Law 'n' order special

The company which employs security guards at my condo has paid out on Maiyu’s stolen bike, after admitting its staff were negligent.

A gang of three entered the precinct of our condo a month ago and stole Maiyuu’s bike.

The theft took place right under the noses of two security guards, who waved the thieves through.

The company has paid us B8000, which is B2000 short of the price I paid for it 18 months ago.

A portion of that money will be drawn from the pay of the two lax security guards, who were too busy chatting to notice that one of the thieves was cycling past on Maiyuu’s bike.

Security cameras caught the guards chatting to each other, oblivious to what was going on. They also captured clear images of the thieves, though we have yet to hear anything from police about whether they have caught them.

The head of the security company gave Maiyuu a wounded look when Maiyuu went to pick up the bicycle payment, as if he expected he would pay some of it back in sympathy.

Forget about it, mate. Next time, employ guards who know how to do their jobs.
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Speaking of law and order, the theft case involving Ball’s younger brother Beer has finally wrapped up in court.

Several months ago, Mum entered a business venture with Kung, a forlorn, oily little man who lives in her slum neighbourhood.

Police had caught him once before, stealing petrol from his boss and selling it cheaply to petrol stations. But this did not deter Kung from approaching Mum with a proposal that she help him do it again.

Mum bought a pick-up truck, and Kung hired it from her to carry out his furtive night-time business venture. He hired Mr B as his helper. They travelled far and wide picking up petrol from dubious sources, and selling it to petrol stations which did not mind receiving stolen property.

Barely a month after they had started, police stopped the pair and asked to search the truck. They impounded the vehicle, and arrested Kung and Mr B.

The court convicted Mr B, and sentenced him to jail for 18 months, suspended owing to his age - just 17 - and the fact that this is his first offence.

The court fined Kung B5,000, which is a light penalty, given his track record. The truck is still with the police.

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Ton, the local wastrel who likes to send me threats by SMS, hasn’t forgotten me.

When he is feeling in need of attention, he will still whip off an SMS, warning me to look out for strange men in the night who want to bump me on the head.

He has also turned up at this condo, looking for his former girlfriend, who, since leaving Ton, now sees farang C, a friend of mine.

My connection to this saga is tenuous: I know farang C and Ton's former girlfriend, and Ton knows me. He calls or sends me unpleasant SMS messages when no one else will listen.

I no longer worry about Ton’s threats. A day after threatening to do me harm, he will call me with a request that I pass on this or that message to his former girlfriend via farang C.

He talks to me normally, as if nothing has happened.

Ton has a screw lose. We can but humour these people, as they humour us.