Friday, April 25, 2008

This is a bit harsh

I think bicycle thieves are among the scum of the earth and don't get punished enough, but this is going a bit far: Two Jailed Over Boy's Pool Death.

Kid steals a bicycle, the owner and some friends throw him in a pool, prevent him from getting out, and he drowns. A crowd watched:
She said about a dozen people watched Shane struggle in the water and did not try to rescue him.
Ah yes, Jolly Olde England!

I'm not sure what the appropriate punishment is, but death sounds too harsh. These guys are all at pretty stupid ages, not unlike the 15-year-old who stole a car a couple of weeks ago in Minneapolis, drove 80mph down Lake Street running red lights and killed a woman going to church. I wouldn't be surprised if bike thefts rise this year, triggered by more people trying bicycle commuting and the resulting increase in opportunities for theft by the more feral elements of the population.

1 comment:

Jim Thill said...

I have some sick fantasies about baiting bike thieves with haphazardly locked bikes, with even more haphazardly adjusted brakes.