DPS says teacher tried to pawn school laptop

Buy American · January-02-11, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Or losing their cozy auto production job and blaming the guy who bought the better car in the first place. [[I know that can sound like a dig, BuyAmerican, but I AM only teasing, please take it as light as I'm delivering it! My intent is pure, not vindictive.)
Cheers, truly.

Although it does sound like a personal dig to me Gannon, I will take it as a light, teasing comment. Everyone knows my stance regarding American automobiles and this certainly isn't the thread to be promoting my beliefs; but I would like to say that people who purchase foreign have every right to do so. There is nothing illegal or underhanded about buying foreign....whereas, this teacher, pawning a netbook that doesn't belong to her, is illegal in every sense of the word.

I assume that this teacher is an intelligent person, after all, she is a teacher [[not to say that all teachers have a thing called common sense). So, I would also assume she knew right from wrong. Obviously she was desperate for money and decided to go to a very well known pawn shop to get quick money. Why she didn't take her own TV or her own computer or her own fur coat is beyond me. That was a choice she made and being intelligent, she knew there was a very strong possibility of getting caught. Pawning is different than selling. She had every intention of getting the netbook back....but what if she wasn't able to? I'm sure this isn't the first time she's done this and if I were the powers that be, I'd definitely look into her past to see if anything else in her possession that belonged to the DPS is missing.

Oh, and I think she needs to be fired and have this on her record for future reference when she applies for another teaching job in a different community. Resignation is too easy and sometimes the "history" of a person is never revealed to other future employers.

Cheers to you, too!

**English** · January-02-11, 01:03 PM

^ In this tough economic climate, she'll need to list references and provide letters of recommendation for any public school teaching job. Also, her name has been made public, so it would even come up during Google searches if she tried to work for an out-of-state district.

Finally, most [[if not all) teachers have to undergo a background check, including fingerprinting prior to hire -- we are, after all, working with underage minors. If the district presses charges and they stay on her record, she wouldn't be able to hide that.

Procedures for charter and private schools vary. She might have more success going that route.

**Zacha341** · January-02-11, 09:53 PM

So what I don't get was the 'high moral' ground of the pawn shop calling DPS to report it? I can see them declining to take thing - but I hear they dropped the dime. I wonder what Zeidman's stand would have been on this? Or did they get the call too; to be on the look out for these easy to identify items.

I get it that DPS property should NOT be pawned or sold, but I am certain this pawn shop like others have 'looked' the other way with other 'incoming' items obviously 'hot'. Perhaps items less obviously branded and clearly front-loaded with politics for sure.

Stupid that the teacher tried to fence the thing, seeing that it was branded full-out as NOT her personal property. I understand those netbooks even have an admin. password set-up rendering them useless for self modification unless your skilled to do a full ground hack and a complete system/ profile reinstall. What a mess.

**Zacha341** · January-02-11, 09:56 PM

I hear DPS is going to be giving these to some students next... so stand by for more drama. I'd not want to be responsible for that in addition to the daily issues of teaching and classroom management - sounds like a nightmare!! I wonder if some teachers can opt out.

**Zacha341** · January-02-11, 10:00 PM

Right. According to one news article they took it when she tried to pawn it... that had to be an awkward moment, which has led to a bad day for this employee. Hock your jewelry or your own computer. Don't hock company property and not expect to reap the consequences for such actions.

Originally Posted by sumas

DPS discovered nothing, it was the pawn shop that confiscated it.

**Zacha341** · January-02-11, 10:05 PM

Yep, that's it. A teacher I know has one. It's fully admin. locked down. Just for MS Office use and the web. No value except to a bored deep-dish hacker, to crack it down to the mother board doggone near. LOL! Too bad the teacher made the unfortunate and unwise choice to try to hock such a well 'branded' item that was clearly not hers.

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

Here are some pictures of my Netbook. No one can change the password and when it boots up it clearly says Property of Detroit Public Schools [[this can't be changed, either). Notice the I'm In logo with a door on the front cover.

**Django** · January-02-11, 10:39 PM

[QUOTE=Zacha341;211692]So what I don't get was the 'high moral' ground of the pawn shop calling DPS to report it. I wonder what Zeidman's stand would have been on this? Or did they get the call too. I get it that DPS property should NOT be pawned or sold, but I am certain this pawn shop like others has 'looked' the other way with other 'incoming' items.

Exactamondo, these pawn shops will buy anything no questions asked. We were broken into, 2 laptops taken. I went to Al's pawn [[down the street from Ziedmans) and asked if they had any newer Macs, they promptly brought out the Mac that was stolen from our home. No way to get it back free and clear, had to pay the $200. They most def had the other laptop but once they knew we were onto them that laptop was quickly disposed of. Yes we exhausted all police resources trying to get our stolen merch back without having to buy it back.

To be honest I cannot speak on Ziedmans credibility. I sadly use them on a regular basis for a few bucks when I need.

citylover · January-02-11, 11:08 PM

[quote=Django;211705]

Originally Posted by Zacha341

So what I don't get was the 'high moral' ground of the pawn shop calling DPS to report it. I wonder what Zeidman's stand would have been on this? Or did they get the call too. I get it that DPS property should NOT be pawned or sold, but I am certain this pawn shop like others has 'looked' the other way with other 'incoming' items.

Exactamondo, these pawn shops will buy anything no questions asked. We were broken into, 2 laptops taken. I went to Al's pawn [[down the street from Ziedmans) and asked if they had any newer Macs, they promptly brought out the Mac that was stolen from our home. No way to get it back free and clear, had to pay the $200. They most def had the other laptop but once they knew we were onto them that laptop was quickly disposed of. Yes we exhausted all police resources trying to get our stolen merch back without having to buy it back.

To be honest I cannot speak on Ziedmans credibility. I sadly use them on a regular basis for a few bucks when I need.

That sucks! If you had them[[computers) insured and had bill of sale[[c.c. receipt etc) I wonder if your insurance co would go after the pawn shop. It is probably a long shot and might be something for someone else to try in a similar situation in the future ;but insurance co's have the resources to pursue this kind of a thing.Pawn shops must know individuals do not have the resources and they take advantage.

**Django** · January-03-11, 02:33 AM

It was crazy, we had the report from the police dept. about our laptops being stolen yet the pawnshop would not do anything less than sell them back to us. The cops did nothing in the way of tracking down the person who sold it to them. You have to produce an ID to sell or pawn something and they copy that ID.

But hey, I live in the D, its like the wild west down here, I shouldnt be complaining. Its why I love living here. If I couldnt handle it Id move back to Brighton or something.

**Meddle** · January-03-11, 04:28 AM

Originally Posted by Django

I understand fully DT, the notebook was not hers but is hers to use.

She was given use of the notebook though, they trusted her with that. If she doesnt turn it back in at the end of the year she would be penalized correct?

So a DPD officer could hock his city issued sidearm as long as he got it back?

Or maybe the city issued car she uses to drive home?

**Django** · January-03-11, 05:33 AM

I dont know Meddle, in your hypothesis did it interfere with their job?

**Zacha341** · January-03-11, 07:02 AM

Hello fellow Mac user : ) Yeah, I've done business with Ziedmans mostly jewelry [[my own I've had to temporarily 'hock' in between paychecks or jewelry purchased on their layaway plan). They have Mac laptops from time to time and I've considered purchasing... But I think most laptops, and juicy items like Ipod Touch at a pawn shop came straight out of someone house or pocket ala theft, so I've not bothered to buy that kind of stuff there. And yes if your stuff ends up there, you have not choice but 'buy' it back. I have seen the police in Ziedmans asking questions and the do require a thump print in order to hock your stuff for a three month loan. I don't know what their policy is for things sold to the outright.

Originally Posted by Django

Exactamondo, these pawn shops will buy anything no questions asked. We were broken into, 2 laptops taken. I went to Al's pawn [[down the street from Ziedmans) and asked if they had any newer Macs, they promptly brought out the Mac that was stolen from our home. No way to get it back free and clear, had to pay the $200. They most def had the other laptop but once they knew we were onto them that laptop was quickly disposed of. Yes we exhausted all police resources trying to get our stolen merch back without having to buy it back.

To be honest I cannot speak on Ziedmans credibility. I sadly use them on a regular basis for a few bucks when I need.

**Zacha341** · January-03-11, 07:06 AM

Yes, which again is why I do not understand the enthusiam of this pawn shop to inform DPS of the attempted hock of their property. I've been in that pawn shop and it is not what I call a environment of wholesome selling or buying. Please. Hardly... Again it was very stupid for this DPS teacher to attempt to pawn DPS property. Now she must pay the price...

Originally Posted by Django

It was crazy, we had the report from the police dept. about our laptops being stolen yet the pawnshop would not do anything less than sell them back to us. The cops did nothing in the way of tracking down the person who sold it to them. You have to produce an ID to sell or pawn something and they copy that ID.

But hey, I live in the D, its like the wild west down here, I shouldnt be complaining. Its why I love living here. If I couldnt handle it Id move back to Brighton or something.

**Zacha341** · January-03-11, 07:09 AM

I would not even bother... as most of my computers [[used) are purchased off eBay... with that kind of transaction its hard to verify value. Just take photos of your stuff and how your insurance gives you some recovery and weigh that against the increase in your premium or being dropped all together. This is especially true if you live in the city. [quote=citylover;211711]

Originally Posted by Django

That sucks! If you had them[[computers) insured and had bill of sale[[c.c. receipt etc) I wonder if your insurance co would go after the pawn shop. It is probably a long shot and might be something for someone else to try in a similar situation in the future ;but insurance co's have the resources to pursue this kind of a thing.Pawn shops must know individuals do not have the resources and they take advantage.

**Meddle** · January-03-11, 07:32 AM

My guess is that you didn't have the serial numbers, report them stolen and have them entered in NCIC. If you had, the pawn shop would have NO option but to turn them over to the PD or face arrest for receiving stolen property. If they had come up in NCIC, the PD could have confiscated them on the spot. Without that, there may not have been anything they could do unless you could somehow other wise PROVE ownership of that specific item.

A theft report without the serial number isn't worth much.

**Gannon** · January-03-11, 07:45 AM

The pawn business is ripe for corruption, that is for sure.

I think they just knew they were being watched...or that this attempt was SO idiotic they HAD to turn her in, thinking it might be a honeypot.

I think they know who their regular clients are...I was rebuffed when I brought the first couple of things in for my friend's crisis. You were THERE, weren't you Django? You were my 'pawn coach', LOL.

I would be happy to live in a world where they, and those payday loan sharks and the like [[even CREDIT CARDS) were not necessary...hey, a guy can dream, can't he?!

**Detroitnerd** · January-03-11, 10:58 AM

This is a nasty incident. But, boy, if you could subpoena or FOIA the stuff that goes on at charter schools ...

**fryar** · January-03-11, 12:20 PM

Mkay, now I'm embarassed.

About my earlier comment. Not to be associated with a bunch of Pawn Shop customers. ;-)

I think it's obvious that $20 is probably a fair ballpark for what she can expect for that Netbook. Not like she was going to get $500 for it or anything. I can't even imagine the mindset and the assumptions that make this the preferable option for $20 - even if it's just convenience on the way home. In a country with almost-10% official unemployment, you do that in a town said to have 50% unofficial unemployment? For a twenty? Whatsamattawitchu?!

If you hock some of your own jewelry to pay a major bill, that's a different story, and there's still room for you in the middle class.

**fryar** · January-03-11, 12:27 PM

Wow. Meanwhile, over at the Free Press, there are some outlandish racist comments. Really, I just go there for the ridiculous diatribes.

I realize it's old news, but wow. I am stunned. Do they not moderate over there?

**Zacha341** · January-03-11, 03:24 PM

Yeah, they know who there regulars are and who they get their shaddy stuff from that the look the other way about as it is not so 'hot' for them to flip for a profit. Craigslist is the other option for fencing stolen goods.

Originally Posted by Gannon

The pawn business is ripe for corruption, that is for sure.

I think they just knew they were being watched...or that this attempt was SO idiotic they HAD to turn her in, thinking it might be a honeypot.

I think they know who their regular clients are...I was rebuffed when I brought the first couple of things in for my friend's crisis. You were THERE, weren't you Django? You were my 'pawn coach', LOL.

I would be happy to live in a world where they, and those payday loan sharks and the like [[even CREDIT CARDS) were not necessary...hey, a guy can dream, can't he?!

**DetroitTeacher** · January-03-11, 04:40 PM

Ok, I have the unofficial scoop from someone who knows the not so bright teacher. She is a frequent customer at the pawn shop [[like weekly). Rarely does she get the stuff back. She did NOT need a quick fix to an issue that just came up nor did she just need a few bucks to tide her over because of some emergency. She is claiming that DPS told her the computer was hers to do with as she wished [[even though she did sign the contract that said it was DPS property and DPS was slapped all over the Netbook).

Now, someone could have been blowing smoke up my ass when they told me this...but I doubt it.

**English** · January-03-11, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by fryar

Wow. The Free Press comments. Really, I just go there for the ridiculous diatribes.

I realize it's old news, but wow. I am stunned. Do they not moderate over there?

No, they don't, and you know that stuff is inflammatory, so why repost it?

**ct4438** · January-03-11, 11:58 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2011010...-new-computers

Here is confirmation.....45,000 computers for DPS students

**fryar** · January-04-11, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by English

No, they don't, and you know that stuff is inflammatory, so why repost it?

I thought that Freep comment was too big a fail to actually be inflammatory. Lazy ne'er-do-wells lacking the sense not to be content to writhe in the muck and mire is really a pretty dated form of racism at this point. I just meant to say that they should start moderating in order to eliminate the truly undignified comments.

I have edited my post to remove the offending Freep comment quote. Sorry.