None of the charges will stick, but cops are using bullshit arrests and trumped up charges to discourage people from defending their rights.
It takes less logical leaps to charge the cops with terrorism than it does for any of the three charges.
this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2026
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The charges would not stick if they were charging him with destruction of property. But they're charging him with attempted destruction of property. The difference is that if he believed he was destroying a real camera (which he admitted to them), then the attempt was real, even if he failed.
I agree it's stupid that the police are spending time and resources to bait someone into attacking a fake camera, though. Especially when their jurisdiction is actively discussing removing them.
The police caught a person who engaged in destroying public property
How's it public property if its owned by a cop, there is no paper trail and they lack a 3d printer to even create it?
It's the same crime if someone broke a $5 3d printed piece of junk anyone else made...
Cops likely wouldn't even write a ticket. They absolutely would not arrest someone.
Everyone who thinks that's worth the staffing to surveil it 24/7 till someone broke it, should try calling cops and reporting something worth $999 stolen to the cops.
They'll fucking laugh at you and refuse to even file a report for insurance.
That's my entire point, the only point of this was to change the publics expressed political views thru threat of illegal arrest and trumped up charges.
That's literally state sponsored terrorism.
How would this be different than a bait car or otherwise coordinated setup?
Bait cars are worth money, and for legal purposes are actual cars...
If you steal a bait car, you still steal car.
This guy didn't damage anything containing electronics, and it costs a few dollars knocking out all the other felonies.
Charges should be filed on the cops for all this, because they reasonably should have known the entire thing was at minimal a wanton waste of resources.
That doesn’t really seem solid to me. It could be they’re real cars so they can be started/take off, demonstrating the intent. It’s seems like way more effort to make a fake prop car because you still have to get it to the trap area and pass it off right? I doubt much of the charge for car theft has to do with value. For grand theft auto you need to prove they intended to actually steal the car otherwise it’s just joyriding.
At the very least it’d seem like they’d still be up for vandalism/destruction of property, assuming there aren’t more serious charges for damaging security/surveillance equipment.
That doesn’t really seem solid to me
Well, that's because you don't seem to know what a bait car is...
The modification is usually just that the car shuts off in less than a minute. Some will disable seatbelt releases or lock the doors so you can't get out.
But the thing that makes it a bait car, is there's no risk of high speed pursuit. It is still a car.
For grand theft auto you need to prove they intended to actually steal the car otherwise it’s just joyriding.
What the fuck is that even?
You think if someone steals a car, the charges are reduced if they say it's for funsies?
At the very least it’d seem like they’d still be up for vandalism/destruction of property,
Again, you have no idea what I'm talking about, what the article is talking about, or how criminal charges work...
In general the value of the object determines misdemeanor/felony. Which I'm assuming you might not know, is a huge difference.
If charged on the actual value, no DA would charge. So they want to charge on the perceived value, which is still under the felony limit.
At the very least it’d seem like
Crimes under the felony threshold should be charged as misdemeanor equivalents...
Not sure what in my comment is deserving of the hostility but anyway. Nor given the way my comment is phrased, do I think I’m trying to pass myself off as an expert. Just very doubtful of the implication that this guy is going to walk out without a charge.
The modification is usually just that the car shuts off in less than a minute
Which as I suggested, allows for the intent to be demonstrated. My point was a fake car would be pointless, so the point of “it’s still a real car” falls flat. (Edit: also joyriding is still a crime. Hardly funsies)
Tap for spoiler
Elements of Grand Theft Auto
Generally, a prosecutor charging grand theft auto will need to show that the defendant drove or otherwise took possession of a motor vehicle owned by someone else. The defendant must not have had the permission of the owner. In addition, a prosecutor must prove that the defendant intended to deprive the owner of the vehicle.
https://www.justia.com/criminal/offenses/theft-crimes/auto-theft/
In general the value of the object determines misdemeanor/felony. Which I'm assuming you might not know, is a huge difference.
Which I agree means he’s not likely to get a full felony charge, but since he broke rule 1 of interacting with the police and admitted to thinking they had value in a statement (allegedly). He could still be facing at least attempted criminal mischief for vandalism (I think). Which isn’t as bad but still potentially a felony.
“When asked how much he believes the camera costs to replace, he stated approximately $1,000-$5,000 proving that Meyer knew it was an expensive real piece of equipment and not a fake replica,” the police report states.
Though the police wording is borderline nonsensical.
Crimes under the felony threshold should be charged as misdemeanor equivalents...
Cops never do that, for reasons you alluded to in your top comment, to deter others from doing it and hoping something sticks. My main point was claiming the had he’s unlikely to be charged is a bit of a stretch.
It’s like if the bait car was made out of cake
When asked how much he believes the camera costs to replace, he stated approximately $1,000-$5,000 proving that Meyer knew it was an expensive real piece of equipment...
The arrest report implies that because Meyer thought that Flock cameras were expensive and because he didn’t know it was a decoy that he could be charged with attempted grand theft and other charges that carry more consequences.
DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE
It reads to me like an officer in their own time (their own expense?) printed a replica device for a third party, private company. They don’t even work for the company. Let Flock worry about decoys. It’s their hardware. What a chode.
Imagine if these bootlickers took the same initiative to engage with their community in a positive way.
Also does this mean we can just install devices on public land, I guess?
Seriously I know there's "contracts" and crap but it's hilarious how the government only seems to care when corporate property is at stake.
The police department in question refuses to release any information about how the decoy operation was devised or carried out and claims there is zero paper trail whatsoever about the operation.
This definitely sounds legit.
Way too many people acting like toddlers caught sneaking candy out of a candy jar. Only these are people's privacy and lives they are stealing.
They are not catching criminals but angry tax payers. This is why all cops are bastards. I always thought this day would come. The techno fascist police state. Listen here hogs you put this shit up in my favorite spots... then I will stop going there. That simple. I already no longer go to home depo and lowes for a laundry list of reasons this being one of them. I DO NO"T CONSENT TO UNWARRENTED SEARCHES AND SIEZURES. Hogs acting like patriots pfffft .... the constituion piggies learn how to read it. The right to the freedom of movement. At this point even the normies fucking hate the police. Cops do not make better communities but taxing the rich do. All these council members gonna be concerned for their lives and do they even earn the pay to be such fascist suck asses.
It was not him, the dude was with me last night playing poker.
I lost money to him. I think he cheats.
He's a damn Saint! I was the one cheating for him. Lost my ass but he's such a good guy it was worth it.
I was also at said poker game.
He should have been charged with three decoy felonies.
Pretty sure a medium strength laser would be enough to damage or destroy the camera sensor in one of these. Could probably snipe it with one from far enough away that being identified would be pretty unlikely.
The problem is that they aren't just cameras. They have all sorts of other sensors in them that would still continue working.
This? THIS IS WHAT THEY SPEND THEIR TIME DOING??
Godamnit fuck these fucking fucks