Last Saturday, in the wee hours of the morning, Carlsbad Police pulled over a vehicle that was heading down a dark road, lit only by the occasional street light and the blue eruption of a patrol car's glare. After noticing several traffic infractions, Corporal Rea had no pretense that the routine stop would unfold a story as old as the city of drugs and stolen goods.
What began as a case of moving violations took a sharp turn into crime drama territory, with a vehicle search unveiling drugs and a trove of purloined belongings; among them, purses, bags, and wallets that whispered tales of many owners. The driver and passenger, already worn with the heavy fabric of past transgressions and probation, found themselves in deeper shadows of the law, as revealed in a Facebook post by the City of Carlsbad Police Department.
Upon inspection, the car, which later was towed to the station for a thorough investigation, was found to be a den of illicit acquisitions—credit cards, IDs, tools, and unnamed electronics that reflected the lives of at least 16 individuals.
By the day's end, the driver and passenger found themselves in the familiar precincts of a jail cell, now booked for a litany, including possession of drugs, stewardship of stolen property, and the keeping of personal identifying information that was not their own, this according to the detailed account by the Carlsbad PD, the driver and the passenger their day of reckoning was summed with a stark reminder, leaden with irony: Don't steal, and always lock up your belongings—and your vehicle.
