"kids love pedos"...?
April 23, 2011 10:33 AM Subscribe
At a local gas station I received a quarter that is branded with a symbol that says "kids love pedos." Am I supposed to bring it to the police?
I did a little googling and it looks like either a joke or a way for pedophiles to "show their preference." On the other side is a heart. It's a florida state quarter. Do I go to the police?
(I think the clerk honestly thought it was a regular quarter. I'm a 24 yo woman).
I did a little googling and it looks like either a joke or a way for pedophiles to "show their preference." On the other side is a heart. It's a florida state quarter. Do I go to the police?
(I think the clerk honestly thought it was a regular quarter. I'm a 24 yo woman).
feel free to take it to the cops, but this would be and extraordinarily dumb way for actual pedos to show their preference. to me, this sounds on par with pedo bear - something that bored geeks come up with to freak out the normals.
posted by nadawi at 10:38 AM on April 23, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 10:38 AM on April 23, 2011 [6 favorites]
These seem to have been around for awhile.
And the FBI is on the job.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:44 AM on April 23, 2011 [4 favorites]
And the FBI is on the job.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:44 AM on April 23, 2011 [4 favorites]
if you *don't* think the clerk was signaling you about anything, which is probably true (I don't know how obvious this mark is, but even if it were large and colorful, the clerk probably isn't going to take the initiative or spend $.25 to get rid of it), I don't see what information you're going to bring to the table by alerting law enforcement. It's probably passed through dozens of hands, with everyone either missing it or going "WTF?" and spending it anyway.
I'd probably invest $.25 in putting it in the trash, unless you can obliterate the mark.
posted by randomkeystrike at 11:02 AM on April 23, 2011 [4 favorites]
I'd probably invest $.25 in putting it in the trash, unless you can obliterate the mark.
posted by randomkeystrike at 11:02 AM on April 23, 2011 [4 favorites]
In the spirit of Where's George, I think you should contact your local FBI bureau and hand it over. They may be tracking these things, and your tiny find could be useful to them.
posted by jbenben at 12:08 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jbenben at 12:08 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Some creep defaced money -- a trivial crime that isn't prosecuted.
Just spend the quarter -- save it for a machine if you're afraid others care.
posted by Rash at 12:22 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just spend the quarter -- save it for a machine if you're afraid others care.
posted by Rash at 12:22 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't talk to law enforcement unless I was being forced to, or had a very good reason. Even very small-scale stuff like them surreptitiously running your name and confusing you with someone who has a warrant out would seriously ruin your day.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:58 PM on April 23, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:58 PM on April 23, 2011 [6 favorites]
Yeah, I'd just spend it in a vending or laundry machine. If you call to turn it in, you always run the risk of them deciding to investigate you, just in case.
posted by limeonaire at 1:03 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by limeonaire at 1:03 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think it's worth pointing out that the spiral-triangle motif is fairly common in Native American Jewelry, rugs and stuff.
How would this "further the cause?" Why would these people want to identify themselves? This strikes me as mind-bogglingly low on the list of things to worry about if it's even anything more than an urban legend (obviously your coin is real, but its intent is not obvious).
posted by cmoj at 6:11 PM on April 23, 2011
How would this "further the cause?" Why would these people want to identify themselves? This strikes me as mind-bogglingly low on the list of things to worry about if it's even anything more than an urban legend (obviously your coin is real, but its intent is not obvious).
posted by cmoj at 6:11 PM on April 23, 2011
I'm not confident there's even a crime here:
As you are already aware, a federal statute in the criminal code of the United States (18 U.S.C. 331), indeed makes it illegal if one "fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens" any U.S. coin. However, being a criminal statute, a fraudulent intent is required for violation. Thus, the mere act of compressing coins into souvenirs is not illegal, without other factors being present.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
As you are already aware, a federal statute in the criminal code of the United States (18 U.S.C. 331), indeed makes it illegal if one "fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens" any U.S. coin. However, being a criminal statute, a fraudulent intent is required for violation. Thus, the mere act of compressing coins into souvenirs is not illegal, without other factors being present.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
There is no purpose to defacing coins in this way. Handing such coins to random strangers as some sort of "test" seeking other like-minded individuals is just silly. Throw that quarter in the garbage, and do not get law enforcement involved with this.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 7:31 PM on April 23, 2011
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 7:31 PM on April 23, 2011
Use it in a parking meter or soda machine. Or give it to a charity or homeless person asking for spare change.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:02 PM on April 23, 2011
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:02 PM on April 23, 2011
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posted by fritley at 10:37 AM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]