The Chainlink

Just caught this little bastard trying to steal a front tire of a bike at Albany and Logan. Made him reattach the wheel and took his wrench. A little too young to punch in the mouth. He rides an all black fixie with shorty straight bars. Lock em up tight.

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This is how it should have been handled from the very beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmnqmNVrEI

I
 assume from:E.L.A.B( East Leyden Anti Bullying ) that he attended East Leyden High

I watched that video and all I see is 3 jerks, a whole lotta Wrong and precious little Right. 

Eric Dahl said:

This is how it should have been handled from the very beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmnqmNVrEI


I saw 2 guys standing up to a thief who they caught red handed stealing their friend's bike. 


Andrew N said:

I watched that video and all I see is 3 jerks, a whole lotta Wrong and precious little Right. 

Eric Dahl said:

This is how it should have been handled from the very beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmnqmNVrEI

How would you have prefered they handle it? Ask him nicely to not steal the bike? Tell him he's under "Citizens arrest" and to please wait while they called the police?   It wasn't assault if he was stealing their property.  Maybe they took it too far but they were justified in using physical force.



Nikul Shah said:

I saw two guys committing assault and battery on another guy. He may have been a thief, but their use of violence is not justified. And recording their crime was even worse.
 


Eric Dahl said:


I saw 2 guys standing up to a thief who they caught red handed stealing their friend's bike. 


Andrew N said:

I watched that video and all I see is 3 jerks, a whole lotta Wrong and precious little Right. 

Eric Dahl said:

This is how it should have been handled from the very beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmnqmNVrEI

Hey, this is about a bike thief in Logan Square. In typical internet fashion, this conversation is rapidly devolving into something vaguely related to the topic. 

Nikul Shah said:

They were justified in stopping the theft. But, almost everything we see on that recording was after the theft had been stopped. Once the theft had been stopped, there was no need to keep pushing, punching, and kick him. The thief wasn't fighting them. He was trying to walk away. You can even hear some woman scream / beg they not hurt him or beat him up.
 
Kevin Klein said:

How would you have prefered they handle it? Ask him nicely to not steal the bike? Tell him he's under "Citizens arrest" and to please wait while they called the police?   It wasn't assault if he was stealing their property.  Maybe they took it too far but they were justified in using physical force.



Nikul Shah said:

I saw two guys committing assault and battery on another guy. He may have been a thief, but their use of violence is not justified. And recording their crime was even worse.
 


 

*slow clap*

Drew McBride said:

Hey, this is about a bike thief in Logan Square. In typical internet fashion, this conversation is rapidly devolving into something vaguely related to the topic. 

A perfectly natural reaction, but as we transgress, the harder we are pushed to abide.... Good night to you sir.  Pray your luck improves through self-restraint. God is your guide and his witness is omnipresent.  At least for the moment the weather is in your favor?

Zach Thomas said:

I'm still able to access his facebook, I just didn't contact him. Maybe he blocked ya'll?

I did some digging through the Ramey family of Chicago and found several Rameys who had Matthew's old profile listed as a friend. Alongside a few of those accounts' friend lists was an older gentleman who reports to have 3 kids. I am under the impression that this guy is actually Matthew's dad, or at the very least, knows the kid's dad. I sent him a friend request, and I'm crossing my fingers he accepts so I can send him a link to this thread where he'll see what his son has been up to. If I were to send him a message now it'll only be delivered to his "other" folder where he's less likely to see it.

This thread is only seventh place in a google search (matthew ramey chicago)...not bad for 30 hours of being online...Also it's had almost 92k views?!? 

Also, here's the higher resolution photo from the original post:

Matthew Ramey

I heard somebody say that the cops have doxed him, and are applying for a search warrant, as much to keep him from getting hurt as to recover stolen property.
This thread has gone viral locally on Facebook. That explains the views.  Nice work, Some Guy.  

I think it's important to remember that all of this started with just a blurry picture and the word of 'Some Guy.' 

'Some Guy' is probably a trustworthy guy - I don't know, I haven't been a member of this "community" very long - but I've seen enough internet vigilantism gone wrong (mostly reddit and 4chan) that I would caution everyone to slow down and not jump to conclusions. For all I know, 'Some Guy' could be a lover scorned or a business partner wronged, out seeking revenge and hoping the internet army will take his enemy down for him. What if Ramey just really looks similar to the kid pictured, but isn't actually him? Yes, by the way he communicates on facebook makes him look like a dolt, it doesn't make him 100% for sure the kid pictured.

This kid (honestly can't tell how old he is - 15 or 25?) could be guilty but nobody can know for sure and posting the personal information of someone who MIGHT be the culprit of a potential crime that was never verified, while it probably gives you an ego boost and a sense of accomplishment, is not morally right, in my opinion. 

I don't know for sure what the correct approach to the problem should be now but an internet mob lynching is most definitely not it. To be honest, there really isn't a problem any more because there's nothing that can be done legally that I can think of. It can serve as a warning to properly lock your bike and be aware that thieves do exist, but not much more than that. To be fair, that is what 'Some Guy' did at the end of his post.

 

I joined this site because of this story.

I saw this on FB this morning and recognized the kid right away. He comes from a dysfunctional family for sure. The police have been notified and they know his address. He's only 15, so please dont hurt him.

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