Most Unusual Story You've Heard
I'm enjoying the "Your Story" contributions so much, and getting SO MANY ideas, that I wanted to add a section on strangest crime story you've heard of, but maybe weren't a part of. Again, please don't just make it up (that's my job!). But if you know of a real crime, write about it. If you can include date and area of the country, that might help me research later. Go for it.
posted by Ridley at 9:07 AM
1 Comments:
Hi, bb! Another one from Ventura County (something in the water, perhaps?). Sorry so long-
Last fall our town, often billed as one of the safest towns in the country, had a referendum -whether to let a developer build a new home community nearby. It was to have a lake and a large greenbelt. If the town voted 'no,' the land would revert to the county, who was considering expanding a nearby landfill into that area. There were 'yes' signs and 'no' signs all over - the type candidates use - shiny hard cardboard with wires to stick in the dirt. Since it looked like a good plan and I didn't want a garbage dump in town, I had a 'yes' sign in front of my house.
Within 24 hours, my 'yes' sign disappeared. I figured it was a local brat, so I called the 'yes' camp and asked for another. They dropped off a couple of them, 'just in case', they said. So I put one out in front again.
My desk, where I'm sitting right now,is at the front of the house. That evening I was writing on my blog when I heard a noise outside my window. Someone was stealing the 2nd sign! I ran outside and yelled, but he already had the sign and took off with it.
I really wasn't that adamant about having a 'yes' sign, but the idea that someone had the nerve to steal two of them - grrr. So I tied my last sign to a tree. Within an hour, I saw a shadow out front with a knife, cutting my sign down. I ran out again (not smart) with my dog, who almost got him. This time there was a 'getaway' car and I was able to get part of the license plate. The thief was pretty big, too.
The next morning, on my way to work, I noticed that all the 'yes' signs were gone. The 'no's were still up. Saturday, I called the 'yes' camp and asked what was going on. They knew only what I did. I asked for more signs, went home and hotglued, tied, and wired a new sign to the same tree. I even vaselined the edges so the thief couldn't get a good grip on it. (Yes, Ridley - don't mess with me!)
Later I noticed a car, an older Jaguar, cruising the neighborhood very slowly. I didn't recognize the car or the owner, a portly, balding, older man. He drove slowly past my house at least 3 times. Then he stopped about a block away to talk to some older teenagers. He was waving his hands like he was angry. Then he sped away.
Sure enough, that night someone tried to steal the sign. They used a different getaway car. My dog came very close to tackling the thief (I think she enjoyed the chase). The sign survived. I called the cops, who took my story,if only to placate me.
Sunday morning, I called the 'yes' camp. By this time they had lost over 1,000 signs, including a large retail banner that had been defaced with obscenities. They had informed the police as well. I gave them the license plate on the jaguar to have the police track it. It was registered to a rather shady couple a few towns away. I thought maybe they had a $ link to the landfill company that wanted the land, but no one could prove it.
At dusk, I heard a cracking sound out front. A man, dressed in black, wearing a ski mask, was prying the glued sign from the tree. I ran out after him (dumb me, dumb me, but it was reflex, you know?). He ran down the street around the corner to a waiting car, Nearly getting hit by a neighbor driving home, who gave me a description of the car. This time the police took it very seriously. They had videotaped another theft but couldn't make out a license plate or id anyone.
The referendum failed. My story was in the Ventura County Star. That night, a huge 'yes' banner, apparently stolen, was placed in my front yard, graffitied with obscenities and my name. The police took it as evidence. I was rather upset.
We are waiting to see what happens with the land.
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