Dear Editor,
The letter about the disappearance of the impounded “ewe sheep” (SN, Jan 7) gave me a hearty laugh, although it is no laughing matter when a person loses property. It brought back memories of stories told to me last week about police corruption in Naples and Sicily and other places in Italy.
At breakfasts in hotels, the maître d, in interactions with me, related stories about how peoples’ property, not sheep, just disappeared. Peoples’ belongings disappeared from right under the police watch. As the restaurant supervisor said, “it is a mentality” of people that “they have to steal” and can’t leave other peoples’ property alone. Some of them are kleptomaniacs; they can’t help themselves stealing.
I presume that Mukeshwar Maniram’s sheep was stolen and probably worse – in people’s stomach to celebrate the holidays. An investigation is warranted; those thought to have stolen and/or eaten the man’s sheep must be punished. In addition, the man deserves compensation. In New York, materials and money also go missing from police stations but this is rare and the culprit is often found and prosecuted. If it is the police who were involved in larceny and/or misconduct, they are fired or disciplined. And the state (government/police) makes restitution of property missing under police watch.
It is the responsibility of the state to refund Mr Maniram for his missing property. He should also be compensated for lost time and the pain that accompanies the loss of his sheep.
If several police were involved, then they should sum up and pay the man. Commissioner Leroy Brumell must get involved in this matter. It is not the first time that people have lost property from police stations and it probably won’t be the last. But efforts must be made to stop police larceny. This case is the right place to begin.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
