asking for trouble

[pocketsofdirt]

Well here is a little story I have to tell about a bad guy(ME).
I woke up about 8 am this morning and went digging at a house that I had permission to dig at ..... about 1 pm I drove home, two blocks from my house I saw a guy that owns this apartment house. I hopped out of my car and asked him if he would mind if I detected on his property , he said he would mind very rudely, I might add. So I said thank you sir that's why I always ask. About 30 minutes later city cops were knocking on my door. With two cruisers in front of my home I was asked to see my ID and to step onto my porch and speak to them. Apparently this man had called the cops and felt that I was casing his slum apartments and he was concerned. I explained that I metal detected for a hobby and that was an older property and thought since I seen him out in his yard that I would ask and see if I could detect there. So after they checked my name and found I had no warrants for my arrest they thanked me and left. Now my question is should I send him an apology note for his distress over my presence or not LOL. Please advise.

[coinnut]

I wouldn't. His attitude says it all. lol I think he would care less about your note. But do what you feel is right for you. Maybe his places have been broken into a lot and he just wanted to get your name on record. I don't know, do you look like a crook? rofl

[del]

approach the guy again and say hello again , that was a dirty trick you did . when you called the cops about me asking for permissin to metal detect your property . well they yanked me out of my house frisked me in cuffs , took me downtown , gave me a very intimate and unwanted body search and put me in a cell. then they realized i was a good law abiding citizen with no prior records or warrants , so they let me go thanks for the inconvienent day neighbor now that you and the police know i'm not a criminal casing the place out how about you letting me detect your yard and we'll call it even :grin:

what do you have to lose , right ?? ok ya, maybe have a number to a good lawyer just in case . lol lol

[Epi-hunter]

Good grief! Now I think I've heard it all..... :crazy:

Apologize? What for? You have nothing to apologize for. You were polite and asked his permission and responded respectfully despite his rude response. If he was distressed by your question then he's got some serious issues. You are the one who should be distressed by what happened, not him. In my opinion you owe him nothing.

[pocketsofdirt]

I am 5'7, no tats, balding and couldn't scare anyone. Except if they were afraid of a slight tummy and balding.

[coinnut]

I am 5'7, no tats, balding and couldn't scare anyone. Except if they were afraid of a slight tummy and balding.


So you are casing the place lol I think he's just a jerk and took out his frustrations on you. It would be nice to get 20 different people to ask him the same question all in a row. :yes: That way the cops can yell at him for wasting their time. Too bad you don't have a lawyer friend that could go down there and ask him some questions about why he called the cops on you. I bet he would back peddle like crazy :cheesysmile:

[pocketsofdirt]

LOL I guess you can say I am always casing places. As a digger I can't look at any piece of property without thinking there is a buried treasure there. :drool: So yes I guess I was. I think it would be awesome to have a digger a day go by and ask! rofl

[kray]

Sounds like the guy was a real __hole. I'd go back to his place and sit in front of it in my car for a while.

[spectra1]

You must have been in Swansey NH.... :hammer:... One time I tries to help an old man with his flat and he dropped more f bombs then I ever used in the army.... If public hunting wernt available here I don't think there would be much detecting. People in the older towns with prospective properties are not to agreeable to Mders

[nicklehead]

Well Epi-hunter had it half right-you have nothing to apologize for but no way on your own propeprty should you have submitted to demands for ID without some sort of probable cause demonstrated by the cops. First thing you should have done is take their badge numbers call their Captain and verify there was reason for them to be there. The acceptance in this country of a simple citizen complaint to morph imto demanding your papers is a gleaming example of how we've lost our rights here.

Go beat up the apartment owner to square things up :groovy:

[Epi-hunter]

I would argue that you should just let it go. You aren't going to gain anything here, and you aren't going to teach him anything.

I am a firm believer in that you never know what others are capable of. He has already proved to you that he is unstable. Move on....

[lee]

200 bucks and ill sort it for ya..... >8)

[Tony Two-Cent]

I would argue that you should just let it go. You aren't going to gain anything here, and you aren't going to teach him anything.

I am a firm believer in that you never know what others are capable of. He has already proved to you that he is unstable. Move on....


Very wise advice. :yes:

[Sal66]

Personally I would just walk away from the situation because with his attitude and actions, I doubt he would apologize but you never know. Secondly, he might cause more problems for you. On his side I feel he owes you an apology but sometimes it doesn't happen unfortunately.
If it really bothers though and it seems it does or you wouldn't of posted it, I might send him a letter instead just explaining the trouble he caused you in a nice way and maybe he might apologize however. If you get all fowl mouthed with him it might just make things more difficult. Don't step down to his level. No one can take back what happened but sometimes an apology is the best someone can do. I hope this helps . :)
Sal

[happycamper08]

Well Epi-hunter had it half right-you have nothing to apologize for but no way on your own propeprty should you have submitted to demands for ID without some sort of probable cause demonstrated by the cops. First thing you should have done is take their badge numbers call their Captain and verify there was reason for them to be there. The acceptance in this country of a simple citizen complaint to morph imto demanding your papers is a gleaming example of how we've lost our rights here.


I agree it's about time people stand up for themselves. Most people just want to turn tail and run.

[Boulder]

I would argue that you should just let it go. You aren't going to gain anything here, and you aren't going to teach him anything.
I am a firm believer in that you never know what others are capable of. He has already proved to you that he is unstable. Move on....


I must say I agree with just letting it go.
You don't want to alienate the cops for doing there job, and the property owner could charge you with harassment by further contact as he has demonstrated he don't want you around.
Just my pennies worth, John. :white:usaflag::

[whammy]

Amen John !!

[nicklehead]

I must say I agree with just letting it go.
You don't want to alienate the cops for doing there job, and the property owner could charge you with harassment by further contact as he has demonstrated he don't want you around.
Just my pennies worth, John. :white:usaflag::



Their job is not to harass one citizen at the behest of another and demand one to show their papers on their own private property with an excessive show of force which is exactly what it sounds like from the OP. The cops are doing a fine job of alienating themselves by this type of action , which is not investigative in nature but a simple excercise in the reinforcement of total submission to authority. Do not submit to having your right to privacy violated , instead make them cook their own goose without probable cause just to prove to you that they can , then the advantage is yours.

[Boulder]

Their job is not to harass one citizen at the behest of another and demand one to show their papers on their own private property with an excessive show of force which is exactly what it sounds like from the OP. The cops are doing a fine job of alienating themselves by this type of action , which is not investigative in nature but a simple excercise in the reinforcement of total submission to authority. Do not submit to having your right to privacy violated , instead make them cook their own goose without probable cause just to prove to you that they can , then the advantage is yours.


I understand the point you are trying to make but in our hobby we are all ambassadors for MD'ing and our actions and words effect all of us.
We as a whole can do 100 things right but it takes only one rash decision/conversation that we will be remembered and judged by.
Please understand it's just my opinion based on the few facts presented, and I feel that he handled himself with pride and respect and I applaud him for caring enough for his hobby to be concerned. >:tongue:
John...

[nicklehead]

Boulder , you may see the point but from your post I see little indication you understand it.
Mding is a hobby.
Priorities

[coinnut]

I run my life by picking my battles. That one is not worth it. Principles alone, when not combined with common sense, can get you in a lot of trouble. Remember, as an individual you are not the only ones on this planet. The Police have a job to do also. I saw no excessive force used. If the Police arrested him or made him come to the department, then there is an issue. But investigating a complaint based on someone's concerns is their job. That of course is just my opinion on it. I think Boulder understood it quite well.

[nicklehead]

Like I said --priorities.
I'm all for helping the cops do their job but it must be done correctly---it wasn't from the info in the OP and that's a battle far more important than MDing. Detectorists have been far to milquetoast about their rights for so long that they now no longer have any.
I'm all for Common Sense http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/
I think it was Franklin who said He who gives up Liberty for security deserves neither
I like Franklin on more than just half dollars and hundreds.

[Epi-hunter]

Like I said --priorities.
I'm all for helping the cops do their job but it must be done correctly---it wasn't from the info in the OP and that's a battle far more important than MDing.

That's not what this thread was about, though, was it? The OP never mentioned that as an issue at all. The topic of this thread was nothing to do with the cops. The OP just asked for advice about whether or not to contact the homeowner again.

There is nothing in the OP's post to suggest such a negative response about law enforcement. Certainly nothing constituting excessive force. :shocked03:

Checking ID and warrants for arrest are done for everyone the police encounter. It's standard. Parking violations, speeding... even if you just have a flat tire on the side of the road. Everyone! It is the job of the police to investigate situations called in by citizens that may be problematic. The only way they have to do that is to follow up, and that is what they did, and according to the OP, they politely left after it was clear that it was a non-issue.

[nicklehead]

I totally agree the thread has been hijacked so I will say nothing more about it.
I also agree that subjugatiing ones right to privacy without cause has become standard procedure by the citizens here for convenience.

Shoot , next thing you know the authorities will start thinking they can list , record and listen to all our phone calls :thumbsdown:

[tanacat]

I would argue that you should just let it go. You aren't going to gain anything here, and you aren't going to teach him anything.

I am a firm believer in that you never know what others are capable of. He has already proved to you that he is unstable. Move on....




thumbsup01 Well-stated Angie. It was extreme for him to call the police (they knew where to find you so I assume this dude knows you/where you live)Perhaps they've had a few break-ins lately... Good thing he lives a couple blocks away vs next door or yeah I'd try to make 'amends', not apologize but simply explain what detecting is all about (show him a couple nice old items). If I had to see him all the time passing by etc...
I'm just the sort of person who likes to be on good terms with all people :groovy:

I've had several experiences of people getting a bit 'belligerent' when I asked them to detect. A big #$@% NO from an elderly woman and another woman who owned apt building on our college campus, I called because the phone # was on a rental sign. She was silent for a long time after I asked her and when I said 'hello?' she said I'm just in total shock that you would even have the GALL to ask to DIG up my yard! Her disgusted tone of voice hurt my poor lil old feelings- I had to call my MD buddy to vent... :crying02: lol

It takes a lot of NERVE to ask permission. We can't let the few NO's get in the way of the YES's :grouphug:

[pocketsofdirt]

thanx for all the imput guys and gals.idrive buy his house everyday just honk my horn and give him a big wave with all five fingers not just one. I mean him no harm by any means everyone might like to think they got a million $ on there property. just was wondering y he thought I was a criminal for asking.
best of luck and good digging