The Metropolitan Police received an unusual request last week when a local man arrived at one of its stations with a pure gold pocket watch. The watch had been stolen years ago in a break-in at the home of a widow of a local businessman. With some quick detective work the Police was able to return the watch to the widow of its former owner.
Making amends
The watch had been delivered anonymously to a local business with a letter asking forgiveness for the burglary, signed by someone calling himself The 12-step man. An important part of 12-step programs, like AA, is to make direct amends to people one has wronged. Presumably the burglar who stole the watch had completed his eight step and was working on his ninth step.
The eight and ninth steps of the twelve steps are:
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
The letter which came with the watch explained that it had been stolen in a burglary at the home of the owner of a business in Kópavogur, one of Reykjavík's suburban municipalities. With only limited information about the burglary and the possible owner of the watch the detectives were faced with an interesting case to crack.
An invaluable family heirloom
After some research the Police was able to find the widow of the owner of the business where the burglary had likely taken place. The company, a successful family business, had been sold years ago. The police called the woman, who was able to describe the watch, a valuable heirloom, in great detail.
The Metropolitan Police notes that the pocket watch is a high quality time piece made of pure gold, and very valuable. but its emotional value for the widow is even greater. man who delivered the watch to the Police station works at a business
The Metropolitan Police received an unusual request last week when a local man arrived at one of its stations with a pure gold pocket watch. The watch had been stolen years ago in a break-in at the home of a widow of a local businessman. With some quick detective work the Police was able to return the watch to the widow of its former owner.
Making amends
The watch had been delivered anonymously to a local business with a letter asking forgiveness for the burglary, signed by someone calling himself The 12-step man. An important part of 12-step programs, like AA, is to make direct amends to people one has wronged. Presumably the burglar who stole the watch had completed his eight step and was working on his ninth step.
The eight and ninth steps of the twelve steps are:
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
The letter which came with the watch explained that it had been stolen in a burglary at the home of the owner of a business in Kópavogur, one of Reykjavík's suburban municipalities. With only limited information about the burglary and the possible owner of the watch the detectives were faced with an interesting case to crack.
An invaluable family heirloom
After some research the Police was able to find the widow of the owner of the business where the burglary had likely taken place. The company, a successful family business, had been sold years ago. The police called the woman, who was able to describe the watch, a valuable heirloom, in great detail.
The Metropolitan Police notes that the pocket watch is a high quality time piece made of pure gold, and very valuable. but its emotional value for the widow is even greater. man who delivered the watch to the Police station works at a business
