Editor, Gazette Journal:

I sometimes read the letters to the editor; however, I have never felt compelled to write until today. I wanted to share my disheartening experience with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office of Gloucester.

A 13-year-old boy and his friend stole my wife’s phone and I found them later hiding nearby reprogramming it. I confronted the young man and he initially denied taking the phone then became very confrontational with me. Long story short, the deputies arrived and released him to his grandparents.

About a month ago, I received a call from Laura at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office advising me that we would be testifying in court. She asked me what I would like to see happen with the case and I told her that I felt the young man had some issues that needed to be addressed by the court. I advised her that his grandfather told me that he had also been in trouble in school for taking someone’s cell phone. I felt it was very important ...