It merely reinforces my point that your parents drew a dumbass cop. There are any number of crimes that are never witnessed by a cop, felony or misdemeanor, that still go on trial and result in convictions. I HATE lardasses like that! Your dad is correct, it was still a theft!
It seems to be a problem with the Mesquite police. Several years ago, my parents got a call from The Room Store asking what time they wanted the furniture delivered. Not having ordered anything, they had no clue what they were talking about. It seems a black woman had purchased a houseful of furniture and paid with my Mom's new checks that had come in the mail (but Mom hadn't received.) The Room Store calling saved them much money because my Dad put a stop payment on the checks immediately.
That wasn't the end, though. The woman got credit cards with the ID and new bank account with new checks. The mail and phone calls just kept coming. My Dad lived at the police station trying to get something done about it. The cops knew who she was, but said they couldn't do anything then, either.
After many months, I can't remember exactly how long, the woman started paying her water bill to the City of Mesquite with the bad checks. After 3 checks to the city, the cops finally arrested her.
Oh, and it turned out the woman's sister?... friend? somebody.. anyway, she had an accomplice that worked at the USPS. That's how they knabbed the checks. My mother's ID wasn't the only one swiped.