Wake the Lakes “Moron Lawbreaker of the Week” 9-19-23

A literal “porch pirate” was arrested in Georgia after he stole an entire front porch from his neighbor’s property, according to police.  Robin Swanger, of Arnco, allegedly blew past “do not trespass” signs and took the detached wooden structure left behind on his neighbor’s land, according to the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.  Although the porch may have appeared to have been abandoned, the property owners said it was not for the taking, according to a local television station there.  “It’s a full 8′ by 10′ porch. It would be what goes onto a house for entry and exit,” investigator Chris Stapler told the outlet.  “Some people may shrug their shoulders and say it’s not a big deal, but when you take someone’s property without their consent and the value of this porch is $3,000, you can’t just go and take stuff off someone’s property,” he added.  The porch was left behind after the home was removed from the property.  During the investigation, police say the porch was returned to the neighbor’s property at one point but was placed upside-down.  Investigators referred to Swanger as a “porch pirate” — a term typically used for people who snatch packages from the doorsteps of homes.  Authorities had been on the lookout for Swanger for days before they were called to his home for a domestic disturbance.  At the time he was arrested for the porch theft, he was also charged with two counts of domestic violence, including battery, police said.