A Few Clouds and 89° F

I went to court on Jan. 2 about a car that was stolen out of my yard and sold to an auto salvage yard for $150. I found my car before it was scrapped out. I called the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office. I recovered the car.

Then I had to go to court for the bond hearing. The officer wrote the report up as a petit larceny, saying my car was worth less than $500. It was an '86 GMC Suburban. The young man who sold my car said he did not think that I would miss my Suburban and sold it for $150. Well since it was only petit larceny, the young man made bail. I had to go to court where the young man pleaded guilty but wanted a lawyer to defend him.

I asked for the arresting officer to be at the hearing. He did not make it for different reasons on two different hearings. When the young man asked for a lawyer, the hearing was rolled over to another date when both he could have a lawyer and the officer could be there.

Well on Jan. 2, the officer no longer worked for the county and did not pass the case to someone else or appear himself. I found that the officer was not going to be there 2 minutes before walking into court. By doing this, the young man was dismissed of the charge against him and set free.

I don't know what has happened to our law enforcement that is slapping the hands and letting these young kids run amuck. Actions like this only tell these punk kids that it is OK to take, steal, rob, destroy and almost kill with no punishment. You work hard to get things in your life and in a few minutes some kid can come take all that you work hard for and there is nothing you can do to stop him.

I have had to call the law to my house about 18 times in the last year for something stolen or a break-in to my home. The only arrest that was made was back in October 2006. All my cases have been closed and again I am left high and dry. What can we do to put an end to these problems? The law tells me that maybe I should move away. I have lived there since 1976. Why should I have to move from my place where I grew up on. Where is our protection we ask and pay for?

-- Billy Dubose, Orangeburg

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