E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSA woman who helped a former classmate left homeless after superstorm Sandy got ripped off for her trouble, police said.
Lower Southampton Township Police on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for Mercedes Dombkiewicz, 22, of Runnemeade, N.J. She's facing 43 felony counts of access device crimes and 95 misdemeanors including identity theft and receiving stolen property.
The name of the good Samaritan, who lives in Bucks County, wasn't released by authorities. But police said she let her former classmate stay with her from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, when Dombkiewicz left after they argued.
More news from NBCPhiladelphia.com
The victim told police 43 fraudulent charges were on her debit card, totaling more than $1,300.
Police said the victim also discovered a $200 gold necklace and a $400 camera were missing. The camera was recovered at a pawn shop.
Leave a Comment:
No good deed goes unpunished.....
This person is among the lowest of the low. She is lucky enough to have a friend willing to help her out by letting her stay in her home and she repays this kindness by stealing from her friend. I guess this is the last time that anyone helps this bitch out. This stupid twit deserves to end up homeless if this is how she is going to treat those trying to help her out. The sad thing is that stories like this will make others more hesitant to provide similar help to those who need it who may be perfectly honorable and grateful for the assistance. I do not think that people who do things like this realize just how many people they may end up hurting by their actions or how far reaching the consequences might be. Then again, I am not sure that they would care even if they did know.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. It has and will continue to happen until everyone has recovered.
This story just happened to catch the media's attention. Stay tuned, they'll be more....
Take her FEMA check and give the entire thing to the victim. Let the ungrateful bitch be homeless!
folks while i've checked this blog from time to time this is my first comment. let me just say if you are fed up with washington's inability to get anything done and at the lack of civil discussion just check out blogs like this one. we elect them and guess what they act just like us-snarky. who is they-most of them. very few constructive or thoughtful comments are posted here but maybe this is just a place to vent. if it's just a vent blog good luck with that.
Tom,
Yours included. Non-constructive/thoughtless. (just venting)
Have a nice day...
got nothing to do with FEMA or Sandy....check the dates. This happened beforehand. just another thief, why NBC picked now to run this is anyone's guess. are they merely tired of NYC getting all the bad press and are trying to move the spotlight perhaps ?
Scooter....might want to check your sources. Sandy made landfall on the 29th so this falls pretty much in line with those events.
tom richardson
Tom, want a peice of advice? ....run away....this place deals with
A. Politics on EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE no matter what.( rule ONE BTW)
B. Blame game
C. partial articles
D. name callings
E. Race cards
F. people who rarely if ever read past the headline ( let alone comprehend what they read)
G. people who have absolutely NO idea what sarcasm or humor is.
H. Random acts of stupidity
I. over reaction to everything
J. the vine SP&G / PD ...( dont worry you will find out what it is)
But hey if your bored it a way to pass the morning...so stick around instead of running, but be forewarned this "cross section "....( for want of a better description)...of the "American mind at work" will or at the very least SHOULD tell ya something.
29th? maybe the edges of the storm...but i will check my memory isnt what it was...thanks Ben... my bad if im wrong folks.
oh and BTW i try not to be in that aforementioned group...but hey, from time to time i guess we all have to "take a bite"
Scooter- LOL! You nailed it! Anyone who expects respectful discourse here is going to disappointed. However-I frequently laugh at the comments, learn new things and get to practice acceptance over and over and over-even the mean things are grist for the mill.....(and we ALL do ugly from time to time)
Astute observation tom. Newsvine is home to wags, scalawags and soapbox orators of all stripes. If you are looking for intelligent conversation or polite discourse, this isn't for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for cheap entertainment, ribaldry and sarcasm, this could be your spot.
hummm, perhaps one should just be more careful about whom they pick as friends.
none the less, it's a sad commentary, to say the least.
Mornin' Bill, Scooter.
CD
Scooter - apparently it didnt occur to you that this woman took refuge at a former classmates house BEFORE Sandy hit - you know, evacuations and all.
just a thought
That said, if this happened to me it wouldnt discourage me from helping others - it would just cause me to be more mindful of leaving things available for a guest in my home to take.
A long long time ago when my uncle came to visit me, I locked up everything of value because I knew he had a habit of stealing from family and friends when he was at his lowest points...I loved my uncle, but i didnt trust him.
If you choose not to help people because they might burn you, it only says something about you - not them.
No doubt, you give enough you'll get burned...but thats never the point, thats all on them - not you.
Morning Creek Dog
Seems Bill and Scooter hit the nail on the head! When I first started on the vine, I thought it would be thought provoking too. Talk about being caught off 1st base! I learned real quick to post on my vine page about any caustic remarks, stupidity etc. and gave fair warning. Was I surprised that most don't get sarcasm? yes, but once burned, twice learned. Trying to teach some folks is like" herding a bunch of cats" and you know how that turns out - as many different directions as there are cats!
I like your curt responses and then the offer to "have a good day" seems to be one of the better solutions! Keep it going. Tango Yankee
K. people that simply must pick apart posts ( guilty as charged)
L. spin baby spin
M. collapse this post ( bury head in sand approach)
Good Morning Scooter, Jack, DB, and Creek Dog -
Scooter, you have about covered all the bases. Tried to think of a clever, witty addition but was up late helping my dogs keep the coyotes away from the horse last night... too much fog to trust shooting at them.
No real functioning brain yet.
N. gloom and doom
O. "updated articles"
P. people with even sicker "punishment" fantasy's on crime articles.
Q. friends you have never met
R. sworn enemy's ...that again you have never met.
S. Poeple who not only can but often do induce headaches
T. People who wade into a discussion HOURS after your orgiginal post
U. peopele who dont know what the " reply" is for.
LOL Scooter the list goes on. Don't forget armchair detectives, holy than thou's, and the trolls that live on the vine!
I think twice before even posting anything anymore because it is bound to hurt someone's feelings and they will throw a fit and the name-calling ensues and I don't have time for that.
Morning Scooter, JS, Creek Dog, and the rest of the regulars.
You all have it right on the head.
Tom - There are certain things required to be a Viner.
Please continue to be a contributor to the Vine and remember your not allowed to feed the trolls. We welcome new blood to the battlefield. LOL
Seriously, welcome.
Ultimately, shaming that women in the eyes of an entire nation is a great punishment for her. Karma can be a biatch...
V. drunks and dopers who have come to an "enlightenment" they simply must share.
W. those who disparage others place of residence although most have never been there.
X. Some who actually think before they post ( rare but it happens)
Y. Reactionaries ( opposite of "X")
Z. Those who are really concerned and caring. rather then argumentative.
Well i done ran out of alphabet. but to sum up, like i said before. it beats boredom. In a quick summary;
We all have reasons to be here Tom, for me it was to help with my spelling and typing. it has gotten better, but now alas ....just like a druggie...i am now hooked.
welcome aboard, and as it says in Dante's inferno
" abandon hope all ye who enter here"
@Scooter -
A.1 Spell Police (who simply MUST correct your typos)
.2 Pseudo Intellectuals who insist on telling you what you REALLY meant instead of what you actually said
scremin.
1...see letter "J"
2. see letter "K" ( was thinking about jessica on the above post at the time)
well thts it for today folks have a good one all......
If Obama didn't hate white people this never would have happened. Why didn't he give this woman a check before the storm, like maybe during the evacuation. They probably blew up the town that burned too just to get everyone to vote for him right before the election.
On the other hand, maybe it was Romney's fault because he hates women.
mimi I have to say I am the mall spell police LOL I only correct those who are trying to tell someone else how stupid that person is and they spell things wrong. Then I like to point out it takes one to know one :-)
Mindie - lol... I appreciate the inclination... I always want to correct people who say "I could care less" when what they should be saying is "I couldn't care less." Then I hear it said in movies and TV shows, and read it being written the wrong way in novels. (sigh!)
Scooter... sorry... told you I wasn't functioning on all circuits today...
Only ONE incident??? After Katrina, entire areas of Houston that were formerly safe became dangerous due to the criminal element that came here and were given apartments to live in, food to eat, money to spend. In fact, one kind old soul was murdered by the people she gave refuge to when they decided to steal her blind and take her life.
Apartments were totally trashed and homes and businesses were broken into. The crime rate was off the charts. Just goes to show you that scum is scum wherever they go and no matter how much you try to help.
Oh mimi tell me about it! My boys (and practically anyone under the age of 20 here in Illinois) says Anyways. With an S at the end!! There is no s at the end dammit! I try to correct my kids but every other kid around them says it so they don't seem to get it. It's frustrating seeing the English language be butchered, but there is nothing we can do I guess. :(
IA.ScooterTramp......Thanks, that was the funniest series of posts I've seen in a long time! Very accurate as well!
No way scooter et al, tell it ain't so.........................
Mindie and Mimi -
I say "I could care less...," as an idiom to reflect the fact that yes, I could care less about the subject, but that would take effort I'm not willing to expend. I don't know how others use it, but I'm pretty sure it attained idiomatic license a while back.
As far as "anyways" goes, well, I found I usually use it as a segue that has no alternative, as in an attempt to end the conversation. For redirection, I tend to use "anyway". Don't have a clue why, it's just stuck in my brain that way.
And yes, my mother does happen to be an english teacher.
mimi - I can accept the occasionally misspelling, typo or bad grammar from the folks who comment; it could just reflect lack of typing skills, although I suppose some is just a lack of knowledge and/or education. As long as their point gets across, it's ok. What's upsetting, though, are the mistakes in the articles we're commenting on. These are professionals! Doesn't anyone proof these articles???
Ron,
Thanks for posting, but you might have contributed something to the discussion.
The problem we have posting here is the number of people who feel that any story MSNBC posts on their site is a stage for bashing Obama, like good 'ol Scooter. It's unfortunate that you only received feedback from her.
In regard to the story, it is true, "No good deed goes unpunished," and you will find that more often than not you will be EXPECTED to give every time and receive very little thanks. I give a lot, time and money, only to be seen by those same people as being the "bad guy" when their situation comes to light. It comes with the territory.
My kids robbed me blind, though it is very difficult to teach them responsibility when their mother refuses to allow them to take responsibility when things came up missing or damaged. Many parents can probably identify with this.
Friends who treat friends like this, aren't friends. I choose to sever contact with people who do this to me. I don't expect, or demand they pay me back.
Scooter,
Why do you continue to access this blog if you have so little respect for those who post here? Seems to me, you are like those people who pay good money for cable, then complain when they are subject to cable channels they don't like. Instead of shutting off their cable, or change their plan, they try to make all the plans reflect only what they like...kinda stupid if you ask me.
If everyone in the world liked the same things, it would be pretty boring. Not to mention everything would be too expensive for everyone to own or have access to.
Marge... "Don't overestimate the decency of the human race." H.L. Menken
That is why I only help those who help themselves. Play the helpless victim card on me and I'll send you packing in a hurry.
Perhaps for the same reason one continues to go to the voting booth even if they have very little respect for most politicians.
That's why we can only help, not bring trashy hurricane debris home.
The fact that the thief stole from the good Samaritan does NOT cancel the merit of the deed-yes there are people who lie and steal and 'get over' but I believe they are a very small minority-it has been my experience that the majority of people who receive help are truly grateful for the assistance........
peace - I completely agree. I think people who say "and thats why people dont want to help people" are just using that as an excuse to cover for the fact that they just dont want to help people and do good deeds.
Saw a lady on the news the other who won a 200 million jackpot, and she was asked if it's hard receiving requests from people for help and her answer was basically "I have a big stack of letters from strangers, and you just dont know who's telling the truth or who's lying" and basically implied thats why she wont help anyone.
Im 100% confident if i took 90million home after taxes, id be asking my community to send me letters...because nothing would make me happier than helping people out, even if SOME of them dont deserve it.
There arent enough pieces of crap that I can buy to make me happy, but helping people...that would just be the bestest thing ever.
Thanks Jessica-I remember reading a story about Mother Theresa & the Sisters of Charity in India. The nuns were complaining because the poor would sell the medicine the sisters gave them and Mother reminded them that their part was to give freely to the poor-the merit was in the action and not the result. I quite agree.........
Jessica-1170252
I could use a couple thousands of help................how nice do you feel?
The thief was just circumventing the system. Instead of having the government take from others to give to her, she just took it herself...
"Instead of...?" She'll still get her cut from the government, believe me.
WHAG,
Wow, aren't you the "fountain of enlightenment"...not.
As much as a lot of people complain about the "Welfare" system, or unemployment benifits, or social programs, where would we be as a country without them? This would NOT be the United States of America I signed up to fight for if we didn't have them.
Just because they are called "Social" programs, doesn't make them "Socialist" as some who resent contributing to them like to refer to them.
How many of you out there can say you have never had need of a program or two at some point in your life?
Ripping off someone who helps you is the lowest of the low....
Was it Snooki? Shameful Jersey shore trashy types.
Didn't bother to waste any time to renew the old friendship after receiving help. Guess she was too busy ripping off this kind person who opened her home.
Too bad the kindness didn't rub off on Dumbkiewicz.
Does not surprise me at all. More often then not being nice comes back and bites you twice.
so you give up?.............i for one shall NEVER surrender.....
gm Tramp
Agreed. I do what I do because of who I am, not because of who you are. Reminds me of the time I opened a door for a woman who looked at me and then said, "You don't have to hold the door for me just because I'm a woman." I replied, "I don't. I hold it for you because I am a gentleman."
agreed bill
chivalry is not dead... too many women don't know that. even in your own house. Don't believe me? try giving your lady flowers just cause it s "Tuesday" see what happens. mines gotten use to it, pity in a way actually ...as i no longer get the "ok buster just what have you been up to" look.
Denver: LOL! How true..........
d bill, I woulda replied with, just letting the stink out, had to fart a minute ago.
Switch it up Scooter. Don't give her just because flowers for awhile then give her free massage tickets instead :) See how well she likes that!
I guess she couldn't wait any longer for the lib politicians to steal it for her.
Gee, another stupid comment from the right. What a surprise.
Still sore over the election I see!
Thieving lib politicians aren't exclusive to this election.
Nope! it was the conservatives stealing that taught her all she knows.
By the way....it's Runnemede, not "Runnemeade"!! As usual, a bang-up job of copy editing and fact-checking is perpetrated; I'm surprised NBCPhiladelphia made the mistake. Runnemede is 10 miles from Philly!
Mercedes, is it possible you were raised to think you are "owed" something? Just wondering.
sing it....my friends all drive porshes i must make amends.....
Jeff - Why would you think someone who resorts to stealing feels "owed" anything?
rather, in my experience, they are just lazy opportunists...its there, I want it, im taking it.
my uncle stole often from his family and friends to feed his drug habits, and mostly he was just too lazy to work a real full time job to pay for his drug habits. he didnt feel "owed" anything, instead he just didnt care about anyone but himself and what he wanted, and he didnt care who he hurt in the process.
no feelings of "being owed"...
are you projecting?
Helping out is one thing - opening your home is another. I'm sorry, but I'm not opening my home to anyone but family and very close friends. We have a huge entitlement problem in this country and this woman is, unfortunately, not rare in thinking that it's OK to help yourself to the stuff other people worked for.
Then I'm truly sorry for you and your family. I have "loaned" (read: never got repaid...) thousands of dollars to family members, over the years... being family doesn't preclude you getting ripped off. Over the past 30-40 years, I imagine that "sense of entitlement" makes the family members think it's ok to "borrow" and never repay. I'm just thankful I am in the position to help out someone, sometimes...
That said, I've long-since stopped expecting to get repaid... if it does - bonus! If not... ah, well, they're family...
I hope the Good Samaritan doesn't change. If people stopped helping others and otherwise "having relationships" when they got betrayed, the human race would've long been no more. Any close relationship, from friendship to marriage, has the element of possible betrayal.
Agreed. I know a woman who many times over the years says she wants to invite people into her home for the holidays. People she thinks would be spending the holidays alone. So far her friends hve talked her into doing this for only people they knew - not perfect strangers. But even in this story, the friend turned out to be a theif. Ouch !
Curious - just curious
i know what ya mean i have a couple grand floating around out there myself. money i could use right now...but what the hey... i still will try to lend a hand when i can.
Why do so many of you have to take this situation and put a political spin on it?
It is simply a story about a good person who tried to help a loser. Simple as that! It has nothing to do with liberals or our government.
Aholeboma - If that is a picture of you, I can recommend a great orthodontist. You really do not have to disrespect our President in that way. Truly poor taste.
Nope sorry, Democrats don't get to use class warfare to win elections (not to mention a great deal of voter fraud and the help of an immoral liberal mainstream media) and than disavow any responsibility for the monsters they helped create. That's called having your cake and eating it too.
Democrats have worked very very hard to create a permanent underclass of "victims" so as to keep themselves in power in perpetuity. And they have done so by telling these useful idiots over and over and over again that they are"owed" something, that they are "entitled" to take what other people have worked for and when people complain about being robbed, they are just greedy and selfish people who deserved it. Well, now they OWN each and every person who has gladly listened to the message and taken it to heart.
Redskin--YOU ARE CORRECT! Notice grilled cheese--poor pitiful victim projecting his/her own behavior onto that of others. sickening!
No wonder good samaritans are victimized. Their ends always justify their means.
Eu contraire! Disrespecting presidents has been socially acceptable for centuries. Too bad duels are no longer legal.
Never let anyone who still uses Myspace anywhere near your belongings.
or facebook.....
You just cant help a lot of people. At a church I used to attend, they were big in helping people who needed a hand up. Some kids came to church and said that they had no food or furniture in there house. Some fact checkers visited the house and talked with the parents. The church supplied furniture for the entire home, and purchased food for the family. About three weeks after this , the same kids came to the church and said that they had no food or furniture. Fact checkers from the church investigated, Sure enough all of the food and the furniture was gone. The parents sold everything for drug money. You just cant help a lot of folks.
Mercedes 'DUMBOWITZ'....UGHHHH!! bottom line: dont help anybody!!!! Referring to the first poster on this subject!
With a name like Mercedes, you had to know she would be very high maintenance.
Ha
I doubt it....just another trailer trash name!
Or stripper name............
Friends who steal from you ????? Is this really news???????
Hummm must be you decided to read it and Post!
Well, Jerry Springer's ratings been low lately.
she will be easy to cacth, just look at the picture and....hey wait a minute......
so roughly 138 counts, man shes lookin at hard time there, why i bet she gets three maybe four days......
so she sold ONLY the camera to the pawn shop? that don't add up. when the cops went to retrieve the camera ( that the victim, not the cops no doubt found) did they bother looking in the back room or safe for the necklace? if it was gold, odds are the pawnshop KNOWS where it went.
Bet ya 500 buck's Mercedes isn't smart enough to use the money to get a bus ticket and disappear to anywhere, U.S.A. she will hang around and get caught instead. any takers?
People really find this shocking? This is America YOU helped build.
Because crime is strictly an American product, right?
Trust no one. Question everything!
put on tinfoil hat. live in moms basement.
folks while i know its too late to remind you before the fur flys.....remember "one tiger does not a forest make"....dont give up helping one another because of any ONE or two instances. they happen, YOU KNOW THAT... for every bad person there are many, many, more in your own community that need help. try hard NOT to be jaded ny the stupidity. including the sensationalising yellow journalism that the lib media has become.
People suck.
The only people who ever repaid me for lending them money were my parents & they only borrowed the money during an emergency. It was $12K. They even went as far as insisting that everyone sign a contract.
Every other family member who has ever borrowed money has never paid back 1 cent. If you can't even count on family repaying you, like they promised they would, then who can you trust. Obviously, not so called friends.
I don't lend money or help anyone with much of anything anymore. Other than if someone needs help moving or something like that.
screw that, id raher chip in a couple bucks........
Scooter: LOL again!!!
The suspect's name seems fictitious.