Calling the judge at 3AM the day of the trial pretending to be the accused is a fun way to sink a defendant.
"But I didn't call you!"
"Don't lie to me! I'll remember your voice the rest of my life!"
One possible way would be all the property stolen was Tarquin's or some agent of his and he refuses to press charges. The other would be he buys the folks off so they don't press charges.
For many years, the local grocer which went by the founder's first name had a large sign painted on the side of the building, "You can't beat ____'s meat!"