SNOW HILL — Five Delaware firefighters arrested in October after local law enforcement identified them as the suspects in a vandalism spree in northern Worcester County during which they threw watermelons at mailboxes and other property from the bed of a pick-up truck each pleaded guilty this week and were fined and placed on probation.
Around 1:15 a.m. on October 4, Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies were alerted by a resident in Bishopville that several people were riding around in dark-colored pick-up truck and smashing mailboxes. Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies and Maryland State Police converged on the area and an MSP trooper located a dark-colored pick-up truck traveling on St. Martin’s Neck Rd. near Route 90.
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Let me start by saying that I fully respect firefighters, esp. volunteer. They are often truly "heroes." That being said, I think a $300 fine and a month of probation is a little light as far as punishment is concerned!
ReplyDeleteReally? Look how many drug dealers get Stet Docket.....what is worse...being stupid one time and smashing watermelons or being a crackhead for years and selling drugs. Remember...these young kids already paid restitution to the affected victims. What would you rather see? Just curious.
DeleteHaHaHa!
ReplyDeleteRedneck farmin just like the ones in Salisbury.
That's the most awful thing I've ever heard of.Imagine using perfectly good watermelons to smash mailboxes.We always used concrete blocks.
ReplyDeleteJailtime is more appropriate for this. Yes they are firefighters and they should be held to a higher standard
ReplyDelete6:47...
ReplyDeleteSmashing watermelons is one thing. Malicious destruction of property is another. Also, tampering with mailboxes is a federal offense! I'm not necessarily saying they should have gone to jail...relatively small potatoes in the grand scheme of crime. I will say I was not aware restitution had been paid, and that makes a difference.
But I do feel that since they are firefighters, perhaps a slightly harsher penalty than normal is in order. These are people whose job it is to essentially protect public property/safety out there intentionally destroying it.
Hell, I know a couple of first time offenders, minors now mind you, who busted up a dozen or so mailboxes with a bat on October 30th back in the 90's in Wico Co...they had to pay restitution AND do 500 hours community service, plus 1 year probation. And yes, I am 4:02 p.m.
I think their names and addresses should be posted here as part of the punishment. If I committed a crime, my name would be posted.
ReplyDeleteI'm with 10:55. Post the names.
ReplyDelete