Scrapper Smoked

**Meddle** · February-14-14, 06:38 PM

On Dec. 20th, 2013, Washtenaw County dispatch received an anonymous call about an electrocution. Deputies were dispatched to 300 N. Zeeb road to search the abandoned warehouse. Once inside, they discovered the body of 29-year-old Matthew Albert Vair. He was lying on the ground ear numerous power cabinets, which had their panels opened.

"They had been trying to scrap metal by removing electrical wire and must not have pulled the power. He touched the wires and was electrocuted.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...thers-arrested

**Hermod** · February-14-14, 06:59 PM

Hopefully he didn't contribute to the gene pool before he combusted.

**noise** · February-14-14, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Hopefully he didn't contribute to the gene pool before he combusted.

Yeah, screw all potentially desperate people who may resort to distasteful actions just to provide for their families.

GUSHI · February-14-14, 07:15 PM

God rest his soul,

**TKshreve** · February-14-14, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Yeah, screw all potentially desperate people who may resort to distasteful actions just to provide for their families.

How far does that excuse reach? Armed robbery? Extortion? Kidnapping? Murder? How do you know his actions weren't taking food off of somebody's table?

It's the concept of right and wrong.

At least we can safely say he was "potentially desperate".

**Stinger4me** · February-14-14, 07:56 PM

Electrolysis of the "GENE POOL". Poor choices make interesting stories.

**Zacha341** · February-14-14, 11:10 PM

Ah, yes, the 'nobility' of wealth redistribution. I'll consider that the next time I put a turn to the lock on any door containing my personal property on the other side.

Originally Posted by noise

Yeah, screw all potentially desperate people who may resort to distasteful actions just to provide for their families.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-14-14, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Yeah, screw all potentially desperate people who may resort to distasteful actions just to provide for their families.

If you read the article they have 4 other guys in custody. It is not just a lone guy trying to feed his kids. It is a crime ring.

**wolverine** · February-15-14, 12:08 AM

Some don't think about the other person trying to make a living and feed their family...the warehouse owner trying to protect their property from thieves and vandals.

**Django** · February-15-14, 02:51 AM

Times are getting more desperate for people. Its easy to be an armchair judge when you have an armchair to sit in. Not saying it's right but just a sign of the times.

**sumas** · February-15-14, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by Django

Times are getting more desperate for people. Its easy to be an armchair judge when you have an armchair to sit in. Not saying it's right but just a sign of the times.

Now I feel slightly bad since I bought a new armchair for Ron. As you know he is about the sweetest person in the world!

**drjeff** · February-15-14, 04:52 AM

Good riddance.

**Honky Tonk** · February-15-14, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by Django

Times are getting more desperate for people. Its easy to be an armchair judge when you have an armchair to sit in. Not saying it's right but just a sign of the times.

I agree. Sitting there on your ass painting a picture of a poor, poverty stricken, individual desperately needing food for his hungry chillen, is definately armchair judging.

**Zacha341** · February-15-14, 07:58 AM

Precisely. And we need only look about to see the ravages of this trade upon the city. My uncle tried to rehab a house, the sooner he could put something in it was stolen. These scrappers are 'relentless' -- sometimes to their own undoing as was the case with one of these four.

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

If you read the article they have 4 other guys in custody. It is not just a lone guy trying to feed his kids. It is a crime ring.

**gnome** · February-15-14, 08:08 AM

With several men arrested in connection to the scrapping the obvious conclusion is that these men were a gang of professionals.

Anytime someone is killed at work I feel bad for their family. I feel sad that their loved one was taken from them while using his hands to food on their table. I think about all of the noble men who were killed building bridges and dams and monuments of engineering.

then I thought about Mr. Smoky and his close friends who left him twitching on the end of 400 volts. Sympathy is not an emotion first felt.

**Honky Tonk** · February-15-14, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

With several men arrested in connection to the scrapping the obvious conclusion is that these men were a gang of professionals.

Anytime someone is killed at work I feel bad for their family. I feel sad that their loved one was taken from them while using his hands to food on their table. I think about all of the noble men who were killed building bridges and dams and monuments of engineering.

then I thought about Mr. Smoky and his close friends who left him twitching on the end of 400 volts. Sympathy is not an emotion first felt.

To be fair, "Washtenaw County dispatch received an anonymous call about an electrocution." Who said there isn't honor among thieves?

**One Shot** · February-15-14, 08:16 AM

The brightest star doesn't chance cutting power cables that "should" be off. Desperate or not why chance scrapping power cables? That's called natural selection in my book.

**gnome** · February-15-14, 08:44 AM

A little look at Smokey's criminal past:

http://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/oti...cNumber=292093

**Hermod** · February-15-14, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

Some don't think about the other person trying to make a living and feed their family...the warehouse owner trying to protect their property from thieves and vandals.

Don't you know that the warehouse owner is a rich plutocrat and everything he has was stolen, yes I say stolen, from the poor people of Detroit? The scrapers are just modern day Robin hoods seeking to redress centuries of wrongs and get the money back to the people to whom it rightfully belongs.

**Dan Wesson** · February-15-14, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Don't you know that the warehouse owner is a rich plutocrat and everything he has was stolen, yes I say stolen, from the poor people of Detroit? The scrapers are just modern day Robin hoods seeking to redress centuries of wrongs and get the money back to the people to whom it rightfully belongs.

Hell yeah!!

Proletariat's Unite!

Power to the Peons!

Down with the Man!

Ahem... cough, cough

Here....

Let me hold your coat for ya.

**Dan Wesson** · February-15-14, 10:29 AM

For informational purposes only...

It's not the voltage that kills ya, it's the current.

It don't take much at all.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-15-14, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by noise

Yeah, screw all potentially desperate people who may resort to distasteful actions just to provide for their families.

Curious, noise. Why do you think he was providing for his family? You jump to this conclusion that there was nobility in his actions, but no evidence that he was a participant at his church, for example. You are outraged by the outrage of others. Others are outraged at this man's actions and his criminal history. Why?

**Meddle** · February-15-14, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Dan Wesson

For informational purposes only...

It's not the voltage that kills ya, it's the current.

It don't take much at all.

It's how much passes through you to ground. That's why a bird or squirrel can wander around all day on a 13,000 volt wire. The instant it gets close enough to any ground point [[eg. the tower) to transfer the current, it's charcoal city.

I've been hit several times by 110VAC, but because I wasn't fully grounded, all I got was a good tingle.

**Django** · February-15-14, 11:56 AM

I doubt they were pro's as they didnt even know how not to get electrocuted.

Just five scrappers looking for a lick.

I remember seeing a few scrappers around town who had burns from being electrocuted and heard of one guy dying on Ferry by the Packard behind the old grocery store trying to get in one of those huge green boxes by the side of the road. I have no idea what those boxes were for but they hummed with current.