Family faces burglary charges after Dec. 27 arrest Crimes & Incidents, posted by Editor, Palo Alto Online, on Jan 3, 2013 at 9:47 am
A father, mother and daughter from Albania are facing burglary charges in Palo Alto after allegedly attempting to steal men's clothing and an expensive purse from a department store, a spokesman for the Palo Alto Police Department said.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, January 3, 2013, 8:01 AM
Posted by rmh, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 10:25 am
"later released on bail" Do they really expect them to show up for a trial? Did they take away their passports? I wouldn't be surprised if they are on their way back to Albania.
Posted by musical, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 10:56 am
123, you may be correct. Since the daughter is listed by Stanford as studying "Democracy, Development & Rule of Law" perhaps this was all just a research project gone awry.
Posted by Ana, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 11:24 am
Why there are several mentions about the fact that they are from Albania? I don't understand the emphasis in where they are from. What if they were from Guatemala, Mexico or anywhere else. Would that be part of the story?
Posted by albanian, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 11:52 am
Shame on him specially, since he is a sociology professor and Faculty Dean back here in Albania! And i just heard him on the news here stating this as false news...some feedback woyld be nice indeed.
Posted by albanian, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 12:06 pm
The father is a member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences. He has a PhD from the University of Tirana in 1989 in Philosophy, which really at the time was Marxist philosophy. He is also the Dean of the Mediterranean University (Universiteti Mesdhetar). Barjaba is also on the advising board of the Socialist Party (the main opposition party of Albania).
Posted by Palo Parent, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 12:21 pm
Their website Web Link looks like a picture of someone's house with a old MBZ parked in front of it. None of the links work. Hmmm, might be the work of Gypsies?
Posted by HM, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 1:02 pm
I know personally Kosta, and he definitely is not the one pictured here in the article. The comments have gone too far and are clearly oriented towards the Albanian origin. California has seen worse, Holliwood Stars steeling and ending up in prisons. If he or any family member really did it, the justice will have its say - till then it is not good to make wild gueses. Even the Albanian comments do not focus at all in what happened, but to the political affiliation. The Academy of Science is true, does not produce any science nowdays, but Albania proudly have scientist that are world wide accepted as respected contributors.
Posted by Jonny, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 1:35 pm
If they are here illegally we should be sympathetic, forgive them their poor plight, then house and cloth them. If they are here legally we should throw the book at them and deport them.
Posted by JA3+, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 2:25 pm
The presence of multiple 'loss prevention observers' or 'loss prevention officers' -- each phrase used in the article just posted above -- may make this case rather open-and-shut.
Posted by pa emer, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 3:20 pm
Ky eshte nje koment ne shqip per te gjithe ata shqipetare qe po shkruajne budallalleqe ketu per arsye politike... nje njeri me pak tru ne koke e kupton qe kjo gje eshte thjesht nje ngatrese (keqkuptim), sepse nuk ka ngel keq familja Barjaba te kryej nje vjedhje te rendomte! Mos shfrytezoni rrastin te hidhni balte mbi ta! Kush i njeh e di se sa familje e rregullt dhe e vleresuar eshte ketu ne Shqiperi dhe nuk do ta kryenin kurre nje veprim te tille!!! Shteti Amerikan eshte ajo qe do vendos nqse kane qene fajtore apo jo! Deri atehere mos u nxitoni me te tilla paragjykime!
Posted by Palo Parent, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Google Translated:
This is a comment in English for all those Albanian you write budallalleqe here for political reasons ... a man with little brain in the head understands that this is just a ngatrese (misunderstanding), because there remains bad family Barjaba to perform an ordinary theft! Do not use rrastin to throw mud on them! Who knows know how regular family and assessed is here in Albania and will not ever commit such an act!!! American state is the one that will decide nqse were guilty or not! Until then do not rush with such prejudice!
Posted by Patriot, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 3:51 pm
It's easy to figure out which written comments (above) are written by Albanians. Their English and spelling is awful. I hope the daughter gets tossed from Stanford.
Posted by Dennis, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 4:52 pm
And so we hear from Patriot, presumptive grammarian, who informs us that we can determine which of the above comments is of Albanian origin because "Their English and spelling is awful."
Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Jan 3, 2013 at 4:53 pm
Musical - thank you. That's why I asked for clarification- I couldn't tell if there was a literal pic I missed or if it was the behavior. Happy New Year!
Posted by VasilGjika, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 5:23 pm
Posted by Patriot, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, 16 minutes ago
It's easy to figure out which written comments (above) are written by Albanians. Their English and spelling is awful. I hope the daughter gets tossed from Stanford.
Their English and spelling is awful? Seriously? At least those Albanians commenting here do speak another language. They are writing from Albania. How many languages do you speak?
I guess you have nothing else to be proud of yourself other than writing in your native language better than citizens of another country...Impresive...
Posted by midtown, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Maybe I should get another PhD. in Albania. Would it be a license to steal?
It's tough to decide. Albania may be the poorest country in Europe. Four generations of desperation (since WWII) can do strange things to people. Yet, if you are in OUR country, you live by OUR rules.
Posted by Mistakes, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 5:45 pm
I was talking to a former CEO of a local high tech company and he said that Albanians as a whole are honest. He also said that most Americans would not be able to write albanian without making many mistakes
Posted by musical, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 6:09 pm
@Dennis, ti per cfare ke dale ketu?
Methinks Patriot had tongue firmly in cheek referring to the comments obviously not in English. That orthography is a novelty here and was begging for a comment. Or perhaps I'm wrong.
People are getting almost as worked up about this story as they do about traffic issues.
Posted by Reality, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 7:48 pm
@Mistake- It's amazing that you rely on your source for truthfulness from a "CEO of a local high tech company." That's about as intelligent as getting your information from FOX News. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Three people committed a crime, returned to the scene and committed the same crime, got caught, and went to jail; it's really just as simple as that.
Posted by Albanian, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 8:01 pm
Ouch. This guy is a big shot in Albania.
He was on Albanian TV, today, saying that all this never happened. According to him, he was arrested for driving without a license. "The rest is all lies," he said.
Riiiight. Lies of whom? I wonder. Of police? Of Palo Alto media? Then why not sue them and make some good money.
Posted by Val, a resident of another community, on Jan 3, 2013 at 9:39 pm
I am an Albanian living in Michigan. First I red the news on Albanian media. To make sure the truth was told I search the story & found it in local Californian media. This guy and his family is twisting the story. Unfortunaly he can't fool American people. He paid for the bail to get out of jail, because he's guilty. We are here, USA, to work and not steal. He should accept the responsibility and apologies to American and Albanian community for his acts.
Posted by Nayeli, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2013 at 10:57 pm Nayeli is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
@ Reality:
Really? You are going to bring Fox News into this conversation and question the intelligence of anyone who watches that network?
Don't you think that your position is a bit...extreme?
After all, you don't seem to have a problem with MSNBC, CNN or Current TV. By the way, Current TV was formerly owned by environmentalist Al Gore but he recently sold it to major oil-producing nation Qatar's state-owned Al Jazerra network for $500 Million on the day before the new higher tax rates would hit on Gore's profits from the sale.
Of course, you digress and I reply.
As for the suspected Albanians: I suggest, as I did in the previous article on this matter, that these three are still "innocent until proven guilty." Yes, the hearsay does seem incriminating. However, they will still have their day(s) in court.
Posted by Mane, a resident of another community, on Jan 4, 2013 at 9:33 am Mane is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
Common sense thinking says that:
- guy that can afford his kid studying at Stanford does not still $200.00
- a guy in his social position and highly educated does not still $200.00
- happens to lots of people losing their way in a mall and can't find the cash (it happened to me at least. When I returned to pay they looked at me like I was an UFO. Now I am surprised I did not get arrested)
- some of the comments have a tendency of profiling (toward being an Albanian or a foreigner in general). Funny that most Americans cannot even point Albania in the map (By the way one of the potential American Candidates for Presidency thought Africa was a country)
- some of the comments from people of Albanian background have a political tendency, considering Mr. Bajraba is an advisory for one of the largest political parties in Albania.
- what makes the story strange is Mr. Bajraba's declaration in Albania that he was arrested for not having a license to drive?!.
Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Jan 4, 2013 at 9:42 am Hmmm is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
^^^^ Dint know what you are trying to say regarding the actual alleged theft. Nordstrom is known for being nice about theft until people are quite obvious w/stewing, as these people were. It was fonious theft, I think, & not merely $200. The purse by itself was nearly $300. They're petty criminals, it seems, but it's not petty theft.
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