Township Forcing Butcher to Install Box with Keys to Shop

[Lindsey]

LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A butcher is locked in a dispute with Lower Macungie Township over a box officials say he must install on his property that would allow authorities access to his building during an emergency.

"I should be able to know who's coming onto my property and when and why," said Dan Ring, owner of Trio Country Butcher.

The dispute is over something called a Knox Box.

"I have to surrender, against my will, all keys to the building," Ring told WFMZ. "And they go inside the box."

The township says he must do this so firefighters can access the box and use the keys to get in during a crisis.

So far, Ring has refused.

And he's already received a citation, with a stiff penalty.

"It was 30 days in jail and up to a thousand dollar fine," said Ring.

Ultimately, after hiring a lawyer, he says he was fined $500.

But now, according to Ring, the township wants proof he's purchased a Knox Box.

"Or they're going to condemn my property and consider it a fire hazard," he said.

Continue Reading / Video at http://www.wfmz.com/news/lehigh-vall...each/655973722

[Anti Federalist]

"I should be able to know who's coming onto my property and when and why," said Dan Ring, owner of Trio Country Butcher

It's not your property Dan.

It belongs to the State.

You just had a vivid demonstration of that fact.

You are a serf, a squatter...you exist only at the whim of the State.

Now, move the $#@! along.

[specsaregood]

I would think there might be some federal law or USDA regulation that would give the butcher an out. As I would wager there is a USDA regulation about limiting access to the meat products.

[oyarde]

I would have put up the box if it was cheaper than the lawyer & fine and not put real keys in it .

[specsaregood]

I would have put up the box if it was cheaper than the lawyer & fine and not put real keys in it .

since it says the property owner doesn't even have access to inside the box, they probably test the keys then put them in the box themselves.
So, give em the keys, let them test them and lock them up, then change the locks. might be a better strategy.

[Lindsey]

It's not just keys, they put schematics of the building layout and some other information in the box.

There's another business taking issue with the box: an auto body shop. There's a bit of a conflict of interest in that case, because the mayor owns a competing shop.

Altogether a very intrusive program, apparently affecting a lot of townships in PA. I don't know how anyone could support this.

[oyarde]

I can understand they may want access to shutoff for gas line or whatever but those should be on the outside of the building . There should be nothing they need inside .

[Raginfridus]

I would have put up the box if it was cheaper than the lawyer & fine and not put real keys in it .

Sounds like this butcher's got a bully. He should go have sex with the mayor's mom and put those pictures in the box instead of schematics.

[TheTexan]

If he doesn't like it he should vote to change it

[angelatc]

Set it ablaze as you're leaving, dude.

[timosman]

What if you are leaving your house for a few weeks? Do you need to install a key box as well?

[PursuePeace]

Horrible.


Also noticed this story off to the side:

Traffic stop turns up about 170,000 untaxed cigarettes

Pennsylvania State Police allege a North Carolina man was caught with about 174,000 untaxed cigarettes in the back of his car early Friday morning along I-78 in Lehigh County.

Authorities charged Abd Alodat, of Winston, N.C., with a felony and misdemeanor count of possession of untaxed cigarettes, following a traffic stop in Upper Saucon Township. District Judge Patricia Engler arraigned the 42-year-old late Friday morning, setting bail at $200,000.

[donnay]

These are the other thugs in society we must guard ourselves against.

[sparebulb]

If he doesn't like it he should vote to change it

The butcher seems like he has something to hide.

Someone should inspect his meat.

[PursuePeace]

PHOENIX 2014 -

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...-keys/7724577/

More than half of the keys that Phoenix Fire Department uses to access commercial buildings throughout the city have gone missing, officials said.

The keys open lock boxes attached to the exterior walls of retail businesses, office buildings, apartment complexes, banks and the like, and are commonly referred to as "Knox-Boxes."

Each lock box contains a key specific to the building that firefighters can access in the event of an after-hours emergency.

"That key will allow us to get in without having to break a window or take an ax to the door," said David Carter, deputy chief over the department's fire-prevention section.

Just one Knox-Box key falling into the wrong hands can give that person access to about 9,000 businesses, which is why the city is paying about $50,000 to re-key all 9,000 boxes throughout the city in the next 12 weeks.

SEATTLE -

http://q13fox.com/2013/10/03/seattle...er-burglaries/

SEATTLE — Cops say they’ve got at least one of the suspects in a rash of Seattle apartment burglaries.

Exactly how the suspect got inside now has the Seattle Fire Department investigating, too.

KNOX BOX BURGLARIESIt has to do with a device called Knox box, sort of like Fort Knox. You find them on apartment and commercial buildings as they’re required by law.

Inside the small, wall-mounted safe you’ll find master keys to the building, but they’re supposed to only be accessible to Seattle firefighters in case of an emergency.

Somehow, a burglar got his hands on a key of his own.

Seattle police say 42-year-old Norman Bottem also had a key even though he’s never worked for the Fire Department.

Investigators say Bottem burglarized a minimum of three Seattle apartment buildings since April.

Surveillance video led to Bottem’s arrest.

The Seattle Fire Department says as many as 40 other Knox boxes throughout the city have been compromised.

Residents at the burgled apartments say it’s time to re-think the lock-and-key security.

“Maybe it’s time to replace it with something more robust,” said Bryce Roche. “Clearly it’s not working.”

Bottem has lengthy criminal history ranging from felony burglary to misdemeanor drug possession.

He was out on $10,000 bail after pleading guilty to first-degree theft, but now he’s back in the King County Jail.

Now SFD is spending some $500,000 to re-key all of the Knox boxes across the city.

[bunklocoempire]

So you can't leave the doors unlocked in the first place, because Caesar's crime prevention/reaction "services" have proven awesome.

Now Caesar needs the keys for his fire "service"?

Seems there is little value in Caesar's "services".

[Anti Federalist]

Horrible.


Also noticed this story off to the side:

Traffic stop turns up about 170,000 untaxed cigarettes

Pennsylvania State Police allege a North Carolina man was caught with about 174,000 untaxed cigarettes in the back of his car early Friday morning along I-78 in Lehigh County.

Authorities charged Abd Alodat, of Winston, N.C., with a felony and misdemeanor count of possession of untaxed cigarettes, following a traffic stop in Upper Saucon Township. District Judge Patricia Engler arraigned the 42-year-old late Friday morning, setting bail at $200,000.

Provide a product that people want, minus the onerous taxation of Uncle Sucker?

$200,000 bail.

Beat the holy $#@! out of the only sitting "libertarian" Senator?

$7500 bail.

[PursuePeace]

Provide a product that people want, minus the onerous taxation of Uncle Sucker?

$200,000 bail.

Beat the holy $#@! out of the only sitting "libertarian" Senator?

$7500 bail.

Exactly my thoughts when I posted that.

[Cleaner44]

It's not your property Dan.

It belongs to the State.

You just had a vivid demonstration of that fact.

You are a serf, a squatter...you exist only at the whim of the State.

Now, move the $#@! along.

Clearly this is not about providing access to firefighters in an emergency. I present exhibit A, a photo of the Trio Country Butcher shop with glass doors. Unless PA fire fighters no longer know how to use a fire axe, getting in would not be a problem.

[sparebulb]

Unless PA fire fighters no longer know how to use a fire axe, getting in would not be a problem.

Able to swing a canole, maybe.

Swing an axe, maybe more difficult.

[Swordsmyth]

Able to swing a canole, maybe.

Swing an axe, maybe more difficult.

Can that ladder hold up under his weight?

[dannno]

I don't know how anyone could support this.

[Raginfridus]

Can that ladder hold up under his weight?

What are you suggesting?

[Swordsmyth]

What are you suggesting?

That whoever that is he was not a real member of the FD.

[Raginfridus]

You weightist bro?

[Swordsmyth]

You weightist bro?

A real heavyweight weightist, doubly so when it comes to girls.

[Raginfridus]

A real heavyweight weightist, doubly so when it comes to girls.

[brushfire]

Thank goodness for the constitution

[TheTexan]

The butcher seems like he has something to hide.

Someone should inspect his meat.

Agreed. He's probably not following approved procedures for handling his sausage.

[bunklocoempire]

It's not just keys, they put schematics of the building layout and some other information in the box.

There's another business taking issue with the box: an auto body shop. There's a bit of a conflict of interest in that case, because the mayor owns a competing shop.

Altogether a very intrusive program, apparently affecting a lot of townships in PA. I don't know how anyone could support this.

$. Union, insurance, is my best guess.