Repo Men take no prisoners

[debtcollector`]

Repo Men Charged with Assault in Car Recovery Case

Ms. Bradley, fearing she was being carjacked, sped off. At a stop light, Robert Jr. climbed on top of the Ford Focus where he began “pounding on the windshield like a madman.”
by Mike Bevel,
insideARM.com
May 23, 2007

* Sara Bradley, 25-year-old unwed mother of a 5 year-old-daughter
* Kalley, said 5-year-old daughter
* Charles Murphy, fiancé of Ms. Bradley
* Robert Simeone Jr., repo man
* Michael Simeone, repo 17-year-old boy

Yesterday, the Boston Globe, friend to debt collectors everywhere, ran a breaking news item on its website: Debt collectors charged with assaulting young mother. In order to draw renewed attention to its award-winning series, “Debtor Hell,” the Globe provided links to the series in the breaking news item, even though later in the story the Globe reveals that, rather than being debt collectors, the men involved in the harrowing story of the soon-to-be-repossessed 2000 Ford Focus were repo men for their father’s business, South Shore Auto Recovery.

The story gets a write-up in today’s print edition of the Globe, where the “debt collector” moniker is replaced with “repo men.”

Sara Bradley was leaving her “future mother-in-law's house” with her daughter, Kalley, and fiancé in tow. Michael and Robert Simeone, who, apparently, had been in wait for Ms. Bradley, approached the car, tried to remove the keys from the ignition, and in the process allegedly hit Ms. Bradley and broke her necklace (almost exactly like in Adam Bede by George Eliot, y’all! Where my VicLitters at?).

Ms. Bradley, fearing she was being carjacked, sped off in the $250-in-late-payments car. At a stop light, Robert Jr. climbed on top of the Ford Focus where he began “pounding on the windshield like a madman.”

Ms. Bradley then drove herself, her daughter, her fiancé, and Robert Jr., to the police station where Robert and Michael were arrested and the Focus, finally, was repossessed.

Of course, no one believes anyone else (the brothers allege that they never hit Ms. Bradley or broke her necklace; Ms. Bradley alleges that she was never presented with any paperwork alerting her to the fact that she had missed several payments), and while Michael Simeone was held on a $10,000 cash bail, his brother Robert Jr. was held without bail because of a pending drug charge.

All are scheduled to appear in court June 21.

[url]http://www.insidearm.com/index.cfm?objectID=B9AAA6E2-9594-5A0F-A69936F9C6A1CC8C[/url]

[FlyingRon]

I'm sure you feel all righteous in going to all lengths to recover secured property in default, but what condones assault? Jumping on top of the car and pounding like a mad man IS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR regardless of the circumstances involved. Physically struggling with (alleged) is also.

[TheVeteran]

and while Michael Simeone was held on a $10,000 cash bail, his brother Robert Jr. was held without bail because of a pending drug charge.

Shouldnt these debt collectors be subject to some sort of background checks? I mean, if they're supposed to be enforcing some sort of force/justice on any level whatsoever, they should be at least responsible.

[moburkes]

Repo men are not debt collectors. This is an example of someone who CLEARLY breached the peace. That doesn't mean that all repo men and women act this way. I'm more curious why a vehicle that was only $250 late, was set up for repo!

[FlyingRon]

Originally Posted by moburkes

Repo men are not debt collectors. This is an example of someone who CLEARLY breached the peace. That doesn't mean that all repo men and women act this way. I'm more curious why a vehicle that was only $250 late, was set up for repo!

I'm more curious how much a loan on a 2000 Ford Bofus could be. $250 and a tank of gas probably is the entire value of the vehicle :-)

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by FlyingRon

I'm more curious how much a loan on a 2000 Ford Bofus could be. $250 and a tank of gas probably is the entire value of the vehicle :-)

Oh, I get it, now. The car payments were $84/month, and a few bucks extra for the late fees. Thanks for clearing that up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blue Meanie]

Always fun, fun, fun in Brockton...The right armpit of Massachusetts....

[aant]

Originally Posted by FlyingRon

I'm more curious how much a loan on a 2000 Ford Bofus could be. $250 and a tank of gas probably is the entire value of the vehicle :-)

Exactly. That thing was probably, like, 2 1/2 years late.
I would have given those guys $250 to take it. Mistake #1: Ford Mistake #2: Focus
Mistake #3: the ridiculous drama-in-words of whoever said "like a madman." What is that like, exactly? Was he frothing?

[Ladynred]

It doesn't matter, that repo attempt was very clearly a breach of the peace, something repo men are NOT allowed to do by law. If there is ANY confrontation, they are supposed to back away. The fact that MA uses an antiquated system of 'constables' - people who are NOT law enforcement in any way, shape or form - only exacerbates the problems in MA.