On 10/15/2014 1:06 AM, micky wrote:
OT Should I tell the police?

About three or four weeks ago, I saw a sticker on the rear window of a
car parked in my n'hood, the parking lot of a townhouse n'hood, saying
it would be towed away because it had a flat tire. No deadline was
given. The HOA does this, aiui, only if someone has complained. Of
course we have more than our share** of petty people who would complain.

**Unless there are so many petty people in the world that we have no
more than our share.

So I pumped his tire up.

Today I pumped it up again, which means the leak is slow.

The car is in excellent condition, has no dents or scratches, the paint
is perfect, it's not dirty, and looks very nice. Valid plates. I
assume someone went on vacation and will start driving it again when he
gets back.

OTOH, most people don't take three week vacations and conceivably, the
car was stolen and left here, parked properly with the door locked.
(well, I haven't tried the door. I just assume it's locked) If it's
stolen, the real owner should get it back before he buys another car.

So I called the police and just wanted them to run the plate, and if
they said it was stolen, I'd tell them where they or the owner can come
and get it.

But the cop wants me to tell him where it is, so they can "roll by and
look at it", and he says they won't do anything if there isn't a
problem.

What problem could there be except that the owner reported it stolen?**
If they tell me that I'll believe them and I'll tell them where it is.
But if it's not stolen, I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE TROUBLE FOR THE OWNER, and
the police, for all the good they do, are also very good at causing
trouble. After all, I'm the one pumping up the tire so it won't be
towed away.

**One idea, it could have the wrong plates on it, but we could probably
verify that on the phone too. The DMV records show the make. Do they
also show the model and color? I think so. If the plates don't match
the make or model or color, then too I would tell them where the car is.

Would you tell the police where it is before they told you it was stolen
or misplated?


I don't see a problem with telling police where it is; I'd also write
down the VIN. Plates could be stolen and that owner not aware? Causing
problems for owner? I think they already have problems, ie leaving a
car with a flat. Back in my younger days, our decrepit Simca was
towed....finally....'cause we couldn't drive it and couldn't afford to
fix it. Barely could afford food, and that was one student and one
employed newlyweds )