Stealing because of “Hard Times”
A story in today’s Journal and Courier Online about an increase in thefts of catalytic converters from Toyota 4-Runners got me to thinking. The story spoke of the money that thieves get from scrap dealers for catalytic converters because the converters usually contain one of three precious metals, platinum, palladium or rhodium that bring high per ounce prices. One of the people interviewed made a statement that I have to take issue with.
He said “catalytic converter thefts go in spurts as the price of the precious metals rise.” “It comes down to tough times, and people are stealing the converters.”
I admit that I don’t know the entire content of the interview or the exact intent of the interviewee when he made that statement. But looking at it as it was stated in the interview I have to say that “tough times” is not an excuse for these anyone to steal. We live in a great town, state, and country. Opportunity is built into the framework of our legal and political system and our way of life. I do not think that in a country where help is only a little time and effort away if you choose to work within the system, that theft is ever an option that should be looked lightly upon.
Don’t get me wrong. I would do practically “anything” to keep my family safe and fed. But as I stated above, we live in a country and time where that “anything” does not need to include theft. I would dig ditches, deliver pizzas, work two fast food jobs all at the same time and anything else I needed to do in order to make a full weeks wage to feed my family and take care of bills. Theft is the “easy” way.
I do take comfort in the fact that many many more people are law abiding and responsible in our great land than are not. We are a people who believe in law and order and in hard work as a whole. The Lafayette area is no exception to that way of thinking. I have met and continue to meet great hard working people of all social, political, and racial identities here who would never take the easy way out.
Just one more reason why I like living in the Lafayette area.
