On Tuesday morning, three Orangeburg, South Carolina, police officers stopped a man accused of trying to cash in a stolen lottery ticket at the Corner Pantry store.
The convenience store incident was caught on tape.
"I just think he was a dumb crook," explained cashier Wanda Lowden.
He learned a tough lesson being taken down by three police officers after he tried to cash a stolen lottery ticket. And the police officers — they just "happened" to be waiting in line.
"Talk about bad timing," said Captain Mike Adams.
Chadwich Stevenson is the man Orangeburg police say did it.
"I don't think I'll ever forget this," recalls Lowden.
It happened Tuesday morning around 8'oclock at the Corner Pantry. Wanda Lowden and another cashier were working behind the counter when they say a man walked in and tried to cash a lottery ticket.
It was business as usual until they got a message from the lottery machine showing "call lottery."
"Most of the time, when they tell us to call lottery, it's letting us know that it is a stolen ticket," says Lowden. Wanda says it was — but instead of letting the man that gave it to her know, she told him he she had to check something with the Lottery Commission.
Meanwhile, Wanda noticed an Orangeburg cop who walked in. Carefully, she says she was able to get his attention. "I just told him don't move."
Then, Captain Mike Adams walked in. Wanda says he immediately knew something was up. Captain Adams said, "The old adage that you don't know who's watching you is very true."
At that point, the man was still waiting for his ticket.
Little did he know that another cop was about to make his way in. When all three were in line, Wanda says she knew it was time. She told the man with the ticket that it showed up stolen.
When the man tried to leave, police say they found another 400 stolen lottery tickets on him. He only tried his luck at one.
Captain Adams calls it "just another day at the job."
The ticket was a Cash Bonanza, and it was only worth $15.
Lowden says, "Wish he had got to scratch the rest of them. Maybe he would have bail money by now."
Stevenson is being charged with one count of stolen goods. He could get up to 30 days in jail.
When lottery tickets agent tickets are stolen they immediately report it so that all the tickets can be cancelled or prevented from being cash. Guess he didn't know that. You reap what you sow. Some people never learn.
I talk to friends of mine that are cops or retired cops and they all agree with one thing.
People who are petty criminals tend to be below average intelligence because they are easy to catch. They simply do stupid things and that's how they're caught.
Never mind the fact that cops were there. This guy was clueless as to how lottery retailers nearly in all cases have multiple surveillence cameras on you when you are at the counter. He would have been caught regardless.
Quote: Originally posted by wizeguy on Apr 18, 2008
30 days sounds like a light sentence for 400 stolen lottery tickets!
At first it does, but it's probably just a petty theft conviction. I wonder if the amount is based on the 400 tickets or the $15 prize? If he had scratched off the other 399 and won a million dollars, would that be grand theft if he attempted to cash it? Something is missing from this story. Where did he get them in the first place? Obviously this young man is needy if he rushed to collect $15. I don't think a long jail sentence for a non-violent crime is necessary.
Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Apr 18, 2008
At first it does, but it's probably just a petty theft conviction. I wonder if the amount is based on the 400 tickets or the $15 prize? If he had scratched off the other 399 and won a million dollars, would that be grand theft if he attempted to cash it? Something is missing from this story. Where did he get them in the first place? Obviously this young man is needy if he rushed to collect $15. I don't think a long jail sentence for a non-violent crime is necessary.
If he's needy it's because he isn't willing to work. $15 isn't going to help him more than even some job at minimum wage.
Quote: Originally posted by Badger on Apr 18, 2008
If he's needy it's because he isn't willing to work. $15 isn't going to help him more than even some job at minimum wage.
Badger, that wasn't my point. Nobody should steal. I was only responding to the question about the 30 day sentence. I definitely believe in putting rapists, murderers, child molesters, animal abusers, arsonists and all violent offenders away. I also think people who steal need to pay their dues. But putting someone who commits a petty crime in prison for a long time with hardened criminals has never proven to deter crime or help society. 30 days isn't very long, but maybe it's his first offense. Drunk drivers usually get a slap on the wrist the first time they're caught and they cause a lot more harm than someone who rips off a store. I don't know this man and I'm not defending him, but why all the comments like time*treat's about getting him off the street before he commits a violent crime? There is nothing at all in this article about a weapon or drugs or anything except that he stole some tickets.
@jxp: We are all looking at this from the perspective of our local crime blotters and our personal views on crime and punishment, I suppose. Also, the same act will have different punishments, depending on jurisdiction.
In my area recently, a man went by his dad's house with an acquaintance. The acquaintance returned later to ask for some money from the father. The dad had much more than she asked for, so she decided to hit him in the head with a stone flowerpot and take it all. She went on a little drug binge, while the old man went on to his maker a few days later. She was stupid and greedy. Now, she's up for murder during the commission of a robbery. A flowerpot is not a weapon... usually. She hadn't committed any "violent" crimes before, either. Some states have a "3-strikes" law. Are you willing to be one of those early strikes? Do you think Mark Lunsford is happier with "Jessica's Law" than he would be with Jessica ... at home?
Just for the record, I wouldn't give the ticket thief 30 days to sit on his @$$ and watch TV at taxpayer expense, either.
Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Apr 19, 2008
Badger, that wasn't my point. Nobody should steal. I was only responding to the question about the 30 day sentence. I definitely believe in putting rapists, murderers, child molesters, animal abusers, arsonists and all violent offenders away. I also think people who steal need to pay their dues. But putting someone who commits a petty crime in prison for a long time with hardened criminals has never proven to deter crime or help society. 30 days isn't very long, but maybe it's his first offense. Drunk drivers usually get a slap on the wrist the first time they're caught and they cause a lot more harm than someone who rips off a store. I don't know this man and I'm not defending him, but why all the comments like time*treat's about getting him off the street before he commits a violent crime? There is nothing at all in this article about a weapon or drugs or anything except that he stole some tickets.
I don't see the problem between our responses. You mentioned he was needy. We don't know that either. He may just as well be lazy. To try and cash a stolen $15 ticket, which is "peanuts" means he's looking for an easy way to get what amounts to "pocket change". If he has a job, this makes him stupid. Even a minimum wage job working for one day would make him more money than the $15.00. If he has no job, almost anyone can pick up a minimum wage job doing labor. But I think he's looking for "easy"
Quote: Originally posted by trulyblessed on Apr 18, 2008
"Now, when are we going to add a little chlorine to the gene pool?"
what does that mean?
I'm not getting this either. That statement could be taken a lot of different ways. Please tell us what you mean. I think I have an idea of what you ment, but I'm not even going there.....
When lottery tickets agent tickets are stolen they immediately report it so that all the tickets can be cancelled or prevented from being cash. Guess he didn't know that. You reap what you sow. Some people never learn.
I agree. He choose to steal something and got caught. He sure wasn't lucky though. The first store he went to had cops there.
I talk to friends of mine that are cops or retired cops and they all agree with one thing.
People who are petty criminals tend to be below average intelligence because they are easy to catch. They simply do stupid things and that's how they're caught.
Never mind the fact that cops were there. This guy was clueless as to how lottery retailers nearly in all cases have multiple surveillence cameras on you when you are at the counter. He would have been caught regardless.
Better that he was caught doing this than after some violent crime.
Now, when are we going to add a little chlorine to the gene pool?
"When the man tried to leave, police say they found another 400 stolen lottery tickets on him. He only tried his luck at one."
Where did this crook get 400 stolen lottery tickets from?
Were these scratchoff tickets?
30 days sounds like a light sentence for 400 stolen lottery tickets!
At first it does, but it's probably just a petty theft conviction. I wonder if the amount is based on the 400 tickets or the $15 prize? If he had scratched off the other 399 and won a million dollars, would that be grand theft if he attempted to cash it? Something is missing from this story. Where did he get them in the first place? Obviously this young man is needy if he rushed to collect $15. I don't think a long jail sentence for a non-violent crime is necessary.
If he's needy it's because he isn't willing to work. $15 isn't going to help him more than even some job at minimum wage.
"Now, when are we going to add a little chlorine to the gene pool?"
what does that mean?
Badger, that wasn't my point. Nobody should steal. I was only responding to the question about the 30 day sentence. I definitely believe in putting rapists, murderers, child molesters, animal abusers, arsonists and all violent offenders away. I also think people who steal need to pay their dues. But putting someone who commits a petty crime in prison for a long time with hardened criminals has never proven to deter crime or help society. 30 days isn't very long, but maybe it's his first offense. Drunk drivers usually get a slap on the wrist the first time they're caught and they cause a lot more harm than someone who rips off a store. I don't know this man and I'm not defending him, but why all the comments like time*treat's about getting him off the street before he commits a violent crime? There is nothing at all in this article about a weapon or drugs or anything except that he stole some tickets.
@jxp: We are all looking at this from the perspective of our local crime blotters and our personal views on crime and punishment, I suppose. Also, the same act will have different punishments, depending on jurisdiction.
In my area recently, a man went by his dad's house with an acquaintance. The acquaintance returned later to ask for some money from the father. The dad had much more than she asked for, so she decided to hit him in the head with a stone flowerpot and take it all. She went on a little drug binge, while the old man went on to his maker a few days later. She was stupid and greedy. Now, she's up for murder during the commission of a robbery. A flowerpot is not a weapon... usually. She hadn't committed any "violent" crimes before, either. Some states have a "3-strikes" law. Are you willing to be one of those early strikes? Do you think Mark Lunsford is happier with "Jessica's Law" than he would be with Jessica ... at home?
Just for the record, I wouldn't give the ticket thief 30 days to sit on his @$$ and watch TV at taxpayer expense, either.
I don't see the problem between our responses. You mentioned he was needy. We don't know that either. He may just as well be lazy. To try and cash a stolen $15 ticket, which is "peanuts" means he's looking for an easy way to get what amounts to "pocket change". If he has a job, this makes him stupid. Even a minimum wage job working for one day would make him more money than the $15.00. If he has no job, almost anyone can pick up a minimum wage job doing labor. But I think he's looking for "easy"
I'm not getting this either. That statement could be taken a lot of different ways. Please tell us what you mean. I think I have an idea of what you ment, but I'm not even going there.....
Don
Looks like my prior comment was "edited"...
Although, I don't know how many ways one could take that statement.