Aero Leather Clothing trial update

[AdeeC]

His expertise can be used in jail to teach others with no skills, little hope and future to learn a worthy trade.

 

[Big J]

Don't forget the ex-Aero employee that was coming in several hours early before regular shift workers to sew up many Aero jackets for some reason without pay. Perhaps it paid off in other ways. Maybe he became an assistant designer somewhere else. Ya reckon..?

That guy was Steve Toohey IIRC, now the 'managing director' of Alexander Leathers, according to thier website at this moment in time.

 

[Big J]

One of the largest monetary frauds dealt with by the Sherrif Court system, they could have gone up to 3 years on the charges I believe.

And they should have given the remorseless b*stard the whole 3 years IMHO. After all 'but they were my jackets, I earned them' he pleaded, not 'I'm sorry, I did a terrible thing'.

 

[Bunyip]

I wonder if there is also a fine or some kind of financial penalty?

 

[kronos77]

I believe he got off light compared to what would have happened in the US. 21 months would have been the plea deal. Take a trial and show that bad atitude Will did and you would be looking at some heavy time. Of course this all varies from county to county, state to state and judge to judge.

 

[Big J]

I wonder if there is also a fine or some kind of financial penalty?

Yeah.
After all, 2 years for stealing almost 200K doesn't seem so long.
I'm sure he couldn't have earned 200K in two years, so really, he's made a profit.

Still, I want to dedicate this to #convicted_criminal_Will_Lauder_of_Alexander_Leathers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsS0cvTxU-8

 

[Monitor]

I am quite sure that Calders aren't particularly happy about WL being sentenced to prison time...

 

[Danielson]

Still, I want to dedicate this to #convicted_criminal_Will_Lauder_of_Alexander_Leathers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsS0cvTxU-8

Lol i like it. Ironic as The Clash are one of his favourite bands

 

[pawineguy]

Amen!

The famous "Highwayman" is, openly said on the webpage, the copy of a jacket from the then famous, now evenly defunct company "Highwayman".

Hmmm, makes you wonder what AL would have on their web page if they had succeeded in putting Aero out of business?

 

[Bunyip]

Yeah.
After all, 2 years for stealing almost 200K doesn't seem so long.
I'm sure he couldn't have earned 200K in two years, so really, he's made a profit.

Still, I want to dedicate this to #convicted_criminal_Will_Lauder_of_Alexander_Leathers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsS0cvTxU-8

I think he made a few clams early on, but they raided him and got a few herds of jackets and denim back. Still curious as to weather or not the whole pattern thing etc will be followed up in another trial against AL?

 

[Jägernaut]

I would not order from AL. The way I see it, they don't deserve any profit from stolen patterns.

 

[Big J]

I would not order from AL. The way I see it, they don't deserve any profit from stolen patterns.

+100.

 

[Big J]

I am quite sure that Calders aren't particularly happy about WL being sentenced to prison time...

I don't know.
I'm certain that Ken would have preferred the whole thing never happened, but as far as I can tell, beyond WL's fraud, there was an attempt to destroy Kens company, that he spent his life building, that was also his legacy to his children. Ken doesn't do great customer service because he's 'a nice guy', he does it because it's good business sense. So I reckon that when he grasped the magnitude of the disaster, he would have been a professional, put emotions on the back-burner, and focused on the practicalities of getting things straight, for all I know.
Kens a consummate professional, and I reckon that's how he played the whole thing.
Lots of time for sentiment, no time for sentimentality.
Aero has come out of this so strong, a solid gold company, and ethical businessmen/women.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

Whilst what was done was definitely not right. The punishment is fair, but I take no joy from it. I wonder if so many people are acting upset mostly because he wronged the Cult Of Aero.

I can compare the pattern stealing to an experience of my own. A competitor blatantly took casts of my products to create their versions and then even more cheekily stole the images off my website to promote their copies. Thus saving thousands of dollars and months of work. Not a single person batted an eye lid.

 

[Big J]

Whilst what was done was definitely not right. The punishment is fair, but I take no joy from it. I wonder if so many people are acting upset mostly because he wronged the Cult Of Aero.

I can compare the pattern stealing to an experience of my own. A competitor blatantly took casts of my products to create their versions and then even more cheekily stole the images off my website to promote their copies. Thus saving thousands of dollars and months of work. Not a single person batted an eye lid.

As for your first point, it's got nothing to do with being a 'cult of Aero', it's called 'brand loyalty' and speaking for myself, Aero have earned it because of the times Ken has personally bent over backwards to provide me with a perfect product. They earned my loyalty. And as such, I want them to survive. I don't want them to be run out of business, and I don't want them to be run by a criminal who steals from the company, and steals from customers.

As for your second point, so you know how it feels to be ripped off? So where's your empathy?

 

[eggleman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-32933126

 

[Big J]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-32933126

From BBC report;

'He lived in Hawick with his wife and son and she said the financing of their home "could be compromised by any element of custody".'

Not nearly as much as Will Lauder compromised the financial interests of the entire Calder family, and the employees of Aero. Seriously, the sense of entitlement of some people is astounding! And why should she care, as his wife (never mind start a family with him), he fired her!!!!

 

[mattp]

Big J, no matter how keenly you seem to care about this, surely you can't be happy that a family is being left without a breadwinner, and a child without a father for almost 2 years? It's a very sad situation for all involved.

Do the crime, do the time, and all that, but there's no pleasure to be taken from it.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

Big J, you miss my point. Industrial espionage is a fact of business and is only to be expected. It is bad, yes, but only the hopelessly innocent would be surprised by it. I waste less energy being upset when it has a direct impact on my livelihood than you seem to waste being upset when a business several thousand miles away from you has problems.

 

[Big J]

Big J, you miss my point. Industrial espionage is a fact of business and is only to be expected. It is bad, yes, but only the hopelessly innocent would be surprised by it. I waste less energy being upset when it has a direct impact on my livelihood than you seem to waste being upset when a business several thousand miles away from you has problems.

Several thousand miles away, yes, but having purchased many of their products, I would be most put out if they were put under by theft of designs and patterns. Upset? I'd be livid. That's how good Aero products and customer service are.

Go and spend several thousand with them, and then see how you feel. May I suggest that you use more energy getting upset when you are the victim of industrial espionage? Your financial situation might improve to the point where you could be a regular high end jacket customer?

In any event, if you have such a laissez faire attitude to being a victim of crime, perhaps you should warn your investors?