Canadian Car Thieves Run Hot and Cold
The Winnipeg Free Press reports a Manitoba court ordered four “chronic” car thieves to attend counseling sessions, to learn the error of their ways. Plainclothes police re-arrested three of the teens minutes after their first session at the Winnipeg Training for Youth (TRY) program ended. You guessed it: they were about to drive off in a stolen car. The youths, aged 16 and 17, told officers they went to class in a hot car because it was "too cold to walk." ( NPR reports that it was “40 below” in Winnipeg that day.) “Police said this is the first case they've seen where people allegedly stole a car so they could attend programming to learn about not stealing cars.” Uh-oh. Does that mean the story fails the modern media test (i.e. all bad news must represent a trend)? Not if you stretch… "This is what's pandemic in the whole auto-theft culture,” Crown attorney Scott Cooper announced. “These kids just don't think it's a big deal.” Gee, I wonder why…
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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Here in Canada we have a slew of left leaning, text book acaedemic lawmakers who insist on believing that if you're under 18, you can't be guilty (& therefore not held accountable in any way) of any serious offence. Why the general population here keep accepting it and voting the same lame duck people into power is an indication of where the real problem lies. If you are from Canada, when's the last time you actually contacted your mp or mpp to actualy gripe abut ANYTHING? That's what I thought. I HAVE btw. Many times.
As have I. But do they listen? Reading this story shows why Winnipeg is the car theft capital of Canada. Back last spring, I think, a cop had his unmarked patrol car stolen from his driveway. I wonder how long it will be before a cop has a car stolen from the police station.
Just the under 18's are considered innocent? In Canada, even gun-totin' criminals are back in the street before the judge gets home. Drive an MB, Bimmer, Infinity, Lexus, Esky in Toronto suburbs? Carjackings are common here, mainly because we cannot arm ourselves for self-defence. Liberal policy again. Only the bad guys "carry" here. My solution: I drive a stripper Crown Vic. Bad guys give me the wide-eyes and a wide berth. Canadian licence plates in the U.S.? An invitation for criminals. U.S. people? Think about this when you are in the voting booth.