Gear Theft - Strange Debate

[lerxstcat]

Hey guys, we just had a situation happen locally and I was kind of surprised at the course a thread on our local music board took. Kind of wondering what you guys think.

We had a case where 3 members of a local band were arrested for breaking into another band's rehearsal space in the same complex and stealing some equipment. Among the gear stolen was a Gibson Les Paul that these guys spray-painted in a effort to disguise what it was.

Now my generation looks at gear theft kind of like they looked at horse thieves in the Old West. Catch 'em in the act and it'd be curtains for the thieves. Which is the feeling most people were expressing on the thread.

Then one guy comes on, who is a friend of the alleged thief, and starts lecturing us for our backward attitudes, and saying we should be quiet lest we receive retaliation for talking about them. WTF?!??

I made an analogy in the thread comparing theft of your equipment to rape. Now I know it's not as bad as rape, I'm not stupid. But the sense of violation, anger, helplessness, have to be similar. This guys was all "How DARE you compare the two" And "How DARE you put material things above human life?"

So most of the posters were telling hm he was nuts, but one guy who sort of came in on his side was also a young'un, chiding us for our "negativity". 21 and 27 years old, respectively.

So what do you guys think of this? The friend is saying WE are ruining his buddy's career by spreading the word that he was caught red-handed with the stolen goods. I say he did that himself by having the stolen goods.

I have just never come across a MUSICIAN who would apologize for and justify gear theft before. What do you guys think?

[lerxstcat]

Anyone know how I'd edit the thread title? It's meant to say "Gear theft".:think:

[Tekky]

I made an analogy in the thread comparing theft of your equipment to rape. Now I know it's not as bad as rape, I'm not stupid. But the sense of violation, anger, helplessness, have to be similar. This guys was all "How DARE you compare the two" And "How DARE you put material things above human life?"

Honestly, very poor comparison on your part.

Gear theives, or theives of any kind, deserve to be punished to the full extent of the law, especially when the evidence against them is such that there is no defense. However, it is burglary, plain and simple. It is a personal violation, I'll give you that. But, it's just a few miles south of being as heinus and serious as a rape.

The guy defending his filthy-theiving friends is slightly off base and one must wonder if he doth protest too much.

[atomic charvel guy]

let me get this straight. people get caught stealing gear. they are called out for it after getting caught, and now their feelings are hurt? we're talking retardation here, nothing more.

[lerxstcat]

Honestly, very poor comparison on your part.

Gear theives, or theives of any kind, deserve to be punished to the full extent of the law, especially when the evidence against them is such that there is no defense. However, it is burglary, plain and simple. It is a personal violation, I'll give you that. But, it's just a few miles south of being as heinus and serious as a rape.

The guy defending his filthy-theiving friends is slightly off base and one must wonder if he doth protest too much.

I totally understand why you feel that way. It doesn't have to be 100% congruent to be a comparison though. And I did express that. I'm sorry if I offended you by even comparing them at all. It was in response to the friend of the thieves saying 'it's just stuff". I just couldn't believe the guy was actually saying this, and basically threatening us with retribution if we kept talking about it.

[Tekky]

I totally understand why you feel that way. It doesn't have to be 100% congruent to be a comparison though. And I did express that. I'm sorry if I offended you by even comparing them at all. It was in response to the friend of the thieves saying 'it's just stuff". I just couldn't believe the guy was actually saying this, and basically threatening us with retribution if we kept talking about it.

Keep talking about it. But put it in the proper perspective.

Let's put it this way, you can insure gear and be compensated relatively well for it in the event of a theft. That should lessen the blow of the violation. But someone who has been raped... Nothing will ever be like it was before.

[DRM]

Of course he sympathizes for his friends. Ignore him. He's an oxygen thief. Stick to the legal course of action and get police involved.

Don't play his game.

[toejam]

Anyone know how I'd edit the thread title? It's meant to say "Gear theft".:think:

I do.

[toejam]

let me get this straight. people get caught stealing gear. they are called out for it after getting caught, and now their feelings are hurt? we're talking retardation here, nothing more.

[lerxstcat]

Thanks Joe.

And Tekky, you are right of course. I should have simply said it is a violation and left it at that.

[lerxstcat]

Of course he sympathizes for his friends. Ignore him. He's an oxygen thief. Stick to the legal course of action and get police involved.

Don't play his game.

The police are involved, the guys were caught with the gear in their possession. The rightful owners have it back, but it's fucked up by spray paint, so they have to refin their stuff or somehow get the spraypaint off without fucking up the finish below.

The dumb thing about him threatening us with his friends' retaliation is this: Mississippi is a state where a concealed-carry permit is just a formality as long as you have a clean record. We are allowed to carry weapons UNconcealed with NO special permits. I can carry a sidearm on a belt holster in public perfectly legally. So him portraying his friends as people who will come after those talking about it, could have a real backfire effect for his friends.

[Pointy]

Here is a more appropriate comparison, what would you rather have:

a) your guitar stolen

or

b) a guitar thief getting raped


I hope they can restore that guitar. As for the thieves' friends, well in the future watch out for them too.

[shreddermon]

So what do you guys think of this? The friend is saying WE are ruining his buddy's career by spreading the word that he was caught red-handed with the stolen goods. I say he did that himself by having the stolen goods.

So, following that logic, we shouldn't publish anything in the local police blotters about any other criminals, either? They're entitled to their privacy, so they can have a successul career, right? F**k that.

If you're a criminal, you get (publically) called out on it. I hope charges were filed with the police. As to his buddy's "career", hope it leads directly to the clink. And I would cast a very suspicious eye towards the poster defending his "buddy" - with low morals like that, the douche might be a thief himself. Or worse.

[Shawn Lutz]

how anyone can defend a scumbag who steals anything is beyond me. If I had a friend who was scumbah reip off artist I would not stand up for them and end the friendship right then and there. Also, if the guy really had any kind of a "career" in music he would not steal others tools of the trade if you will.

People who steal flat out suck...

[DRM]

The police are involved, the guys were caught with the gear in their possession. The rightful owners have it back, but it's fucked up by spray paint, so they have to refin their stuff or somehow get the spraypaint off without fucking up the finish below.

File charges and make the thieves either pay for the refenish or new instruments. Plain and simple.

And don't open carry. All it does is attract attention and shows someone who might do harm who to take out first. I always take notice of who openly packs...it's not a deterrent.