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Train burglaries in LA

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Re: Train burglaries in LA

#101

Post by mdasen »

unityByFreedom wrote: post #40
fblp wrote: post #12

Sigh - Any resourced and competent police or security force should be able to catch or deter thieves that are stealing packages from the same location . Additionally, mail theft laws which include prison as a consequence should be extended to package thefts if they don't already cover them.

I imagine this will get sorted since Buffett both invests in Union Pacific and provides insurance. He famously doesn't get involved in the companies in which he invests, but I imagine his people could shoot over a question like, "why is this happening?"

I don't think Buffett invests in Union Pacific. His company fully owns BNSF which holds a duopoly with Union Pacific in the Western United States.

It looks like Buffett owned Union Pacific shares a while back, but sold them in 2009 so that they could buy BNSF.

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#102

Post by dusted »

My observation from the comment sections to this post-apocalyptic video is the following: People focusing on how to prevent the theft of these cars, funding police, armed guards on trans, better security.

I think this is an interesting perspective, it's very "American", it's like it has been accepted by these commenters that rampant thievery is a perfectly natural part of life and so, must be worked around rather than solved.

But, protecting a thing from theft, rather than removing the reason thievery is so rampant, just moves the problem to someone else.. Like putting locks and security on your home, "Now they won't break into MY home, because the guy next door has less security, so they'll go at him instead".

Come on, the problem is not that it's easy to steal, the problem is that society has constructed situations for some of its citizens where they for one reason or another do it.

I walked around last year, in an opera house, public building, no one in sight, empty building, unlocked doors, there were paintings on the walls, and I identified audio equipment for at least $10k, and it was not unlocked by mistake. Then it struck me, that we've done well in society when we can have this.

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#103

Post by mytailorisrich »

sjtindell wrote: post #73
yes_really wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think putting the criminals in prisons for a long time, and the threat of the criminals being caught, is already a good way to prevent thefts.

A horrible way to prevent theft. Statistically a great way to create career criminals, break up families, and all the side effects that comes with (like more criminals).

People who break into containers as shown here have no excuses and are already career criminals.

Do they deserve a (potentially harsh) punishment? Yes.

But is it in society's interest not to make them worse than they already are? Also, yes.

So a problem in most countries is that prison is only focused on the punishment part not on the "what happens when people are released?" part.

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#104

Post by plantain »

zo1 wrote: post #57
threatofrain wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is not LAPD responsibility, and the HQ of the responsible force is in Omaha Nebraska.

It's still a consequence of general lack of policing or soft policing. Whether this is LAPDs responsibility or not, the overall society and its view on crime like this is a huge component to this occurring. We can't have nice things if people are just going around and stealing because "hey it doesn't hurt anyone".

Are the police notoriously soft in other broken states like South Africa? I don't think so - the intensity of policing seems poorly correlated to outcomes to me.

I despair every day at America's descent into a failed state. Is no one watching?

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#105

Post by [deleted] »

esyir wrote: post #85
Ansil849 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Average time needed to get into a container (X) needs to be > average time train pauses (Y). This seems like it should be a solvable problem. For example, just thinking out loud, what about some sort of container door hinge mechanism which takes five minutes (or an adjustable amount of time) to open the door?

Screw it. This notion that we should only punish violent crime, and all other crime should be ignored needs to go. Look at this chain of logic presented above. >> Additionally, mail theft laws which include prison as a consequence should be extended to package thefts if they don't already cover them. >But it is a nonviolent crime. It seems like finding some way to prevent the thefts is better. The implied conclusion…

[deleted]

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#106

Post by jsiaajdsdaa »

dusted wrote: post #102

My observation from the comment sections to this post-apocalyptic video is the following: People focusing on how to prevent the theft of these cars, funding police, armed guards on trans, better security. I think this is an interesting perspective, it's very "American", it's like it has been accepted by these commenters that rampant thievery is a perfectly natural part of life and so, must be worked around rather tha…

Fixing this is a two part issue. One, we cannot get rid of physical security, as everyone should have the right to protect themselves and their property.

Two, the way to prevent crime from happening is to make people feel in the heart and soul that crime is morally wrong and destructive for the community around them. This is not instinctual human behavior. For those who learn this and live this, great. For those who don't, see option #1.

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#108

Post by 271828182846 »

dusted wrote: post #102

My observation from the comment sections to this post-apocalyptic video is the following: People focusing on how to prevent the theft of these cars, funding police, armed guards on trans, better security. I think this is an interesting perspective, it's very "American", it's like it has been accepted by these commenters that rampant thievery is a perfectly natural part of life and so, must be worked around rather tha…

> I think this is an interesting perspective, it's very "American", it's like it has been accepted by these commenters that rampant thievery is a perfectly natural part of life and so, must be worked around rather than solved.

what do you mean? death penalty ... solved!

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#109

Post by mschuster91 »

paganel wrote: post #100

That's one of the main reasons why driverless lorries will never be a thing. Unless you accompany each one of them by a weaponised mini-drone, Robocop-style, that is.

Nah. Train robberies have been a thing since shortly after trains were invented, no matter if staff or sometimes even armed guards were present on board.

Re: Train burglaries in LA

#110

Post by kqr »

dusted wrote: post #102

My observation from the comment sections to this post-apocalyptic video is the following: People focusing on how to prevent the theft of these cars, funding police, armed guards on trans, better security. I think this is an interesting perspective, it's very "American", it's like it has been accepted by these commenters that rampant thievery is a perfectly natural part of life and so, must be worked around rather tha…

Indeed. There's so much focus on short-term solutions for crime – even outside of the US.

Taking a leaf from Deming, we have a system, a process, a society that creates a certain, relatively stable, number of criminals per year. Trying to address specific criminal acts or specific criminals is just meddling that can backlash as easily as it can help.

When you have a stable source of trouble, it makes no sense to try to fix individual occurrences. You have to address the problem at the source.

We have created this system! We can create something else if we're unhappy with it.

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