Also, this advice is open encouragement for thieves. All they need to do if the owners cooperate is to pull off the heist and fence what they stole before the cops arrive. Maybe harder in some circumstances than in others, but the knowledge that they won't face armed resistance has to be an incentive to try to pull it off. Ugh.
When there are big benefits (free stuff) and few consequences (because how often do they get caught?), people follow the incentives. It's as true for thugs as it is for politicians. (Though perhaps I'm repeating myself....)
And of course they might not ever find the thief or the truck, and the owner might be poor enough not to have comprehensive insurance, and if he does his premiums will go up if he has to get a new vehicle, and he'll have to pay someone to come haul the trailer home, or if they do find the truck it might be ruined (our son's nearly new car was stolen by someone who didn't know how to drive a standard shift . . . ) . . . Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating some, but the idea that property isn't _ever_ worth defending bugs me. People don't think about all the possible ramifications.
Also, this advice is open encouragement for thieves. All they need to do if the owners cooperate is to pull off the heist and fence what they stole before the cops arrive. Maybe harder in some circumstances than in others, but the knowledge that they won't face armed resistance has to be an incentive to try to pull it off. Ugh.
When there are big benefits (free stuff) and few consequences (because how often do they get caught?), people follow the incentives. It's as true for thugs as it is for politicians. (Though perhaps I'm repeating myself....)
The two of you will get a kick out of today's story (i.e., the one after this) -- because of the parents. :)
And of course they might not ever find the thief or the truck, and the owner might be poor enough not to have comprehensive insurance, and if he does his premiums will go up if he has to get a new vehicle, and he'll have to pay someone to come haul the trailer home, or if they do find the truck it might be ruined (our son's nearly new car was stolen by someone who didn't know how to drive a standard shift . . . ) . . . Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating some, but the idea that property isn't _ever_ worth defending bugs me. People don't think about all the possible ramifications.