Tom Matiska
New member
I was thinking more like a hundred pack.
ouch... Robbed in PA
- Thread starter Tom Matiska
- Start date
I was thinking more like a hundred pack.
It's happened to my dad twice.
Back years ago, he lived in a pretty rough neighborhood in West Oakland, CA. Had a bunch of guns stolen from his 'Bat-safe' hidden behind the bookcase in his bedroom--very James-Bondy cool, but not very secure. Definitely stolen by someone who knew exactly where to look. He never got any of those back.
A couple of years ago, he got hit again, this time in the podunk town in NV where he lives now. Again, definitely someone close, as these were behind a reinforced door in the cinder-block build-on inside the locked garage. Someone in the know kicked in a garage window and apparently had a key. Took all his long guns, only. Computer, cameras, other valuables left alone. They missed his handguns (not in a safe, just hidden incidentally under a pile of crap) and a classic pump-action Ruger .22 rifle that is a true tack-driver.
He duly reported everything, and so far has recovered one rifle, but not one of the good ones. (Like his left-handed .270 Savage...)
Definitely, the guys that do this kind of thing usually do so because they're too stupid to do anything else. My girlfriend recently had some of her stored paintings stolen from a storage container on a friend's property. They also took some crappy speakers and a mixer board and some other misc crap. Cops were called, took a report, nothing. About a week later, the friend noticed an ad in the free paper for his speakers and mixer board, along with some 'original art' for sale, all listed in separate ads with the same number.
Long story short, I responded to the ad, looked at 'his' stuff, said I'd think about it. My GF later went up to look at the artwork and didn't see any of hers, but when she asked about any other artwork, he described one of her own paintings in detail. We set up a sting-buy, the cops busted him with the stuff, he went to jail.
My point is, sometimes you have to do a lot of the footwork yourself--one of the detectives actually told me that we could do a lot more than they could.
So we did!
He's out again now, 6 months later.
D-bag. Keeping an eye on him.
Back years ago, he lived in a pretty rough neighborhood in West Oakland, CA. Had a bunch of guns stolen from his 'Bat-safe' hidden behind the bookcase in his bedroom--very James-Bondy cool, but not very secure. Definitely stolen by someone who knew exactly where to look. He never got any of those back.
A couple of years ago, he got hit again, this time in the podunk town in NV where he lives now. Again, definitely someone close, as these were behind a reinforced door in the cinder-block build-on inside the locked garage. Someone in the know kicked in a garage window and apparently had a key. Took all his long guns, only. Computer, cameras, other valuables left alone. They missed his handguns (not in a safe, just hidden incidentally under a pile of crap) and a classic pump-action Ruger .22 rifle that is a true tack-driver.
He duly reported everything, and so far has recovered one rifle, but not one of the good ones. (Like his left-handed .270 Savage...)
Definitely, the guys that do this kind of thing usually do so because they're too stupid to do anything else. My girlfriend recently had some of her stored paintings stolen from a storage container on a friend's property. They also took some crappy speakers and a mixer board and some other misc crap. Cops were called, took a report, nothing. About a week later, the friend noticed an ad in the free paper for his speakers and mixer board, along with some 'original art' for sale, all listed in separate ads with the same number.
Long story short, I responded to the ad, looked at 'his' stuff, said I'd think about it. My GF later went up to look at the artwork and didn't see any of hers, but when she asked about any other artwork, he described one of her own paintings in detail. We set up a sting-buy, the cops busted him with the stuff, he went to jail.
My point is, sometimes you have to do a lot of the footwork yourself--one of the detectives actually told me that we could do a lot more than they could.
So we did!
He's out again now, 6 months later.
D-bag. Keeping an eye on him.Tom Matiska
New member
I learned from this experience that means squat. The data base is restricted to law enforcment only and was of no use to the dealer that bought my rifle. Add to that the background check is only done on the buyer..not seller... which would only have stopped my repeat offender from buying the weapon from the shop ....what is wrong with this picture??
Tom Matiska
New member
More news.
Police returned three rifles to me today and they are back in my safe. My 307 Win, 788 Rem, as expected, but the third was actually my 358 M77 Stainless Ruger and not the 77/44 I posted earlier.
Odd that the thief admits to taking 6 of my guns, but denies taking the 4th rifle and will not account for it. I handled the 44 less than a week before the robbery and know it was in my safe. The 77/44 must be somewhere he doesn't want to admit.
After posting this I'm off to give some gratitude to the dealer who coughed up my 788 and broke the case.
Very disappointed in a 2nd area dealer. No luck when I first visited his shop with a description and SN's of my stolen guns. Info from my suspect led police to recover my 358 from the shop. It now appears the dealer had my rifle at the time of my visit. He seems like a nice guy and a straight shooter, but he must have bought so many stainless 358 Rugers that week he forgot he had mine until police asked.
Police returned three rifles to me today and they are back in my safe. My 307 Win, 788 Rem, as expected, but the third was actually my 358 M77 Stainless Ruger and not the 77/44 I posted earlier.
Odd that the thief admits to taking 6 of my guns, but denies taking the 4th rifle and will not account for it. I handled the 44 less than a week before the robbery and know it was in my safe. The 77/44 must be somewhere he doesn't want to admit.
After posting this I'm off to give some gratitude to the dealer who coughed up my 788 and broke the case.
Very disappointed in a 2nd area dealer. No luck when I first visited his shop with a description and SN's of my stolen guns. Info from my suspect led police to recover my 358 from the shop. It now appears the dealer had my rifle at the time of my visit. He seems like a nice guy and a straight shooter, but he must have bought so many stainless 358 Rugers that week he forgot he had mine until police asked.
Kevin Rohrer
New member
I can't speak for an alarm, but a better safe placed in your basement will prevent this from happening again.
He wants to keep it or not get it back from who has it, or a second burglar took it.
Tom Matiska
New member
Reason I'm going for both is the better safe will only protect what is in the safe. Several others in the hood are replacing copper pipes, Snapon tools, etc...
I've been on vaction last two weeks and now understand how the guy got away with this in broad daylight. 90 degree afternoon is the new midnight.... everybody is inside with the A/C on.