The police don’t recommend doing this but, would they have help set up the sting? As it is, it seems two, if not three of the good guys were armed

“EVERETT, Wash. - Police say a man who had his car stolen set up his own sting operation to get it back.
It happened in the parking lot of an Everett Safeway store Tuesday.
When the victim noticed his car for sale on OfferUp, he asked to meet with the seller.
Police say when the suspect showed up, the victim's two friends held him at gunpoint.
He was still on the ground when officers arrived.
Police say they want to warn people against taking vigilante justice.

“You never know how these might turn out. So fortunately for this one, nobody was injured, but you never know if the other person has a knife, a gun or those types of things -- or what's going to be used,” said Aaron Snell with the Everett Police Department.”

Officers arrested one suspect at the scene but are still looking for another.
https://www.kiro7.com/news/nor...ack/926535795?nowrap

This is what happens when the police can't, or wont, help. Yeah, maybe they shouldn't have set up their sting, yeah it's dangerous, but fuck it, what's the point if thugs are just going to steamroll you and take your stuff? They want my things? They should earn them, and if a few shitsacks get greased in the process, fuck 'em.

When I hear of someone trying to hold a criminal at gunpoint waiting for police to arrive, my immediate concern lately is the likelihood of the police seeing someone with a gun and shooting them.

What if a neighbor sees it happen and calls in a 'man with a gun'? What if it's called in correctly and dispatch relays the info well, but then a police car driving by sees the guy with the gun and acts with only that info?

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The police don’t recommend doing this but, would they have help set up the sting?

The "vigilante" sting was probably more efficient and significantly speedier than an actual police sting.

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Police say they want to warn people against taking vigilante justice.

Making a citizen's arrest is not "vigilante justice".

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In State v. Gonzales and Guijosa v. Walmart Stores the Washington Court of Appeals opined that a person could arrest another person within the state for a misdemeanor that equaled a breach of the peace and was committed in the citizen’s presence. A person can also arrest for felonies, according to State v. Malone, State v. Miller, and State v. Gonzales. In addition, there is a WA Attorney General’s 1957 opinion on citizen’s arrest here.
Read more at http://solutions-institute.org...#8aiHggujR5wTuqYV.99

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When I hear of someone trying to hold a criminal at gunpoint waiting for police to arrive, my immediate concern lately is the likelihood of the police seeing someone with a gun and shooting them.

That is a real concern. You should probably be on 911 as quickly as possible, telling them you're the good guy, and having them broadcast your description to the police who are heading that way. Also not a bad idea to put the gun down as you see them pulling in.

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Originally posted by bryan11:

When I hear of someone trying to hold a criminal at gunpoint waiting for police to arrive, my immediate concern lately is the likelihood of the police seeing someone with a gun and shooting them.

What if a neighbor sees it happen and calls in a 'man with a gun'? What if it's called in correctly and dispatch relays the info well, but then a police car driving by sees the guy with the gun and acts with only that info?

Once the miscreant was subdued, it was three against one, in favor of the good guys. Guns could probably be holstered at that point, have the thief lie on the ground waiting for the police to arrive.

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Originally posted by Monk:

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The police don’t recommend doing this but, would they have help set up the sting?

The "vigilante" sting was probably more efficient and significantly speedier than an actual police sting.

And it didn't cost the taxpayers as much.

And what if the good guys ended up shooting the thief as a result of a scuffle? Would the DA pros secure them?

Thief should be happy he wasn’t sent on a one way trip inside a crab trap. Crime in the Seattle area has absolutely exploded. Thief learned that it gets awful conservative outside of Sea-Tac.

It's unfortunate, but when the police are too busy the people will eventually get fed up. We have had a rash of car break ins in my neighborhood and the local PD don't care. Neighbors even have the guys on video, police said they weren't interested, not even to just go talk to these guys.

Now I have neighbors coming up with all manner of Barney Fife ideas... I don't agree with them but I understand the frustration. In this case if I saw my own car for sale I probably would have called the cops and then acted if they didnt. People can only take so much, sometimes vigilante justice is the only justice.

I am a huge supporter of police and have given a lot of my time to some local departments over the years

that said, the police are hired help, public employees

they are hired to do the job the the average person can't or won't

that said, if the local PD is unable to handle issues like this, I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking matters into your own hands

crime is crime is crime, and as long as it gets stopped, isn't that the best possible outcome?

in this instance, I think what they did was great - more power to them

My only concern would be if the thug had "unseen" backup when you drew down on him. Then it becomes a gun fight. I had to chuckle at this statement from the police..."but you never know if the other person has a knife". My first thought..."Yup...thug brings a knife to a gun fight".

if any damn thing at all would happen to the bad guys in this country , I'd be up for weekly stings every weekend , with a half dozen other fella's.

but these criminals will be out and doing it again quicker than you can say coo coo ga joob

If that had gone south and the victims ended up shooting the perp, I think there is a strong possibility that it would not have gone well for them legally speaking given that they created the situation that led to the confrontation.

Among other mistakes made ---they called police and forgot lime and a shovel.

DIY works..............

Glad it ended well. So they have a guy in possession of stolen property, in this case a car. They hold him at gun point. And if he doesn't do as instructed, fights, runs off or whatever. They shoot him??? For possession of stolen property???

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doesn't do as instructed, fights, runs off or whatever. They shoot him??? For possession of stolen property

I’m going to over simplify it, but you as Joe Schmoe have just about the same rights to effect an arrest as a police officer in most states. This includes use of force.

You should be aware of the risks and the laws before engaging in this type of behavior, but yes, you can do most of the same things an actual police officer can legally.

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Originally posted by airsoft guy:
This is what happens when the police can't, or wont, help.

This ^^^^^ is the bottom line.

Bleeding-heart liberal do-gooders created this mess. Modern-day leftists are making it worse. I predicted years and years ago that if the trend continued this would be the eventual result.

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Originally posted by nhtagmember:
that said, the police are hired help, public employees

they are hired to do the job the the average person can't or won't

that said, if the local PD is unable to handle issues like this, I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking matters into your own hands

I couldn't agree more.

For the "what if " crowd, you can create straw-man arguments all day long that cover every possible scenario and, ultimately, it just becomes a bunch of excuses for inaction.

That is not vigilante justice.
All that is, is holding a thief for the police.
Justice would look a bit different.