The 'squid' factor involves the one dumbarse who was riding one of the stolen motorcycles, without a helmet. (Required in GA)
Judge gives young burglars probation, fine and curfews
Pullen willing to treat thefts as 'something stupid'
BY JIM HOUSTON
Staff Writer
Muscogee Superior Court Judge Doug Pullen looked at the dozen young men and women standing in front of their lawyers and said, "You're old enough to know better."
Ranging in age from 17 to 23, the 10 men and two women each pleaded guilty Thursday to the Sept. 12 burglary that looted the Belfast Avenue warehouse of Extreme Power Sports Inc. The group made off with more than $36,000 worth of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, go-carts and other equipment, but were caught almost immediately by Columbus police.
"Burglary by committee is something new to me," Pullen remarked when he finally called the dozen before him, after making them watch for more than five hours as he sentenced other criminals and probation violators.
Each person explained his or her role in the crime, expanding the summary presented by Assistant District Attorney Michael Craig.
The group was "hanging in the parking lot" in Bradley Industrial Park at Whitesville Road and Belfast Avenue when somebody exploring a nearby building reported the building surrounded by weeds and with windows boarded up contained crates of motorcycles and other vehicles. One man broke the padlock. Another used a credit card to slide the interior bolt aside -- and the thievery began. Trucks and cars were backed up to the warehouse, bikes and crates were loaded and the post-midnight raid that lasted several hours was on.
But the 12 -- plus a juvenile whose case went to Columbus Juvenile Court -- didn't get far. When Jeffrey Ryan Westmoreland, 18, drove down Whitesville Road on his stolen motorcycle, he made the mistake of not wearing a helmet, which was promptly spotted by a Columbus patrol officer. After a chase in which Westmoreland said he reached a speed of 145 mph, he stopped near Brookstone School on Bradley Park Drive and was arrested, along with two women in a trailing car.
Before long, the other warehouse looters were arrested or surrendered to police, with most of the stolen items recovered, said Craig.
Pullen said because the crime, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, was the first blemish on each person's record, and each cooperated immediately with police, he was willing to "treat this as something stupid, rather than criminal."
Each of the 12 was sentenced to five years on probation but was granted first-offender status that allows the conviction to be removed upon successful completion of the sentence. Each also must pay $1,102 restitution, perform 200 hours of community service and obey a 9 p.m. -6 a.m. weeknight curfew, with a one-hour later curfew on weekends.
Ten of the dozen also must pay fines and penalties totaling $675, with Westmoreland paying $1,300 for his motorcycle chase and 20-year-old James C. Price also paying $1,300 for not owning up to his own culpability when he told Pullen he had simply "listened to the wrong people."
Others who pleaded guilty and were sentenced included: Joshua Leigh Wester, 23; John Bryant Williams, 20; Matthew Thomas McCall, 20; Alex J. Ballard, 21; Jon Taylor Paul, 19; Allisa S. Daughtry, 17; Ricky L. Bowers Jr., 20; William J. Miller, 21; Amberleigh Kaster, 19; and James Thomas Hannan, 19.
Pullen also banished each from the Belfast Avenue parking lot, subject to imprisonment for violating the ban.
To me, these 'kids' are common crooks, and really got off easy.
I hope the parents are proud....
Topic: Gang of kids break into motorcycle warehouse..... (Read 1931 times)