how to get back confiscated gear?
Ok guys and gals. got a question for you. Lets just say that my gear has been confiscated by a cop. There were verbal charges for trespassing but nothing in writing. They found the gear and took off with it. Whats my approach to get this gear back? Do I need to take a trespassing charge or what? Basejumper.com - archive
General BASE
Re: [douggie] how to get back confiscated gear?
Call the police station and report it stolen. It's worked a surprising number of times. Or, just call the police station and tell them that they have your gear and you want it back. Ask them what you need to do. I've had that work, too, and they generally leave with a better impression of you, in particular, and BASE, in general.
Re: [douggie] how to get back confiscated gear?
Round up a Posse and go liberate your gear from that asshole. Gardner
Re: [douggie] how to get back confiscated gear?
Ok, I contacted the PoPo's and sweet talked them. They said they have to wait and see if the tower owners want to press charges, otherwise I can go get the gear.
Re: [douggie] how to get back confiscated gear?
Let's analyze this..... 1) Let them keep the gear
YOUR LOSS = Approximately $2000 in gear
2) Get your gear back, but with possible tresspassing, destruction of property, and other charges on your record
YOUR GAIN = You get your $2000 rig back (maybe)
YOUR LOSS = You now have a criminal record, you have to pay court costs and fines, you may get jail time and have to be someone's bitch, you may even have to pay for damages to the tower that the tower owners falsely claim was your fault, you could lose your job, you could not get a new job due to your criminal record, etc.
I guess it depends on where you're at in life, but I'd let them keep the rig. Good luck. If they let you make a call from jail, be sure to call me first.
Re: [base428] how to get back confiscated gear?
In reply to:
Let's analyze this.....
I'll take the other side, just for fun.
1) Let them keep the gear
YOUR LOSS = Approximately $2000 in gear
All bells and whistles closer to $3500
2) Get your gear back, but with possible tresspassing, destruction of property, and other charges on your record
For $3500, I think I'd have to take the risk of trespassing charges. They would have to prove desctruction of property to the judge.
YOUR GAIN = You get your $2000 rig back (maybe)
Also, if you are calm, cool, and collected, you can probably also make a good impression for BASE.
YOUR LOSS = You now have a criminal record, you have to pay court costs and fines, you may get jail time and have to be someone's bitch, you may even have to pay for damages to the tower that the tower owners falsely claim was your fault, you could lose your job, you could not get a new job due to your criminal record, etc.
Is trespassing a felony criminal offense or a misdemeanor? For a misdemeanor offense, the fines and restitution would not equal the value of the lost gear, I believe. Besides, if I went to jail I'd have someone being MY bitch until my boss bailed me out, and with the added experience I'd be in even higher demand from my future prospective employers. I'd make sure to use the platform to espouse a clearly articulated, intelligent argument on the behalf of BASE jumping. PRICELESS!!!!
I guess it depends on where you're at in life, but I'd let them keep the rig. Good luck. If they let you make a call from jail, be sure to call me first.
I work in the industry, so I guess I'm nowhere in life that is worth losing my ultra-custom gear and also laying down and letting THE MAN tell me how I can live. Oh wait, I guess that's why I don't do illegal jumps to begin with! Duh!!!!!
Re: [K763] how to get back confiscated gear?
In reply to:
I work in the industry, so I guess I'm nowhere in life that is worth losing my ultra-custom gear and also laying down and letting THE MAN tell me how I can live. Oh wait, I guess that's why I don't do illegal jumps to begin with! Duh!!!!!
i also guess you wouldnt loose your job if you had to make(lets say) 1 month jailtime from a jump
Lucky me living in DK,here i probaly would get a fine aprox just below 100$ compared as a speeding ticket as loong i dont steal or damegede anything
Therefore they couldnt take my gear aswell Just for a note,i wont let them take me just to test it out
Re: [K763] how to get back confiscated gear?
A few years ago, there was a jumper who had to pay for damages he didn't cause to a tower after he got busted. If you get an evil tower owner, they'll pin anything on ya. It's the price we pay, I guess. You can always buy your gear back at the annual Hazard County Police auction!
Re: [K763] how to get back confiscated gear?
In reply to:
Is trespassing a felony criminal offense or a misdemeanor?
Being intimately familiar with this myself
in Texas criminal trespass is a Class C misdemeanor. Generally a fine. However in Harris County (Houston area) it's a Class B misdemeanor, which means you get to visit your friendly neighborhood lockup and beg friends to come bail you out at 7:00 in the morning (thanks again 460). I pled guilty and all told I had a $400 fine (plus $500 for the attorney). I don't think most people are going to give a rip about something as trivial as misdemeanor trespass.