U.S. West Coast "Pirates"

[mbianka]

"Multiple vessels have been stolen and ransacked. Victims have had to resort to personally confronting the criminals to recover their property without the benefit of police support. Is this appropriate activity for a 79-year-old senior?"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...ty/ar-AA1hy95O

[Wilyum]

San Fransisco, the land of lawlessness.

[sv_isara]

Defund the police. You reap what you sew.

I had a business in Richmond CA before I had to shut down due to California costs plus other reasons (issues with a big big online retailer) - when we had keys to vehicles stolen, the police department told me how much their staff had been cut down. We knew where the homeless encampment was who had the keys (couldn't miss it), so I had to walk through there offering bribes to mental case drug addicted whack jobs. Fun times.

However, the pendulum is starting to swing finally and people are getting sick of defending leeches and criminals (never thought I'd see the day but glad to see it).

[Shrew]

The story is about San Francisco. "West Coast" is 'click baiting' exaggeration. Let's try to tone down the hyperbole.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by Wilyum

San Fransisco, the land of lawlessness.

Sailors use to be concerned about crime on certain Caribbean Islands. Now these crimes seem to be coming to the United States. I hope this behavior doesn't spread to other areas of the country.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Shrew

The story is about San Francisco. "West Coast" is 'click baiting' exaggeration. Let's try to tone down the hyperbole.

You'll find Portland or Seattle at least as bad if not worse....

[Mike OReilly]

"Pirates" is also clickbait. This seems to be more a case of poverty-driven crime, which is also providing a vulnerable population to be preyed upon.

[Bycrick]

If it’s all just a matter of "poverty driven crime," then how come I’ve been assaulted and robbed more times in the US, than in 50 years in Latin America? Poverty isn’t an excuse for criminal behavior.

[BAD ORCA]

Originally Posted by Shrew

The story is about San Francisco. "West Coast" is 'click baiting' exaggeration. Let's try to tone down the hyperbole.

Its happening in Los Angeles as well (Marina Del Rey). Its just not getting reported. The marina i was previously a tenant in, has had multiple boat break ins/robberies/theft in the last couple of years, maybe a dozen or so. One attempted boat theft and one successful boat theft. They caught the guy in Long Beach with the boat. Recent kayak/dinghy thefts with a nice big color photo of one loser with all his trash bags and belongings piled up on a kayak he stole as he was paddling away.

I dont get the feeling its organized crime like it might be in San Francisco but predominately homeless drug addicts.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Bycrick

If it’s all just a matter of "poverty driven crime," then how come I’ve been assaulted and robbed more times in the US, than in 50 years in Latin America? Poverty isn’t an excuse for criminal behavior.

One anecdote tells us next to nothing about anything.

And two, poverty is largely a relative feature, not an absolute number. It's why local wealth disparity is the important factor. Comparing wealth between someone in San Francisco vs someone in Latin America is almost completely irrelevant.

I said nothing about excusing the behaviour. Those are your words.

The real point I was making (since you obviously missed it) is that this is pretty normal criminal activity, not piracy.

[slugsgomoo]

I can't agree with poverty-driven because it insinuates that poor people are more likely to be thieves. This smacks of addiction-driven crime, which is sadly common in all the west coast major metros due to permissiveness. Near me, the addict encampment has spent the last several years running a chop shop on a side street one block from the city PD HQ. Because the law in WA changed to "probable cause" and not "reasonable suspicion" to investigate, it's illegal for the police to ask why some tweakers are cutting up a 2021 Lexus, because it could be their car they're disassembling for parts

[Bycrick]

Just because I’ve got more money or a better car than the fellow next door doesn’t justify his deciding to steal for a living. Relative or absolute.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Bycrick

Just because I’ve got more money or a better car than the fellow next door doesn’t justify his deciding to steal for a living. Relative or absolute.

Again, you’re the only one talking about justifying the activity.

[Bycrick]

By trying to call it "relative inequity," you’re trying to justify or excuse it. If I have a lunch and somebody else doesn’t, it might be a nice thing to share some of it, but that is no justification for him stealing half of it in the name of "equity."

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Bycrick

By trying to call it "relative inequity," you’re trying to justify or excuse it. If I have a lunch and somebody else doesn’t, it might be a nice thing to share some of it, but that is no justification for him stealing half of it in the name of "equity."

Nope. I’m just trying to understand it. Understanding something is not the same as justifying or excusing it.