If you're on parole, don't steal a judge's office-door nameplate (If you do, don't pose with it on Facebook)

21-year-old Steven Mulhall cut a Spicolian caper when he stole the nameplate off a judge's courthouse office-door, then posed with it for a photo, which his romantic ladyfriend posted to Facebook. It was discovered by a law enforcement professional, who took the fellow into custody.

Adding to the stupidity quotient, Mulhall did this while already on parole for theft. "The nameplate is [worth] only $40, not that big of a crime, but what an idiot," said Sheriff Al Lamberti. "Here he is flaunting it on Facebook. He violated the terms of his parole by stealing, from a judge no less. He's got multiple convictions for petty theft, so now this is a felony." Lamberti said the plate would be "returned to the rightful owner," who, again, is a judge.

Note: Add "Judge's Nameplate" to List of Things Not to Steal

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: crime • derp herpderp herp • facebook • florida • law • stupid

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marilove

Well, at least he has nice hair?
eselqueso

Duuuuuuuuuude…
- marilove
  
  Where’s my car?!
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    Actually, the correct response is Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
Marc45

Dumb and Dumber (the dude and his GF)
mobobo

the man is mortal flesh made god – what serious application to the honorable pursuit of dissing the toerags that politicians inflict upon us in the guise of judiciary
http://twitter.com/sirkowski Sirkowski

Bullying a Dragon? http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BullyingADragon
Ipo

But in the future he will get a lot of money for saving Brooke Shields from drowning and then blow it all hiring Van Halen for his birthday party.
Mister44

Thieves – usually not the smartest bunch.
penguinchris

This is just a modern version of Bertie Wooster stealing policemen’s helmets I presume, all in good fun.
Assault_is_eternal

I’m shocked!

That a nameplate costs $40.
- niktemadur
  
  In that case, wonder in awe at how much this one would cost, the Monty Python sketch where Mr Raymond Luxury Yacht (pronounced “Throatwobbler Mangrove”) requests cosmetic surgery.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehKGlT2EW1Q
Teller

If I’m his agent, he memorizes: “I did it to remind myself what you told me.”
nosehat

For some reason, the phrase “Spicolian caper” made my day!
chgoliz

He’s in deep doo-doo now: the fine for not wearing a seat belt could be higher than the misdemeanor theft….and much easier to effect (no presumption of innocence in traffic court, and a much faster “trial”).
niktemadur

All I can think of here, is wonder if the fellow would have been taken into custody if the fellow’s name had been Lindsay Lohan, or sheepishly asked to return federal property “whenever it’s convenient”.
ocker3

Surely this is evidence of a compulsion or something??
That_Anonymous_Coward

The local media covered this one on the news tonight…
The Judge who had the nameplate snatched… is the Judge he was due to appear before for his PRIOR arrest.
SoItBegins

“You wouldn’t steal a policeman’s helmet. Then post on Facebook about it. Then give it to the grieving policeman. Then steal it AGAIN!…”
recwreck

Oh. Florida.
https://twitter.com/misterjayem MrJM

In the defense community, this is what is known as a frequent customer.
Stefrobrts

No one is going to bring up that this all could have been avoided if the GF had had proper privacy settings on her FB?
erx

So this kid stealing a nameplate is a felony, meaning that he will be sentenced to more than one year in prison for it and permanently bear the stigma of being a convicted felon. What’s stupider, the kid doing this, or the criminal justice system’s absurd overreaction to it?
- James Penrose
  
  I vote for the one who didn’t understand the guy is a repeat offender and many crimes turn into felonies if you keep doing them.
  
  He’s also on parole, you know you give your word you wont commit any crimes while on parole? So he is a liar and an oath-breaker too.
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    So he is a liar and an oath-breaker too.
    
    Does that mean that his parole officer’s 23x great grandson can summon him to the Stone of Erech?
http://www.fatjerry.com Dimmer

Maybe it just crawled into his hand and he is innocent?

I totally agree that the kid may have a kleptomania issue, and that jailing him makes no sense. Maybe the system will smarten up and just get him some therapy?
Michael E Felan

No one seems to have noticed that he also has a pipe on his lap.
Andrew Vaz

A strong candidate for a Darwin Award. Keep on going strong Steven, in no time, you’ll get one!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QHS2JUGZGALAPD2FDGC6K27LZU Mister

for getting him roped again and catching a felony- add a domestic violence charge in a few hours