Who's Dumber? The cops or the burglar?

A cartoon burglar - A cartoon drawing of a burglar making off with the goods
@fwidman (11514)
United States
August 19, 2009 2:14pm CST
A brazen burglar picked the wrong place to target: a police station. Police Chief Steve Scibelli said it was pretty embarrassing to have a thief hit his downtown station last week, stealing a radio, two stun guns and a Crown Victoria patrol car. The one saving grace is that police made a quick arrest."I'm so upset about it, I can't even find any humor in it," Scibelli told The Register-Guard newspaper. "It's pretty embarrassing."Robert Lloyd Finder, 26, remained in the Coos County Jail on Wednesday, facing just about every charge the police could think up: burglary, possession of burglary tools, theft, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, tampering with physical evidence and reckless driving. Scibelli, who oversees a department of 16 officers - including himself - said the burglary occurred when all the officers left a section of the building to respond to an assault call. Finder, according to the chief, later told investigators he was walking near the station and noticed most of the police cars were gone."He just said he thought he'd try it," Scibelli said. "See if he could pull this off. High risk, low reward."Scibelli said the station's outer doors are difficult to lock, so that's probably how the burglar got inside. The suspect found keys to the police car, swiped a couple of Tasers and drove to Lakeside, where he parked the police car on some railroad tracks inside a tunnel, the chief said. Police caught up with Finder the following day, when he tried to sell the stun guns, Scibelli said. The chief said police have revamped some internal procedures to prevent a similar burglary."We were dumbfounded," Scibelli said. "Absolutely amazed that someone would have the nerve to do this."--- Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com
5 people like this
13 responses
20 Aug 09
Hi fwidman, Thank you for this most funniest news I have ever heard, what a stupid thing to do to leave the staion unman hehehe the dumbest coppers in the west. Tamara
4 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
hi Tamara! yep, those cops weren't too bright there leaving things unguarded
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I will say the robber was the dumbest, any system at any given time has a loophole or a way to break in, the thing is that he should have known better, with what he wanted to do with his stolen loot. I bet had he kept it maybe he wouldn't be caught Best way to live is to be honest and go to work tho. Honesty and hard work is better tho I can see why he thought it would be a trill. (I hope he is still thrilled in prison )
3 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I hope he does not try to do anything stupid in jail
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I hope he and his new roommate Bubba have a long, deep, relationship
3 people like this
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
20 Aug 09
It can be a long and meaningful relationship if this guy does not try to steal Bubba shirt off his back. LOL
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
I think it is pretty funny but I really like the part that police charged him with everything they could think of. Bet the burglar will think twice before trying that again.
2 people like this
• United States
19 Aug 09
Too funny!
2 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I hope that, given all the charges they came up with, he has plenty of time in a jail cell to think about how stupid he was. I also hope that these guys remember to LOCK his cell!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Aug 09
hi fwidman sounds like its about a tossup between the crook and the cops. the burglar sure picked the wrong things to rob and the cops left things wide open so the burglar could walk right in. wow. Back in Tustin where I came from some dumb crooks decided'to steal An old car left parked in the city hall near the police station.' they were stupied too as they just didnt notice the license ont'the old cAr had An e,e for city employees And for police cars,so when they finAlly just broke the glass from the front drivers side window'An AlArm shrieked loud And clear. And out came five police officers including the chief of police whose private car it wAs.the whole thing was A sting to get the thieves that hAd been stealing tustin blind with older cars being taken.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I'm happy to hear that their sting operation worked Yep, car thieves should check out the license plate first to make sure it isn't a government car
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
19 Aug 09
Well he got caught, so I'd say the thief was dumber than the police. But how embarrassing!
3 people like this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
19 Aug 09
2 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Yes, I bet it would be embarrassing at best
1 person likes this
@rhoday (152)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Now if that isn't something now I know my boy's would get a kick out of that. I know when one of my boy's was working in Miami he told me a drunk driver drove right up to the door at the station and blocked it. So believe me some strange stuff happen's. Of course the officer's didn't have too far to take the driver to jail.
3 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Some people just have no sense! Did that guy think they would put him AND his car in a cell?
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
23 Aug 09
Wow, I bet it won't be happening again anytime soon. I wonder how many other idiots will try this with their police station. How many will call in a bomb threat just so they can get the high from robbing the police station..maybe the next guy won't be so stupid as to try to sell the stuff..
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
24 Aug 09
It would probably be best to not try to sell it I would think. If they do it then they should just clean it...go to the next town or so..and mail it back..
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
23 Aug 09
If it happens again, maybe the next guy will be smart enough to wait a bit longer before he tries to sell the stuff
• United States
19 Aug 09
I'm glad that a train didn't crash into the car parked on the tracks... That would have added more to the charges and I hope the police have thought about that too! Attempted destruction of property... How stupid! I hope they don't forget the keys to lock this guy up... Just a dumb prank,,, They should also lock up some white collar criminals also but they get off way too easy for all of the harm that they cause?
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I agree, they better make sure they have the keys when they lock this guy up White collar crooks get off way too easily, that's for sure
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
23 Aug 09
I'd have to say the burgler was the stupid one...why rob a place where your not going to get much. As for the police, they probably never dreamed that anyone would dare to do something so dumb in the first place...I know I wouldn't. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
23 Aug 09
I agree, the cops probably didn't think anyone would rob the police station. Not a place that's very high on any crooks list, I'm sure
• New Zealand
20 Aug 09
That is awesome! Well done to the robber to pull that off . Would be interesting to see if someone can do it again now that they've beefed up security .
2 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I was thinking that now they had posted this story in the newspaper, how long before someone tries to do it too
• United States
29 Aug 09
I'd say the burglar, the cops don't expect a dolt like this to take advantage of them. Good thing they took the time to fix a few problems that will cause this never to happen again. I think they should keep the perp in jail until he gets his bachelors degree, how does he even know how to breathe without his lungs doing it for him?
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
30 Aug 09
I have to agree. If I were those cops I'd never imagine anyone dumb enough to rob the police station
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Hey fwidman! I think they are about equal in this one! The Police are definitely pretty stupid since they already knew the station lock didn't work too well, although they did figure no one would be stupid enough to break into a Police Station! Duh! But, there actually was someone stupid enough and he did! Duh again! So I think they all are beyond stupid! I actually give the thief credit for having the nerve to try and carry it off, if only temporarily! Good for him for making fools at of the entire Police Station! That"ll show em'!
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Yep, both sides were pretty stupid in this instance. But, the thief should get some credit for thinking he might actually get away with it
@mrshughes (352)
• Philippines
20 Aug 09
Hi friend..i find this news very funny but of corz this can happen anywhere in the world. Its very similar to what happened here in my place but its a different incident.. Few years ago, in the yard of the fire station they have a mock wooden tower that they used for exercises and training purposes where with new recruits they set the top floor on fire and the new recruits are shown how to quickly hoist a ladder with hose pipe attached and put the fire out. As u would in the real life situation but on this particular day the set the top floor of the tower a light and the wind blew pieces of lighted wood and rags unto the roof of the fire station and set the whole thing alight...which in due caused burned completely to the ground along with all the belongings of the fireman and the two fire engines that were garage in the building. This incidents tells us all that we are only humans and we all do some stupid mistakes.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Oh man, that's pretty ironic that they set the firs station on fire! Yep, we are all human beings and we all make mistakes