Post pics of thives, or not?

[soonermajic]

We have notified pice of a break-in. We have good pics of their truck & the perps. Police want pics sent but won't come to wqsh & look @ surveillance cause of social distancing!!!
So, should we post those pics on our Facebook, or not? Is it legal to do that?
If legal, is it a dumb move? Bad PR, or is that a smart move?

 

[Overachiever]

I think the only customers that would be offended by it are the ones you wouldn't want on your property. One of the car washes in my area did a $20 facebook ad recently with video of some people that tried to break into their equipment and ended up catching them with the help of people who saw it.

 

[Rfreeman]

I had a guy breaking into my vacs and I told my snow cone stand tenants they posted the pictures on their Facebook page and even asked for help identifying them....within an hr. someone responded with the names of the individuals and they were caught. I would if I was you

 

[Eric H]

If legal, is it a dumb move? Bad PR, or is that a smart move?

I think VERY FEW people will think negatively of you for posting pictures of people breaking into your equipment. You aren't the bad guy here!

 

[DiamondWash]

I concur post the pictures, we are encouraged to help our Sheriffs Dept by posting on FB because there are more eyes and leads that come from that type of platform. We've had people post on our "People of Des Moines" FB page of crimes and sometimes hours later a mugshot would appear with "Apprehended" above from our police dept.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Definitely post on Facebook.
I’d also post pics outside each bay, all the vacs, vending and changer. I would even post his pic by the street entrance with a sign “DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS THEIF IS?
It would make an impression on all your customers. I wouldn't care about the few that don’t like it cause the ones that might think about doing something bad at your wash will know their face will be planted all over your lot.
Might stop someone from doing “anything” bad at your place in the future.

 

[KleanRide]

I used Facebook last fall to catch a paint dumper at my wash, but when I handed his info over to the cops they completely blew it off. My manager suggested we put up a sign board next to the bill changers and start posting "asshole of the month" photos, but I'm afraid that'll just motivate kids to drop by and try to win that title.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Instead of posting "Info wanted for committing X Crime" which could be libelous, posy "Info wanted for persons of interest in connection with XXX).

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Earl I totally agree.

 

[mac]

Unfortunately many of operators have discovered that police today really don't care about "minor" crimes such as these. So I heartily agree to not only post the pictures, but write what they did. I think most of your customers will be glad that you care about your operation. At a wash I used to own I had a stringer hit me four days in a row. So I went to the local authorities, explained my loss, around $2,000, and asked if I could just stake out the place with my revolver, and capture them. Was shocked when the cop said I better not or I could get in trouble. So be proactive. Here in south FL if I can capture a crook, there are many ways to make something disappear. Many canals and the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[washnshine]

Post away Sooner!

 

[mjwalsh]

Instead of posting "Info wanted for committing X Crime" which could be libelous, posy "Info wanted for persons of interest in connection with XXX).

I think it would depend on how blatantly the clearness of the criminal intent & if 100% proof existed with no ambiguities. The ability to proof a non alterable time date stamp of the pic-video could be a factor. It seems like almost every criminal always pleads not guilty at first.

Possibly proportionality could come into the picture??? ... in terms of the person having his or her reputation ruined at much greater cost than just a more discreet less publicized remedy along with restitution from the perp could be at times the better fit???
If it was a hit & run accident ... the perp could possibly play dumb & say he or she did not the object was scraped or hit etc???

Without a license number ... possibly someone could say their truck was similar & they were damaged by a mistaken identity guess by whoever posting back publicly could be an issue???