OTOH if you make him undergo diversion, then he gets the message; pull a stunt like this again, and he’ll have a record.
We were burgled recently by a six year old and a seven year old who will face no consequences. Who will their next unfortunate victim be?
LikeLike
He did not have a conviction because every time he had stolen a laptop and a cop tracked him down to return it people didn’t want to give him his first conviction.
LikeLike
judge, jury and court …all of you lol. this is the new face of nz.
LikeLike