# I'd like to kill my roommate, but I'm afraid just doing it once wouldn't be enough

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 11, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016 "2007-11-11T14:26:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 11

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**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/201 "2007-11-13T21:18:56Z")

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Having been a landlord myself, albeit in Ohio, the more diligent you are in following the rules. Both as landlord and tenant, the less trouble you have come back to bite you.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/202 "2007-11-13T21:30:22Z")

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Now the bank can go after the thief. Once the feds are involved, it can get very very ugly for the perp.

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**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/203 "2007-11-13T21:39:21Z")

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[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas]  
Once the feds are involved, it can get very very ugly for the perp.  
[/QUOTE]  
Rawr, you sound so sexy when you talk like a cop. 😉

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**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/204 "2007-11-13T22:04:16Z")

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[QUOTE=flight]  
Actually, the eviction might be even easier since the owner is going to take residency. There was a thread a little while back that discussed specific laws relating to this, but I think it may have been specific to Canadian law. I will see if I can find it.  
[/QUOTE]

I was about to jump in with somewhat the same observation: The owner taking back a rental unit to live in in many cases does have better standing to evict a tenant. Depends on local laws and ordinances, though, so…

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**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/205 "2007-11-13T22:10:46Z")

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[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy]  
I was about to jump in with somewhat the same observation: The owner taking back a rental unit to live in in many cases does have better standing to evict a tenant. Depends on local laws and ordinances, though, so…  
[/QUOTE]  
Good point, both of you. However, the owner still has the same notification requirements (30 days or whatever applies) that he would have had if he weren’t moving in. I was under the impression that suggestions about eviction were meant more or less to decrease the chances of Dave coming back to the house if and when he gets bailed out and **neutron star** ’s exposure to him.

I think the order of protection route, if possible, is the one to pursue to attain this.

**neutron star** : Have you considered pressing “theft of servces” charges re the PPV stuff. I know the check cashing charges are major and smaller stuff might be harder to pursue, but anything that you can use to show his larceny would help in all eventualities.

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**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/206 "2007-11-13T22:21:24Z")

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[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas]  
Now the bank can go after the thief. Once the feds are involved, it can get very very ugly for the perp.  
[/QUOTE]

I really hope that happens. It was actually one of my first thoughts when I found out about the fraud on Saturday and realized that he had to have taken the checks from the mailbox.

When I asked the police officer about the possibility during my report, he kind of chuckled in that so-the-civilian-thinks-he-knows-something-about-the-law kind of way and said “That’s up to the postmaster. But I can tell you that we will be bringing seperate charges of identity theft and forgery against him for each check. Between his probation and his priors, he’ll be going away for a _long_ time even without federal charges.”

One night when he was drunk a couple of months ago, Dave let slip that he actually has **four** felony convictions.

> [@5-4 Fighting](#):
>
> neutron star: Have you considered pressing “theft of servces” charges re the PPV stuff. I know the check cashing charges are major and smaller stuff might be harder to pursue, but anything that you can use to show his larceny would help in all eventualities.

I briefly considered it, and told the story to the cop, who found it simultaneously funny and disgusting (he thought the lottery ticket story was just plain hilarious), but Dave did pay me back for that, and I told him at the time that it was his one free pass and that he’d better not steal from me again. I’m going to stick to my word on that one. No need to be dishonest like he is.

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**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/207 "2007-11-13T22:21:39Z")

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Just read all six pages and pleased to find out that **Neutron Star** is well on his way to justice and normalcy. Congrats!

Oh, and **lobstermobster** …once again, it is time for your daily spanking.

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**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/208 "2007-11-13T22:38:00Z")

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[QUOTE=neutron star]  
I briefly considered it, and told the story to the cop, who found it simultaneously funny and disgusting (he thought the lottery ticket story was just plain hilarious), but Dave did pay me back for that, and I told him at the time that it was his one free pass and that he’d better not steal from me again. I’m going to stick to my word on that one. No need to be dishonest like he is.  
[/QUOTE]  
I remember that now and, considering you did say before he’d paid you back (I forgot, I was, uhhhmmm sidetracked), you’d be doing the honorable thing to stick to your word.

Hijack (oh, I’m not the first): A homeless woman, who angry at me, was tearing up my mail (it was left in a pile in my vestibule). I reported it to the local post office and the first thing they said was," Why don’t you rent a post office box here?"

It degenerated into out-and-out foot dragging from there.

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**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/209 "2007-11-13T22:47:53Z")

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[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting]  
I remember that now and, considering you did say before he’d paid you back (I forgot, I was, uhhhmmm sidetracked), you’d be doing the honorable thing to stick to your word.

Hijack (oh, I’m not the first): A homeless woman, who angry at me, was tearing up my mail (it was left in a pile in my vestibule). I reported it to the local post office and the first thing they said was," Why don’t you rent a post office box here?"

It degenerated into out-and-out foot dragging from there.  
[/QUOTE]

Hijack (oh come on! Everyone is doing it..) Why was she angry at you? Just email me the story sometime. I won’t hijack further.

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**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/210 "2007-11-13T23:05:18Z")

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[QUOTE=Nzinga, Seated]  
Hijack (oh come on! Everyone is doing it..) Why was she angry at you? Just email me the story sometime. I won’t hijack further.  
[/QUOTE]

Or post it if you want, **5-4 Fighting**. Might make for an interesting story, and certainly less of a hijack than the Ambien thing.

Anyway, another piece of good news: the girlfriend showed up a few minutes ago. I got her plate number and left another message with the police, so hopefully both of the guilty parties will pay. 🙂

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**Author:** ![ManiacMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/211 "2007-11-13T23:19:56Z")

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I don’t know how many times this has been said but please, for the love of God, VIDEO-TAPE his arrest and stick it on Youtube!!!

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**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/212 "2007-11-13T23:53:21Z")

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[QUOTE=neutron star]  
Or post it if you want, **5-4 Fighting**. Might make for an interesting story, and certainly less of a hijack than the Ambien thing.

Anyway, another piece of good news: the girlfriend showed up a few minutes ago. I got her plate number and left another message with the police, so hopefully both of the guilty parties will pay. 🙂  
[/QUOTE]

Just wanted to say I’m happy things are looking up, and you will get your cash back. 🆒

One question: I must have missed it in this long-ass thread full of irrelevant hijacks, but what part did the GF play in the fraud?

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**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/213 "2007-11-13T23:55:25Z")

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[QUOTE=Malthus]  
Just wanted to say I’m happy things are looking up, and you will get your cash back. 🆒

One question: I must have missed it in this long-ass thread full of irrelevant hijacks, but what part did the GF play in the fraud?  
[/QUOTE]  
Hey! My mail was important _to me_. 😉

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**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/214 "2007-11-14T00:03:58Z")

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[QUOTE=Malthus]  
One question: I must have missed it in this long-ass thread full of irrelevant hijacks, but what part did the GF play in the fraud?  
[/QUOTE]

By comparing handwriting it was determined the GF wrote one of the checks. I bet they wanted to see whose handwriting looked the most like **neutron star**.

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**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/215 "2007-11-14T00:05:00Z")

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[QUOTE=Malthus]  
One question: I must have missed it in this long-ass thread full of irrelevant hijacks, but what part did the GF play in the fraud?  
[/QUOTE]

One of the checks was written in a feminine looking script that was very different from the others. I compared it to a love letter Dave’s girlfriend had written that I found on the kitchen table. They matched. I told the cop that when he was writing up my report, and he seemed very eager to take her down, too. There’s not much crime in my town, so when the police do find something interesting, they latch on and don’t let go.

I told him that I didn’t know her last name, but that she came by fairly often and that I might be able to get the plate number from her Jetta. He encouraged me to do so, and even drove by the house himself looking for a car that matched my description. Tonight was the first time she made an appearance since I found out about the forgery.

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**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/216 "2007-11-14T00:51:14Z")

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Ah, gotcha. Thanks **Nawth** and **Neutron**. Hope they pull her in, too. What a stupid crime! If only all crooks were that dumb.

I agree that your story was interesting **5-4** I was referring more to some of the other stuff … 😉

To create a minor hijack of my own: all of the crooked roommates by friends and relations have had to deal with were a lot like **Neutron** ’s: basically, criminals because they were extremely lazy and worthless, looking for stuff to steal to get drunk or high because it was easier than working for money. None was really a danger (other than to privacy and easily liquidated stuff).

The much more worrisome group of roommates were those with serious mental problems. In Canada at least, there seemed little that could be done about them, even when it appeared they could be a danger to themselves or to others.

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**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/217 "2007-11-14T00:51:42Z")

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[QUOTE=neutron star]  
The bank gave me some fantastic news about the state of my money. Turns out the teller was wrong. I’ll be credited with the full amount missing by the end of business today! Hell yeah!  
[/QUOTE]  
Excellent news indeed. Glad to hear it - it did seem quite profoundly wrong that you might be liable for actions entirely not your own.

On a vague tangent, a friend recently had a small amount of money defrauded from his account (using a cloned debit card, we suspect). Fortunately the money was spent in Scotland while my friend was in South America, making the proof rather easy. But the bank didn’t spot it - he did, when checking his online banking. He phoned them from South America, saying, “erm, how could I be spending money in Aberdeen?” “Oh, yeah … that is strange,” they said.

On arrival back home some weeks later, he discovered a letter from his bank dated two weeks after he notified them of the fraud, informing him that his bank had quite magnificently detected a fraud on his account, extolling the virtues of their fraud prevention scheme and inviting him to purchase extra account insurance. I thought this was a quite beautiful bit of spin, myself.

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**Author:** ![joemama24\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@joemama24\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joemama24_98)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/218 "2007-11-14T01:16:27Z")

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So, when do they get arrested? I’ve waded through 5 pages of crap (not related to the OP) to find that out.

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**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/219 "2007-11-14T01:40:47Z")

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I don’t know. I left a message with the officer handling the case today, but he never called back, and when I called back to give the plate number, they said he was gone for the day. I’m hoping that it’ll happen tomorrow.

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**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-kill-my-roommate-but-im-afraid-just-doing-it-once-wouldnt-be-enough/426016/220 "2007-11-14T02:41:03Z")

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Maybe you should start a new thread, Part II: The Arrest, or How Dave Cried Like a Little Girl.

You know, just to start clean, minus Ambien and petty thief hijacks.

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