Public Spirited Pensioners Prosecuted.

[eyethenkyew]

Okay, technically they broke the law, but was it within the spirit of the law to have them prosecuted? Was it really "in the public interest" to drag this pair to court NINE times for their public spirited crime?
Aren't there far more serious matters which could be prosecuted instead?

http://www.dailymail....arm-going-months.html

[jackthehat]

SB - Try to keep a sense of proportion............
Snipping the wire on a burglar alarm on an uninhabited house is in no way comparable to anything thusfar suggested.

I usually advocate staying within the law..........but when there is no remedy for your situation in law, sometimes you have to act and trust to common-sense at the end.

[squarebear]

Both are causing damage and I see no difference. The cost of the damage shouldn't come into it. Vandalism is vandalism.

[Invictas]

A friend of mine lives in the village where I was born(West Malling) and someone had a dog that was barking all day(it was on it's own)
After 2 months of this,and nothing being done (the RSPCA confirmed the dog was OK)
Some b@stard in the village broke into the cottage took the dog and dumped it miles away.
Luckily the dog was microchipped.
Someone in the same village stole a very old ride on mower from someones drive,and dumped that too.When they were caught,they said "I couldn't stand it looking so messy and horrible opposite my house"
Someone in a neighbouring village complained about the bells of the church clock,even though they had moved into the house knowing that the church clock was very near.They admitted that if something wasn't done to stop the bells of the clock they would take matters into their own hands!
Anarchy sheer anrchy.
Where do you stop?

[jackthehat]

Who mentioned cost ?

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds like they were preventing a case of further audio vandalism to me.

Wouldn't have been necessary if the police had taken up the responsibility of stopping the alarms. But apparently it is ok to make decent folk's life a misery just so long as the victims don't try to correct the situation and get their right to an undisturbed life back.

[squarebear]

I assumed that is what you were referring to? I do not see your point in that case.
People can not take the law into their own hands beacuse something annoys them.

[jackthehat]

Invictas - Do try to compare like with like.

[Invictas]

That is exactly what I AM doing.
I am asking where do you stop on such matters,and WHO is it up to decide what is to be done.
The Police or a group of vigilante villagers?

[ummmm]

If someone on a motorbike was going up and down the road for 20 minutes every two hours for 8 weeks...the police would have dealt with it.

[squarebear]

Not round here they don't.

At what point does vandalism become acceptable?

[Invictas]

What is public spirited to one person is vandalism to another.

[jackthehat]

The law does NOT say that you have to put up with intolerable situations. The law says that you must do all you can to mitigate any action you may take. Waiting for 2 months to determine the owner, whether the Police can help and exploring all options as to how to stop the nuisance surely counts as mitigation ?

[ummmm]

At the point when you reach breaking point.

[Old_Geezer]

In a democracy it should be the public who decide what is to be done.

When the authorities fail those who they are supposed to serve then should everyone just bend over and take it ? No far better a small risk of anarchy than be just sheep told that one has to put up with it.

[squarebear]

Many people round here are fed up with lads on motorbikes and are at breaking point. The police do nothing. Is it ok for us to take the law into our own hands now?

[jackthehat]

SB - Like for Like............
What have sqads of hooligans parading up and down on motorbikes got to do with the OP ?

[squarebear]

Both are annoying the residents to breaking point.

[ummmm]

You're talking humans...the OP is about an alarm. Slight difference there..

[squarebear]

It's there bikes we object to. Just like they objected to the alarm.

[ummmm]

The alarm isn't operated by a person.