Entrapment or Justice?

[didymus]

tinyurl.com/3c2xdn

Entrapment or Justice?

**A Controversial New Crime Operation Is Targeting Bystanders **

Dec. 6, 2007 —

What would you do if you found a wallet or a bag lying in the subway or on the street?
While riding in the New York subway, Carlos Alayo found a wallet sitting on an empty bench. In a hurry to get to a meeting, Alayo picked up the wallet and said he was going to check it for ID later. Before he knew it he was being frisked by police.

It turns out the wallet was planted by New York City police as part of “Operation Lucky Bag,” a decoy operation involving planted wallets and undercover officers watching how bystanders react. The new initiative has outraged many civilians who feel that the police are unfairly targeting them.
As Alayo boarded his next train, with the wallet now in his bag, he felt a tap on his back. It was the undercover New York police officer who planted the wallet.
The officer ordered Alayo to put his hands up and face the wall. According to Alayo, the officer padded him down and said, “Don’t lie to me. How many times have you been arrested?”
Alayo does not have a criminal record and was just the latest New Yorker caught in Operation Lucky Bag.

** Entrapment?**

The controversial new crime initiative is outraging New Yorkers who think the cops should be doing better things with their time than setting up civilians.
“The police have no business setting people up who are being good Samaritans on the subways,” said Donna Lieberman, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

But the NYPD defends the practice. “Entrapment is forcing you to commit a crime, putting you in a position of giving you no choice. And here you have choices all along the way,” said New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne.
The police expected Alayo to turn the wallet in, but ultimately he was let go because he hadn’t removed cash from the wallet.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Have they solved all the other crime on the subways that they can now pursue folks who may, or may not, be stealing lost wallets and bags?

If I saw a wallet left on the seat, I’d take it to turn over to the next cop or transit employee I saw, which would get me busted under this scam the NYPD is running.

 

[iamrefreshed]

Having worked in Manhattan and rode the subway for many years, I can say this is absolutely ridiculous!

There are plenty other ways for cops to use their time!

 

[mdgspencer]

In a case like this I return something valuable to the owner, and take it with me so that someone else won’t take it, before sending it to them. Hopefully, a court would dismiss any such case brought before them.

 

[Dtmccameron]

Well, there is plenty of tale of folks returning bags and such things, only to have the ungrateful owners call the police and accuse them of stealing. Nice guys finish last.

 

[mdgspencer]

I am aware that some people may accuse someone returning their property of stealing it, so I always return something in the mail without a return address. Still, I think the important thing is doing what is right rather than being thanked for it.

 

[Dtmccameron]

Still, I think the important thing is doing what is right rather than being thanked for it.

There seems to be, to me at least, a world of difference between not being thanked, and persecuted for it.

Of course, I can sorta understand what they’re doing. But they should try it with un-marked, black bags, placed in corners, by trash cans, in airports.

 

[whatevergirl]

It’s not entrapment. It’s not justice. It’s stupid. LOL Sorry, these cops could find better ways of spending their time. (and tax dollars) Who are they now, the morality police? They are mind readers? They know that someone is not going to turn the wallet in, how do they know this? It just seems bizarro-world, as Seinfeld would say.