Suggested punishments for a theif...

[ManDownUnder]

OK guys and gals - here's the situation. This is all legit and I'd appreciate honest comment and thoughts... try to keep the BS to a minimum (yup - that's me calling the Kettle black... I know I know...)

Anyhoo...

Little critter aged 15 or 16, known very well by the Police, put an ad on Trademe. I win, and pay him $55 and nothing shows. Through a very thorough search I find out who he actually is, and confirm there is no intention of delivering the goods... there ARE no goods...

Never were!

So... as threatened I'm taking him through the system. He's not going to get away with it, and to be blunt it would REALLY piss me off if he did.

I have a "Family Group Conference" coming up 7 April to meet with him and I want suggestions of what to do. My personal thought is that he needs not only to be punished, not only to learn he can't gete away with crap like this, but actually do the kid some good.

I was thinking about suggesting boot camp in the Army or somesuch... get him some discipline and self worth. Have him pay the mon ey he owes me, and have him apologise to me and the other victims.

Now... what other suggestions are out there in KB land?

Also... for the Boys and Girls in Blue out there... Family Group Conferences... any good? Is there anyone I shoudl request also be there? I understand for some with strong tribal affiliations having a Kaumauta there from the kid's Marai can have a strong influence.

What about Caucasian (as I understand it..)... am I ok to ask the Police or the Children and Young Person's thingy to bring along a significant person in this kid's life (grandparent, or eacher or...?).

I really would like him to be put on the spot by someone he knows, and respects. I want him to feel the pressure of dissaproval by another, to actually feel shamed for what he's done (I suspect this might be a novelty for him), and then give him the opportunity to better himself and put things right.

Thoughts?
MDU

[jrandom]

Meh. You're in a very socially-responsible mood today, aren't you?

I'd just sit and stare at him in the group conference. Not say a word. Mebbe shave my head before I went in, that sort of thing.

Then, later, I'd find him and do one of his kneecaps with a crowbar.

[duckman]

Make him clean your bike ....

Every week....

For a year!!!!!

[ManDownUnder]

Meh. You're in a very socially-responsible mood today, aren't you?

I'd just sit and stare at him in the group conference. Not say a word. Mebbe shave my head before I went in, that sort of thing.

Then, later, I'd find him and do one of his kneecaps with a crowbar.

Yeah well... I have some background that influenced my thinking... I was dating a girl whose little brother was a complete... COMPLETE... little bastard. Got to the point he actually electrified the doorhandle to her room so she couldn't get out...!

...dangerous kid... intelligent and off the rails...!

He joined the army... he liked guns, war and tanks so it was the sensible thing to do. He got 7 bells of shit kicked out of him and came back a really nice guy! I'd like to think a similar change might happen to this little critter...

MDU

[ManDownUnder]

Make him clean your bike ....

Every week....

For a year!!!!!

Not a bad idea, but if he's not able to be trusted with $55... what about the whole damned bike...

[Zed]

...Little critter aged 15 or 16, known very well by the Police, put an ad on Trademe. I win, and pay him $55 and nothing shows. Through a very thorough search I find out who he actually is, and confirm there is no intention of delivering the goods... there ARE no goods...

Never were!

So... as threatened I'm taking him through the system. He's not going to get away with it, and to be blunt it would REALLY piss me off if he did.

MDU, I know exactly how you feel. My wife won her very first auction (5 x paperback books) on TradeMe over a month ago and I paid the seller $51 immediately. Like you she got stung and the goods never arrived despite the seller emailing twice saying that the money had showed in the bank and that the parcel was on its way. Since then this seller has ripped off six other traders and has subsequently had his membership suspended, etc.

To cut a long story short, I did consider taking further action against the 'perp' but decided not to because it is "buyer beware" after all (and it wasn't a huge amount) and the reality of justice being served and this thief learning his lesson and coming clean is very very slim! Hope it goes well for you and you prove me wrong!


Zed

[James Deuce]

I'm with Johnny Random on this one.

Except I'd do the kneecap thing repeatedly, and in unexpected settings and "safe" havens for him.

If you shave your head, get a really huge and outrageous fake tattoo that covers your whole cranium. Chew a blood capsule and spit the contents into a white handkerchief at different times during the interview. Invite the grandmother, but make covert lewd gestures at her during the interview.

[ManDownUnder]

MDU, I know exactly how you feel. My wife won her very first auction (5 x paperback books) on TradeMe over a month ago and I paid the seller $51 immediately. Like you she got stung and the goods never arrived despite the seller emailing twice saying that the money had showed in the bank and that the parcel was on its way. Since then this seller has ripped off six other traders and has subsequently had his membership suspended, etc.

To cut a long story short, I did consider taking further action against the 'perp' but decided not to because it is "buyer beware" after all (and it wasn't a huge amount) and the reality of justice being served and this thief learning his lesson and coming clean is very very slim! Hope it goes well for you and you prove me wrong!


Zed

Yeah... It's been a long time coming (like... 7 or 8 months) but it's worth it in the end...

I put together a dossier on all the correspondence, including other thefts off Tradme and went to the cop shop. They gave it to the Fraud squad who picked it up in due course... not hard work to do and hopefully they can 1) get your money back and 2) teach the little sods a lesson...

I'm happy to go over what I did if that helps.. and show you what to expect from the process... it'd kinda fun once you get over the initial shock and annoyance of it all...

MDU

[ManDownUnder]

I'm with Johnny Random on this one.

Except I'd do the kneecap thing repeatedly, and in unexpected settings and "safe" havens for him.

If you shave your head, get a really huge and outrageous fake tattoo that covers your whole cranium. Chew a blood capsule and spit the contents into a white handkerchief at different times during the interview. Invite the grandmother, but make covert lewd gestures at her during the interview.

Yeah - NUH.

I know - having fun but I'd quite like suggestions that I can actually take into the session and have some effect on the kid... and not get me put behind bars as well...
MDU

[jazbug5]

I think CSL would have some interesting suggestions on this? Try PMing her to see what she thinks, I think it ties in with what she's studying.
What I think (sorta. kinda) is that at that age a lot of yoof are kicking out a lot just to see where the barriers are.
He needs to learn that pure selfishness and greed are not going to get him anywhere desirable, and while he might have got something for nothing (briefly) in the long run it that sort of thinking will just come back bite him in the unmentionables, and he will look far from cool as a result.
Whether his parents are up to the task of shaming him in this meeting in an effective way is hard to know. Some people were at the back of the queue when parents were handed out. Not an excuse for unlimited bad behaviour, but something that needs to be recognised (in my view) and adjusted for.
Is there some possibility of having him do voluntary work?
If there is, what if he had to do x amount of hours helping disabled kids or kids who have it far harder than him? That might just make him grow up a bit and realise how lucky he is, regardless of whether he has the latest Playstation or not.
Oooo, I do go on, don't I?

Good luck, and nice one for actually thinking about it.

[jrandom]

Oooo, I do go on, don't I?

Yes, you do. Shut up and make wit' da crowbar, girly.

[James Deuce]

Yes, you do. Shut up and make wit' da crowbar, girly.

She's the most voluble Scot I've met. Most of the ones I know say things like, "aaargh", and "I'm not mental, it's ma heid."

And that would be about it for 24 hours.

[ManDownUnder]

I think CSL would have some interesting suggestions on this? Try PMing her to see what she thinks, I think it ties in with what she's studying.

Done - thanks...
MDU

[White trash]

I'm with Johnny Random on this one.

Except I'd do the kneecap thing repeatedly, and in unexpected settings and "safe" havens for him.

Then you could sit on him.

Or better still, you and Jrandom BOTH sit on him. Farrrkk! He'd think twice then.....

[James Deuce]

Fark, even the Suzuki riders are going soft.

I like the old days. Arrest 'em, incarcerate 'em, watch 'em when they get out. Family group, frigging conference. All he needs is a hiding from Dad, or a size 12 police boot up the arse.