According to the Press Democrat, however, this good Samaritan act was rewarded when police kicked her door in, arrested her – and busted her son as well on the same phone theft charges.
It didn't help matters, Infosecurity notes, that her 44-year-old son was also charged with drug offenses in connection with methamphetamine (aka, crystal meth).
The more cynical readers among us may think that the claims by the woman and her son are merely a defense, but the paper reports that the messages were left on the owner's voice mail and that police later dropped the charges against the woman for a lack of evidence.
The paper says that the legitimate owner of the handset was able to track it – after leaving it in a shopping cart – and advised police of her account details.
The woman – a retired cosmetics saleswoman (who had no criminal record) and whose son's door was kicked in by police – said she was shocked. “I’m putting my hands in the air thinking, Is this the way I’m going to die, Lord?” she told the paper.
“A judge ruled there were grounds to charge the son with drug possession and obstructing or delaying a police officer. A deputy at his preliminary hearing said he knocked on his doors and windows and entered only after obtaining a warrant to investigate stolen property”, noted the paper.
So why didn't the lady hand the phone into the store? She reportedly took it home in the hope that her son could figure it out, she told the paper. Years ago she said she turned in a lost ring and it was never handed over to the owner.
“Once at her son’s place, she said he was able to call the owner and leave a message, saying that they had the phone, and leaving their number.”