Alright, so I work out at the campus rec center 3x/week. I never bring my wallet intentionally, but did on accident one day last week. Needless to say, despite the idea that I had that no one would mess with it, it was stolen.
Come to find out the same thing happened to a friend the day after that, same place, and that $20,000 in property has been stolen from the rec center this year ($2,000 in wallets the last month ALONE). Apparently this theft problem is RIDICULOUS.
So, I decided to set up a sting operation with a crew of my buddies. Odds are, they won't hit again at the same time as last week, but it's happening over and over again. I think it's happening SO MUCH that there's a damn good chance we catch someone trying to steal some ****.
Here's the plan (I like my use of police terminology.. lol):
So... is this legal? We're basically going to put our wallets with nothing really valuable in them and then just WAIT for someone to try and jack it. Then chase them down. (If they run, are we allowed to apprehend them? I don't see why not. If someone stole my laptop or something, I'd sure as hell tackle them. Then probably beat the **** out of them.)
I also welcome ideas to improve our little "operation".
Come to find out the same thing happened to a friend the day after that, same place, and that $20,000 in property has been stolen from the rec center this year ($2,000 in wallets the last month ALONE). Apparently this theft problem is RIDICULOUS.
So, I decided to set up a sting operation with a crew of my buddies. Odds are, they won't hit again at the same time as last week, but it's happening over and over again. I think it's happening SO MUCH that there's a damn good chance we catch someone trying to steal some ****.
Here's the plan (I like my use of police terminology.. lol):
Crew: David A., Jon S., Rob D., Claire S., Kat R., Nathan P.
There will ideally be two dummy wallets loaded with 1 dollar bills, my old ID, fake credit cards, etc. XXXX will be in possession of one. XXXX will be in possession of the other.
That leaves Jon, Kat, Claire, and Nathan. They will all enter the rec center, staggered, around ----- PM and begin their "workouts". Jon will man a stationary bike, another on a stairclimber, another doing some ab workouts, and a floater. Rotate machines. Periodically, take turns sitting out in the lobby, chatting on the cell. We want someone in the lobby if possible in case we get someone who tries to leave quickly.
Rules:
1) Do not be obviously paying attention. If it looks like you are fixated on the cubbies, nothing will get stolen. Use your peripheral. Use mirrors. You get the idea.
2) PAY ATTENTION. If we ACTUALLY get another wallet stolen, that's sad.
At ---- PM, XXXX and XXXX will enter, staggered, and each place dummy wallets in the cubbies, in an easy to steal place. Not under anything, just sitting there. Along with them, we will place our keys, just like we would normally do. They are to be placed in otherwise vacant cubbies, if possible. Once the dummies are placed, we each go upstairs and run a few laps about a half lap seperating us so that we can have one guy on the track watching the situation at all times.
When the wallet gets jacked, the person that spots it must immediately follow the suspect. DO NOT MAKE IT KNOWN THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING HIM OR THAT YOU KNOW HE STOLE SOMETHING. Say nothing. Conveniently leave at the same time, make it nonchalant, as if nothing is wrong. Immediately notify other teammates, but do not notify teammates if you risk losing the target. The signal for the target wallet being stolen is the "number one" hand signal.
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE SUSPECT, FOLLOW AT A DISTANCE OF 40 FEET.
Once the suspect LEAVES THE DOORS of the rec center, he can no longer pull the, "Oh, I thought the wallet was lost and was taking it to the (desk/employee/bull****)." Everyone should get in pursuit at this point and confront the suspect outside the rec center. Have university police contacted immediately, either by telling someone at the front desk (discreetly) that your wallet was stolen and you saw (THAT GUY) do it while you're following him and then get back after him, or by dialing on the cell. If he RUNS, follow his ***. Tackle him if you have to and make sure the PD apprehends him.
Let's get these bitches.
There will ideally be two dummy wallets loaded with 1 dollar bills, my old ID, fake credit cards, etc. XXXX will be in possession of one. XXXX will be in possession of the other.
That leaves Jon, Kat, Claire, and Nathan. They will all enter the rec center, staggered, around ----- PM and begin their "workouts". Jon will man a stationary bike, another on a stairclimber, another doing some ab workouts, and a floater. Rotate machines. Periodically, take turns sitting out in the lobby, chatting on the cell. We want someone in the lobby if possible in case we get someone who tries to leave quickly.
Rules:
1) Do not be obviously paying attention. If it looks like you are fixated on the cubbies, nothing will get stolen. Use your peripheral. Use mirrors. You get the idea.
2) PAY ATTENTION. If we ACTUALLY get another wallet stolen, that's sad.
At ---- PM, XXXX and XXXX will enter, staggered, and each place dummy wallets in the cubbies, in an easy to steal place. Not under anything, just sitting there. Along with them, we will place our keys, just like we would normally do. They are to be placed in otherwise vacant cubbies, if possible. Once the dummies are placed, we each go upstairs and run a few laps about a half lap seperating us so that we can have one guy on the track watching the situation at all times.
When the wallet gets jacked, the person that spots it must immediately follow the suspect. DO NOT MAKE IT KNOWN THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING HIM OR THAT YOU KNOW HE STOLE SOMETHING. Say nothing. Conveniently leave at the same time, make it nonchalant, as if nothing is wrong. Immediately notify other teammates, but do not notify teammates if you risk losing the target. The signal for the target wallet being stolen is the "number one" hand signal.
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE SUSPECT, FOLLOW AT A DISTANCE OF 40 FEET.
Once the suspect LEAVES THE DOORS of the rec center, he can no longer pull the, "Oh, I thought the wallet was lost and was taking it to the (desk/employee/bull****)." Everyone should get in pursuit at this point and confront the suspect outside the rec center. Have university police contacted immediately, either by telling someone at the front desk (discreetly) that your wallet was stolen and you saw (THAT GUY) do it while you're following him and then get back after him, or by dialing on the cell. If he RUNS, follow his ***. Tackle him if you have to and make sure the PD apprehends him.
Let's get these bitches.
I also welcome ideas to improve our little "operation".
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