Humanity Stoops to a New Low
July 30, 2004 3:46 PM Subscribe
Lost Dog Held for $10K Ransom
An elderly man went out for a walk with his dog, on the way home, the dog disappeared. A friend helped him make some Lost Dog posters and he waited by the phone for some good samaritan to return his only companion.
Instead, he got a call from someone demanding $10,000 or he'd never see his dog again. He gathered up half of his savings and went to pay the ransom. The dognapper brandished a knife, took the money and said the dog was tied up to a post nearby. It wasn't.
He went home brokenhearted until he heard a car door slam outside and his dog came running up to greet him. Now he wonders if the dognappers were putting him on the whole time.
An elderly man went out for a walk with his dog, on the way home, the dog disappeared. A friend helped him make some Lost Dog posters and he waited by the phone for some good samaritan to return his only companion.
Instead, he got a call from someone demanding $10,000 or he'd never see his dog again. He gathered up half of his savings and went to pay the ransom. The dognapper brandished a knife, took the money and said the dog was tied up to a post nearby. It wasn't.
He went home brokenhearted until he heard a car door slam outside and his dog came running up to greet him. Now he wonders if the dognappers were putting him on the whole time.
These people should be left to starve in a gibbet at a crossroads outside of town.
posted by crunchburger at 3:58 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by crunchburger at 3:58 PM on July 30, 2004
It's *damn* cold blooded if Keyser Soze says so. Did you hear what he did to those Russians who were threatening to kill his wife and kids?
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:59 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:59 PM on July 30, 2004
This is more frequent than you might think. When I was a kid, the tailing edge of a hurricane hit Houston and flooded the city. Six out of seven of my mom's show dogs were swept away, and so she put out flyers and ads in the paper. Several nutjobs called her saying they would kill the dogs unless she revealed intimate sexual details about herself, others threatened to kill the dogs unless ransom was paid, etc. Eventually, we we able to recover 3 out of the six, and ascertained that the other three had drowned. My mom started calling other people who had listed lost dogs in the paper and they all had similar stories to tell.
This spring, it happened again, when two of my mom's dogs escaped through a gate that had been left open accidentally. My mom posted a $1000 reward that had nutjobs calling her right and left...but fortunately the dogs wandered into a classroom and a kind teacher took them home with her.
The world is full of crazy people. Whether the freaks had the dog or not, it's sickening when people take advantage of situations like this.
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:02 PM on July 30, 2004
This spring, it happened again, when two of my mom's dogs escaped through a gate that had been left open accidentally. My mom posted a $1000 reward that had nutjobs calling her right and left...but fortunately the dogs wandered into a classroom and a kind teacher took them home with her.
The world is full of crazy people. Whether the freaks had the dog or not, it's sickening when people take advantage of situations like this.
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:02 PM on July 30, 2004
The most fitting punishment I can think of would be to let wild dogs tear the perps to shreds.
posted by fenriq at 4:08 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by fenriq at 4:08 PM on July 30, 2004
Damned 8th Amendment. One does feel the urge to get medeival on their asses.
posted by crunchburger at 4:15 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by crunchburger at 4:15 PM on July 30, 2004
cold-blooded, yes. but the old man is also guilty of being an idiot. why would he just hand someone a bag filled with $10K and not have the police waiting around the corner to arrest the guy?
posted by gnutron at 4:18 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by gnutron at 4:18 PM on July 30, 2004
Thanks a lot, that made me cry. That poor old man. I hope those bastards get caught but it won't bring back 1/2 his life savings. Fuckers.
posted by maggie at 4:24 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by maggie at 4:24 PM on July 30, 2004
Seriously, you'd think if there was one thing the movies would teach you, it's that you don't pay ransom. This isn't 1300 and we're not paying ransom to the French king for our captured nobles, call the cops and have them help with it.
posted by kavasa at 5:27 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by kavasa at 5:27 PM on July 30, 2004
I'm an atheist but I make two exceptions: I believe in cat heaven; and I believe in a special hell for people who do stuff like this.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:31 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:31 PM on July 30, 2004
I cried like a little girl when I read the children's book Cat Heaven.
posted by crunchburger at 5:48 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by crunchburger at 5:48 PM on July 30, 2004
Seriously, you'd think if there was one thing the movies would teach you, it's that you don't pay ransom.
And you cooperate with hijackers, too, right? That's the common wisdom... or was.
You pay ransom depending on your assesment between what's likely to happen if you don't and what's likely to happen if you do. I'd think kidnappers would have to be wary of committing a murder, just because it would make their own situation that much worse if the pursuit catches up with them, as many are (at least in the US ... rules can be very different in other countries).
But the thing is, the law doesn't hit as hard for killing an animal, and the conscience of someone doing something like this probably wouldn't stand in the way of just killing the pet and being done with it if there's no follow through.
posted by weston at 6:40 PM on July 30, 2004
And you cooperate with hijackers, too, right? That's the common wisdom... or was.
You pay ransom depending on your assesment between what's likely to happen if you don't and what's likely to happen if you do. I'd think kidnappers would have to be wary of committing a murder, just because it would make their own situation that much worse if the pursuit catches up with them, as many are (at least in the US ... rules can be very different in other countries).
But the thing is, the law doesn't hit as hard for killing an animal, and the conscience of someone doing something like this probably wouldn't stand in the way of just killing the pet and being done with it if there's no follow through.
posted by weston at 6:40 PM on July 30, 2004
My fiance sent me this the other day (we are volunteers at a city animal shelter). I hope they find those bastards and throw them in a cage at the local animal shelter for six months. They get to eat nothing but dog food, have to lap their water out of a bucket, and only get their cage cleaned once per day (I'm being generous there).
posted by DakotaPaul at 7:15 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by DakotaPaul at 7:15 PM on July 30, 2004
cold-blooded, yes. but the old man is also guilty of being an idiot.
Geez, blame the victim much? Let's see:
The 10-year-old Yorkshire terrier has been his only companion since his wife died four years ago.
"He's my buddy," said Compton. "He'd do the same for me if he could."
The man who called threatened to kill the dog if Compton called the police.
I'm sure most people like the think they would act cool and logical in a similar situation, but fact is he probably was in a state of panic the whole time. Something the man loves was in trouble and he didn't want it to get hurt. And that can make you do things that look stupid to other people. Other people who aren't in your situation, of course.
posted by Cyrano at 7:47 PM on July 30, 2004
Geez, blame the victim much? Let's see:
The 10-year-old Yorkshire terrier has been his only companion since his wife died four years ago.
"He's my buddy," said Compton. "He'd do the same for me if he could."
The man who called threatened to kill the dog if Compton called the police.
I'm sure most people like the think they would act cool and logical in a similar situation, but fact is he probably was in a state of panic the whole time. Something the man loves was in trouble and he didn't want it to get hurt. And that can make you do things that look stupid to other people. Other people who aren't in your situation, of course.
posted by Cyrano at 7:47 PM on July 30, 2004
Seriously, though, old people do some really stupid, trusting things. Hey, if you can help me get it out of Nigeria, I'll split this 11 million with you, say, 10 me/90 you?
posted by graventy at 7:51 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by graventy at 7:51 PM on July 30, 2004
Old people aren't the only suckers for that scheme, graventy, and they're born every minute.
posted by WolfDaddy at 7:59 PM on July 30, 2004
posted by WolfDaddy at 7:59 PM on July 30, 2004
hoping they overdose on the proceeds.
mmm literal bloody nose.
posted by bonaldi at 10:15 PM on July 30, 2004
mmm literal bloody nose.
posted by bonaldi at 10:15 PM on July 30, 2004
ok ok, just don't hurt them!
*takes pants off, crying*
posted by bob sarabia at 9:51 AM on July 31, 2004
*takes pants off, crying*
posted by bob sarabia at 9:51 AM on July 31, 2004
next time have the doggnapper read a serial number off the tag. And call the police.
posted by delmoi at 12:07 PM on July 31, 2004
posted by delmoi at 12:07 PM on July 31, 2004
"He's my buddy," said Compton. "He'd do the same for me if he could."
no, he wouldn't.
posted by mrgrimm at 12:24 PM on July 31, 2004
no, he wouldn't.
posted by mrgrimm at 12:24 PM on July 31, 2004
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posted by Keyser Soze at 3:57 PM on July 30, 2004