Caelia Shortface was robbed. The 80 year old widow, who relies on a small pension and social security benefits, was caught by surprise while sitting at her desk working on her computer.
The Bergen County woman described her robbers as apparently respectable members of society. “I would never have suspected them, not in a million years.”
Mrs. Shortface believes her friends and neighbors have also been victimized by the group, but shame and humiliation prevent them from coming forward. “I hope by speaking out that it will help stop this thuggery.”
Local police were neither sympathetic nor very responsive when Shortface called to report the crime, and this led to her contacting the Bergen Record. A reporter followed up and was able to publicize the crime, and it was disclosed that many of the perpetrators were actually retired police officers.
“The man from the newspaper was very nice”, Caelia recounted. “I showed him exactly where I was sitting at the time, and I even printed him out a list of names. It’s the same list I offered the police, the names of all the thieves, but the police weren’t interested….It’s a cover-up “
It was eventually disclosed that the thieves Mrs. Shortface was referring to were all listed on NewJersey.Watchdog.org. The ring of thieves, numbering over 1,200 members, consists of many retired police officers and school employees — all taking home over $100,000 in pension salaries.
“I worked till I was 69 years old”, Mrs. Shortface recounted. “A lot of these people all retired before they were 50 years old. Fifty years old! Who retires at 50 years old? Millionaires….Not even them, they like to work. Who are these people retiring at 45, 46, 47 years old…and then getting a $100,000 a year to sit on their fat wallets.”
The crime Mrs. Shortface attempted to report was unearthed by investigative reporter Mark Lagerkvist. All the data used to compile the list was provided by the NJ State Treasury, and is current as of Dec. 31, 2011.
“What the hell is going on?”, cried Mrs. Shortface when asked to comment on how she felt as a crime victim. “What’s wrong with people? Where’s the justice? Where’s the humanity? I’m just an old lady, what can I do, I can’t defend myself against these people.”
The list of over 1,200 retired employees taking in over $100,000 a year exemplifies the serious financial stress the pension systems in NJ are coming under – and the stress being felt by NJ taxpayers. One employee Joseph Blaettler, who retired at age 46, will take home more than $4.5 million if he lives to be as old as Caelia Shortface.
“That’s 4.5 million dollars for being retired. Retired! That’s more than I earned working for 60 years!”, Mrs. Shortface sobbed.
The $100,000 a year club includes several representatives from Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes, but none yet from Oakland.
Sources inside the Oakland Police Department and Oakland Board of Education, speaking anonymously, said they were disappointed in not having any representatives on the state’s $100K club, but expressed hope for making the list in the near future.
Links:
The WatchDog $100k List – Complete list of retirees taking in 100k or more a year
The Under 50 $100k List – List of those who retired before age 50
I am sympathetic to anyone being robbed but the reporter failed to say how, what organization – any details whatsoever! How can one prevent when one doesn’t know what happened?!
Editor’s note: Please click on links within the article.
WHAT CRIME?! I’m dumbstruck after reading ths article, What are you talking about? There are no details in this lengthy article describing what happened! Was it identify theft ,was she physically assaulted? Is it a play on words, crimes to the community? I’m left shaking my head.
Editor’s note: “Old Lady Robbed” is a satirical article.