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Thief returns stolen truck with note of apology – and gifts!

In the bustling world of Auckland cafés, where flat whites and smashed avocados reign supreme, one café owner recently found himself entangled in a plot that could rival a sitcom script. Varun Chada, the proud owner of Kati Street, had his beloved 4WD truck snatched right out from under his nose, leaving him in a state of disbelief that could only be rivalled by a magician's audience. Picture this: a sunny afternoon, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air, and Chada minding his own business when, suddenly, his trusty truck disappeared faster than a piece of cake at a weight loss support group meeting. The audacity! The cheek! Someone had the gall to pull off a vehicular heist right outside his beloved eatery. But it gets better. Four days later, as if the universe had decided to play a cosmic prank on poor Varun, the stolen truck made a triumphant return. Parked in the exact same spot, as if it had never embarked on a wild joyride. It was like the vehicular version of Houdini's vanishing act, only with less smoke and mirrors and more caffeinated confusion. To add a sprinkle of absurdity to the mix, the returned truck came with a heartfelt, handwritten letter of apology. Now, we applaud any criminal with the decency to apologise, but it seems this particular ne'er-do-well could use a grammar lesson or two. The apology note featured the word "sorry", albeit with a creative twist on spelling that would make any English teacher cringe. “I couldn’t believe it,” Chada <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/watch-cafe-owners-stolen-truck-returned-with-sorry-note/VTWKKMRGR5AOTNIQGJNKBP6H7E/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The NZ Herald</a>. "The first time I thought I was losing my mind because I’d just walked inside, and the second time I rocked up, and it was parked there." As it turns out, the thief, in an attempt to excuse their vehicular misdeed, claimed to be a bit 'drunk' and in desperate need of a ride home. Because, you know, grand theft auto is a completely acceptable solution to a night out with one too many beers. "It was exactly where I’d parked it," Chada explained, "and I walked up to the window and there was a note inside it saying ‘hey mate sorry but I borrowed your car, was a bit drunk’ and none of us could believe it." But here's the twist that turns this tale into a comedy goldmine – the thief not only returned the truck unscathed but also left some new toys in the back for Chada's young son! It's like they momentarily transformed from a rogue car bandit to the world's most peculiar Santa Claus. Despite the surreal nature of the ordeal, Chada seems to be taking it all in stride. “I’m not condoning what they did is fine, but I mean, they gave it back and they said sorry, so, I don’t know, I’m just stoked to get it back, put it that way.” The saga has become the talk of the town, with Chada's Facebook and community pages buzzing with activity. Social media, the modern-day town square, has played a pivotal role in the unfolding drama, with hundreds of likes, shares and comments turning the café owner into an unintentional social media influencer. As for the truck, it's currently parked at Chada's house, awaiting the forensic scrutiny of the police. The investigation continues, but in the meantime, Aucklanders are left scratching their heads, wondering if their next caffeine fix might come with a side of unexpected vehicular shenanigans. Images: Facebook

Legal

Inspiration, influence and theft: what the Ed Sheeran case can tell us about 70 years of pop music

a US court <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/may/04/ed-sheeran-verdict-not-liable-copyright-lawsuit-marvin-gaye">ruled in favour of singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran</a>, agreeing his song Thinking Out Loud did not breach musical copyright. The high-profile court case, brought by the estate of soul singer Marvin Gaye, claimed Sheeran’s song was too similar to Gaye’s song Let’s Get It On. On the stand, Sheeran <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/28/ed-sheeran-sings-in-court-as-part-of-marvin-gaye-copyright-case">defended his songwriting process</a>, stating: “I draw inspiration from a lot from things in my life and family.” Sheeran’s case brought up some difficult questions around what we understand as inspiration and influence, and what we may hear as theft. Musical copyright cases are part of songwriting history. Radiohead’s Creep was found to be <a href="https://entertainment.time.com/2013/08/22/11-suspiciously-sound-alike-songs/slide/the-hollies-the-air-that-i-breathe-1974-vs-radiohead-creep-1992/">too similar</a> to the Hollies’ The Air That I Breathe, and in 2018, Lana Del Rey’s Get Free <a href="https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/lana-del-rey-claims-lawsuit-with-radiohead-is-over-watch-1202736177/">was found to plagiarise Creep</a>. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars altered the credits to Uptown Funk to <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lawsuit-bmg-uptown-funk-royalties-gap-band-heirs-1234660379/">acknowledge the similarity</a> to The Gap Band’s Oops Upside Your Head. Here in Australia, the flute solo in Men at Work’s Down Under, which quoted the melody of folk song Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree, was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jul/06/men-at-work-down-under">ruled as plagiarism</a>. In this case against Sheeran, the song’s chord progression was at the heart of the claim. The prosecution argued Sheeran’s chord progression was too similar to the chord progression of Gaye’s. But can we copyright a chord progression if it is used extensively in other pop songs? Gaye’s song uses four chords that gradually move upward (I-iii-IV-V). These same chords can be heard in the Beach Boys’ I Can Hear Music, the Seekers’ Georgy Girl, the Beatles’ I Feel Fine, in the Motown tune This Old Heart of Mine by the Isley Brothers, Elvis Presley’s Suspicious Minds, Cher’s Believe and ABBA’s Knowing Me Knowing You, among many others. This chord progression and many others are part of the songwriting toolkit of rock and pop and have been heard continuously over the past 70 years. <h2>The 12 bar blues</h2> A chord progression is the main instrumental part you hear in most pop music, usually played by a guitar, piano or synth. One of the oldest chord progressions in pop is the 12-bar blues – a looping pattern of three chords that is very identifiable. As the name suggests, this set of chords stems from early blues and was a way for musicians to easily play together and improvise. A version of this progression can be heard in Muddy Waters’ I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man or John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom. You can also hear this progression in a number of other pop songs – listen to verses of Queen’s I Want to Break Free and Kiss by Prince – both use the same chord progression, but sound very different to each other. More recently, Lizzo’s Better in Colour uses the 12-bar blues in a way that makes an old formula fresh. <h2>The ‘doo-wop’ progression</h2> The “doo-wop” progression has appeared in pop music for close to 80 years, and is named because most doo-wop songs feature this chord progression – it was an essential part of its sound. You can hear it in 1950s hits such as the Penguins’ Earth Angel and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers’ Why Do Fools Fall in Love?. The strength of these chords means they are used in pop music of all kinds, including ELO’s Telephone Line, Don’t Dream it’s Over by Crowded House, Destiny’s Child’s Say My Name, Blank Space by Taylor Swift, and Flowers by Miley Cyrus. Despite its consistent use, these chords still cross genres and eras, and still catch our ears. Comedy act Axis of Awesome use a similar progression in their video for 4 Chords, where they cleverly play almost 50 different songs with a variation on these four simple chords. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oOlDewpCfZQ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h2>The I-IV-V (the ‘one, four, five’)</h2> Perhaps the most common chord progressions in rock and pop are those that use the I, IV and V chords in various combinations. They’re usually the first three chords you learn on an instrument and open up thousands of songs to play – from the rock and roll of Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran, the garage rock of Wild Thing by the Troggs, the bubblegum of Hanson’s Mmmbop and the indie rock of Coldplay’s Yellow, to the modern pop of bad guy by Billie Eilish and good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo. <h2>Going forward</h2> Rock, pop, blues, doo wop and other musical genres can often be defined by their use of repeated chord progressions. These chord progressions are part of a songwriter’s toolkit in a similar way to how an artist may use different paint brushes. As Sheeran’s lawyer Ilene Farkas <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/may/04/ed-sheeran-verdict-not-liable-copyright-lawsuit-marvin-gaye">noted</a>, chord progressions are, "the letters of the alphabet of music […] these are basic musical building blocks that songwriters now and forever must be free to use." It is how these “building blocks” are used, and in what combinations, that gives us a great variety of pop songs over many decades. The true craft of great pop music is to take these formulas and turn them into something unique (while simultaneously making it sound easy). The ruling in Sheeran’s case supports the rights of musical artists to continue to use these progressions as part of a songwriter’s toolkit, and to build from the artists who came before them. It also acknowledges that influence and inspiration from previous works are part of the construction of the pop music we love. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/inspiration-influence-and-theft-what-the-ed-sheeran-case-can-tell-us-about-70-years-of-pop-music-204747" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Funeral director accused of stealing from dead woman

An 82-year-old woman, Teresa had to sadly lay her 56-year-old daughter Helen Moratias to rest after her untimely death. A devastated Teresa sensed something was off when she said the funeral director refused to open the casket at the church. "I was screaming and crying," Moraitis told A Current Affair. "I wanted to see my daughter and all my relatives wanted to see, to say goodbye.” After months of emotional torture, Teresa made the decision to exhume her daughter's remains from the above ground mausoleum. A Current Affair’s cameras were invited onto the scene, to bring to light what Teresa claims is the dark side of Australia’s unregulated funeral industry. After travelling to the mortuary facility, embalmers opened the casket to find Teresa’s naked remains in a blue body bag with her arm up behind her head. Thousands of dollars of gold jewellery and clothing that were given to the funeral director, Peter Tziotzis, were also missing. Despite paying for her daughter to be embalmed and plans for an open casket funeral, no preparation had been done on the corpse, according to mortuary staff who examined the remains. Teresa claimed on the day of the funeral, her family was told the casket had to be sealed shut as it was the coroner’s order. The family said the coroner later confirmed that no such order ever came about. "I feel betrayed," Teresa said. After Helen’s body was exhumed, detectives arrested Tziotzis, while allegedly finding the missing jewellery and clothes at the funeral parlour. Tziotzis released a statement, saying, “I wish to state in the clearest terms that A Current Affair’s version of events is incorrect and without factual basis. “I did not steal any jewellery or clothing, I did not fail to prepare Ms Moraitis’ daughter’s body for the funeral and burial and I was not dishonest in any way in my dealings with Ms Moraitis. “I also have not been charged with any criminal offence by Victoria Police.” Tziotzis still denies all claims. Image credit: A Current Affair

Legal

“Such lowlifes”: Alleged thieves steal charity donation tin

Two people are wanted by police over the theft of a charity donation bin captured on CCTV. The footage shows a man and woman standing next to each other inside the Gold Coast’s Club Helensvale on Friday, November 25, when he allegedly steals the tin for a charity aimed at preventing youth violence. In the video, released by police in an appeal to find the pair, the man is seen subtly and slowly placing it in a bag slung across his shoulder. Police are urging the man and woman to come forward. The tin that was allegedly stolen was collecting donations for the Jack Beasley Foundation, set up after 17-year-old Jack Beasley died from being stabbed in the heart on the Gold Coast. The charity has also shared an image of the suspected thieves on social media in a bid to identify them. “Hey guys if anyone recognises these two please contact the QPS or send us a message. They stole Jacko’s Donation box from the bar at Club Helensvale on Friday night. Thanks 🙏,” the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JackBeasleyFoundation/posts/pfbid0fgzrLvGVinZfzjqEweJfTqr3RbMKvnT4qHjDcKvUW5Xw1KascA7AiAmDqToEnbqsl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> read. Followers were quick to share their anger in the comments, with some providing information about where they had seen the man before. “Such lowlifes maybe they should get a job instead of stealing from charities,” one person wrote. “I hope they get found, shame on them,” another said. One commenter even alleged that the man had committed similar acts before, stealing the “dog donation box” from the Boathouse Tavern in Coomera “the other day”. “Stealing from charity is pitiful and devious! They may have taken dollars and cents, but they have no sense,” another said. Images: Queensland Police Service

Legal

5 times the Mona Lisa was threatened

Since the Mona Lisa began hanging in the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1804, many have attempted to either vandalise or steal the priceless artwork. Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is widely considered one of the most beloved artworks in the world, with millions of people each year flocking to see her elusive smile. This level of fame has left the Mona Lisa vulnerable to threats of vandalism and theft, with five notable attempts leaving the artwork subject to much higher security. 1911: The Mona Lisa is stolen In 1911, Italian handyman Vincenzo Peruggia and his two accomplices hid in a closet in the Louvre until the museum closed to steal the Mona Lisa. The artwork, which was considered a minor work by da Vinci at the time, was taken by the men and stashed in the floorboards beneath Peruggia’s Paris apartment. Two years after the theft, Peruggia attempted to sell the work to a dealer in Florence, Italy, who inevitably called the police on the thief. Peruggia spent six months in prison and the painting was returned to the Louvre. 1956: A rock is thrown at the Mona Lisa In the year of 1956, the Mona Lisa was vandalised twice by two different assailants. First, the vandal attempted to take a razor blade to the painting, though no damage ended up being inflicted. Then, a Bolivian man named Hugo Unjaga Villegas tossed a rock at the painting. “I had a stone in my pocket and suddenly the idea to throw it came to mind,” he said at the time. Thankfully, the painting was already behind glass, meaning the rock did no permanent damage. 1974: The Mona Lisa is nearly damaged while on tour in Tokyo When da Vinci’s masterpiece was on display for a limited time at the National Museum in Tokyo, 1.15 million people came to see the painting. One of those people was Tomoko Yonezu, a 25-year-old Japanese woman who tried to spray paint the canvas in red on its first day on view. In the days before the opening, the presentation had been the subject of discussion among disability activists, who claimed that in refusing access to those who needed assistance in the name of crowd control, the National Museum was discriminating against the disabled. In an act of defiance, Yonezu managed to spray between 20 and 30 droplets of paint on the artwork, which was able to be restored. Yonezu was convicted of a misdemeanour and made to pay a fine of 3,000 yen, as the National Museum set aside a day when the disabled could exclusively visit the Mona Lisa. 2009: The Mona Lisa is hit with a teacup On an otherwise ordinary day at the Louvre, a Russian woman came to the gallery in 2009 and smashed a teacup against the iconic artwork. She had come to the museum with the cup concealed in her bag, with representatives at Louvre claiming she had let loose because she had been denied French citizenship. Thanks once again to her glass case, the Mona Lisa was not damaged. Still, some took the attempted vandalism as proof that greater security was needed, as the Louvre eventually upgraded the glass on the Mona Lisa in 2019. 2022: The Mona Lisa gets caked In May 2022, the painting was targeted by climate change activists who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/mona-lisa-gets-caked-in-climate-activist-stunt">smeared cake</a> on the protective glass of the artwork. The 36-year-old man who staged the vandalism had arrived at the museum in a wheelchair dressed as a woman, as some caught the aftermath of the event on video and posted it to social media. “There are people who are destroying the Earth,” the man said in one video, speaking in French. “All artists, think about the Earth. That’s why I did this. Think of the planet.” The man was immediately detained, and the Louvre has filed a criminal complaint, with the Mona Lisa once again remaining intact. Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Daylight robbery: Men arrested for nicking a bridge

Eight men have been arrested in the Indian state of Bihar for stealing an iron bridge in broad daylight. When several men arrived in the village of Amiyavar with an excavator and gas torches, locals believed the government was finally removing an old metal bridge that had become more of a nuisance than useful. The men, including some from the state government’s irrigation department, arrived at 7am and worked until dusk for three days. They cut the iron with gas torches and loosened the ground with excavators before taking the metal away in a rented van. However, a local journalist told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61066473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a> that no one knew the men were actually stealing the metal, before depositing it at the warehouse of a local scrap dealer for a profit. “No-one suspected it was a heist,” Jitendra Singh, a journalist who lives “200 metres from the bridge”, told the outlet. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Unique theft in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bihar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bihar</a>, thieves became officers of the irrigation department and stole a 60 feet long iron bridge In Nasriganj, Rohtas, thieves posing as officers, with the help of local personnel, 1/2<a href="https://twitter.com/UtkarshSingh_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtkarshSingh_</a> 📽️ <a href="https://t.co/jhnTbUSYDw">pic.twitter.com/jhnTbUSYDw</a> — Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) <a href="https://twitter.com/sirajnoorani/status/1512521001719894017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></blockquote> The operation was reportedly supervised by Arvind Kumar, who worked part-time at the irrigation department. He allegedly told anyone who asked that “the work had an official sanction”. Ashish Bharti, the senior police official leading the investigation, said Mr Kumar was one of the men arrested. “Irrigation department official Radhe Shyam Singh, the van owner and the owner of the scrapyard are also among those arrested. We are looking for at least four more people,” Mr Bharti said. “Even three days ago, the structure of the bridge was there but suddenly it disappeared and we informed local officials,” Amiyaway local Suresh Kumar told <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/thieves-make-away-with-500-tonne-iron-bridge-in-bihar/article65305774.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu</a>. Pawan Kumar, who lives in a neighbouring village, made the discovery that the operation wasn’t legitimate after he tried contacting Mr Singh and couldn’t reach him. “I tried calling irrigation department official Radhe Shyam Singh, but when he didn’t answer, I called a senior official to ask why they had not followed procedure - the authorities are expected to issue a tender and the work is given to the lowest bidder,” Mr Kumar told the BBC. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The remnants of the 500 tonne bridge that was stolen in Rohtas, Bihar. Pic via <a href="https://twitter.com/AmarnathTewary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmarnathTewary</a> <a href="https://t.co/AaB3Ohc41x">pic.twitter.com/AaB3Ohc41x</a> — Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) <a href="https://twitter.com/nistula/status/1512713303797035011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote> The official told him he was unaware that the bridge had been taken down, prompting a complaint to be lodged with police. After conducting several raids, police have recovered 24.5 tonnes of iron scrap from the bridge, as well as the pick-up van and tools used to strip the bridge, per <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bihar-bridge-theft-case-water-resources-dept-official-seven-others-arrested/article65310750.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu</a>. The bridge in question was in a serious state of disrepair and had been out of use since the early 2000s, when a concrete bridge was built nearby. Journalist Jitendra Singh said the head of the village had sent a petition to authorities to remove the bridge since it had become a health hazard. He said bodies of cattle and even people would get stuck under the bridge after floating from upstream. “Over the years, all the wood used in the bridge had disintegrated and the iron had rusted. Thieves had stolen bits and pieces of the metal to put it to other use or sell it as scrap for a few rupees,” Shailendra Singh, who lives in the village, told the BBC. “But what happened last week was daylight robbery.” Metal is stolen in many parts of India, as well as the US, UK and parts of Europe. In India, manhole covers and water pipes are common targets, while signalling and power cables, overhead line equipment, and clips to hold train tracks in place in England have caused thousands of hours of delays each year. Image: Twitter

Legal

Apple to update AirTags amid claims of stalking and theft

Apple has announced it will add <a href="https://7news.com.au/technology/apple-plans-airtag-security-updates-to-curb-unwanted-tracking-c-5654390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more safeguards</a> to AirTags, a tracking device used to find keys and other personal items, amid reports of the devices being used to stalk people and steal cars.The tech giant said in a <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/02/an-update-on-airtag-and-unwanted-tracking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a> that it had worked with safety groups and law enforcement agencies to identify more ways of improving its AirTag safety warnings.These new measures include alerting people sooner if the tracker is suspected to be tracking someone, as current notifications that the tracker has been separated from its owner can take hours.Other updates will include adjusting the tone sequence of the tracker so it is louder and easier to find and allowing someone to see the distance and direction of an AirTag, which are expected to be introduced later this year.Apple will also add warnings during the setup process, informing users that tracking people without their consent is a crime.Stories of people realising they are being tracked using the Apple devices have increased in recent months, including the case where a Melbourne student was notified through her iPhone that someone had been tracking her for three hours while she was out with friends.Her mother Sue, who spoke to <a href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> on condition of anonymity, said her daughter had found the AirTag in her handbag before destroying it in a panic.Other stories have emerged online of people, especially young women, discovering the devices hidden in their vehicles.“We’ve become aware that individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone’s keys with an AirTag attached, or when travelling in a car with a family member’s AirPods left inside,” Apple said in a statement.“We also have seen reports of bad actors attempting to misuse AirTags for malicious or criminal purposes.“We condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products,” the company said.Image: Getty Images

Technology

Heartbroken tradie's ute stolen with mother's ashes in glovebox

A man from Queensland has been left heartbroken after his ute, with his mother’s ashes in the glove box was stolen.Carpenter Kayden Holmes had left his key in the ignition of his white Holden Colorado as he loaded tools into the boot when a thief jumped in and sped off on Sunday.The incident was captured on a neighbour’s security camera and the footage was shared on social media. The clip shows Mr Holmes’ attempt to stop the grab and dash before he was dragged along the road in Holmview, a residential suburb of Logan.The tradie was left with an ankle injury after his foot was run over during the scuffle. He is now desperate for the return of his mother’s ashes, which had been placed inside a piece of jewellery following her death from cancer in 2015.It’s unlikely the alleged thief knew the precious item was inside the glove box of the ute when it was taken.“The car is replaceable, everything in that car is replaceable, but the ashes aren’t,” he told 7NEWS on Tuesday.“I need them back, I don’t want them, I need them.”Mr Holmes told Sunrise that he was now offering “a reward to anyone that comes forward with information leading to the name or the arrest, even just the ashes”.“That’s just the last thing I have of mum and it takes a lot to make me upset, and we’ve gone through a lot of humps in this road, but this one has knocked me about a bit.”Mr Holmes said he kept the ashes in his car as he liked to have his mother near him at all times.“I just thought that having her in the car with me, she can come everywhere I go kind of thing, just to have that kind of reassurance.”Queensland Police are investigating the incident and urge anyone with information to contact them.Image: 7 News

Legal

Woman's $940k theft from vet hospital to play pokies app

A woman has pleaded guilty to stealing $940,000 from her employer, after using the funds to fuel her addiction to an online gambling game that doesn’t pay out real money. Tasmanian woman Rachel Naomi Perri appeared before Hobart’s Supreme Court on Monday facing 25 charges of computer-related fraud and one count of fraud. Ms Perri, 49, stole the money over the three years she worked at the Tasmanian Veterinary Hospital as an account manager. The “anomalies” in bank transactions were only discovered after Ms Perri was made redundant. The full extent of her theft was uncovered after a full investigation. Crown prosecutor Simone Wilson told the court that Ms Perri made 475 fraudulent transactions over the course of three years and four months, with the final amount totalling $940,221. Ms Wilson told the court that Ms Perri was the only person managing the hospital’s bank accounts and transferred money from the accounts to a variety of credit cards, personal loans, and other bank accounts in her name. Police also discovered that Ms Perri had fraudulently taken out a $30,000 credit card in her husband’s name in 2015, racking up $24,000 in debt without her husband’s knowledge. When she was interviewed by police in 2019, Ms Perri “immediately said, ‘I’m guilty’.” The court heard that Ms Perri told police she had been playing a game called Heart of Vegas for the past four years, which is where all of the money had gone. “It is similar to playing pokies and you shop to purchase coins or credits,” Ms Wilson told the court. “[But the] credit purchased never turned into actual money. She couldn’t explain why she was playing that game when there was no return.” Heart of Vegas claims to feature “real Vegas slot machines just like the ones you know and love”. Its terms and conditions also state that players “may be required to pay a fee to obtain virtual items”, but that “virtual items may never be redeemed for ‘real world money’”. Ms Wilson read out Ms Perri’s interview with police to the court and said she was in her “own little world” while playing. “I got myself into so much trouble but decided I’d keep going until [I] got caught,” she <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-23/woman-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-940k-from-her-workplace/100639450" target="_blank">said</a> in the record of the interview. “I knew I couldn’t get away with it. I was waiting for a knock on the door from police.” Greg Barns, Ms Perri’s lawyer, told the court that the accused had a “lengthy history of gambling” that started when she turned 18 in Launceston. “She began to use poker machines and she won $26 from placing a dollar into a machine and, as she described it, it went from there,” he told the court. Mr Grant said his client had moved from Launceston to Hobart for a fresh start, but began gambling 2008-09. “She described spending consecutive hours on poker machines,” he said. “One session she spent 16 hours continuously playing on the machine.” When Ms Perri discovered Heart of Vegas, Mr Barns said she became so addicted that she would keep spending money just to “keep playing the game”. “She got so addicted that she’d play it first thing in the morning,” he told the court. “She would set it up at night so it played in auto.” Ms Perri was diagnosed as having a severe gambling disorder by forensic psychiatrist Dr Michael Jordan. “He considered that Perri’s gambling disorder was the most significant factor in her fraud activity,” Mr Barns told the court. “[Her gambling was mindless, with no hope of any financial gain.” Mr Barns told the court that Ms Perri voluntarily entered therapy and would need to continue once she was in prison. He said it was unlikely that his client would be able to pay back the veterinary services, after they instituted civil proceedings to recover the money. Ms Wilson said the accused’s behaviour was “planned” and “calculated”, and that she only stopped because she was made redundant. “The prospects of her recovering are slim to non-existent,” she told the court. Ms Perri has been remanded in custody until she is sentenced next month. Image: Getty Images

Legal

"This is just theft": Bride's disgust over wedding act

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A bride has been left heartbroken and disgusted after she discovered a wedding guest had stolen more than 35 items during their wedding reception. In a Facebook post shared on Reddit, the bride revealed that her estranged sister-in-law had taken 30 wedding favours, four bridesmaids bouquets (and the vase they were kept in) as well as the bride's own flowers. She heartbreakingly revealed that a memorial charm with her mother's photo had also been stolen as it was attached to the bridal bouquet. “So I married the love of my life Friday,” the bride wrote on Facebook. “Everything went perfectly .... except one little issue and I am curious (as to) all your thoughts on it. “My brother and his wife are separated but I still invited her because my nephew was a ring bearer and I know she wanted to be there. “Anyhow, at the end of the night she helped herself to a centrepiece, about 30 favoured, four bridesmaid bouquets and the vases they were sitting in. And MY BOUQUET! “Which had a memorial charm with my mum’s photo on it.” “I didn’t find out for sure until the next day. I gave her that whole following day to speak up about it. Nothing,” she said. “Finally I confronted her yesterday. When I asked her why, she replied, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just thought they were nice.’ “Is it me, or is this a complete WTF?! moment?” Reddit users were absolutely furious with the act, saying it was "very uncouth". “Very uncouth. Take ONE centrepiece. It’s almost like she was looting!” said one. “The centrepiece isn’t so uncommon. I let guests take mine, it was mostly family, many of whom still have them as they weren’t perishable. Taking people’s bouquets and the bridal bouquet is just crazy!” Wrote a third: “This is just theft. And last I heard, stealing stuff is a criminal act.” Added one more: “Taking the Bride’s Bouquet is the real WTF. Like the other stuff is rude but not unheard of but seriously who takes that?!” </div> </div> </div> </div>

Relationships

Nurse swipes credit card from dead patient and USES it in vending machine

UK healthcare worker, Ayesha Basharat, has been slammed as she stole a dead patient's card and used it at the hospital's vending machine. She had taken an 83-year-old woman's card from her room in the heartlands Hospital's COVID-19 ward and used the card six times at the vending machine, making contactless payments. Basharat had stolen the card from the woman just moments after she died on January 24th, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/hospital-worker-used-dead-patients-bank-card-buy-sweets-and-fizzy-pop?fbclid=IwAR0zaC47A9DaQWcq_aaGVGjmJOOV9ccbobeGBpAjHpu-SHpTsADEfOmeqso" target="_blank">West Midlands Police</a>. Police caught up to her after she continued to use the credit card despite the family of the woman cancelling it. Basharat has been given two concurrent jail terms of five months each, both of which were suspended for 18 months. Detective Constable Andrew Snowdon said the act was an "abhorrent breach of trust". “This was an abhorrent breach of trust and distressing for the victim’s family," he said. “They were having to come to terms with the death of a loved one from Covid when they found the bank card missing – and then of course the realisation that the card was taken by someone who should have been caring for her. “I wish the family all the best for the future and with this conviction hope they can move on from this upsetting episode.”

Legal

Football club accused of artistic theft

An Indigenous artist has accused Port Adelaide Football Club of using a stolen design for their 2021 Indigenous Round guernsey, prompting an investigation. The club recently revealed the new jumper and associated merchandise ahead of their match with Fremantle on May 30. The design was chosen after the club asked high school students to “design a guernsey that represents their family, culture and heritage”. The teen who won the competition last year, which COVID-19 delayed the use of, said at the club’s press conference on Wednesday that she had spent months painting it after finding inspiration from designs she saw on Instagram. “This is a big accomplishment for me to have so many people see my artwork,” she said. But South Australian woman Elle Campbell claims the design was her “exact painting” shared online and displayed at an exhibition as early as May 2019. <img style="width: 281.1418685121107px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841368/75e502b4955fd26e13b005e9c56763f0872bea54.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5c690d694e07457fa0685707e13b1890" /> “Wow. This is MY painting, someone has submitted it as their own and PAFC are using it for their guernsey,” Campbell wrote alongside a photo of herself holding the painting and a screenshot proving it was on public display two years ago. “I am deeply hurt by the use of this painting and the ‘artist’ claiming this work (to) be their own,” Campbell continued. “The meaning behind this painting was one of my families’ ancient burial ground at Kingston S.E. and the connection we still have with the native flora and fauna on those lands. “My mother had sent me a photo of some kangaroos coming out from the scrub to go have a dip in the water, which was the inspiration for this painting.” At the press conference, the student said the top half of her design represented “the ancestors, Dreamtime stories and people looking over us” while the bottom half “represents the skin colour, the sand, the animals, the dirt, anything”. “The line in the middle that’s the river, represents food source, water, it’s a way - a river that we follow in order to go somewhere. “The footprint in the river is, as I said before, the food source.” Port Adelaide confirmed they had commenced an investigation into the claims on Friday, May 21, less than 48 hours after the unveiling. “Port Adelaide is aware of allegations that surfaced on social media last night regarding the design of its Indigenous guernsey for the upcoming Sir Doug Nicholls Round,” the club said in a statement. “Port Adelaide is investigating the allegations and will not make further comment until it has all the information at hand.” Campbell said she was feeling “pretty heartbroken that another Aboriginal woman has stolen my artwork that not only means so much to me but is also one of my first paintings”. “The most heartbreaking part is wanting my art to be seen on my own merit, not because something like this happening. That’s now been taken away from me.” Port Adelaide and Campbell have since removed their posts from social media. Image credit: 7NEWS

Art

Twins steal from grandparents and get to KEEP the money

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Two Scottish pensioners have been left devastated after their grandchildren stole their life savings from them and refused to pay them back. Crawford Pirrie, 73m and wife Marlene, 75, were heartbroken when their grandchildren, twins Clair and Louise Smith stole $14,000 from them in 2018. The twins had been trusted with the elderly couple's debit card to run errands for them after their grandfather had a stroke, but instead, the twins cleaned out their grandparents. Crawford has said he's yet to get an apology from the twins and that he's "ashamed" to be related to them. The elderly couple tried to get their funds back via a compensation order but were denied by a judge who decided to give a three-month restriction of liberty order. This means that the twins were fitted with electronic tags for three months as well as being ordered to abide by 7 pm to 7 am curfew for the same period. “Not only have the twins refused to pay the money they stole from us but they haven’t even said sorry,” Mr Pirrie said. “They have been acting like they are the victims ever since the court hearing, insisting they haven’t done anything wrong. “They are creatures of the lowest form and we are ashamed to be related to them.” The twins confessed to their crimes, but have not given the money back to their grandparents. Mr Pirrie said that the bank had refused to pay them back as the grandparents gave the twins the debit card willingly. Photo credit: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/twin-sisters-steal-grandparents-savings-and-dont-have-to-return-it/news-story/96eba7ac9cf8f3df0fde4a22b5400f95" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> </div> </div> </div>

News

"Oxygen thief": Outrage over heartless act

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A Perth mother has slammed the heartless thief who stole oxygen canisters her premature son needs to live. TeKao Timu spent the first seven months of his life in a critical condition in intensive care, but is home and requires daily oxygen from canisters to keep him alive. A man was caught on camera stealing TeKoa's supply from out the front of the family home. "It's not a normal theft, it is lifesaving equipment – he needs it," TeKoa's mother Madison Dobels told 9News. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F9NewsPerth%2Fvideos%2F336143004485254%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> Madison wants the thief to come forward and return the stolen cylinders. "I don't think he'd be aware. I can't imagine someone knowing a kid's on oxygen and taking it," Madison explained. "You wouldn't be human and if he did know there are no words other than an oxygen thief." She orders the oxygen twice a week so her son has enough supply, as he can only manage 15 minutes without it before turning blue. TeKoa only goes without oxygen during fortnightly visits to Perth Children's hospital. At the time of writing, the thief has not been found and the oxygen bottles have not been returned. Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/heartless-thief-steals-lifesaving-oxygen-from-sick-perth-baby/44acff98-2a7f-4054-b81b-e1b6862e068d" target="_blank">9NEWS</a> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Royal thief pleads guilty to stealing 77 valuable items

A Buckingham Palace employee has pleaded guilty to stealing a total of 77 items from the royal residence between 11 November 2019 and 7 August 2020. Adamo Canto, from North Yorkshire in the UK reportedly stole multiple items, including an official signed photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a signed photo of the Duke of Sussex and a royal state banquet photo album of US President Donald Trump’s state visit. Some of the items were incredibly valuable, with an approximate worth of thousands of dollars in resale value. Other items stolen by the 37-year-old including a Companion of Bath medal belonging to Vice Admiral Master Tony Johnstone-Burt, who is the Master of the Household. The medal was sold on eBay for £350. The theft came to light when Vice Admiral Johnstone-Burt noticed his medal was missing as he was required to wear it for Trooping the Colour, the Queen’s birthday celebration, this year. "I discovered my Companion of Bath medal and box for sale," his court statement read. "It was up for sale for £500. However, it had been sold for £350." When Police searched his home they realised Canto had stolen the items as he was carrying out his cleaning duties, as due to the pandemic, he was allowed access to areas he normally would be barred from. In total, 77 items were taken including royal memorabilia stolen from the linen room, the Royal Collection ticket office, the Queen’s Gallery shop, the Duke of York’s storeroom as well as things belonging to staff members. The court heard Canto began selling off the stolen items on eBay and while they were being sold for "well under" their real value, he tallied up £7,741. The value of some of the items taken is thought to be between £10,000 and £100,000. Canto has now pleaded guilty and is out on conditional bail. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Legal

Thieves steal litter of seven cocker spaniels worth $4000 each

The owner of seven cocker spaniel puppies and their mother have been left “utterly heartbroken” after the dogs were stolen by thieves during a burglary. The litter of black puppies, which were valued at up to £2,000 each, were taken from a caravan in Tottenham, Cambridgeshire, between 1:30 and 2:30 pm on July 22. Their mother was also taken from the caravan, leaving the family who owned the dogs worth up to £14,000 altogether, “heartbroken”. This isn’t the first puppy theft as a number of similar incidents have occurred over the last three months in Cambridgeshire. Last week Cambridgeshire Police urged the public to be on the lookout for the family of cocker spaniels and warned those who owned pets to be extra vigilant. Detective Sergeant Ashley Ryan, of the force's southern burglary team, said: “The owners are utterly heartbroken and extremely concerned for the welfare of their dogs. “I’m urging anyone who has been offered a similar looking dog, or knows someone who has, to get in touch.”

Family & Pets

5 ways to protect yourself from identity theft

It’s hard to guarantee total protection against hackers and with more people losing money to scammers, it’s important to do your best to stay vigilant. Recent Scamwatch figures show that in 2019, Aussies lost $4.3 million to scammers, which is almost three times more than was lost the year before. With scams becoming more sophisticated, the onus is on you to stop your money from being stolen. Here are five ways to protect yourself from identity theft. (AN: will number later, just hate doing it in a word doc as it doesn’t copy properly to umbraco) 1. Always check your emails In order to get into your accounts, a hacker will try many different passwords or sometimes reset it. If you see a password reset email and you can’t remember requesting one, this can be a major red flag. 2. Set up two-factor authentication This is a two-step process that you can add to your account login. This increases security on your account as it requires a different piece of information outside your password. It is usually a temporary code which is sent as a text message to your phone. How does it work? After you enter your password, you’ll be asked to enter in the code that has been sent to your phone. Some websites have a time limit on the code so if you don’t enter it before the time limit expires, the code will no longer work. This also means that if hackers gain access to your password, they won’t receive the temporary code and won’t be able to get into your account. 3. Consider a PO box Having an outdoor mailbox makes you more vulnerable to identity theft as anyone can help themselves to the personal documents that are sent to your home. Your mail provides information like your full name, bank account details, tax file number and your address. Hackers can also steal bank cards if they’re sent to your home address. If you decide to get a PO box, your mail will be kept in a secure place under lock and key. However, if you don’t want to get a PO box, you can request to send personal documents and bank cards to a secure location. 4. Monitor your credit report Every time you apply for a loan or a credit card, it’s listed on your credit report. You are able to check your credit for free every few months to make sure all listing are correct. If you notice any suspicious activity, contact the relevant bank or lender and let them know that the listing is fraudulent. 5. Check your transaction history Review your purchases every couple of weeks to make sure there aren’t any suspicious transactions. If you notice any transactions that aren’t yours, put your card on hold and contact your bank immediately. You may also need to cancel your existing card and order a replacement.

Money & Banking

5 ways to outsmart a burglar

From burglars’ mouths to your ears: Here are the vulnerabilities they look for when they’re deciding whether to rob you blind. 1. Keep a car parked in your driveway The investigative team at the Portland 24-hour news station KGW conducted an anonymous survey of 86 inmates incarcerated for burglary in a state prison, and almost all of the burglars surveyed said they’d think twice if they saw a car in a driveway. 2. Keep your doors and windows locked Yes, this seems obvious. Yet a lot of people actually forget to lock their doors and windows. Most burglars KGW surveyed said they tended to “break in” simply by walking through an unlocked door or climbing through an unlocked window. 3. Consider making your door kick-proof Some of the burglars surveyed by KGW said they’d be willing to kick in a locked door. It’s actually not difficult to kick in a door. 4. Don’t ignore a knock on the door Every burglar surveyed by KGW reports knocking on the front door before breaking into a home; if someone answers the door, the burglar makes up an excuse and moves on. You don’t have to open the door for the person, but definitely let the person know you’re home – you just might thwart a burglary. 5. Prune those shrubs Burglars value their privacy while they’re breaking and entering. Theoretically, if every house on a particular block seemed empty, a burglar would still choose to target the house that offers the most privacy. To deter would-be burglars, keep the shrubs around your house well-trimmed. Written by Lauren Cahn. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/im-a-burglar-heres-how-to-outsmart-me">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Technology

Dog theft is on the rise: How in danger is your pet and what can be done about it

Dog theft has a devastating impact on people and families and is a known <a href="https://theconversation.com/pet-theft-is-on-the-rise-with-more-than-60-dogs-stolen-in-the-uk-every-week-91418">gateway to animal cruelty</a> and <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/your-money-or-your-pet-76911.html">extortion</a>. Yet <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050209">very few criminals get caught, let alone charged</a>. Some victims point to police inaction, others to the courts. But the reality is that the law informs police priorities and resources, and the sentencing of magistrates. The law has also made dog theft a low-risk, high-reward crime which continues to rise in the UK. Under the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/contents">Theft Act 1968</a>, animal companions are legally regarded as inanimate objects when stolen – their sentience and role within the family are not taken into consideration. Nor is pet theft recognised in the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/contents">Animal Welfare Act 2006</a>. Dog theft crime, and pet theft more generally, is therefore not a specific offence. Instead, stolen pets come under other theft offences such as burglary or theft from a person. Bicycle theft, on the other hand, is recognised as its own offence. This means police records on dog theft are not included in crime statistics, and the only way to access such information is through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to individual police forces. The facts Over the years, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050209">stolen dog figures</a> have been collected by insurance companies and charities and shared by the media, helping to raise awareness of the growing issue. These statistics, however, are always incomplete as police forces do not use a standardised approach to recording pet theft. This means that gathering data from crime recording systems can be time consuming and expensive. The FOI response from Police Scotland, for example, states their systems “do not offer the capability to search according to property stolen”; this is much the same for police forces in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Sussex. My forthcoming <a href="https://www.keele.ac.uk/gge/ourpeople/danielallen/#research-and-scholarship">study</a>, which includes complete FOI statistics for 39 of 44 police forces in England and Wales, found that recorded dog theft crimes rose from 1,545 in 2015 to 1,849 in 2018 – a rise of nearly 20%. Meanwhile, there was a fall in charges related to dog theft crimes: 64 in 2015 to 20 in 2018 – a reduction of nearly 70% (68.7%). In 2018, the police forces with the most dog theft crimes were: Metropolitan (London) (256), West Yorkshire (167), Greater Manchester (145), Merseyside (117), and Kent (108). But overall, only 1% of dog theft crime cases investigated resulted in a charge in England and Wales. Under the Theft Act 1968, sentencing is dependent on the monetary value of the stolen animal (under or above £500), and the crime is treated as a category three (fine to two years in custody) or four offence (fine to 36 weeks in custody) in magistrates court. The Ministry of Justice has rejected multiple FOI requests to establish what exact sentences have been handed down, but media reports show what some dog thieves are receiving if caught.<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/success?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdownload.shutterstock.com%2Fgatekeeper%2FW3siZSI6MTU3MTA4NDc0MCwiYyI6Il9waG90b19zZXNzaW9uX2lkIiwiZGMiOiJpZGxfMTIyMzAzNjMzOCIsImsiOiJwaG90by8xMjIzMDM2MzM4L21lZGl1bS5qcGciLCJtIjoxLCJkIjoic2h1dHRlcnN0b2NrLW1lZGlhIn0sImNGK3lsblhKczRzdk13R0xJUGVMMFh3ekhocyJd%2Fshutterstock_1223036338.jpg&pi=33421636&m=1223036338&src=xrXsrrUiknzyi-_dSK0RjQ-2-30" class="source"></a> In June 2018, a gang of four were tried at Lincoln Crown Court for stealing <a href="https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/real-life-cruella-de-vil-1651862">15 Cavalier King Charles spaniels</a> from a Lincolnshire breeder. Only one of the dogs was later recovered and reunited with its owner, having been thrown from a moving vehicle. All four of the accused pleaded guilty to theft – and the gang members received suspended sentences of between 12 and 16 months. In December 2018, a dog thief who pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates Court to stealing <a href="http://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/dog-thief-pleads-guilty-and-received-200-fine-400-costs-and-received-a-drugs-rehabilitation-order-and-my-dogs-are-still-missing-pettheftreform/">two pugs named Betty and Harry</a> and was ordered to pay £200 compensation, £400 costs and received a drugs rehabilitation order – the stolen dogs remain missing. In February 2019, an Amazon driver who stole <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-47307136">miniature schnauzer Wilma</a> when delivering dog food was given a 12-month community order by magistrates in High Wycombe. <a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/987748/outcry-as-dundee-dog-thief-fined-after-pug-puppy-mysteriously-disappears/">Pixie, an 11-month-old pug,</a> also went missing while being looked after by a family friend in July 2018, and has not been seen since. In September 2019, the dog thief was ordered to pay a £250 fine at Dundee Sheriff Court. Pet theft reform There are currently minimal deterrents for stealing dogs, and it seems the government does not take the crime seriously. The <a href="https://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/">Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (Sampa)</a>, however, is calling for MPs to change this through “Pet Theft Reform” – a campaign which is growing in public and cross-party political support. Campaign petitions in <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/212174">2018</a> and <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/244530">2019</a> government petitions both passed 100,000 signatures, triggering two parliamentary debates. Sampa has set out two routes to reform. One <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/212174">is to revise sentencing guidelines</a> in the Theft Act 1968 to “reclassify the theft of a pet to a specific crime in its own right”. Indeed, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani8050078">Dogs Trust</a> is also lobbying for dog theft to be recognised as a more serious <a href="https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/news-events/news/dog%20theft%20briefing%20june%202018.pdf">category two offence or above</a>. And according to DEFRA minister <a href="http://bit.ly/2lUfFSS">George Eustice</a>: “The government interpret the latest guidance from the Sentencing Council that the theft of a pet should generally be treated as a category two or three offence.” Although a positive interpretation, this is not the reality in the courts. Also, the sentencing council will not make any revisions to sentencing unless advised by government. The second route <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/244530">is to</a> “amend animal welfare law to make pet theft a specific offence” through the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This would ensure courts consider the fear, alarm or distress to sentient animals rather than their monetary value. It would also mean the proposed six-month to <a href="https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/animalwelfaresentencing.html">five-year sentences for animal cruelty</a> could be used. MP Ross Thomson’s <a href="https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/petstheft.html">Pets Theft Bill</a> made this case – but it failed to complete its passage through parliament before the end of the last session. It is clear that police recording systems for pet theft need to be standardised; dog theft crime statistics need to be more transparent; more resources must be given to help police enforcement; the theft of sentient animal companions should be differentiated from the theft of inanimate objects; the monetary value of the pet should be made irrelevant, and sentences fitting the severity of the crime should also be available in courts. The only way the rise in dog theft can be tackled is by implementing pet theft reform to make this crime a specific offence with custodial sentences. Anything less and the damaging upward trend will likely continue.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125010/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-allen-329489">Daniel Allen</a>, Animal Geographer, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/keele-university-1012">Keele University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dog-theft-on-the-rise-how-in-danger-is-your-pet-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-125010">original article</a>.

Family & Pets

Baby name theft: Mum-to-be's question sparks online debate

“What’s in a name?” the famous question goes. However, the issue might not be so simple for expecting parents looking to name their newborn, as a woman proves after sharing her baby-naming dilemma. The expectant mother, who was 39 weeks into her pregnancy, said she was toying with the idea of giving her future child a similar name to her friend’s newborn. “I hadn’t decided my baby girl name to use but recently I love a particular name that happens to be very similar to hers (her daughter is Lillian and I like the name Lilia),” she wrote on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3687042-AIBU-To-use-a-similar-name?messages=100&pg=2" target="_blank">Mumsnet forum</a>. “Do you think it would be unreasonable for me to use this name? She picked first and it’s not exactly a name I had my heart set on from the start so I worry it might ruffle some feathers! “Can I get away with it as it’s slightly different or should I go back to the drawing board? Fingers crossed I have a boy and I won’t have to worry!” The question has sparked a debate, with many advising the mum-to-be against ‘copying’ the name. “I know no one owns a name but there are so many names out there and you already said you aren’t attached to the name and hadn't thought about it for long so it seems a bit like it’s causing drama when there is no need?” one commented. “I think it’s too similar. By all means do it, but don’t expect your friend to be impressed or happy, be prepared for her to distance herself from you,” another wrote. “I really wouldn’t if you value your friendship with this woman at all,” one added. “It’s not exactly the same name but it’s virtually identical … She might not openly admit it to you but I’d be very surprised if she wasn’t bothered and I think there will be some resentment there.” Others suggested that she shouldn’t fret over the decision. “She doesn’t own the name, it’s none of her business what you call your daughter therefore I’d always say go for it,” one wrote. “People who get precious about this clearly don’t have much going on so I’d really go with your first choice and tell her to get a grip if it was an issue!” “I think, if you have your heart set on the name then you should just use it. Life’s too short to be pandering and worrying what others will think,” another said. “Use it, she doesn’t own it. Multiple people have the same name in the world,” one chimed in. Some advised the woman to check with her friend. “Names are not unique anyway. If you love it why don’t you ask your friend what she thinks?” A few pointed out that the name Lilia is reminiscent of a sanitary towel brand. “If you weren’t too fussed about the name until recently then I would choose something else – purely from a sanitary towel point of view,” one suggested. According to Linda Murray, global editor-in-chief of BabyCenter, offspring naming can be “tricky” due to its emotional nature. “Parents spend a lot of time thinking and dreaming about their child’s name, and it’s one way they become attached to their child before they even meet him or her,” Murray told <a href="https://www.today.com/parents/s-my-child-s-name-some-parents-baby-name-theft-t75506">TODAY Parents</a>. “It’s an emotional process, so when you share your favourite baby name with someone and they ‘take’ your name, it feels like theft.”

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