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diggit
Harmless
Posts: 3
Registered: 15-5-2017
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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I had two cops show up about 7 or 8 years ago - claimed a child had called 911 on a cell phone that was traced to my house, ROFL! The funny bit was
that I was incapacitated, at the time, and I told them that I wasn't able to get up and down the stairs to the basement for over a month so, if there
was a child in the house, he/she would have to be in the basement and told them that maybe they better check because halfway down the stairs there's a
door that opens to the outside but the idea of checking seemed to frighten them.
It never occurred to me that it may have been because of something I'd ordered online - which totally makes sense now. I knew it was faked but I
thought maybe someone at work got concerned and didn't want to let on about it and wanted someone to check on me but, of course, all they would have
had to do was call and I'd been in constant contact as someone was always calling with questions, so that never really made sense.
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symboom
International Hazard
Posts: 1143
Registered: 11-11-2010
Location: Wrongplanet
Member Is Offline
Mood: Doing science while it is still legal since 2010
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Fbi agent visited me because what I ordered online this is one of the few hobbies that will cause one problems. sure I understand the fbi point of
view at least I got to have the fbi admit that the investigation is demeaning still surprised I snapped at them I probably should have had an attorney
to represent me. It makes one feel like a criminal for knowing chemistry. I guess my user rank of national hazard lived up to its name although im not
as skilled as many of you. In some odd way it was flattering I dont consider myself that smart. This will probably be taken out of context hopefully
not :-(.
Help with many of you is they have a paper of purchases you have made through a bank card and ask you what you bought it for what did you do with it.
[Edited on 19-5-2017 by symboom]
[Edited on 19-5-2017 by symboom]
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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I know gun collecting can get you visits from the ATF, especially if you sell a lot of guns. You're permitted to sell your personal guns or guns that
you acquired through incidental means without a license, but the penalties for running a gun business without a license are severe, and the lines can
be blurry at times. I sold a bunch of guns acquired through a defaulted storage unit a while back, and I do remember that a well-dressed gentleman who
didn't buy anything showed up at 8:00 AM sharp and asked a lot of questions.
Ordinarily, law enforcement doesn't know what chemicals and equipment you bought unless you bought them at a public auction (like anywhere on eBay,
for example), if you brought them through customs, or if they receive a report on the sale or shipment due to paperwork requirements. Also, they can
monitor shipping declarations on USPS and probably other carriers. It is highly unlikely that sellers report sales of chemicals that they have already
sold unless the law requires it; if a seller thinks you're suspicious, it is not lawful to sell you the chemicals. But if they refuse to sell you the
chemicals on grounds of suspicion, it's a completely different story. They can and likely do report suspicious attempts to law enforcement.
[Edited on 20-5-2017 by JJay]
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j_sum1
Administrator
Posts: 6218
Registered: 4-10-2014
Location: Unmoved
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Mood: Organised
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Police check on a school order
It looks as though there is a slight change in procedure in Aus -- or at least in QLD.
I recently made a glassware order for my school from a contact in China -- the same one that I have previously used. The shipping address was the
school premises (although payment was made via a personal PayPal account since my school does not have an account.)
The package was intercepted by xray at customs and flagged since it included two 500mL flasks and a small Allihn condenser. The school received an
email from the police with a request to confirm that these items had been ordered and were for legitimate use. Copies of this email were to be sent
to two separate police addresses.
This has not happened before and it looks like a new policy. I don't mind the checks but I would have thought that a high school would be able to do
its thing without additional investigation.
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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A neighbor got busted for meth a few days ago. Let's just say that the level of police surveillance in the area right now is both disgusting and
obvious. I can clearly see an external camera mounted on a large, ugly, conspicuous vehicle sitting outside. It is pointed at my block's lane
entrance, probably recording the license plates of all traffic that leaves. Clean-cut, athletic individuals, dressed as homeless people, wearing
headphones and carrying military-style backpacks, have been canvassing the neighborhood. One of them passed out noisily outside my door like it was an
episode of Friends. He wouldn't leave when asked, yet he took off on his own about ten minutes after I called the drunk tank to pick him up, saying on
his cell phone, "He copped me," with no friendly medical personnel ever showing up. I am beyond annoyed.
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aga
Forum Drunkard
Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
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Get as far as taking a photo and become a Twitter Uber-meme.
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
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Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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Quote: Originally posted by JJay  | | Clean-cut, athletic individuals, dressed as homeless people, wearing headphones and carrying military-style backpacks.... |
I find that humorous.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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Oh, I totally get it.
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
Member Is Offline
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The local harassment crew seems to have moved on. The last one I saw was a pair, one with the tactical backpack and standard issue homeless uniform
and one dressed in normal clothes, both with headphones, pounding on an elderly disabled lady's front door for about ten minutes yelling, "Open up!"
at 10:30 at night. A woman who lived nearby told them to get lost, and they argued with her. I was in line of sight and yelled, "That's private
property." The one with the backpack took off immediately, and shortly afterward, a police car went blazing up the street at a ridiculous speed with
its sirens flashing. The other one knocked for a few more minutes and then walked off muttering something about private property. There is still at
least one vehicle with a visible mounted camera parked in the area. I'm pretty sure it's parked illegally but not positive. I'm not a huge fan of
these tactics.
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XeonTheMGPony
International Hazard
Posts: 1636
Registered: 5-1-2016
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Mood: No Mood
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that's why they have lost all credibility in my eyes
do your job and do it well, but then they get lazy and resort to thug tactics and intimidation.
I never realized just how lazy and useless things had gotten till experimenting it.
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LearnedAmateur
National Hazard
Posts: 513
Registered: 30-3-2017
Location: Somewhere in the UK
Member Is Offline
Mood: Free Radical
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Sounds like that’s what happens when the police have a bit too much money, they can afford to literally sit on their arse all day. Where I live, the
local police station is barely functioning and daily patrols require cars dispatched from nearby towns! No wonder a lot of people use drugs and such
here, there isn’t much risk of getting caught unless you’re blazenly pumping fumes into the air, and even then, the chemistry kind as opposed to
the kind you might exhale..
In chemistry, sometimes the solution is the problem.
It’s been a while, but I’m not dead! Updated 7/1/2020. Shout out to Aga, we got along well.
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sodium_stearate
Hazard to Others
Posts: 255
Registered: 22-4-2011
Location: guard duty at the checkpoint
Member Is Offline
Mood: No mask.
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Yep. I know about these police tactics too because
I see them being used. They are doing it right now here
in my town. The rental house next door is currently
occupied by suspected drug dealers. So, we've got some
of the obviously dressed up cops pretending to be locals
hanging around in very obvious places at oddball times.
We also have the obligatory cop car parked at weird
hours such as 0300 AM down the block. That car usually
has the headlights on, and it is always on the wrong
side of the street facing the wrong way.
Not at all sure what they ever hope to accomplish by
trying to use these really obvious amateurish techniques,
but it is rather amusing to watch.
"Opportunity is missed by most people
because it is dressed in overalls and it
looks like work" T.A. Edison
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Loptr
International Hazard
Posts: 1347
Registered: 20-5-2014
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Grateful
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| Quote: Originally posted by JJay | | A neighbor got busted for meth a few days ago. Let's just say that the level of police surveillance in the area right now is both disgusting and
obvious. I can clearly see an external camera mounted on a large, ugly, conspicuous vehicle sitting outside. It is pointed at my block's lane
entrance, probably recording the license plates of all traffic that leaves. Clean-cut, athletic individuals, dressed as homeless people, wearing
headphones and carrying military-style backpacks, have been canvassing the neighborhood. One of them passed out noisily outside my door like it was an
episode of Friends. He wouldn't leave when asked, yet he took off on his own about ten minutes after I called the drunk tank to pick him up, saying on
his cell phone, "He copped me," with no friendly medical personnel ever showing up. I am beyond annoyed. |
That is weird. Almost too weird. Bizarre, even. I wish I could share the mental video that is going on in my head right now.
Is this standard practice after something like that happens?
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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I don't know. Their tactics seem similar to what I've read about the Baltimore VCIS unit.
Anyway, they finally sent in the professionals, and they twisted my landlord's arm, so I'm going to have to give a couple people a tour of my lab
tomorrow. They stopped by today. I objected, and one of them listed off a whole bunch of three letter agencies. Ok....
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j_sum1
Administrator
Posts: 6218
Registered: 4-10-2014
Location: Unmoved
Member Is Offline
Mood: Organised
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It sounds like their training involved sitting down and watching a whole bunch of 1970s cop dramas.
(Cue baritone clarinet music...)
All I can say is go to the end of your driveway and set up a stand selling coffee and donuts. I mean, what could they possibly do??
[Edit]
JJay, missed your last post while I was typing.
That is sounding more serious. But on the plus side, it is sounding less incompetent. All the best.
[Edited on 23-4-2018 by j_sum1]
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Loptr
International Hazard
Posts: 1347
Registered: 20-5-2014
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Grateful
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| Quote: Originally posted by JJay | I don't know. Their tactics seem similar to what I've read about the Baltimore VCIS unit.
Anyway, they finally sent in the professionals, and they twisted my landlord's arm, so I'm going to have to give a couple people a tour of my lab
tomorrow. They stopped by today. I objected, and one of them listed off a whole bunch of three letter agencies. Ok.... |
So wait... What does this have to do with you? There was an arrest of a neighbor, and suddenly they are at your door? This is such a curious case.
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
Member Is Offline
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg
Eh, not a whole heck of a lot, but I'm not taking any chances. The last thing I need is to get written up for a dirty window or something.
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by Loptr | | Quote: Originally posted by JJay | I don't know. Their tactics seem similar to what I've read about the Baltimore VCIS unit.
Anyway, they finally sent in the professionals, and they twisted my landlord's arm, so I'm going to have to give a couple people a tour of my lab
tomorrow. They stopped by today. I objected, and one of them listed off a whole bunch of three letter agencies. Ok.... |
So wait... What does this have to do with you? There was an arrest of a neighbor, and suddenly they are at your door? This is such a curious case.
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I didn't even know my neighbor. This kind of stuff is happening all over the neighborhood.
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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I have nothing like this in my neighborhood in a fairly large city in Washington state. May we know what neighborhood you live in?
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by Magpie |
I have nothing like this in my neighborhood in a fairly large city in Washington state. May we know what neighborhood you live in?
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Not a good one, LoL. I am giving some serious thought to relocating. While I really do not believe that my two visitors actually represent an alphabet
soup of Federal agencies (my landlord doesn't speak English well), I'm going to take the visit seriously and make sure I've crossed every T and dotted
every I. I'm just imagining the horrors if they saw something like a stray extension cord with a missing ground lead.... 
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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Well, it looks like my guests are late. Everything is all pine-fresh too....
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Loptr
International Hazard
Posts: 1347
Registered: 20-5-2014
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Grateful
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They surely would have showed up by now if they were late a few hours ago. It sounds like they were looking for something to hang around for so long,
and put so much effort into having a presence in the neighborhood. I hope you don't get caught up in some sort of show of effort, or be made into an
example.
Best of luck. I hope things go well for you.
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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They did finally show up but seemed to be in a huge hurry and left without issue.
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j_sum1
Administrator
Posts: 6218
Registered: 4-10-2014
Location: Unmoved
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I hope that's the end of the story then.
Sounds like their inquiries about you were actually them making a show of being thorough while they were investigating someone else.
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
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Yeah, I am really not too worried about having the Gestapo kick in my door at 6 AM. I think they have been using a technique called "hot spots
policing." I really ought to find some better neighbors....
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