A study in contrasts

TX (Dallas Morning News): Copper thief shot

"Garland police say they do not plan to file charges against a 25-year- old man who fatally shot a suspected copper thief this morning. The incident happened shortly before 1:20 a.m. at Bargain Town -- Variety & Furniture store in the 5700 block of Broadway Boulevard, police said. The business owner's son had been guarding the roof after the store had been recently hit by copper thieves. The son said he confronted a man who had climbed on the roof. The son fired his gun, striking the man in the torso, police said. The man fled, climbing back down the building and collapsing on the ground. Paramedics arrived to find the man had died. Police said he had a small backpack with tools investigators believe were used to steal copper." (07/10/08)

UK (Telegraph): Pensioner arrested for chasing away youths with piece of wood

"A pensioner who used a piece of wood to chase away a gang of teenagers who had been throwing stones at his home is facing a jail term after being arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon. ... 'This is Britain gone mad. Just what in the world is this country coming to when the police arrest people like me for protecting their own property?'"

"The police say they want to reduce crime, yet they let evil little toe-rags like this off. Then they prosecute hard-working, upstanding residents like me.

"There is simply no way we can shake off this problem of 'Yob Britain' if the legal system fails to protect the everyday person". (07/08/08)