A California sheriff's deputy has been arrested and placed on administrative leave for allegedly burglarizing a home after responding to the death of an elderly man.I wouldn't put it past a court to find that qualified immunity protects this guy, if no other court has held that it's wrong for cops to steal from dead guy's homes.
Steve Hortz was a 12-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff's Department prior to his arrest on Thursday, the police department said.
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On Wednesday, an attorney representing the family estate called the police department to report some items missing from the home and shared home surveillance video that depicted Hortz entering the property at least three times and "exiting with stolen property," according to a police statement.
In the first instance on July 27, Hortz entered while in uniform. He returned on Aug. 10 and Aug. 16 while in civilian clothes and stole weapon safes, ceiling fans and other boxes with unknown contents, authorities said.
At least the cop union there is signaling that this guy is going under the bus.
Cops stealing stuff and re-stealing stolen stuff is police routine. I found a bunch of tools abandoned in the alley behind my house, obviously stolen and ditched. Turned them in to the police but never will again. The finder never gets them and, AFAIK, they are never returned to the owner. Once the cops have them they mysteriously vanish. Anybody here EVER have the police return stuff to the finder?
ReplyDeleteSmall town Berkeley Ca. circa 1960 ish. My Dad has his service pistol stolen from his office building. Cops called him a couple weeks later to return it after catching the perp.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't count on that anymore.
w3ski