Teen steals AR-15 and ammo from a police car — then brags about it on social media

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https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/08/20/teen-steals-ar-15-and-ammo-from-a-police-car-then-brags-about-it-on-social-media

Teen steals AR-15 and ammo from a police car — then brags about it on social media

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A Florida teenager stole an AR-15 from a police car, but was caught after bragging about the crime in an Instagram video. ((Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) 

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A teenager stole an AR-15 from a police car, but authorities caught the thief and recovered the weapon after he decided his Instagram followers needed to see what he’d done, according to the New York Post.

The teenager, 17-year-old Moses Clay Jr., stole the gun, some ammunition, and other items from an unmarked Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office car that was parked at a shopping center.

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“It is unfortunate, yes, but law enforcement officers are human beings and forget to lock their car doors sometimes too,” said an official from the Boynton Beach Police Department, which tracked down the thief. “Fortunately, our detectives were able to quickly identify the suspect and get the firearm out of the hands of a criminal.”

How did they catch him?

Clay took the AR-15 along with two loaded magazines, a gas mask, a Taser, a ballistic helmet, and rifle clips out of the vehicle while the Palm Beach deputy had his car parked for several hours at a shopping center. His intentions after stealing the gun are unknown.

 

He got away without being detected, but when he got home he decided to get on Instagram Live to share what he had done. Police said Clay waved the gun in the air and danced to rap music.

Someone who saw the video tipped off Boynton Beach police, who had already been alerted about the missing items by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives got a search warrant based on the video, searched Clay’s home and found the gun under a mattress. They arrested the teen and charged him with grand theft and burglary while armed with a firearm.

The officer who left the vehicle unlocked will be subject to an internal review, and could face disciplinary action. He has not been identified.

Some community members on Facebook were not pleased about the officer’s carelessness.

“This could have turned out much worse if someone was killed with that firearm,” a user wrote in a comment on the Boynton Beach Police post about the gun. “The officer responsible for the firearm deserves to be held accountable for the theft of this weapon. I would be!!!”

[Quavodus]

Yeah, I agree the officer needs to be careful, and the kid is Super Stupid.

[DWARREN123]

Charge the kid as a adult and max him out.

Some one who would do this will do other bad things in life.

[analog_kidd]

Hey, That's the little town I was born and grew up in. What are the odds?  

[DaveTN]

Quote

His intentions after stealing the gun are unknown.

[Ray Z]

If I were a lib I'd have to say it's the cop's fault for leaving the car unlocked. Let the boy go, crucify the cop.

[Capbyrd]

I hope they gave the cop a ticket for creating the opportunity. 

 

[Ray Z]

Just now, Capbyrd said:

I hope they gave the cop a ticket for creating the opportunity. 

 

I think directing traffic for a week would be sufficient.

[Capbyrd]

1 minute ago, Ray Z said:

I think directing traffic for a week would be sufficient.

I respectfully disagree.  If they are going to ticket us, then they should be ticketed as well.  


https://wreg.com/2018/01/18/memphis-police-writing-more-citations-for-cars-left-running-and-unattended/

 

Quote

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- You could be slapped with a $62 fine by police — after your car is stolen.

It's happened to a lot of Memphians recently, because police say more criminals are taking advantage of cars left unattended and running while they warm up.

Police say a car left idling crates a crime of opportunity, and it tempts a criminal to hop in.

 

[DaveTN]

As a citizen, if I forgot and left my car unlocked I wouldn’t expect to be arrested because a criminal entered it and committed a burglary.

As a cop, I had many times where I bailed out of my car in pursuit of a criminal, left the keys in it with it running and a shotgun in the car. If a criminal decided to jump in and steal it or take something out of it; that’s on him, not me.

I would feel the same if an HCP holder had his gun stolen out of his car. Locked or not.

[Capbyrd]

4 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

As a citizen, if I forgot and left my car unlocked I wouldn’t expect to be arrested because a criminal entered it and committed a burglary.

As a cop, I had many times where I bailed out of my car in pursuit of a criminal, left the keys in it with it running and a shotgun in the car. If a criminal decided to jump in and steal it or take something out of it; that’s on him, not me.

I would feel the same if an HCP holder had his gun stolen out of his car. Locked or not.

Well its the law.   Create opportunity, get punished. 

 

[DaveTN]

Just now, Capbyrd said:

Well its the law.   Create opportunity, get punished. 

 

What law?

[Capbyrd]

Just now, DaveTN said:

What law?

City Ordinance then.   Did you read the story I linked above? 

[DaveTN]

2 minutes ago, Capbyrd said:

City Ordinance then.   Did you read the story I linked above? 

That’s a story about leaving your car running and unattended. It has nothing to do with having your car burglarized??

[Capbyrd]

1 minute ago, DaveTN said:

That’s a story about leaving your car running and unattended. It has nothing to do with having your car burglarized??

Having your car stolen or having stuff stolen out of your car, either way, you are the victim.  And you are punished for being the victim.  

[Garufa]

16 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

What law?

T.C.A. 55-8-162 (a), not to mention whatever local codes there are.

[DaveTN]

12 minutes ago, Capbyrd said:

Having your car stolen or having stuff stolen out of your car, either way, you are the victim.  And you are punished for being the victim.  

I’ve never seen anyone ticketed after their car was stolen, for unattended motor vehicle. I’ve never seen it done for people warming their cars up in their driveways (We couldn’t have written that on private property if we want to). I have seen it done when people parked their car unlocked, left it running and went into a store.

So you think leaving your car running unlocked with the keys in it is in any way shape or form the same as forgetting to lock your vehicle in a parking lot, or a cop bailing out of his car in a pursuit?

Do you think there should be a law allowing for the arrest of citizens that have guns stolen from their cars?

[Omega]

Seems its the keys in the ignition that is the issue: T.C.A. 55-8-162 (a)

Quote

(a)No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, and effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway.

 

[Capbyrd]

3 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I’ve never seen anyone ticketed after their car was stolen, for unattended motor vehicle. I’ve never seen it done for people warming their cars up in their driveways (We couldn’t have written that on private property if we want to). I have seen it done when people parked their car unlocked, left it running and went into a store.

So you think leaving your car running unlocked with the keys in it is in any way shape or form the same as forgetting to lock your vehicle in a parking lot, or a cop bailing out of his car in a pursuit?

Do you think there should be a law allowing for the arrest of citizens that have guns stolen from their cars?

No I don't.  And that's my point.  There shouldn't be any law that punishes the victim of a crime.   And you may not have seen it but I literally linked you to an article that says its happening.  

If you are going to punish the people that you are supposed to be responsible to for creating opportunity, then you should also punish yourself.  But in a perfect world, they aren't punishing citizens either.  Unfortunately, we just don't live in that world. 

[DaveTN]

8 minutes ago, Garufa said:

T.C.A. 55-8-162 (a), not to mention whatever local codes there are.

I’m not saying there aren’t laws against leaving you vehicle running and unattended; I know there are.  There are no laws (Yet) that I know of where a driver would be arrested for having a gun stolen from their car. Locked or unlocked.