Man jailed for 22 years for stealing TV remote control

[Darwin333]

A man who stole a television remote has been sentenced to more than two decades behind bars.

Eric Bramwell was found guilty in November and sentenced in January to 22 years imprisonment.

The 35-year-old took the remote in August 2015 from the common area of an apartment complex in Wheaton, Illinois, dropping a glove on his way out.

A DNA sample from the glove matched with Bramwell’s DNA on the state’s database of convicted felons, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.

Prosecutors said that due to his criminal history, he was eligible for 30 years in prison.

He allegedly committed similar thefts of other remote and television sets from other nearby apartment complexes.

"Mr Bramwell’s illegal activity and his history have finally caught up with him," state attorney Robert Berlin said.
"Regardless of what was stolen, Mr Bramwell repeatedly thumbed his nose at the law.

"He took what he wanted, time and time again, and expected to avoid the consequences.
"That’s not how it works, as Mr Bramwell has now found out."

Judge Robert Miller sentenced Bramwell in November to six months in jail for contempt for using profane language in court.

They actually did a DNA analysis on a glove he left behind to solve a friggen $15 stolen TV remote

How many people here have had shit stolen from them of actual value and most of the time they won't even collect fingerprints to run. These fuckers got a damn TV remote stolen, a crime that I don't know anyone would even think about reporting because just the time involved in waiting for the police, if they even come and chances are they won't, wouldn't be worth the time value of the remote. Even if you have a nice aftermarket remote that cost $200 it still wouldn't be worth my time to bother reporting it. I wonder how many unsolved thefts of real value that are unsolved in that county?

source

 

[dasherHampton]

I have to assume they must have suspected him of the theft.

Is it a ridiculous amount off time? Yes. I think a few years would have been fine if they just wanted to get him off the street for a while.

 

[highland145]

Good. Remotes are serious business.

 

[dasherHampton]

Oh, yeah. If someone would have stolen my Harmony One when it was my main remote I would have hired a PI, dammit.

 

[Kaido]

Oh, yeah. If someone would have stolen my Harmony One when it was my main remote I would have hired a PI, dammit.

That would have been cheaper than buying a new Harmony back in the day

 

[Darwin333]

I have to assume they must have suspected him of the theft.

Is it a ridiculous amount off time? Yes. I think a few years would have been fine if they just wanted to get him off the street for a while.

I don't know how much a DNA analysis costs and then the time it takes to check it against arrestees but it has to be hundreds of dollars. I'm not even bitching about the sentence, although it is freaking crazy for a TV remote, but the resources that were put into it when other far more significant crimes get absurdly little attention/resources. I imagine there are a more than a few people in that county that thought "wait, you found a guy that stole a fucking remote control but you still haven't found the person that broke into my house a year ago?!"

 

[Darwin333]

Oh, yeah. If someone would have stolen my Harmony One when it was my main remote I would have hired a PI, dammit.

That would have been your best option because you know the police weren't going to find them, maybe if they had stolen the remote that came with your TV they would have collected DNA

 

[dasherHampton]

My only point is that the guy is a serial criminal and maybe they thought if they get solid evidence they can get a leg up on him.

 

[Rifter]

Man you guys have a screwed up justice system. Cops murder people and get off scott free all the time, guy steals TV remote gets 22 Years. I dont even know what to say about that.

 

[Sonikku]

Man you guys have a screwed up justice system. Cops murder people and get off scott free all the time, guy steals TV remote gets 22 Years. I dont even know what to say about that.

It's not as though he did something trivial like sexually assault dozens of women though. He stole remote controls. This rates right up there with similar atrocities as making Windows restore discs.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Ironically, I've heard, that the Verizon and Comcast stores, when you return your equipment (set-top boxes), don't even care if you return the remote.

 

[JoeBleed]

Man you guys have a screwed up justice system. Cops murder people and get off scott free all the time, guy steals TV remote gets 22 Years. I dont even know what to say about that.

Then you need to do proper research into those "cops murder people and get off scott free all the time" belief. It's blown WAY out of proportion by the media and in many cases lots of information is left out. Some just seem to ignore a lot. many don't understand how quickly decisions are made nor real threat to life. Too many believe in movie logic.

As for the 22 year sentence for stealing a remote, i thought it was harsh until i kept reading. they believe he's been stealing things for a while. they just have proof on the remote along with his previous criminal history. It shows he's not learning anything and will keep stealing things.

 

[SKORPI0]

So a serial remote control thief and burglar.

What's next, people who steal dirty socks in laundromats to be caught and sentenced to jail?

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/wor...-22-years-in-jail-for-stealing-tv-remote.html (Jan. 2017)

He was alleged to have committed similar thefts of remotes and televisions in other apartment complexes in Wheaton, Lisle, Aurora, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove and Oakbrook Terrace, prosecutors said.

 

[ultimatebob]

My only point is that the guy is a serial criminal and maybe they thought if they get solid evidence they can get a leg up on him.

Yeah, it sounds like this guy has been stealing stuff from his neighbors for awhile. The remote control just got 'em caught.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Ironically, I've heard, that the Verizon and Comcast stores, when you return your equipment (set-top boxes), don't even care if you return the remote.

That's only so they have reasons to press charges later.

 

[ultimatebob]

That's only so they have reasons to press charges later.

Yeah, by "don't care", they mean "please forget so we can charge you a $50 unreturned equipment fee, and send you to collections if you refuse to pay it". Comcast is evil, get a receipt for that returned equipment!

 

[DaveSimmons]

I realize no one RTFA, but as usual the thread title is very misleading:

"Eric Bramwell, 35, of Melrose Park, had been found guilty in November of burglary and was eligible for an extended-term sentence because of his past criminal history, according to prosecutors."

He's a career criminal who has been convicted before, violated probation before:

https://www.usnews.com/news/article...-mans-22-year-sentence-for-stealing-tv-remote

""[Bramwell] is a career criminal, and when you commit this many burglaries there's a huge cost to society," Berlin says. "This is a guy who has gotten probation numerous times, has gotten drug treatment numerous times, his probation has been revoked numerous times. He’s someone where the only way to stop him is to lock him up."

These "sentenced to 20 years for stealing a loaf of bread" cases are never Les Miserables.

 

[shortylickens]

this is why I dont like those Three Strike rules and sentences based on criminal history. Minor bullshit can get you put away for way too long.
Is it worth 60 thousand dollars for 20 years just to deal with this man?

 

[Six]

Growing up in the hood, I'm a fan of the three strikes rule. It's very difficult to lock up career criminals, because it's very difficult to gather enough evidence that will hold up in court, because cops ain't got time for petty stuff. I had a neighbor who stole stuff all the time from everyone all the time for years. Steals mail, steals candy, steal everything he can, steals right in front of you. He's always in and out of jail. What can anyone do? Absolutely nothing. One day he disappeared for good. That moment on was the beginning of peace in the neighborhood.

 

[Thebobo]

Ironically, I've heard, that the Verizon and Comcast stores, when you return your equipment (set-top boxes), don't even care if you return the remote.

I can vouch for that with my multiple remotes

 

[DaveSimmons]

this is why I dont like those Three Strike rules and sentences based on criminal history. Minor bullshit can get you put away for way too long.
Is it worth 60 thousand dollars for 20 years just to deal with this man?

Three-strikes laws are generally for committing multiple felonies not petty theft.

Someone convicted of three felonies is a career criminal and since we can't harvest their organs keeping them from committing more felonies is the next best thing.

This guy in particular is a long-term drug addict who has failed multiple attempts at rehab. Keeping him off the streets protects the rest of us from theft and drugged-out violence. He might even clean up while he's inside, though it hasn't happened in any of the many chances he's been given before.

 

[Thebobo]

Seems way excessive, folks who committed for murder get less. Lots of small time drug dealers are in life without parole with the 3 time law, and that's bullshit. And I'm not talking cratell I'm talking about dimebag shit.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Seems way excessive, folks who committed for murder get less. Lots of small time drug dealers are in life without parole with the 3 time law, and that's bullshit. And I'm not talking cratell I'm talking about dimebag shit.

I agree that in general the "war on drugs" is messed up and at least some drugs should be licensed, regulated and taxed just like states are doing with weed.

Armed and violent drug dealers deserve their permanent vacations but not for the drugs part.

 

[lxskllr]

They should bring back outlawry. People shouldn't have to pay for that twat for 10+ years? Let him go with no protection of law, and let nature handle it.

 

[brianmanahan]

since we can't harvest their organs

not yet anyway. i can definitely forsee situations in the future, such as overpopulation plus extended lifespans, which could cause death penalty + organ harvesting for minor crimes.

like england did in the 1600's for overpopulation, but now with the added incentive of reducing health care costs.