Hi
I, like many others perhaps, feel very very strongly against people stealing personal possessions. There is a very clear law against it for starters but even without the written law it's still a no no in most eyes. They belong to me so don't abuse and take them.
So anyways last month my car got stolen whilst I was visiting a friend at the local hospital. Of all the times. It's only an old beat up vehicle but it used to do alright for me. So the police do the usual enquiries but I assume that's the end of that. Pitifully small insurance claim here we come.
Then, yesterday, out of the blue, my brother, who happens to drive the same make/model, tried at the local car salvage/ scrap metal dealers to get some parts for his old beat up model. Guess what? He recognizes my car in the yard being broken up for spares! It was already split up. They had the tyres loose to one side, the leather seating all taken out and the engine block hanging from a winch. My pride and joy dismantled. But the worst was yet to come.
My brother calls me to tell me the news. I am fuming when he tells me it's now beyond repair.
But here's the worst bit. My brother had originally gone there to look for a replacement set of wheels as he is having problems with the tyre valves. But he thought to himself, he obviously couldn't purchase the tyres because after all they are a pretty major part of the car itself and the car was mine. They are stolen goods. But, he saw no problem in buying off the dealer the set of tyre valves off the wheels.
Now to my simple mind, those valves and every last nut and bolt on that car belong to me.
He said, as the valves were only a very small fraction of what was a major component (the wheels) his conscience allowed him to take it. He may as well have taken the lot. Is there a difference?
Thanks
Thomas Covenant