It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
A western Pennsylvania man and his fiancee have sued Rent-A-Center and a police department for arresting the man after the company's employees allegedly made the false claim that the man had a gun when they came to repossess some furniture.
Tyrie Sheppard and Sade Fallin lived in Wilkinsburg when the workers demanded last December they return a bed and refrigerator after missing a payment. The couple says they owed less than $200 and already had a court date scheduled to resolve the matter when Rent-A-Center workers arrived.
During the confrontation, the workers called police, claiming Sheppard had a gun, and he was arrested and jailed for five days.
"They come running in saying, ‘Put your hands up. Put your hands up.’ All of them have guns to my face," said Sheppard.
According to the couple, the officers turned their home upside down, looking for the gun the two Rent-A-Center employees claimed Sheppard had when they tried to take back the refrigerator.
The charges against Sheppard were dismissed when Rent-A-Center workers didn't show up to testify at three court hearings.
The couple’s lawyer, Tim O’Brien, said that the Wilkinsburg police violated Sheppard and Fallin’s Fourth Amendment rights in conducting an illegal search and false arrest for a gun that Sheppard never had.
originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: Anyafaj
Rent a Center?
Say no more, they are just as predatory as pay day lenders!
I would rather buy a couch sitting on someone's front lawn than from them.
Either way, the mentality of both parties in this law suit should come into question. Just go to their website and see what the cost to "rent" comes out to versus someone intelligent enough to do with out and save a bit to buy outright from a legit retailer.
originally posted by: Shamrock6
The legality of the police search is dependent on the nature of the call the RAC employees made. If they made any statement that the resident had a gun and was threatening them with it, then it becomes a situation of exigent circumstances. If all they said was "dude might have a gun" then yea, they overstepped in a big way.
I've dealt with RAC repo folks a good bit. They'll do damn near anything to get their crap back, up to and including calling 5-0 and outright lying. We've caught them climbing fences, going in garages, trying doors and windows, the list goes on and on. I hope they get nailed.
originally posted by: Anyafaj
originally posted by: Shamrock6
The legality of the police search is dependent on the nature of the call the RAC employees made. If they made any statement that the resident had a gun and was threatening them with it, then it becomes a situation of exigent circumstances. If all they said was "dude might have a gun" then yea, they overstepped in a big way.
I've dealt with RAC repo folks a good bit. They'll do damn near anything to get their crap back, up to and including calling 5-0 and outright lying. We've caught them climbing fences, going in garages, trying doors and windows, the list goes on and on. I hope they get nailed.
And depending on far they went, WHAT they said to the Pittsburgh PD, will depend on how much trouble PPD will be in as well.
originally posted by: MystikMushroom
The real sad thing is how many military people I've known that go through RAC...it's a total racket and they market to the lower ranking enlisted troops. It really grinds my gears...
originally posted by: Bigburgh
OK let me clarify something. As I saw the title and knew who would get the blame.
For those of you who keep saying "Pittsburgh Police Department" .
It was not PPD. It was The Wilkingsburg Police Dept.
Wilkingsburg is a Borough.
"Fallin said she was on her bed with her 10-day-old son when, she claims, two Wilkinsburg officers barged into the home." A direct quote from the WPXI article.
www.wilkinsburgpa.gov...
originally posted by: Shamrock6
And depending on far they went, WHAT they said to the Pittsburgh PD, will depend on how much trouble PPD will be in as well.
originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: Anyafaj
Rent a Center?
Say no more, they are just as predatory as pay day lenders!
I would rather buy a couch sitting on someone's front lawn than from them.
Either way, the mentality of both parties in this law suit should come into question. Just go to their website and see what the cost to "rent" comes out to versus someone intelligent enough to do with out and save a bit to buy outright from a legit retailer.