Is this mob justice, or fair justice?

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Wall o' text so bear with me ..

One of my mates works in the navy. Someone was stealing lots of expensive stuff from the lockers. There are - like - 300 people on board. Over months, major irritating. No-one knew who it was and the official investigation was getting no-where. So my mate got together with about 50 sailors who they pretty well trusted not be be thieving. They all chose a weekend not to use their lockers at all. The lockers are black. They all painted 'non-set, black, non-removeable' paint all over their lockers on Friday night when everyone else not on duty was elsewhere.

Saturday night .. their plan worked -- one guy comes in the canteen nervously wearing gloves (!!). Upon getting the gloves off him, his hands are covered in black non-removeable paint. Busted 100%. They went to the officers and believe it or not to cut a long story short there was 'not enough evidence' despite him not being able to account for the paint or where he was at recent thieving times, and the guy got released without charge :( . The sailors wanted him gone but the guy had got off Scott free. None of the sailors were prepared to break ANY regulations to get revenge (threatening, hurting etc) so here is what they did.

Whenever the guy entered the canteen or any communal place, every single person in there would stop whatever they were doing, whatever they were saying, just go dead silent, all look directly at the guy, and simply point directly at the guy in silence as he walked around doing his business. 300 men. A busy old canteen, sudden absolute silence and everyone just pointing at the one guy right the way until he left the room again. People would even stop ordering food (or in the gym using the equipment). Even lots of the officers did it!! No navy rules were being broken. Can you imagine?

The 'unproven' thief lasted 3 days and resigned. Career over, 'get off at the next port'. On day 3 apparently he was in tears - the silence and steady pointing remained absolute.

The question is this -- is this 'fair justice, nice work getting rid of the guy ' or is this 'mob justice, very nasty'?? I'm finding it difficult to choose between the two ..
 
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Caporegime
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Depends if he was guilty or not...

Could very well have accidently touched one of the lockers, realised/knew why people had put black paint on the lockers and realised he was in the **** (hence the nervousness). Thus the guys have hounded out an innocent person.

Problem is unless the thief is an idiot (if the original person is innocent) you will never know as he wouldn't steal again...
 
Associate
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Well it's cruel but I can't really complain. Fair enough really.

I find it pretty unlikely he was innocent, if there was some sort of mis understanding as to why he had black paint on his gloves it would be pretty easy to explain.

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be, I thought it was going to turn all Full Metal Jacket with the soap and the towel and so on.
 
Soldato
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If nothing else it's good evidence that psycological agression is as painfully damaging, if not more so, than physical.

Living in a close community environment there are some boundries you don't step over, if he was the thief he got all he deserved and it was a well executed technique, unfortunately what if he isn't the thief? It a hard situation to judge without all the facts.
 
Soldato
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Didn't have proper evidence, if they did he would have been found guilty by the officers.

Completely out of order, they're ruined someones career at a time where getting a job is about as easy as finding sold gold cow turds. Could have been so much worse too.
 
Soldato
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I suppose it's fair assuming things like he had no reason to be around those lockers, if they are tucked away somewhere, with his no where near them, or if it was only painted on the inside or something.
 
Associate
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Assuming that it was him he ruined his own career by stealing in the first place. How can you possible hope to keep a career in the Navy if none of your ship mates trust you?

The problem is that without knowing exactly where they put the paint it's impossible to judge how likely it was to be him.
 
Man of Honour
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Military success is all about trust, you have to trust those around you with your life, on a ship in such tight confines having a member of crew who is seen as a thief is bad for moral. I suspect the evidence in the minds eye of the ships crew was clear. They may of course have been wrong and someone has paid with their job but I suspect they were bang on and have removed a thief and therefore untrustworthy crew member. He could have ended up overboard, wouldn't be the first time..
 
Caporegime
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All over the world...
That would be my thought, the black paint itself, unless on the inside/where it couldn't be touched accidentally wouldn't be great proof as it's possible to get it on you by accident.

And probably why the commanding officers didnt take any action against him in all honesty.

But if he was guilty then fair justice...if not what a complete and utter **** up.
 
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