Stolen Goods Post Big Island

[BlackAkita]

There is a forum on Facebook focusing on stolen merchandise, missing persons, and missing pets. It is sad how many unsolved cases exist on the Big Island.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1022338047800579/

There is also a companion group (Stolen Stuff Hawaii) based in Oahu. I noticed a lot of shots of possible suspects in a some posts. I'll let our resident in-house attorney at large comment on whether there are legal consequences in posting hearsay claims.

[HiloJulie]

Someone posting an identifiable picture of someone and accusing them of a crime can be considered defamation. Suing someone for that is not an easy task and would be quite expensive and really at the end of the day depends on the quantifiable damage done to the accused for the accused to even think of suing. And one can only really sue for defamation if the accusation IS NOT true. If the accused is a public figure, then even a higher bar needs to be met.

Having said that, sites like the Facebook group posted above are really not about finding a criminal but are really more about instilling public outrage and attempting to turn it into vigilante justice. Some may argue that so what if a few innocents get caught up in this social media garbage, as long as we get a few bad guys it's all OK. And if a dozen Kimo's show up at your house with baseball bats (for you Tang) so much the better hey?

Leave the job of the Police to the Police.

[kalakoa]

Leave the job of the Police to the Police. 

Yeah, that'll learn 'em.

[Durian Fiend]

There is another FB group called Big Island thieves that's similar. In many cases the posters actually are attempting to determine the identify of criminals, and often respondents recognize the person(s) in question. Frequently posts are about stolen vehicles, asking others to be on the look out for them.

[jffields1969]

There is another FB group called Big Island thieves that's similar.  In many cases the posters actually are attempting to determine the identify of criminals, and often respondents recognize the person(s) in question.  Frequently posts are about stolen vehicles, asking others to be on the look out for them.

There is growing evidence that many crime or other community focused facebook groups are in fact created, administered, and moderated by criminals themselves as a way of protecting their operations - or at least by persons with financial or other interests to control what information the public sees. Beyond the group moderators, Meta has many ways of monitoring and controlling the content within these groups and has their own incentives for doing so. In a way, these "public groups" are no different from many commercial media outlets such as newspapers but with less transparency and weaker editorial standards. If someone doesn't like a particular post they can contact the moderator, perhaps offer some sort of financial incentive, and get the post removed and/or get the poster banned from the group. 

For example, I have been banned from even reading posts of Big Island Thieves and other local community facebook groups for no apparent reason. I was banned immediately after making a single post forwarding a notice of public hearing on a matter before one of County's commissions. Coincidence? Unlikely.  Any why should such a seemingly innocuous post rankle the moderator? The only theory I have is that someone had an interest in keeping the public uninformed as to a specific matter before the Commission.  I have seen many posts by others and members disappear from BIT for no apparent reason and without any violation of the group's conditions. 

Hoping this post doesn't get me banned from the Punaweb.

[Obie]

There are at least 4 Big Island Thieves Facebook groups. The largest is one started by TK Wehrsig and it has over 70,000 members. I was banned from this one for complaining about the lack of moderation. This group is spelled with capitol letters.
There is another spelled in lower case that has about 21,000 members that has mostly refugees from the larger group that have been banned. It has better moderation.
There is a Big Island Thieves ( Uncensored ) with about 10,000 members. I don't belong to this one but I follow it.
There is also a sub group of the largest on called Big Island Thieves Media ( TK likes to think he is an unbiased new reporter.

You might recognize TK from running for County Council district 2.

The Thieves belong to mostly the larger group and they follow it to avoid the police and also to commit crimes.

[Moderator 2]

Hoping this post doesn't get me banned from the Punaweb.

Nope.