Thieves suck

[FJR1300]

I went to breakfast this morning at Cracker Barrel and because there was a football game last night, the wait was even longer than a normal Sunday morning. Since it was just me at breakfast, I grabbed a newspaper, sat down next to a table and placed my cell phone and Dell Axim on the table. When it was time to go… my phone and Axim were gone. I haven’t contacted my insurance company yet, but I’m guessing my phone won’t be covered and after my deductible... I might get $100.

I also can’t say much for the cops… and that’s sad because I used to be one. Since I didn’t have a phone and the restaurant was busy, I drove to the police department to file a report. After the desk officer took my information, I asked if I could use the phone to call my wife and let her know what happened. (She was out of town with family; otherwise she would have been with me.) Desk officer points to a payphone and I go over and deposit fifty cents. After dialing the number, a recorded voice comes on and tells me to hang-up and deposit my money before dialing. I thought this was strange because I had already deposited the correct change. I tried several more times, then I sat down and waited for the officer to take my report.

After waiting about 30 minutes, I asked the desk officer how much longer it would be and she told me she didn’t know. I also told her I was having problems using the payphone and I asked again if I could make a quick local call on her phone. The answer was again no and she told me she would check the payphone. How did she check the payphone? She called it and then told me she could hear it ringing! I told her I could get a dial tone, I just couldn’t call out… her reply was she would let someone know. Great! I returned to the payphone, called the operator and explained the problem. Operator asked me for the number and then told me to deposit the coins. After depositing the coins, the operator placed the call. At least I was getting somewhere. After talking to my wife, I went back to the desk officer and told her I was going to go home. I told the desk officer to have the patrol officer call me so I could file the report. That was over two hours ago. I just called the police department, which is long distance, and after sitting on hold for about five minutes I was told the officer was on the phone taking another report. The desk officer told me she would remind him to call me… right!

 

[zzkenoman]

Sorry for your lost, but how could something be placed so close to you, be stolen at the same time? Something doesn't seem right, but maybe a learned lesson of awareness next time.

 

[FJR1300]

Something doesn't seem right, but maybe a learned lesson of awareness next time.

So you've never sat down, started reading something and "gotten lost" in what you were reading and at the same time "gotten lost" as to what was going on around you?

I hope you aren't thinking I planned this or made this up to get some money from the insurance? The Dell was less than six months old and my entire world is on it. I have the data backed up and it's encypted on the Dell... so I'm not worried about that. I'm just pissed at how fucking low humans have gotten that they would take something sitting right next to someone.

And yes I did learn something... not to relax my gaurd. I used to always be alert and I was always checking everyone and everything around me. I guess I was just a little tired... I just completed a 300+ hour month and I was just into what I was reading.

 

[zzzzip]

No, we don't think you are making this up to collect insurance.

We know, that as an ex-cop, you are brave and pure of heart. :glare:

But yes, humans have gotten that fucking low... should be obvious to a highly trained observer such as yourself,...especially in a city full of politicians such as our State capitol. So many targets, so few bullets. :blink:

I thought only seniors ate at the Cracker Barrel-- should have been a safe place.

B)

P.S.-- sorry you became a victim. Hope somebody does some good police work so the courts can piss all the hard work away.

 

[SMC]

:butcher: Sorry to hear about the theft of your things FJR1300, It's a shame that there are idiots out there who think nothing about doing that kind of stuff.

I don't at all agree with sharia law, but there is something to be said about taking off the hand of someone who steals...kinda makes it hard for them to do it again when they have no hands?

At the same time zzkenoman, it's kind of like blaming a woman for getting raped.

All FJR1300 was doing was reading a paper, we also don't know if it was a two or more people in on a distraction theft.

Just out of curiosity, what do you all do when on a tour across the country or at a rallye and you have to take off your jacket and helmut and leave it on the bike, how do you secure these things so they are there when you get to the parking lot?

Scott

 

[zzzzip]

:butcher: Sorry to hear about the theft of your things FJR1300, It's a shame that there are idiots out there who think nothing about doing that kind of stuff.
I don't at all agree with sharia law, but there is something to be said about taking off the hand of someone who steals...kinda makes it hard for them to do it again when they have no hands?

At the same time zzkenoman, it's kind of like blaming a woman for getting raped.

All FJR1300 was doing was reading a paper, we also don't know if it was a two or more people in on a distraction theft.

Just out of curiosity, what do you all do when on a tour across the country or at a rallye and you have to take off your jacket and helmut and leave it on the bike, how do you secure these things so they are there when you get to the parking lot?

Scott

I lay one sleeve just in front of the front tire, and the chin strap just in front of the rear tire, and then pull forward about 6 inches, and lock the fork. It works, but it does cause some people to pause and stare for some reason.

 

[FJR1300]

Just out of curiosity, what do you all do when on a tour across the country or at a rallye and you have to take off your jacket and helmut and leave it on the bike, how do you secure these things so they are there when you get to the parking lot?

I always leave room in the bags for my jacket and I lock the helmet on the saddle bag using the trick of putting the "D" ring through the lock that locks the bag.

@zzzzip - Working in law enforcement in Jefferson City is one of the reasons I got out of law enforcement. I don't play politics and I hated all the politics at work... so I went back into radio. (I know every job has politics, but it shouldn't be in law enforcement and the judicial system.)

 

[Rickster]

that sux.

go watch the movie "Falling Down" --

 

[SMC]

Just out of curiosity, what do you all do when on a tour across the country or at a rallye and you have to take off your jacket and helmut and leave it on the bike, how do you secure these things so they are there when you get to the parking lot?

I always leave room in the bags for my jacket and I lock the helmet on the saddle bag using the trick of putting the "D" ring through the lock that locks the bag.

@zzzzip - Working in law enforcement in Jefferson City is one of the reasons I got out of law enforcement. I don't play politics and I hated all the politics at work... so I went back into radio. (I know every job has politics, but it shouldn't be in law enforcement and the judicial system.)

I guess I should be more specific, I am in the planning stages of a 6,000 mile ride in June of '07, one of the places I will be visiting is the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

There is a parking lot for vehicles down near the highway. Then you have to board a bus that goes up to the castle.

I suspect it will be too warm to wear the protective jacket for the tour and I certainly don't want to take drag the helmut around and will change out of heavy boots to sneakers as there is a lot of walking and climbing. Want to have hands free to take pictures. Saddle bags will be full of stuff already.

So how does one secure a motorcycle jacket, boots and helmut to the FJR?

Has anyone bought a long coated cable and strung it through all the sleeves, helmut D-rings and boot buckles and attached it to a motorcycle at a rallye and come back to find everything still there? Or did some low life come along and cut the cable and steal everything.

Scott

 

[Fencer]

What kind of phone was it? A lot of the new phones have GPS location and tracking built into the phone. You can download the program from your house and see where it is. Easy police work (hopefully avail on your phone) This was put in for tracking kids primarily from the parents but can also be used to track cheating spouses. or in your case the local pawn ring.

 

[bramfrank]

I assume you tried calling your phone before you left the restaurant to see if another patron's pocket started ringing?

I hope you called the phone company and cancelled the number - ask them for a list of calls made from the phone prior to cancellation (you are paying for the calls so you have the right to know).

I hope none of them were to exotic destinations.

 

[zzkenoman]

So you've never sat down, started reading something and "gotten lost" in what you were reading and at the same time "gotten lost" as to what was going on around you?
I hope you aren't thinking I planned this or made this up to get some money from the insurance? The Dell was less than six months old and my entire world is on it. I have the data backed up and it's encypted on the Dell... so I'm not worried about that. I'm just pissed at how fucking low humans have gotten that they would take something sitting right next to someone.

And yes I did learn something... not to relax my gaurd. I used to always be alert and I was always checking everyone and everything around me. I guess I was just a little tired... I just completed a 300+ hour month and I was just into what I was reading.

No one is accusing anyone of planning or placing a blame anywhere, lighten up. Everyone has had something lost or stolen, its not a good feeling, although I have been guilty of "thinking" I've lost my sunglasses when its sitting on my head.

At the same time zzkenoman, it's kind of like blaming a woman for getting raped.
Scott

WTF?

 

[smitty141]

that sux.
go watch the movie "Falling Down" --

Thats a great movie.... :clapping: :clapping:

Sorry about your stuff....Marc, that sucks... one more thing.. wtf is a Axim???? Must be some hi-tech thing.. We don't have stuff like that here in Hooterville... Smitty

 

[v65]

Holy crap living in a small town keeps you isolated. My old bike I parked with my gear on it and the keys in the ignition(I am more careful with the Feejer), I can't believe someone would steal them with you right there. On the positive side I thought this thread was going to be about your FJR getting stolen...

 

[Bounce]

Sorry for your lost, but how could something be placed so close to you, be stolen at the same time? Something doesn't seem right, but maybe a learned lesson of awareness next time.

S.O.P. for company equipment is that we are told to never even set a laptop case next to us at the airport. To (at a minimum) keep it clamped between our feet on the floor under our chairs. Theft rate is simply too high to set high risks items down without maintaining physical contact with them. These notices have been going out for years. Reports of high theft of laptops (and other electronics) have been news items for nearly as long.

No one has said it was a false claim or even a planned "loss". What was implied is that situational awareness in public places should be practiced until it's reflexive and second nature. Sorry to hear about such an expensive lesson about NEVER being in "condition white" while in public places.

Gunsite

...begin quote...

Awareness of your personal situation is broken into a color coded system. “Condition White” is a state of complete unawareness of surroundings and potential danger. “Condition Yellow” is a state of guarded awareness— you are aware of possible threats and anything out of the ordinary. “Condition Orange” is a state in which you are aware that something is not right— you have not encountered an immediate threat, but you are prepared for one to appear at any moment. “Condition Red” is a state in which a threat is immediate— you are in a fight.

...end quote...

 

[chickey191]

Just out of curiosity, what do you all do when on a tour across the country or at a rallye and you have to take off your jacket and helmut and leave it on the bike, how do you secure these things so they are there when you get to the parking lot?

I always leave room in the bags for my jacket and I lock the helmet on the saddle bag using the trick of putting the "D" ring through the lock that locks the bag.

@zzzzip - Working in law enforcement in Jefferson City is one of the reasons I got out of law enforcement. I don't play politics and I hated all the politics at work... so I went back into radio. (I know every job has politics, but it shouldn't be in law enforcement and the judicial system.)

I guess I should be more specific, I am in the planning stages of a 6,000 mile ride in June of '07, one of the places I will be visiting is the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

There is a parking lot for vehicles down near the highway. Then you have to board a bus that goes up to the castle.

I suspect it will be too warm to wear the protective jacket for the tour and I certainly don't want to take drag the helmut around and will change out of heavy boots to sneakers as there is a lot of walking and climbing. Want to have hands free to take pictures. Saddle bags will be full of stuff already.

So how does one secure a motorcycle jacket, boots and helmut to the FJR?

Has anyone bought a long coated cable and strung it through all the sleeves, helmut D-rings and boot buckles and attached it to a motorcycle at a rallye and come back to find everything still there? Or did some low life come along and cut the cable and steal everything.

Scott

I made a cable - went to home depot and bought about 6' of plastic coated cable and some crimp style loop fittings. Makes it easy to string through the sleeves and legs of my Darien and pants. I lock helmet to a license plate helmet lock. Never had that kind of stuff stolen off my bike. The only problem with the license plate lock is that when jumping off a bike the pipes are still too hot to hang the helmet off the back (it will lean on the pipes) - so I either wait or run the cable through the helmet d=ring and go with that.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

That is HORRIBLE!!

You dont expect to see this kind of stuff happening in our area! :angry2:

Good thing you have security in the laptop, But any good hacker can get in there :angry2:

The Springfield PD is not any better... We have been having a rash of stolen bikes here and they are sitting on their thumbs... :angry2:

Adam

 

[madmike2]

I guess I should be more specific, I am in the planning stages of a 6,000 mile ride in June of '07, one of the places I will be visiting is the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.
There is a parking lot for vehicles down near the highway. Then you have to board a bus that goes up to the castle.

I suspect it will be too warm to wear the protective jacket for the tour and I certainly don't want to take drag the helmut around and will change out of heavy boots to sneakers as there is a lot of walking and climbing. Want to have hands free to take pictures. Saddle bags will be full of stuff already.

So how does one secure a motorcycle jacket, boots and helmut to the FJR?

Has anyone bought a long coated cable and strung it through all the sleeves, helmut D-rings and boot buckles and attached it to a motorcycle at a rallye and come back to find everything still there? Or did some low life come along and cut the cable and steal everything.

Scott

Boots might be a problem unless you can get them into the topcase or on the seat under your jacket.

When I was @ Hearst Castle 3 or 4 years ago I used a plastic coated cable (A Kryptonite cable that I still use on the FJR) for my jacket and pants, I had a Helmet Guardian from here to secure my helmet. By the time I secured my clothing, the mufflers were cool enough to not harm the helmet.

At that time I was still wearing hiking boots for riding so I just left them on with my hiking shorts.

 

[SMC]

Thanks Mad Mike for the info and insight about your visit to the Hearst Castle...I take it when you got back from the tour, everything was as is and wasn't tampered with or vandalized?

Scott