Boy oh boy did I open up a can or worms on this one! I think that somehow I have turned into the liberal, left-wing, nut job on this one (which I am not). The biggest issue I have with this whole scenario is that by not punishing the dealership in some fashion, it might have been viewed as condoning vigilantism. When that starts happening, emotions start clouding judgements and irreversible mistakes are made.
An example would be: The dealership is pissed because they have been robbed x number of times and decides to shoot the next person who attempts to rob them. Two dealership employees sit in the dark waiting for the scum to scale the fence and steal a car. Low and behold there they are, jumping that fence. The gunmen shoot (even while the assailants are running away and cowering behind a shed) and kill one of the scum, only there is a problem; the guy they shot was some stupid teenager who was dared to jump the fence and let all the air out of the tires(or something equally as mischievous).
Do thieves deserve to be punished? Yes, but give me a break...murder? This is the USA, even the Taliban are generous enough to "only" cut off the hands of thieves. I say let our legal system do what it was designed to do. Obviously I won't change anyone's mind and perhaps I am naive in thinking that even shit-bags deserve a fair shot at the legal system, but that's why I love this great country of ours.
