The last few years have been very trying for my family. Hard economic times have forced us to tighten our budgets, sell off our assets, and seriously change our lifestyle. The last thing we needed was for our house to get broken into and lose the money from our wallets, purses, and kid’s piggy banks.
Like dozens of tax paying, hard working residents of St. Clair we were repeat victims of an evil and heartless criminal that would sneak into our houses at any hour of the day. In some cases right while my wife and young children were asleep!
My personal losses didn’t end at cash and piggy bank change. Firearms, video games, tools, video equipment, and more have been taken from my residence. Replacement value to date exceeds 6 thousand dollars from my family alone.
Recently, thanks to a fast acting citizen that stumbled upon the criminal in the act, an arrest was made and a suspect was questioned. The police searched the suspect’s apartment to find a collection of stolen property that rivalled any retail store’s sales floor.
The burglar’s name is Jackie Ray Hall, Jr. Here is a recent write up on the instance by The Times Herald.
“A 25-year-old East China Township man suspected in numerous breaking and enterings in the East China Township, China Township and St. Clair area was arrested and arraigned last week, according to a statement from the St. Clair County Sheriff Department.
Jackie Ray Hall Jr. was charged with two counts of home second-degree home invasion Friday.
Police responded to an East China Township home shortly before midnight Nov. 23 for a possible breaking and entering in progress. Deputies found the suspect had fled on foot and his vehicle was located near the home. Inside the truck officials saw several items believe to be stolen in other home invasions in the area.
The truck was impounded and a search warrant was requested for the vehicle and the suspect’s home on Bree Road.
Officials found several televisions, computers, electronic devices, jewelry, a gun cabinet and other items during the execution of the search warrant.
Hall was arrested Nov. 24. He has posted bond, which was set at $15,000 cash/surety.
Anyone who believes their property may be among the items recovered is asked to contact the St. Clair County Sheriff-Port Huron Police Major Crimes Unit at (810) 984-5383 .
Hall’s preliminary examination is set for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 8.”
Two counts of second degree home invasion? What the hell is that? He has already admitted to breaking into dozens of homes, and they found so much stolen property in his apartment that it has taken over a week for detectives just to sort through it.
So help me god, if this socially demented freak gets off with a slap on the wrist I will do all that I can to make sure heads roll!!! The St Clair Police Department, St Clair County Sherrif’s Department, and all of our citizens were hand delivered one of the county’s worst criminals of the decade. Their own feeble efforts were outdone by a civilian home owner. The least they could do for us is keep this evil bastard away from our children and homes.
Please take a moment to express your feelings to St Clair County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wendling. His number is 810-985-2400 and also try victim’s services at 810-985-2301 .
I am going to be talking to the detectives on this case Friday December 3, 2010. I would LOVE for you to comment on this case, and I will be more than happy to share with them how we feel as threatened citizens of St Clair County. If you have heard of other individuals that were involved, please let us know about it. It seems to me that more than one person was responsible. Someone rented to him, knew him, and aided him.
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It makes me sick to my stomach they are only charging him with 2 counts…looking at his record shows he is obviously a “career criminal”. And the victims are supposed to be comforted by the Sheriff saying “he’s sorry”…are you kidding me???? I cannot imagine the frustration and worry that more than a handful of my friends with young children go thru on a daily basis that have been recently robbed and left to feel violated and unsafe. And what is the “justice” the victims get? Two counts…that’s a slap on the wrist, not even, it’s more like a tickle! How does the Sheriff’s department justify this??? Our town used to be as close to “crime free” as possible, but it seems that sitting in parking lots across from the bars has become more important than actually patroling our streets. If our police force cannot make our city a “safe” place again, they should all be replaced with officers who will! I no longer feel safe in my own home without a firearm to protect myself if need be in the middle of the night. I cannot afford a fancy security system to protect my home during the daytime while I am at work, so what exactly are my options???? NONE I guess!
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Troy McFarlane
My son was devestated when I had to inform him that his bikes had been stolen out of our garage. He is a very trusting kid, dosent believe that people would do him wrong because its just not in his nature to treat anyone anyway other than g…ood. I think more than anything he was upset because his grandmother had bought them for him. I called the police last night to inquire if this worthless scumbag had them in his posession when they searched his property but he did not. The police agreed that he was most likely the person that had taken them, but that he had probably sold them already. There were 3 bikes, 2 air conditioners and steak and other food taken from our outside freezer. The bikes alone were valued at approx. 1300.00.
I hope that the police are able to find where he sold these items at and recover them, but more than that I hope this dipshit gets put away for a long time. I think its complete B.S that he is out on bail!
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Kerri Daniels
This situation is just awful, Chrissy! I have read Erin’s previous posts about this rash of break-in’s, and is unfortunate that the police department in our’ little town’ has not recognized that it a ‘little town’ anymore. It’s a different… world that we live in, and this fool should have his feet held to the fire for every single item that was stolen. He should not have been able to bond out at least until they inventoried each and every item found in his residence – because I have a feeling that when they finally get to cataloging everything, it will become clear that he is responsible for a large number of these crimes. I am a BIG believer in accountability: and there just is not ENOUGH of it anymore. Enough of giving the criminals more rights than the victims!
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Amberly Delore Furlin Let’s hope they get everyone involved..!
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Darcy Doubles detective said today that he is claiming he did all this by himself…YA OK…..oh and that he is very remorseful…..UUUUUGGGGHHHHH
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Erin Gottler He just better hope they lock him up for a LONG time. What we will will do to him out here is WAY worse than prison life…..
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Darcy Doubles exact way i feel….i would like just 10 minutes with him in a room…bet i can get him to spill who his accomplices are…lol
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Melda Coleman Bates he had to have someone else with him … someone at the very least had to know of all these belongings in his home …. ASSHOLE … well I am glad he got out and that is a slap on the wrist … means he only has to come up with $1,500 to get out …. Thats just all effed up!
I would like to know at what point crime prevention became re-active-vs- pro-active?
everyone is more concerned with the criminal than the victim, people there is something terribbly wrong with this picture. I am not saying that vigalante justice is the answer, but when the legal system, (we no longer have a justice system )doesn’t work or will not work then we are left with very few choices. When I joined the military I took an oath to protect this nation aginst all enemies both foreign and domestic. I have to wonder what kind of oaths were sworn when these people became public servants and were those just words or did they really mean what they said?
I bet if anyone had thought to check craigslist you would find where they were sold at …
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Darcy Doubles
i really would like to know why these police departments…A. can let him out on bail..of course he has the money…he stole it from all of us…his girlfriends brother told me his dad bailed him out…who in the hell has $15000 on a holiday weekend to bail their kid out of jail for home invasions…..why isn’t the dad being investigated…B. why isn’t his girlfriend who shared the lease on his apt (where stolen items were being held)…being prosecuted as an accessory or an accomplice…she lived in the apartment with him…admitted to a co-worker that she has known that he has been doing this for almost 2 years now……C…why can they just allow for him openly say I did this by myself….BULLSHIT…not one of the houses broken into had little enough items taken for only one person to do this….On the other fact i would like the detectives to know that I along with several others will be following this very closely and if it takes every last minute i have to make sure that i can go back to living how i used to which is not having to check my kids room every time i come home to make sure stuff is there…not having to closely look at every car that goes by slowly…not having to fear walking into my house every night…then i will do it…..Maybe the detectives would like to hear from my 7yr old daughter who constantly asks me if the robbers are gonna come back and take her…..
I’d say that a burglar isn’t the worst criminal in this county by a long shot. Look into the criminal justice system before you judge it. He is charged with two counts of home invasion because thats what they can prove, and he is an habitual offender so he will get a lengthy sentence. Two counts are better than none and that is why Wendling is going with that he was arrested with the contents of two homes so those are his charges. All his prior charges are held against him when his sentencing is discussed, he will do more time than a first time offender would. Just putting my opinion here but if you think you can do a better job than the already taxed police and prosecutors then join the police academy or get your law degree.
Thanks for posting an educated comment and sharing your opinion, Pat. Let me clarify the term “county’s worst criminal of the decade.” There have been murders, rapes, and child abuse crimes here, I know. None of which that I know of where the assailant committed DOZENS 0f offenses and in many cases multiple accounts against the same victims.
For the last few years, these burglaries have haunted the families and children of this entire city. Forcing residents to live in fear, changing changing vacation plans, adding security systems, and forcing parents to explain to grade school children why bad people are sneaking into their house while fall asleep.
As far as getting my law degree and becoming a cop? If I was forced to do every job in the community because someone was performing at a substandard level, I be spending my entire life in school. The fact of the matter is this. When one of my employees is not performing ta an acceptable standard, it is my duty and right to remove said employee from his/her position. They are a detriment to the well being of my company. These police/sheriffs/detectives/prosecutors do in fact work for me (and you), so we have some say in evaluating their performance.
Maybe this suspect will be sentenced to the maximum. Most of us here in town certainly hope so. But the feeling that we the victims have thus far gotten from the detectives was one of sympathy for the suspect, and I feel that by letting everyone know how we feel BEFORE this goes to trial and sentencing it does a whole lot more good than whining about it after the fact, when it’s too late.
This is a fishing website?
Some of you sound a little loopy. No justice? It’s not like he’s a serial killer. He stole stuff, and he is going to pay for that. He’ll serve more time than most murderers do. Heads will roll? “What we will do to him out here is way worse than prison life.” ?? Maybe the prosecutor should be monitoring the violent, threatening talk on this “fishing” website.
Do any of you consider where this kid comes from in his life? How rough it might have been? I know it’s terrible what he did, but keep things in perspective – he stole stuff, he didn’t harm anyone physically. He’s probably addicted to it. Just think before you make yourselves sound worse than the criminal with your posse/mob talk.
Remember some years back when an Amish school was shot up and a bunch of kids died. The Amish formally forgave the killer, a very hard thing to do no doubt, but they did it. They understand the pain someone is in when they do something like that.
Some of you on this blog are acting like this kid did something worse than that, making him out to be this “evil” criminal, almost Hitler-like. The kid stole stuff. Stuff. Keep it in perspective.
Chill out with the hang ‘em high talk. You’ll get your stuff back or be compensated, and the kid will serve more time than most murderers do and hopefully come out not more screwed up than before. Don’t worry, he’ll pay. Our free country has a bigger prison population than any other country on earth, including countries not as “free” as us. We imprison a bigger percentage of our population than any other country. So sit back in your lazy boys and smile knowing this poor kid just screwed his life up even more.
Thanks for taking the time to visit my Fishing Website, Corvette Don. Well written and intelligent comments are always welcome!
I can’t really tell where you are from, so I’ll try not to assume anything. It may seem that people of St Clair may be a little “overly aggressive” in regards to this matter. Just understand that this has been going on for 3 years, and many of the victims have been robbed multiple times. It’s not just refrigerator beer and ashtray change that was taken. Many family heirlooms were taken. Some of us that make a living with tools lost our means of livelihood when tools were stolen.
We will see what happens when the dust settles and the case comes to an end. My 6 and 8 year old will sleep a little better now. It was pretty earth shattering for them to have to understand why the “bad guys” were coming into their house while they were asleep..
Don Corvette,
I hear you on cooling the lynch mob talk, but serioulsy, “Do any of you consider where this kid comes from in his life? How rough it might have been?” ? Are you suggesting that he is not accountable based on how he grew up? Presuming you accept accountability is a requirement in a “just” society, would you suggest we prosecute his parents for his crimes or everyone forgive and forget. Suggesting you will take a slightly different view once you are a victim…
As appropriate for a fishing site, I would like to get totally tangental with your argument and hear your thoughts on the “just” prosecution of Bernie Madoff since he just stole stuff and didn’t physically harm anyone.
- MT
egottler: my family’s lived in St. Clair County since before the Civil War.
Erin, I see your point and I don’t ever want to see a friend of mine or his/her children upset. It’s just working in law enforcement gives me another side of the fence so to speak and I know how the public views us, believe me not all people in law enforcement are inept or uncaring. I can’t speak for St. Clair because I have not lived there for a long time, but most agencies do care about these types of crimes, it’s just the nature of the beast and many times they are not top proirity cases, this is not right, especially in a smaller town. This is where the public’s feedback will help them (hopefully) to see that citizens are willing to understand as long as they know their paid officers are truly interested in making them feel safe.