Would you shop a relative to the police?

[MountCrumpit]

NC for this.

I have a relative in who has been in and out of trouble with the Police for years now. He gives his family a horrendous time of it and always seems to be in the middle of, or working on getting into trouble.
The crimes are quite serious assault/firearms/drugs/threats/theft but he has as yet (god knows how) evaded prison. He is on his last warning with the courts.
I know he is continuing to do something which would doubtless send him down if or when caught and will impact his family and potentially innocent people if it goes wrong. (In no way terror related, think drunk driving...but not...)

I feel a bit pissed off with him for putting his family through all this and laughing in the face of the law, when we all have to follow the rules, but what should I do?
He knows he's flying close to the sun but he just cant keep away from illegal activities.

WWYD if a member of your family was behaving in a similar way?

[drumsPlease]

Think ... yes you should.

[blueskyinmarch]

I am guessing driving under the influence of drugs. I think you need to report him if he is doing something like this because if he should hurt or kill someone you will never forgive yourself.

[MyBrilliantDisguise]

Yes. Think how you'd feel if others were affected by this.

[LakieLady]

Oh, I'd shop them for anything that involved violence or the threat thereof.

For theft, it would depend what and who from.

[kaytee87]

I think if innocent people could possibly be harmed then you either need to find a way to stop him or if that’s not possible then yes report him. If there’s no concrete evidence not much will happen though.

[Splinterz]

You know or you think you know?
What are the repercussions if you are found out?
Or, what are the repercussions if he thinks someone else in the family grassed him up?

[MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic]

I hope I would do the the responsible thing and report it, but I know I would worry about finding proof and worry about consequences for the rest of my family. I wouldn't have any moral qualms about doing it because they're family, it would just be self-protection - how to do it without getting on the radar of someone violent or with little regard for the law.

[MountCrumpit]

Well I am thinking of all those things, hence my post.

I just needed clarification on whether it was the right thing to do or whether I should keep my neb out. Obviously now, with other people's input it seems clearer.

[WhooooAmI24601]

he just cant keep away from illegal activities

He could if he wanted to. He actively chooses to continue his illegal activities. Shop him and feel no remorse; if the probation system was a deterrent he'd have stopped. But there has to be some kind of system to prevent him hurting anyone else.

For things that hurt only themselves I'm not sure I'd shop a relative. For something which impacted or had the potential to impact on other lives, I'd shop them. Nobody has the right to screw up someone else's life; he's choosing his own life, don't let him choose to screw up others.

[scurryfunge]

Report via crime stoppers anonymously if you are worried about repercussions.

[LouBlue1507]

A close family member who made a mistake and is remorseful and unlikely to do it again? No.

An idiot with no regard for anybody else who regularly commits crime? Yes.

[Splinterz]

Are his associates people you wouldn't mess with?

I'll tell you a little story, and it's recent. An acquaintance of a well known hard underworld crime family, to cut a long story short, the boyfriend knocked his daughter about, so word was put out and the boy friend had both legs and arms broken. They waited until it healed and then they went back and did it again. Because they could.

Be careful because you don't know what or who he's involved with and to what depth.

[Penners99]

Yes I did. He is now doing 12 years for his crime.

[Broken11Girl]

In this case, yes he has a long serious record. I wouldn't if it was something petty.

[Italiangreyhound]

Yes, I would for anything serious.

[Atenco]

Oh, I'd shop them for anything that involved violence or the threat thereof

Me too, even if it were my own dd. If she were a danger to society, I would turn her in and then visit her every day in prison.

[CanuckBC]

Yes, absolutely. If they were a danger to others and were a repeat offender with no intention of stopping, yes. If it was a OMG, I can’t believe I did that! Wow, what happened, what did I do... No one was injured ie serious accident, assault, I would take all circumstances into consideration and go from there. I can’t say I would in this situation, Icant say I wouldn’t as it would be a tough call depending on the crime.

[justilou1]

I have shopped a relative and the police did nothing about it. Luckily I had a copy of my statement and showed it to them when they came to my door looking for him.

[LolaTheDarkdestroyer]

If it is something that will hugely impact innocent people then shop. If it’s something not as bad I’d probably leave it and let the police catch up with him.

[hellsbellsmelons]

I knew someone just like this.
When you actually had a chat with him, he was a 'nice guy'
He managed to evade prison whilst doing all sorts.
One day.... 2am, having taken drugs, he drove, at nearly 80 mph on a normal road. Showing off with his mates in the car.
Sharp bend and lorry parked and he went into it at 80 mph.
One friend in the car was OK. The other was killed instantly.
He was injured buy OK.
He's now in prison for a very long time and will never get over the fact that he killed one of his friends.
So yes. Report it.