The unthinkable finally happened

[EvilEvoIX]

After 25 Years I'd cut him off completely, out of your life.

[420GOAT]

GUYS he cant send his own bro to jail! itll just kill his mom and dad to see the siblings acting such right before their time on earth is up. i think you should tell him, but dont let him in your pad anymore, if your parents ask why, tell them.

[Jibbajaba]

I can't express fully my appreciation to all you guys. It means more than you know.

This is a very complicated situation for me as I am trying to do what is best for myself, my brother, and my parents. My brother is the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the number of times he has been in jail over the last 25 years. Jail time just doesn't work for him. My mom and dad are in their 70s and I want their remaining years to be as peaceful as possible. But if my brother dies from his addictions....well you can see my dilemma.

Chany, the Neo goods are safe.

It appears the only way that I am going to be able to get my stuff back from the game store without a police report is for my brother to accompany me into the store to confess his crime. I can guarantee that won't ever happen. My brother is violent, defiant, and defensive.

I know its rough but go to the cops then and get it over with. You and your parents, among others, will be better off for it. A temporary pain followed by a nice long stint of peace and quiet. I mean you really have to ask yourself this, who is my brother stealing from today? He's already hit you up and you were family, who knows who else he is robbing or what all he is caught up in. If you stand by doing nothing knowing he is out there stealing, it will hurt worse when eventually you do find out he did a lot more/a lot worse and you could have helped stop him.

Yeah, right.  If he's stealing games from you, what's he doing to your 70-year-old parents?

Aside from that, I wouldn't let him in your house anymore, and I'd install a lock on your game room door.  I've thought about doing that myself, just in case of a random intruder.

Chris

[Mathius]

I just got back from the game store. I reacquired Alundra, Super Mario Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Parodius, Macross, and Super Bonk 2. No sign of Sinistron, Chase HQ (Sat), or Side Arms. I'll need to search the local pawn shops. Chrono Trigger is also MIA.

I am probably going to ask around here to see if anyone has a used Chrono Trigger before I hit eBay to replace it. Sinistron and Chase HQ (Saturn) are going to be harder to come by.

Guys, if it was a situation where I could charge my brother with theft I would have already done it. I certainly have the power and right to do so, but it would cause a rift in my family. I know it sounds ridiculous...and it most certainly is.

[EvilEvoIX]

Well if you don't charge your brother then his activity will continue, you are almost condoning it.  As Jibbajaba posted I would keep him out of your house.

[RoyVegas]

Well if you don't charge your brother then his activity will continue, you are almost condoning it.

Saying he is condoning his brother's activity is pushing it pretty far.  They guy just doesn't want to create a wave in the family.  The thing Mathias has to remember is that his brother already created tsunami, I'm not sure a little wave would hurt things any worse.

Maybe the best thing to do is talk to mom and dad, let them know what happened and ask their opinion.  Maybe they wan't to help him too and this might be that catalyst?

[EvilEvoIX]

That is not my intent, I just hate addicts so much.  It destroys so many people around them.  If I misspoke then I am sorry, just such an avoidable issue.

I agree however that nothing short of complete cutting off would be acceptable.  Stealing from family members to support a habit, a 20+ year habit non the less, should be met with complete and total silence until corrected.

[Tatsujin]

I also think that the best would be to drag this issue down within the own family. means of involving all concerned members and decide what would be the best solution for all.
As Math already stated, he is and  was a shit doer for the past 25 years, so this probably wouldn't be such a heartattack giving surprise.

But we're all not in the knowing what all happened during all these times, and therefore we are also not in the right position to judge of what would or should be the best way to wipe this issue off the table.

[Sparky]

I just got back from the game store. I reacquired Alundra, Super Mario Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Parodius, Macross, and Super Bonk 2. No sign of Sinistron, Chase HQ (Sat), or Side Arms. I'll need to search the local pawn shops. Chrono Trigger is also MIA.

I am probably going to ask around here to see if anyone has a used Chrono Trigger before I hit eBay to replace it. Sinistron and Chase HQ (Saturn) are going to be harder to come by.

Guys, if it was a situation where I could charge my brother with theft I would have already done it. I certainly have the power and right to do so, but it would cause a rift in my family. I know it sounds ridiculous...and it most certainly is.

Mat that's terrible news to hear & what a horrible situation, your own brother. F@ck he must be out of control if he in jail that much and drugged up and stealing like that. Chin up my friend and hope as a family you can decide on the next coarse of action, something has to be done, you know that and the family
Big Hugs

PS: hopefully you did not have to pay to much to get your goods back?

[ProfessorProfessorson]

I watched my ex-inlaws go through this situation with my ex wife. Its a rough thing to have to cope with. They kept dropping the charges on her even after she was caught red handed constantly thinking she would change. The solution to the problem finally, was to move half way across the country thinking my ex would find them. It didn't really matter by then because my ex was wanted for child abuse warrants at that point, and yeah, she found them, paid them a visit and had to flea when the cops were called. Its a rough situation indeed. Can anyone guess where my worthless ex wife stayed for a few years? Mother f*cking New Jersey. Shit you not.

[Mathius]

I just got back from the game store. I reacquired Alundra, Super Mario Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Parodius, Macross, and Super Bonk 2. No sign of Sinistron, Chase HQ (Sat), or Side Arms. I'll need to search the local pawn shops. Chrono Trigger is also MIA.

I am probably going to ask around here to see if anyone has a used Chrono Trigger before I hit eBay to replace it. Sinistron and Chase HQ (Saturn) are going to be harder to come by.

Guys, if it was a situation where I could charge my brother with theft I would have already done it. I certainly have the power and right to do so, but it would cause a rift in my family. I know it sounds ridiculous...and it most certainly is.

Mat that's terrible news to hear & what a horrible situation, your own brother. F@ck he must be out of control if he in jail that much and drugged up and stealing like that. Chin up my friend and hope as a family you can decide on the next coarse of action, something has to be done, you know that and the family
Big Hugs

PS: hopefully you did not have to pay to much to get your goods back?

So far it hasn't been too bad. The guy at the store knows me to be a loyal customer of his and is giving me to the option to buy the stuff back in sections.

I watched my ex-inlaws go through this situation with my ex wife. Its a rough thing to have to cope with. They kept dropping the charges on her even after she was caught red handed constantly thinking she would change. The solution to the problem finally, was to move half way across the country thinking my ex would find them. It didn't really matter by then because my ex was wanted for child abuse warrants at that point, and yeah, she found them, paid them a visit and had to flea when the cops were called. Its a rough situation indeed. Can anyone guess where my worthless ex wife stayed for a few years? Mother f*cking New Jersey. Shit you not.

Good lord, Prof! I have read and appreciated the previous stories by other members in this thread, but yours is by far the most F'd up.

[TheClash603]

I had a family member with a gambling addiction open a credit card in my name and ruin my credit for 7 years.

The killer is, I had to claim I couldn't pay it, put it to collections, and then I still had to pay thousands of dollars to pay off part of the debt so that I could retain some credit.  Essentially I had to admit I was a deadbeat, when I in fact was not.

Thankfully that is all behind me, but 7 years screwed me in a big way.  If it ever happened again I would press charges, but I didn't the first time because I guess everyone makes mistakes?  Blood is stronger than credit scores.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

Mathius, you will get through it either way. If nothing else consider it a lesson learned. Just don't have your brother over anymore, and as suggested prior, invest in locks, and possibly ED-209.

[Tatsujin]

DIY consumer version:

[ProfessorProfessorson]

I'd buy that for a dollar.