Fielder’s Choice - Barry Burleson


Thursday, January 18, 2007
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Fielder’s Choice
By Barry Burleson

Good folks return bank bag

Thefts seem to continue increasing.

Most crime reports from authorities these days contain several breaking and enterings, robberies, burglaries and the such like.

More and more, people are just downright taking other people’s possessions, and that makes all of us law-abiding citizens mad.

During the holidays my wife Pam, with daughter Emma as a passenger, parked our van in a Southaven parking lot and were just out of it for maybe 20 minutes.

Several days later Pam noticed the lock on the driver’s side door was damaged. Someone had inserted a tool, likely a screwdriver, into the lock.

That same day we received a large manila envelope in the mail.

Inside was one of our bank bags and a note.

A kind couple had found the bank bag, stuffed only with receipts, at the intersection of Winchester and I-240 in Memphis, Tenn. They included a nice note, saying they spotted it on the side of the road and just wanted to return it to the owners.

No doubt the person or persons who broke into our van spotted the bank bag between the seats and thought they had gotten away with cash.

When it had only paper inside, they tossed it, apparently in anger and frustration.

But, come to find out, that’s not all they took from our van.

They also grabbed our DVD player with two screens, which the children used to watch movies while we traveled.

They seemed to be professional thieves – in and out of the van quickly with no alarm going off.

We were lucky.

Pam and Emma were not hurt.

I hate to think what might have happened if they had returned to the van sooner and walked up while the van was being burglarized.

Losing a DVD player is nothing to lose sleep over. It’s just another one of those material possessions that really doesn’t matter in the overall scheme of things.

But the unfortunate incident was also a reminder during the holiday season there are lots of good, honest folks out there, too – like the Cordova, Tenn., people who were considerate enough to return the bank bag.

I keep telling Pam the van may be jinxed.

Several months back it was parked in front of The South Reporter when someone driving another vehicle backed into it and drove away.

Lots of things have changed for the worse over the years, and one of those is more and more crime.

I lived 12 miles from town growing up in rural Alabama. During the summer months we slept with our house windows up, so we could enjoy the breeze.

There was a break-in every now and then but not regularly.

Today most folks have more than one lock on most of their doors and windows, and many have alarm systems in their homes.

Years ago we never really thought about locking our automobiles.

Today we lock them even if we’re inside for just a few minutes. And an alarm system is basic equipment on all vehicles.

Our law enforcement officers are fighting an uphill battle.

We simply need folks living by the Ten Commandments, today more than ever.

Do not worship any other gods.
Do not make any idols.
Do not misuse the name of God.
Keep the Sabbath holy.
Honour your father and mother.
Do not murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.

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