Quote:
Originally Posted by thaskalos
What were the "criminal tools" that the umpire was allegedly possessing at the time of his arrest?
|
Under Ohio law “ 2923.24. Possessing criminal tools. (A) No person shall possess or have under the person's control any substance, device, instrument, or article, with purpose to use it criminally.”
It’s pretty wide open really. But Ohio case law over the years (when I worked in Ohio the 80’s-90’s) kind of changed it to
“unique items that were not carried by a majority of persons in a daily fashion unless related to a specific profession” (From memory).
The big item in a patrol officers work were prospective burglars approached in closed business areas late at night. “prying devices” pry bars, screw drivers (big ones) and “items to elude” portable radios fit that “elude” along with camo clothing or masks etc.
My best “criminal tools” charge was a 3rd shift arrest where a gas station (Certified) was finding they were short a couple times a week on actual gas. The morning guy would come in and the locked pumps were somehow being used to pump between 50-100 gallons overnight. This was the days of the funky little key to unlock the pumps, on the side of the pump. Mechanical displays
This went on for a couple of months and finally after taking the Ump-teenth report on it I convinced my 3rd shift Sgt to let me use an unmarked car over night on the most common nights of the thefts.
The 3rd night I watched as a guy in a “certified gas” uniform pull to the pumps with a certified repair truck. He filled his tank and a couple of cans and a tank riding in the rear. He even turned on the island lights while he was doing it. I of course called in the cavalry when he got a few blocks away. He was not authorized free gas of course.
We got him on the thefts etc he was filling his personal cars from the tank in the back of the truck etc. He admitted it all. When I booked him into the jail I processed a felony criminal tools charge on him along with theft. The criminal tool?
That funky little key...........it held up.
