Stolen wallet leads to theft charge against paramedic

[obie7661]

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=389335&r=0&Category=11&subCategoryID=0

[Kamd50]

How freaking low can people get for crying out loud?!:mad: He probably thought he'd help himself to some extra xmas cash, lowlife!

[fyrewood]

If this guy truely did steal a dead mans wallet then that is beyond disgusting. Not trying to stick up for him or anything because this doesn't sound like the case here, BUT from time to time on calls, I have taken the posession of an unconscious or deceased person's valuables until we got to the hospital and I could turn them over to hospital staff or family....

Just the other day on a call, I removed a gentleman's fairly expensive looking watch so that I could take pulses in that wrist and start an IV in that arm. The man had no vital signs and we were doing CPR and other Cardiac Life support measures, so I quickly placed the watch in my work coat pocket for safe keeping until we got to the hospital. Well, when we got there, the Emergency Dept. was busy and short handed, so we stayed and continued CPR and assisted with the "code." Long story short, 3 calls later, I realized that I still had this man's watch in my pocket... I was freaking thinking that I may be accused of something or that the family might be wondering what happened to his watch. I ended up calling the coroner, finding out what funeral home the man went to and stopping by there to give the watch to the funeral home director to give to the family with my apologies......

Like I said, that's probably not what happened here, but who knows. If it was what happened though, why did he not make an attempt to return the wallet to family? I wonder if they will be able to check and see if he actually used the credit card or not?

[The Voice]

Woody; the things you go through are unbelievable dude! Putting a watch in your pocket while trying to save someones life is a not even an issue.

tv

[Kamd50]

Very interesting scenario,Fyrewood. And of course, I can see how something like that could happen. Like you said though, it doesn't seem like this was the same type of incident. Especially since he knew how much money was in the man's wallet (only six dollars I think he said). Why would he go to the bother of counting the guy's money? Something just doesn't sound right about this to me, but maybe I am overly skeptical.

[proud to be]

Just the other day on a call, I removed a gentleman's fairly expensive looking watch so that I could take pulses in that wrist and start an IV in that arm. The man had no vital signs and we were doing CPR and other Cardiac Life support measures, so I quickly placed the watch in my work coat pocket for safe keeping until we got to the hospital. Well, when we got there, the Emergency Dept. was busy and short handed, so we stayed and continued CPR and assisted with the "code." Long story short, 3 calls later, I realized that I still had this man's watch in my pocket... I was freaking thinking that I may be accused of something or that the family might be wondering what happened to his watch. I ended up calling the coroner, finding out what funeral home the man went to and stopping by there to give the watch to the funeral home director to give to the family with my apologies......

?

Dude...

Now I know where my watch went !!!!!!!

I wasn't even unconscious, (not totally anyway!)

[fyrewood]

Kam,

Usually if we do take custody of a person's wallet, purse etc. one of things we will usually do believe it or not, is count the amount of money in it (out loud) in front of the other firefighters, paramedics or police officers on scene. That way we have multiple witnesses as to how much cash the person had and can cover ourselves in case a patient would accuse you of stealing some or all of their money. Sounds crummy, but it does happen.

One of the worst ones was quite a few years ago at our main station. The rookie forgot to lock the station doors at night and while everyone was sleeping, a drunk guy who was bleeding badly came in, wandered all over the main level of the station (never came near the sleeping quarters upstairs), smeared blood everywhere then passed out. We found him the next morning curled up under the ladder truck and in shock from the bleeding. We treated him, started IV's etc......and the next day, he accused us of stealing $700 that he supposedly had on him before he passed out.

[Kamd50]

:wow: One thing's for sure, Fyrewood, you certainly won't be among the many who complain about having a boring and mundane routine day-in and day-out on their jobs:wink:

And I appreciate the on-going education I am getting!

[Obie Wan]

This is the part that I thought was peculiar (as opposed to just disgusting): "...the charges are felonies because the victim was older than 65...". Why would that matter? Is it only a misdemeanor if he steals from a younger person? Do those over 65 have a special class of victimhood now?

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

How freaking low can people get for crying out loud?!:mad: He probably thought he'd help himself to some extra xmas cash, lowlife!

Kamd50,

You never fail to impress me. I love the zip and zest that you bring to MassillonProud.com when it comes to low down, dirty, snakes in the grasses like that piece of scum.

[dataintsmiff]

This is the part that I thought was peculiar (as opposed to just disgusting): "...the charges are felonies because the victim was older than 65...". Why would that matter? Is it only a misdemeanor if he steals from a younger person? Do those over 65 have a special class of victimhood now?

Yes, the law has been on the books for some time now, it's still classified as a theft offense but it is enhanced to a felony due to the person being elderly..The law was put into place to protect elderly people from getting their life savings ripped off by con men...:wow:

[massillon catholic]

Yes, the law has been on the books for some time now, it's still classified as a theft offense but it is enhanced to a felony due to the person being elderly:

Not to be a smart-ass, but is the offense "enhanced" if the person was dead BEFORE the crime was committed?

[dataintsmiff]

Not to be a smart-ass, but is the offense "enhanced" if the person was dead BEFORE the crime was committed?

That is a great question, however, I'm sure that the Ohio Revised Code does not specify between stealing from a dead or live person, a theft is a theft, no matter if the victim is dead or not....people get arrested for identity theft all the time for assuming a dead person's name, so I'd have to go with it does not matter, that would be my guess anyhow...

[dataintsmiff]

I would say that it doesn't really matter, if this is true and this scum bag did steal from the guy he was supposed to be helping, he deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law...:kungfu:

[Dr Strangemind]

Do those over 65 have a special class of victimhood now?

Who the hell doesn't anymore?