If it wasn't so easy!

If it wasn't so easy and was a higher priority. Maybe we could get something done. How hard is it to go to the scene when citizens call the department about someone stealing someone else's house? The crook is out there for a long time. I think I've even seen them out there with a six pack and burgers on the grill. (ok I'm exaggerating) I mean only in flint can someone get away with stealing part of your house! No wonder Insurance is so ridiculous! People are allowed to break into your house without fear of police investigation. Steal your personal belongings without fear of investigation. Steal the siding off your house or plumbing without fear of investigation.

So, let's go after the scrap yard. Yep, they are out going around the city stealing the plumbing and siding off your house. That makes sense! If we are going to go after the scarp yard than we should be going after the Pawn shops too. After all, they are buying our stolen property. I have a novel idea. Now it is just my idea and I know it might not make much sense to others. But here it goes. How about we TRY ARRESTING AND PROSECUTING THE PEOPLE COMMITTING THE CRIME?? Again, it just my idea. I don't know if it will work. But, I think we might at the least try it.

Here in Flint. It doesn't take more than a phone call (as seen in the article) to find out, from some scrap yards, who is stealing your house. Ask the City Council, or ask the Mayor. Why your house and car insurance is 6 times higher than that of a house or car that is out in the suburbs? No one is willing to do anything about this. The police continually whine about lack of personnel and priority of the crime. Yet, it is a crime that they wouldn't even have to leave the department to solve. Just make a phone call. (Ok, I'm exaggerating again) But it is not rocket science and it is not a difficult problem to fix. This all boggles my mind. When I've looked at our staffing level in the Flint police dept. We have three less officers than cities with 80,000 more citizens. Why do we not have enough manpower?

Now, here is the part that really doesn't make sense. You are the home owner. And you catch them stealing your property. You cannot detain them for police! If you do. It is considered kidnapping. Think I'm wrong. Try it sometime. Call 911 and see what they tell you. Now, if your like me. Your next thought is to just teach the person a lesson about stealing others property. Nope, don't do that. NOW police will arrive within seconds. Because, now your violating his rights. Now your the criminal. You have a better chance of getting arrested for protecting your property in Flint. Than a criminal breaking into your house and stealing your property, leaving finger prints on the window, does getting caught and punished. Please, someone tell me I'm wrong then prove it! I have a link at the bottom of every page to send me your comments. I will only respond to "REAL NAMES" and if you send it. Don't be surprised if it gets posted and analyzed.

Home, stripped home: Siding thefts rampant
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, February 17, 2006
By Robert Snell
rsnell@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6302
QUICK TAKE
How to stop siding thieves

* Flint police urge people to report violators by calling CrimeStoppers at (800) 773-2587. Here are two of the suggestions Flint's East Side Business Association recently sent the city for thwarting aluminum siding thieves:

* Have the city clerk issue permits for all siding removal, valid for three days, and restrict sale of siding to Flint salvage yards.

* Require salvage yard owners to maintain a log of all purchases, obtain thumbprints of sellers, and collect permits and return them to the city clerk.

FLINT - Some days, some Flint streets seem like grocery store aisles as thieves push shopping carts or load their cars with aluminum siding stripped from abandoned houses.

Neighborhood leaders say the checkout lane can be found at area scrap yards. That's where thieves are converting the metal into cash, and in the process, thwarting redevelopment, hurting home values and especially ravaging Flint's east and north sides.

North-side activist Katherine Price has fumed as thieves stripped siding from a house across Austin Avenue.

"It's terrible, just terrible," she said. "Most of us own homes in our block and try to keep our properties up; this really makes you feel bad."

The thefts are brazen, sometimes happening in broad daylight, Price said. One thief stole a screen door and hauled it away while riding a bike.

"It's rotten and I hate it," she said.

The thieves, who also steal copper pipes from abandoned homes, are driven by a sagging economy and high market prices for the metals - essentially an urban cash crop.

Some residents and real estate investors blame scrap dealers, saying they ignore a city ordinance governing sales.

This month, the East Side Business Association sent a letter to City Council members asking the city, property owners, salvage yard owners and police to take steps to thwart thieves, who also are stripping commercial buildings.

"We don't want to be mean-spirited," said Don Lada, founder and chairman of the business association. "We want to make a difference and help citizens."

Flint police recently assigned a detective to focus on the problem, though Lt. T.P. Johnson said more-serious crimes often receive priority.

"We are working very hard to alleviate this problem," he said. "I wouldn't say (thefts happen) every single day, but several times a week."

It's a problem plaguing communities nationwide.

Scrap aluminum siding is selling for 40-55 cents a pound, about 15 cents higher than last year. Scrap copper from pipes and wire, meanwhile, sells for about $1.30-$1.80 a pound, almost twice as much as a year ago.

The prices are fueled by overseas demand, particularly a building boom in China.

"They want it and they are paying some ungodly prices," said Charles Thompson, who owns Chuck's Recycling in Genesee Township.

He says he turns some siding away and requires driver's licenses from sellers, who are recorded on security cameras.

His business is not immune from thieves, who have cut holes in his pole barn and cut locks off trucks. Thompson does not store the metals outside at night.

"If it was outside, it would walk away," he said.

Flint Realtor Mary Taylor said the problem is widespread on the north and east sides of Flint.

But stripping siding is merely one symptom of a larger malady.

"You don't tend to see as much of that in an area where there is life as you do in an area where it's just blight, where everything is going down," she said.

Enforcement is the problem, said Terry Hanson, executive officer of the Genesee Landlords Association. Landlords and tenants call police and even take photos of offenders, but officers typically do not respond, he said.

"It's difficult to rent houses in Beirut-type neighborhoods, (especially) when the siding is off them," Hanson said.

City officials created an ordinance in 1988 that requires people to obtain a permit before removing siding and to show the permit before selling to scrap dealers. Licensed dealers also need to maintain records showing permit numbers and dates of purchase.

But the ordinance has been ignored, Hanson said.