My friend had an excavator stolen from his mining claim 3 years ago, he turned it in to the sheriff's office, a year went by and the sheriff got a good description of the low- boy that snatched it. They found it 40 miles away behind a locked enclosure. The sheriff, verified the serial number, took a photo and gave the "evidence" to my friend, basically told him to go to the Calif Hwy Patrol.
We wondered, what the hell is the sheriff for? So, the hoops were jumped through, eventually the Highway Patrol issued a "release of property order" to be presented to the thief by the actual owner. Still no discussion of charges against the thief by the sheriff or CHP. WTF? So, me with the low-boy and my buddy well armed and with the piece of paper go to retrieve the excavator from the thief. Short version, voices are raised, thief not cooperative, we call CHP again asking for help to serve the "release of property" order, CHP says, "we don't do that, maybe get local city Police to stand by to keep the peace". JFC, this is nuts. By this time my buddy, another fat old 70 yr old, is pissed beyond common sense, and backs the thief down by informing him that he doesn't give a damn about the consequences, that excavator is leaving here now, today. Whatever it takes. And that my friends, is law enforcement in California.
