Posted on 06/19/2006 8:10:58 AM PDT by dead
Undercover NYPD cops are cracking down on New York buyers of illegal fireworks by staking out Pennsylvania vendors - and, for the first time, seizing the cars of people who travel out of state to get their Fourth of July fireworks.
So far this year, cops have seized 30 vehicles belonging to New York ers as they return home from Penn sylvania after buying fireworks there, and have arrested 60 people, according to a report in New York magazine this week. The report says undercover cops have been watching Pennsylvania fireworks vendors and looking for New York license plates. The heightened enforcement comes after Mayor Bloomberg's law-enforcement officials noted an increase in illegal fireworks set off during last Fourth of July on Staten Island.
One Pennsylvania merchant, Bill Weimer, told the magazine that he asks New York police to quit taking pictures of his customer's license plates and leave his stores but that they go across the street and "give off that New York cop attitude."
In an odd twist, New Yorkers - who are barred from possessing fireworks in their home state - can legally buy them in Pennsylvania, which prohibits sales only to its own residents.
A law-enforcement source told The Post yesterday that the NYPD also has confiscated hundreds more cases of fireworks this year compared with last year. More than 1,000 cases have been seized to date, as against 150 last year...
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Luckily, funds from auctioning the seized cars probably cover a portion of the enormous overtime costs the cops ring up on those leisurely drives to PA and back.
I'm sure the working stiff looking to shoot a few bottle rockets at his Fourth of July picnic really enjoys the involuntary contribution of his car. And when he loses the job he can no longer get to, we can light some firecrackers to celebrate the fact that we get to pick up his welfare and unemployment tab.
So now the government can seize a vehicle for fireworks?
No trial. No jury. just sell it?
Meanwhile, how many ILLEGAL aliens live and work in NYC with forged documents??
So is the good news that NY has solved how it's major crime problems and can now concentrate on the notorious fireworks bootleggers?
Yep.
Eventually they will seize your vehicle for failure to wear a seatbelt if they so desire and need the revenue.
Wow...that was fast.
So, let me get this straight. July 4th represents our Independence as a free people, and lighting fireworks is customary and traditional. To day, people are arrested for this. It's long past calling this a free country, and not one in a thousand even understands what getting arrested for fireworks really means.
But what happens if you are an illegal alien and you have illegal fireworks in your car?
Sounds like Penn needs to get off it's butt and arrest a few of these cops.
No kidding, why aren't they staking out the mexican consulate?
There, fixed that for you.
When the idiots at the Pennsy LCB tried to do this in Maryland, the Maryland state troopers arrested them.
Should do the same here.
Please! Auntie Schumer will whack you!
This came to an end when the shopping mall owners in New Jersey did their own legal research and determined that New York City law enforcement officials have no jurisdiction in New Jersey -- and they threatened to have any New York City government employee caught writing down license plates arrested and charged with criminal trespass, stalking, etc.
I can't wait for the 4th. Living in Montana, I can get these fireworks that go way high in the air and explode with a thunderous boom and spread lights and colors throughout my field of view. I feel like an artilleryman!
I think a noise violation fine would be more in order.
My question too. It would seem that the idea of the presumption of innocence has been exchanged for the presumption of guilt if punishment is now meted out before a trial by jury. 'Course, the federal government has the precedent for this; they have long siezed not just the vehicles, but other assets, such as bank accounts, of those people suspected, not convicted, of drug dealing.
I think the State of NY should just set up its own Customs checkpoints. That's unconstitutional of course, but who cares at this point, since the Constitution is pretty much seen these days as an "activist" document that can be used to justify whatever scheme our rulers come up with.
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