Long story, get comfy

I had a show on Friday night (gay show too), and so after the show the drummer, Brent, and I went to McDonald’s at a suburb called “Springwood” (at 1am) on the way home.  Brent generally is my transport to and from shows because of my Sleep Apnea.  I have a tendancy to uh… fall asleep whilst driving.  So yeah, stopped at McDonald’s (gross)

I ordered my food (gross) and was waiting for them to bring it to me.  In the mean time there were two kids, mid to late teens, one with a black hoody the other with a white hat, next to me sticking their train cards (“Go Cards”) into the EFTPOS machine (I hope EFTPOS is an international name for the card payment thingy-majiggy).  So I kinda looked at em and was like meh.  So i grabbed my food and sat down.  Brent and I had chat and finished our food in about 15 minutes and were gonna walk to the car.  Hmm.. something wasn’t right.  Oh I know…

I DIDN’T HAVE MY WALLET!

Zomg… it wasn’t in my pocket… I definitely had it on me because I remember taking change out at the counter to pay the Maccas chap…  So i went and checked the counter… not there.  So i asked the guy that served me if he’d seen my wallet.

Maccas Dude: “No.”
Ace-Jace: “Has anyone else seen it?”
Maccas Dude: “No.”
Super-Saiyan Jace: “@#&(!@$&*!@profanity#&*(!&#&%*$*#&$*!&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

So… someone must’ve stolen it…  I asked him to check the store cameras.  So he got the manager togo and have a look.  After about 5 minutes the manager comes back and says:

Maccas Manager: “Yeah a guy in a black jumper took it” (“jumper” = sweater for you American folk – under the assumption you guys don’t say jumper)
Jace: “Well that’s gay. Were they standing next to me whilst I was waiting?”
Maccas Manager: “Yep”

A real life picture of the thief

Sweet. I love it when my wallet gets stolen. A close 2nd to being kicked in the testi-cools. </sarcasm>

Well at least i know WHO took it – kinda.

I figured the perps didn’t drive (that’s right! “Perps”).  They looked too young. So Brent and I walked outside and asked a couple people if they saw the kids.  They didn’t.  Then we saw a group of rough looking guys in the carpark.  So  scoped them out to make sure the kids weren’t with them – they weren’t.  So I approached them and asked if they saw the kids.  They hadn’t. Poo.

Brent and I decided to go for a drive – since they “couldn’t” drive, they left on foot, so they’d still be nearby.  So we drove around the corner and there they were! lol, too easy.

We pulled up and got out and asked if they’d come from Maccas.  They had.  So I then asked if they saw a wallet.  They “Hadn’t”.  So i asked them to empty their pockets.  They did – no wallet.  They even offered I pat them down.  I did but still no wallet.  I apologise and walked back to the car.

Didn’t seem right.  Just because they didn’t have my wallet, it didn’t mean they didn’t take it.  So I decided to go back to McDonald’s and speak to the manager again.  I asked if the guy that took it was wearing a hoody and not a jumper – he was.  And without prompting the manager, the manager said “His friend had a white hat” – BINGO.  Definitely them.

So what did I need? I needed them back at Maccas to prove without a doubt that it was them – the last thing I wanted was to get 2 innocent guys arrested.  There was only Brent and I… we needed “persuasion”… Heh, I got an idea.

I went and saw the ruffians in the carpark.  I told them I found the guys.  They were amazed that I found them.  And I said I needed em back at Maccas, but I might need some “persuasion” and asked if they were willing to help.  It was my lucky day, they accepted… well. not really, a lucky day would’ve resulted in me not having my wallet stolen.

The Ruffians

Brent and I drove the car over to where the kids were, but the ruffians got to them first and stopped them.  Handy. So I walked over to the perps and told them that he Maccas cameras confirmed it was them, and that the police wouldn’t be involved if they gave me my wallet back (or showed me where the wallet was dumped).  However they insisted it wasn’t them.  So… I said “Fine, if it wasn’t you, lets go back to Maccas and confirm that with the Manager and you can go home”.

So they started walking back (thanks to the intimidation factor of the ruffians).  The hoody guy tried to walk off ahead but i kept up with him.  We got in Maccas and the hoody guy put his hood up and turned so his back was towards the counter – to try and hide his face.  Loser.

The manager walked past and pointed to the hoody guy.  So I told the hoody guy to turn around so the Manager could see his face.

Hoody perp: “Why the @#%^ should I turn around fo-”
Jace: “TURN THE F*** AROUND”

Yeah that worked. He turned around.  The Manager confirmed it was him.  I even asked the manager to take one more look at video.  He reluctantly agreed and RE-confirmed it was him.

So I told the guy again – “give me back my wallet, or take me to my wallet, and no cops will be involved”.  He swore on his life he didn’t take it.  I held up my phone:

Jace: “Dude, give it to me or i’m calling the cops”.
Hoody guy: “I didn’t ta-”
Jace: “I’m calling the cops”

So I called them whilst this guy started yelling right into my face about how he was already in trouble and he didn’t want to go to jail etc. etc. I lol’d on the inside thinking why he would steal if he doesn’t want trouble?

The cops were on their way.  He kept “swearing on his life” that he didn’t take the wallet.  I pretty much showed no reaction and kept trying to stall him till the cop arrived.  Then all of a sudden he attempted to run off!  So I took off after him, but outside I caught him, threw him back to the McDonald’s door and told him to stay there – ruffians still present btw.

Before the cops showed up the Hat dude said he’d take me to the wallet.  Instead I said I’d wait with the Hoody guy and told Hat guy to go with Brent and 2 ruffians.  So they left.

The cops showed up (hereby refered to as “Guy Cop” and “Girl Cop”).  After getting our details and asking a few questions they arrested Hoody guy (who was still saying he didn’t do it).  Guy Cop then told me he was gonna go look at the video footage, as he needed definite evidence to charge Hoody Guy.  After 5 minutes Guy Cop came back and said it was clear as day that both Hoody Guy and Hat Guy were involved in the theft and they would both be charged for theft.  Haha!

Soon Brent + ruffians returned with Hat guy, who was quickly put under arrest.  They didn’t find my wallet, but they found a few random cards (NOT including my Drivers license, Medicare card or my Debit Master Card).  Apparently they threw my wallet somewhere, and the random cards fell out in the process.  But he doesn’t know where the wallet landed.

The cops left.  Brent and I went back to where they threw the wallet.  We searched for ages but couldn’t find it.  By this time it was 3 am and we figured we’ll come back in the morning when it’s daylight.

I woke up at 6am (3hrs sleep!! NOO!) and rushed over to Springwood and searched some more.  Brent joined me shortly after.  No wallet.  After an hour or so we decided the stop.  It wasn’t there, and we had no idea where it could be.  We admitted defeat on the wallet front.  However justice was served.

RIP Jace’s Wallet 30/05/09

Ciao for Now!