Re: chuckle for the day - Bonnie

[Guest guest]

I have no idea if this is correct but in the USA if could be.

------------

It probably is just a new urban legend, although I agree that in the

U.S. it is certainly possible that it is a true story.

Here is a one with a slight twist that I know for a fact is true

because I used to work for the guy.

About 35-40 years ago I worked the register at a Mom & Pop grocery

store in Portland, Oregon. The owner of the store had spent many

years as an enforcement agent for the I.R.S. before retiring from

government service and buying the store.

As you can imagine, every so often he would hire a clerk that didn't

see fit to put all of the receipts in the register. Or if they did

put them all in, they thought it was perfectly acceptable to make

their own payroll cash advances, without, of course, any

documentation. Since the registers were monitored with a 24 video

surveillance system, this was not exactly the smartest thing to do.

At any rate, what the owner would do when he would catch someone

would be to give them a choice. They could sign an admission of the

theft, with a mutually agreeded upon dollar amount. Since the

alternative was to be fired and prosecuted, he always got the

admission. He also gave them a letter acknowleging that

he " forgave " the theft in return for their signed admission. He

wasn't completely truthful with them when he told he just wanted

their statement " to have on file. "

What he would do would be to wait until the next tax filing season.

Since he knew that there was no way that the perps were going to

declare the thefts as income (and knowing just as well that in the

eyes of the IRS, income from theft IS taxable, he would simply send

a copy of their signed statement and his letter of forgiveness to

the IRS.

The first 3-4 years after buying the store, he would fire the

employee and prosecute under state criminal law. Because the dollar

amounts frequently didn't meet the necessary criteria for a felony,

they would get hit with misdemeanors. Even in those rate cases

where restitution was ordered, he never received a dime from any of

them.

By contrast, deliberate tax evasion, regardless of dollar amount, is

a federal felony. In addition, the tax code provides that

informants are entitled to a percentage of the tax recovery. He

also knew that the IRS generally went after slam-dunk evaders. He

got the satisfaction of seeing something more than a wrist slap

meted out and enough recovery rewards to pay for at least one good

night out every year.

[Guest guest]

MIKE: thanx for this I loved it and don't you wish that more people

who try this and other so caleed " minor " crimes could really get what

was coming to them and that the " victim " could have the enjoyment of

seeing it happen and reaping some of the reward back as well. I say

GOOD ON HIM.

Pity we can't use this method with other such people, and for OTHER

crimes (especially those against defenseless victims such as kids,

the aged and the disabled etc etc).There was a store here in Oz that

caught a repeat shoplifter and made them wear a t-shirt with there

crime printed on it and to work in the store until they had paid back

the full amount (it was a week or a month or some such) the

child/teen's parents were in FULL agreement with the punishment and

the child/teen was humilitated and I BET will NEVER try to shoplift

again.

Sharon

>

> I have no idea if this is correct but in the USA if could be.

>

> ------------

>

> It probably is just a new urban legend, although I agree that in

the

> U.S. it is certainly possible that it is a true story.

>

> Here is a one with a slight twist that I know for a fact is true

> because I used to work for the guy.

>

> About 35-40 years ago I worked the register at a Mom & Pop grocery

> store in Portland, Oregon. The owner of the store had spent many

> years as an enforcement agent for the I.R.S. before retiring from

> government service and buying the store.

>

> As you can imagine, every so often he would hire a clerk that

didn't

> see fit to put all of the receipts in the register. Or if they did

> put them all in, they thought it was perfectly acceptable to make

> their own payroll cash advances, without, of course, any

> documentation. Since the registers were monitored with a 24 video

> surveillance system, this was not exactly the smartest thing to do.

>

> At any rate, what the owner would do when he would catch someone

> would be to give them a choice. They could sign an admission of

the

> theft, with a mutually agreeded upon dollar amount. Since the

> alternative was to be fired and prosecuted, he always got the

> admission. He also gave them a letter acknowleging that

> he " forgave " the theft in return for their signed admission. He

> wasn't completely truthful with them when he told he just wanted

> their statement " to have on file. "

>

> What he would do would be to wait until the next tax filing

season.

> Since he knew that there was no way that the perps were going to

> declare the thefts as income (and knowing just as well that in the

> eyes of the IRS, income from theft IS taxable, he would simply send

> a copy of their signed statement and his letter of forgiveness to

> the IRS.

>

> The first 3-4 years after buying the store, he would fire the

> employee and prosecute under state criminal law. Because the

dollar

> amounts frequently didn't meet the necessary criteria for a felony,

> they would get hit with misdemeanors. Even in those rate cases

> where restitution was ordered, he never received a dime from any of

> them.

>

> By contrast, deliberate tax evasion, regardless of dollar amount,

is

> a federal felony. In addition, the tax code provides that

> informants are entitled to a percentage of the tax recovery. He

> also knew that the IRS generally went after slam-dunk evaders. He

> got the satisfaction of seeing something more than a wrist slap

> meted out and enough recovery rewards to pay for at least one good

> night out every year.

[Guest guest]

AH! The Scarlet Letter approach! Good one.

But, if it turns out like the book, the person carrying out the punishment will

eventually be at peace with what they did. It's the ones who have to live with

the shame carrying it inside who end up worse off.

But, all in all, I think it's a good idea.

Brand em all!

Well, maybe not. Not for minor things. If we did that, everyone would be

wearing a " scarlet letter! "

[Guest guest]

AH! The Scarlet Letter approach! Good one.

But, if it turns out like the book, the person carrying out the punishment will

eventually be at peace with what they did. It's the ones who have to live with

the shame carrying it inside who end up worse off.

But, all in all, I think it's a good idea.

Brand em all!

Well, maybe not. Not for minor things. If we did that, everyone would be

wearing a " scarlet letter! "