Stolen Gear!

[Oddjob]

Hey folks,

Just wanted to ask if any of you in Europe or with Euro networking could let me know if you see some gear come up for sale, the list is at the bottom.

I had gone to our family beach in Punta Sabbioni, Italy for about a week with the family to wind down some, get in some MDing and go fishing. On the morning of the 8th my wife went outside to the tackle shed in the back and saw the large roll up garage door open. It is a small building we keep our MD's, Yaks and fishing gear in when we are down at the beach.

Someone, or more like several folks decided to help them selves to about 20K in fishing gear which has already been recovered via information provide by a local fishing shop. But they got 4 of our Yaks and 6 MD's.



Items still missing:
Minelab GPZ 7000 X 2
Minelab CTX 3030 X 2
Garrett AT Pro in a pelican case with a Mars Shaft, 2 Mars Coils and 4 Nel Coils
Garrett AT Gold in a pelican case with a Mars Shaft and 2 Nel coils.

Hobie PA 12 Kayak in yellow
Hobie PA 14 Kayak X 2, both in light gray
Hobie PA 17t Kayak in light gray

4 Hobie beach haulers.

The Yaks are far from light weight and we followed the wheeler tracks about 3 miles down the beach to the nearest forest area that has good concealed vehicle accessibility. The old farmer across the road from that area said he saw a large black 4X4 Dodge pick up 4 door with a trailer, but he was not clear on how many people where in it. He just remembered it because it was around 0300 hours and the truck had some loud pipes.

The fella who owns the fishing shop recognized the American Fishing gear when a man brought it in, he told the man that he could not buy used gear and expect to sell it but that he knew someone into this style of gear and would ask that person if they would want to buy it. So the thief left all my fishing gear behind at the fishing shop with the intent to return on Monday. The owner of that shop then called the police right away after the man left to ask if anyone reported any thefts on fishing gear recently.

The man reported that the thief left in a big black American four door pick up truck but was not sure exactly what kind, just that it had plates from the Netherlands he thinks or another EU nation with Blue and Yellow plates.

The local police have been pretty serious about locating my stuff due to my professional relationship with our agency and their agencies. Also they have been sitting on the fishing shop waiting to catch the person before they make it to the fishing shop because that is a commercial fishing shop with lots of men who sort of forget about laws and how to legally treat criminals.

My short vacation is over and I am currently working out of Germany right now, Italian authorities reported this to my agency and my boss thought it would be best to keep me further away from Italy for now.

But if you folks hear about any gear for sale in Europe then let me know if you do not mind; this gear is far from rare in the US or other places but it is rare to see in Europe. So I hope that will play in my favor for recovery.

Thanks folks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[kingskid1611]

Wow, Sorry for the loss. I hope they catch the SOB's and let you give em justice the old fashioned way.

 

[Bruce R]

Hopefully they won't realize what they have and try to unload it quickly on the cheap, setting off red flags.

 

[Bruce R]

They should put that "Lowjack" thing in expensive stuff like that, giving off a tracking signal when they try to use it.

 

[Limitool]

Damn.... There's nothing much worse than a thief. My best to you sir.... keep us posted.

 

[jeff of pa]

hopefully they come back to the fishing shop, and you's get a lead.
that's allot of gear

 

[Bruce R]

Hey O.J., not to be a smartass or anything, but didn't you just post on 5/7 about having too many detectors? Is it possible that someone in your locale read that ?

 

[victhedog]

Wow I have a four door black pickup let me take a look in the bed
but dont remember leaving PA?

 

[Bruce R]

Even the government gets hacked once in awhile.

 

[Oddjob]

Hey O.J., not to be a smartass or anything, but didn't you just post on 5/7 about having too many detectors? Is it possible that someone in your locale read that ?

Yes I did ask if anyone on here just hung on to theirs.

The only issue is that they took the ones we really use alot.

The AT Pro set up belonged to my son; it was nearly a year old. He got that on his 12th birthday and did very well with it. He is hurt the most. Insurance has already let me know that they could process it all at 80% of the value, I have 30 days to decide when or if I want them to process my claim. I will wait just in case other items are located.

I have no problem with replacing everything, and I am sure I could manage to get on the list for the up coming shipment of Hobie Yaks.

In regards to the lowjack you mentioned. Yes we have them on all our Yaks, My wife, son and I like to fish about 6 miles in the Adriatic, and sometimes when you hook into something large enough you can end up an extra mile or two in any direction. S we had a bicycle shop install those sim card GPS locator's so we could live track each other on our smart phones.

I just have to wait for them to turn the battery on; which I am sure will happen sooner than later because they will want to see if the fish finders work, the lights or live wells on the yaks. The Italian police have the sim card numbers and my phones are set and waiting as well. I am sure they will turn them on soon enough.

It really bothers me though because they took my best machines, but they can be replaced with an overnight order. What gets at me is they took my fishing gear and Yaks. Being from Texas I am only going to use US gear, the fishing stuff has been recovered and checked but those Yaks are still out there, not something that I can just over night order. Those yaks put about 30% of the meat on my table.

I am sure given enough time someone will show back up to the fishing shop, I just hope the police can get an answer from them before the local commercial fisherman turn them into chum; that or someone will turn on the battery and the Yaks can be tracked.

Folks never take the stuff you do not want. I got a new lawn mower one year, hated the thing after I got it and just kept using my old one. Someone took my old lawn mower, heck if they would have asked I would have gave them the new one.

But thank you all for keeping an eye for me on your networks. I will keep everyone updated as to how things turn out.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Man, that just sucks! Not sure how it works where you are, but would home owner's insurance cover any of that? Hope you get your gear back!

 

[Oddjob]

Man, that just sucks! Not sure how it works where you are, but would home owner's insurance cover any of that? Hope you get your gear back!

Yes, they already got back with me and offered 80% of the current value if the items are older than a year or 80% of what I paid if I purchased them in less than a year. I have 30 days to decide and will wait and see what the police are able to recover.

I would actually make out very well on the GPZ's since we paid 10K each and now we can get them for 7.5K each and they are less than a year old. The 3030's are older and cheaper now on the market. The Yaks are where I would suffer some. The PA 12's are 4 years old and we paid right around 3500 each fully dressed and today we could not replace them cheaper than 4900 dressed. The PA 14's are 3 years old, our cost fully dressed on those where 6800 each and now we would pay right at 8K each. The PA 17T was 9K even dressed and now it would cost us 12K to dress one out properly. The 17T was actually ordered and purchased in full 16 months ago but we did not get it until 11 months ago, so not sure how the insurance would do the math on that one, but the others would be killer to replace.

If they had to be replaced then chances are we would just get 2 of the PA 14's and 2 or the PA 17T's and just leave out the PA 12's. The PA 12's where our first ones, and worked pretty darn good but at only a couple miles out to sea you can not really feel safe and bring home a good catch. So those where really inshore fishing toys now that we got the other ones.

But I figure it is only a matter of time and the Yaks will surface since they are so rare over here. If I did take the insurance settlement and then got the Yaks back within 90 days in the country they where stolen in then I would have to give up the Yaks, but if they are recovered out of country and I have settled then it does not matter I get to keep the cash and the Yaks. I think 30 days is long enough for them to surface.

Insurance Laws work really odd in Europe compared to what we had in the US. In Europe it always seems that if you have all the right insurances then things work very fast. My experience in Texas seemed that if you had all the right insurances that it was still some how your own fault, tough crap, here is one tenth of the value they say it is and your insurance just went up through the roof.

Lost one of our houses in a flood back on the ranch in South Texas, when it was said and done we had to take the insurance company to court. 3 years later an agreement was reached; but in the insurance companies eyes it was our fault for having our cattle ranch on planet earth.

Here we have an insurance on our kids if they break stuff it is covered for 80 bucks a year, no matter how often they send a baseball through the neighbors window. The insurance rep just laughs and says Kids will be Kids.

 

[kcm]

Insurance Laws work really odd in Europe compared to what we had in the US. In Europe it always seems that if you have all the right insurances then things work very fast. My experience in Texas seemed that if you had all the right insurances that it was still some how your own fault, tough crap, here is one tenth of the value they say it is and your insurance just went up through the roof.

Know what ya mean. My folks bought their final house in Arkansas. Now, Mom is in a nursing home and Dad passed away. The solid rock chimney/fireplace is sinking into the ground. Insurance says we should have had Earthquake insurance and won't touch it. Really? ARE YOU SH)%%&$G ME?? Who in the world has earthquake insurance in Arkansas?!?!? I tried finding a contractor to fix the problem, but nobody wants to accept the risk burden. ...Kinda like how many doctors won't see patients that they "think" might have an inkling to sue them. Anyway, now their house sits empty. Can't even keep insurance on it cause it's vacant. Is a long drive from the Canadian border to Arkansas!!

Sorry OJ for getting off-topic. Just hit a nerve with that remark.

 

[against the wind]

If those hooligans get caught,, they need to get that upside down Mussolini treatment.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Sorry to hear this OJ. I came home from a week away one time and found my apartment empty of everything, including furniture. I hope your's turns out better.

 

[huntsman53]

That is some serious, high dollar equipment to have stolen! I sure hope that they recover everything for you and the thieves get the appropriate justice! I am concerned about one thing and am sending you a PM. Take care!


Frank

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Hey O.J., not to be a smartass or anything, but didn't you just post on 5/7 about having too many detectors? Is it possible that someone in your locale read that ?

One lady detector from our northern york area, told us she was going to quit posting here. She said she was being followed by someone, not sure, from the beach, back to home base, she'd take detours...... said it was getting weird, and felt the need to just, step outta the pic for a little while. This is a world wide forum, and you never know..... I guess I just don't care(as per below sig), lol. Anyone usually knows where to find me in the ocean, LOL, and house has nothing in it, (the safe dep boxes are stuffed, I need another, or bigger one, right now), lol
My husband told me, anyone ever kidnapped me, they'd bring me back and pay him, to take me off their hands.
He's not worried, either.
So do be real guarded about your "on-line" plans, pls..... (look who I'm telling this to, sorry, lol)

Man, that just sucks! Not sure how it works where you are, but would home owner's insurance cover any of that? Hope you get your gear back!

I was gonna say, they ya go!. Yeah insurance companies can suck, too. They tried that de-value cwap on me, on a car once. I pulled out every new part and replacement part receipt, told them to go back to their calculator NOW, offer refused, try again. It pays to be a paper packrat, sometimes, trust me.

Sorry to hear this OJ. I came home from a week away one time and found my apartment empty of everything, including furniture. I hope your's turns out better.

Deep, that was a blessing in disguise, more than likely, you just didn't recognize, at the time.
Like, if ya give a friend $20 and never see them again, typa thing......

OJ, try to get past it and enjoy your family, love, and life. You know, where the real treasures are. It'll get less "raw", as time goes on. So sorry, too.

Oh heads up, vacation holidays coming up, Memorial, 4th, Labor, etc..... when vacationing, fishing, diving, hunting, etc...... KEEP YOUR GEAR IN YOUR ROOM WITH YOU! I mean it! I don't care how cumbersome, how many fish you got waiting to be cleaned, deer hog to gut, whatever excuse.
Down here in east, west south fl, the keys, the ploy is..... let 'em all have a good time on holiday, they get comfortable, then complacent, and HIT on the last night of holiday. Had every rod and reel stole off the pontoon boat over in Bokeelia on Pine Island one yr, last night of the holiday. And, SIL said she KNEW, she just knew she shoulda gone and got 'em off the boat, was just tired, cooking, whatever...... never again..... I took mine and the Mr's off our boat, but it still sucked for SIL and the others.
same thing happens in the keys down here, and I am SURE, all over this country, not only here.
Keep your stuffs secure!

 

[Oddjob]

Update:

So 2 men came back to the commercial fishing shop today about the fishing gear of mine they left behind to fence. They showed up on foot so it did not alert the authorities because they where looking for a big black truck.

But what I am told some 29 tourist called the police because an old man was beating one of the thieves with a canoe ore and 3 fisherman where working over the other guy.

Police responded, took the men into custody and the thieves, or one thief who could speak gave up where my Yaks where at. But also gave up the location of the other men as well.

The police are still going through the properties; from what I hear they are major thieves and the police have their hands very full with 6 properties stacked full with shelves and all organized per item.

The Yaks fully dressed have been accounted for with every last detailed item I reported. I still do not have any word on my MD's or the gear related, but like I said the police have their hands full logging all the stolen stuff from 6 properties. The only man who is talking does not know if the MD's have been fenced or not because he has nothing to do with the networking and selling of stuff, but he did say that ever week an entire 18 wheeler is loaded down full and trucked out. He is also providing all the details as to name and locations where the stuff gets sent to.

The man said that 2 of the men both felt my house would be a good hit because I looked like a Body Guard to the women and 4 kids at that house and there is a 170K van and 250K SUV parked there. He told the police that when he went out and cased us he thought it was a bad idea because the man (meaning me) open carries his side arm every where, and that when we go somewhere I put am automatic riffle in the vehicle. He said they needed to hit our house because we most likely would own a couple wave runners.

That said, exactly how fooken stupid does someone have to be, they cases me, my family and my property; I am 6'6" at 300 pounds and have been working out 3-4 hours a day the past 29 years of my life when I am not in the bush, I open carry a FN Five Seven with 3 spare mags and normally have my AK in the truck or van. Both vehicles which have out of country plates; this is Europe, there are only a hand full of people who get to carry legally over borders and they are all agency. But this some how seemed like a great place to hit.

Also they only hit beach houses too; they anchor about a mile off the beach and video everything with an IP cam.

Needless to say as soon as I get done with my current tasking I am taking a vacation and heading back down to Italy so that I can landscape my property facing the beach in a better way to ensure a little more of a challenge for the next group of morons that may think we would be an easy target.

So fingers crossed folks, I hope my MD's are among all that stuff, or at least my my son's stuff because he is really hurt about all of this.

Thank you all who replied, I figured here would be the best place to ask for some outside help. I mean where else can you read about cool finds, see all sort of stuff identified, learn new stuff and have a political conversation all at the same time.

 

[Bruce R]

Hey O.J., maybe a buddy of yours will get the job transporting those guys internationally, I hear it's really easy to get lost crossing borders.

 

[WhiteTornado]

Glad to hear the bad guys were rounded up. Hopefully you get just about everything back and especially your son's gear. That has to feel awful as a parent. Crazy that this theft ring is stealing 18-wheelers full of stuff every week.