Learn from my mistake

[Steelman]

Last night someone decided to help themselves to my fishing rods and tackle on my boat.  Makes me sick to my stomach thinking about all the money I have spent over the years to accumulate my fishing arsenal.  I have always left my stuff in the boat parked in my driveway and have never thought twice about it or ever had an issue.  There is no way I can possibly replace all of it anytime soon and some of the stuff if just not replaceable.  Two of my favorite rods that Where my first set of rods I purchased to tournament fish with many years ago.  There is just no replacing a rod combo that feels like and extension of your own arm let alone several of them.  So take a lesson from a mistake I have made and remove your stuff from your boats and lock it up.  It just takes one low life scumbag to ruin years of memories, countless hours of enjoyment and a few thousand dollars worth of equipment to end up in there possession in a matter of minutes.  I hope you guys take my advice and dont ever have to feel like I did this morning when I seen my stuff missing. 

[blueghost1]

Ugh, that sucks, sorry. I am going to lose sleep worrying about the same now. Hope the p.o.s is caught and you get all returned. Won't your home owners ins cover it I hope?

[Mortigan]

I've had two apartments robbed; I understand. 

[Steelman]

Checking with them on that and awaiting a response.  I get the feeling Im screwed.  Without actual proof of purchase  like receipts for all of it Im not hopefull.  I mentioned I had pictures and a response of no disrespect but we do not know if this is of your equipment or someone elses stuff. Another questioned asked is if I had recorded serial numbers.  Uhhhh never noticed a fishing rod or lures with serial numbers on them.  I suppose they get scammed sometimes and cant lay blame on them for it. 

Edited August 15, 2014 by Steelman

[salvas20]

sorry to hear that. thats a major concearn for most of us i think. can you tell us where this happened? was the boat at a marina or at your house?

[baitrigger]

Post a couple of those picks and a list of what missing. Half the guys that would buy that stuff read this weekly. I feel your pain. Make it hard for em to sell.

[brucehookedup]

I too was violated several times. It SUCKS !!!!! You lose your sense of security. I am ready IF they try it again. Good luck, hope they catch the S.O.B.s

[Guppy35]

Sorry to hear that you had all of that equipment stolen, it's very sad that there are even people out there that would think about doing something like that.  Like Baitrigger said, post some pics when you get a chance and the general location of where it was stolen at, maybe you'll get lucky and someone on here will see it posted somewhere online.

[dvdegeorge]

Check your local pawn shops 

[finsntins]

hey steelman,i have some extra/backup stuff i would lend you to finish out the season.im in mexico bay.let me know.sorry for your loss.

[potsie225]

check your home owners insurance company.  My insurance co. is great for me I just give them and estimate of the total value.  Sorry that this world is made up of crooks  GL

[BAITNH]

that really sucks  I have been lucky  but a friend of mine  got his  rods stolen while fishing out of Fair Haven this spring. I would check  my  home owners   and   pawn shops, craigslist, and e bay  for a while.

[BSmaster]

I have been thinking about setting booby trap alarms on the boat.  Meaning when an item gets removed, a contact is broken and a very loud alarm goes off, similar to the way the window and door alarms work out of any hardware store.  May seem simple but to a thief, it may spook them away before any real amount of theft ocurrs.

 

Sorry for your loss Steelman.  I feel for you.

Joe

[Creekrun]

I had the unfortunate experience of having my garage broken into last year and also lost thousand of dollars worth of equipment. I have an insurance policy with replacement costs built in. The insurance company asked me to itemize the value. I came up with an estimated value of 11.000.00 dollars. There were two tackle boxes stuffed with antique lures my grandfather left me, many dating back to the 1930s. How does one put a value on something like that?

Well to make a long story longer, the insurance company depreciated the values of everything down to 3000.00 dollars and told me that if I replaced anything to send them a receipt and they would reimburse me. Much of what was stolen was extra or not needed so much of it went un replaced. I took a major hit and am slowly rebuilding my collection although most of it is irreplacable.

I'm sorry this happened to you- what a sense of violation you must feel. It amazes me that there are those out there who don't think twice about how their actions affect others and simply don't seem to care. Very sad-----

[Sk8man]

I feel for you Steelman....it is a nasty feeling of being violated. A coupleyears ago I had a $300 camera taken from my boat docked at the launch just during the time while I was getting my tow vehicle and discovered it when I got home....really sucks....unfortunately there is always someone waiting "around the corner" to take advantage of people when they are "vulnerable" these days .... much different than when I was a kid and very much different than when my folks grew up where  if someone found a wallet on the street it was customary to take it to the police station so the rightful owner could get it back....the attitude today held by many would be "What are you nuts? take the money out and throw it in a trash can someplace" or something like that.....very sad commentary. I have noted however on this website a few times folks have found things like nets along the road etc.and have tried to find the rightful owner and that kind of thing shows there may be hope for our culture after all. A lot of the home invasions and burglary type crimes are related to the drug trafficking though and the insatiable need for $$ by addicts and this problem isn't going away anytime soon. Best of luck replacing your stuff (or at least getting reimbursed)!

[Shelby Lynn]

Gents, just a FYI they have a new camera called "Drop Cam" cost around 150 bucks works off Wi-Fi and stores video for up to seven days on your PC you can also watch live feed or get alerts of movement on your cell phone. I have one set up at my house and if a cloud comes over and darkens the sky I get an alert. If your boat is parked near your house set it up in a window facing it, it won't stop them from getting your stuff but you will have a video of the Ba$turds taking it. Need 120volt source and Wi-Fi for it to work though.

Sorry for your lost of equipment and I hope they catch the scum-bags!!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.dropcam.com/

[salmonite]

Gents, just a FYI they have a new camera called "Drop Cam" cost around 150 bucks works off Wi-Fi and stores video for up to seven days on your PC you can also watch live feed or get alerts of movement on your cell phone. I have one set up at my house and if a cloud comes over and darkens the sky I get an alert. If your boat is parked near your house set it up in a window facing it, it won't stop them from getting your stuff but you will have a video of the Ba$turds taking it. Need 120volt source and Wi-Fi for it to work though.

Sorry for your lost of equipment and I hope they catch the scum-bags!!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.dropcam.com/

 

interesting are these weather proof?

[Shelby Lynn]

They are not, but you could build something to protect it though. I have mind inside on the window sill only issue is the infrared light reflects back at night, but if I know it isn't going to rain I set it outside on the sill.

[blueghost1]

I agree with Guppy. General area and description. They will probably try to sell at boat ramps, marinas or CL if they are dumb enough. Probably some local crack head. I would also watch out of the area CL listings.

[Kevin J Legg]

I had a friend that had all his walleye gear taken from his camp at Bay of Quinte and his homeowners took care of most of it. A trail cam might at least get a photo of the guy or a plate number of his vehicle. Wish you luck.

[ReelPower]

So sorry that happened to you.  Scumbags.  I deal with insurance companies everyday...don't let the hurdles and b.s. deter you from making a strong claim.  The company would prefer if you went away rather than read your policy rights.  Keep at them, present detailed documentation, an itemization, pictures if available and affidavits from yourself and dis-interested persons who can verify what you possessed.

 

Also, all of us should be aware of the difference between AGREED VALUE and ACTUAL CASH VALUE in a policy.  Huge difference.  Actual Cash Value will not give you protection to cover replacement costs.  Only what the insurance company says it's worth.  Shop for an Agreed Value policy.  If it goes bye bye, the value is set.  Especially important for larger losses such as boat, motor, kicker, etc.

 

Good luck.  Don't let your insurer off the hook so easy.

[Steelman]

hey steelman,i have some extra/backup stuff i would lend you to finish out the season.im in mexico bay.let me know.sorry for your loss.

You sir are a very kind person and I appreciate the offer a lot.   I will have to decline though seems I cant keep my own stuff in my possession and I certainly dont want to take a chance with someone elses equipment.  I truly appreciate the offer and thank you! 

 

I also appreciate every ones advice.   I live just east of Pulaski about 9 miles from Port Ontario.  From what Im told there was 3 places that were broken in to and by the sounds of it this person is targeting anything and everything he can.  I have been a bit more fortunate than the others that were robbed.   There is a lead and a suspect.  I do have his name and I do know where he lives.  If this is the guy it makes my stomach turn even more as I drive by his house just about everyday and he and his misses always wave to me when I drive by.  A vehicle described seen matches the description to the one parked in his driveway.  I really want to stop and pay a friendly visit but I just have to leave it up to the police.  I dont have itemized pictures of whats missing just pictures where the rods etc might be in a picture taken while fishing.  I do know I have learned a lesson and I will be taking itemized pictures for insurance if I get my stuff back or the replacements in due time.  I will be turning in serial numbers to my hunting guns etc to the insurance company for both of our records.  The biggest thing I hope comes out of this is others learn from my misfortune and lock there stuff up so it doesnt happen to anyone else.  Take care guys and better days are sure to come I hope. 

[finsntins]

anytime steelman,just trying to help out a fellow fisherman,maybe a trip out then,let me know,we will hopefully be out on the weekends for the rest of the season.

[panfisher]

Steelman......We hear this story right here in LOU annually. People have always stolen stuff. It is a part of human nature for many people, regardless of their lot in life. Some people are just light fingered, and others feel they need to be, at one time or another. Some folks just seem to want to "try it"....stealing something. It is a thing that many people attempt and get away with (or not) in their childhood days. Or for the first time as adults. Not everybody, but enough that it can always be a problem. I have been ripped off for valuable fishing and other equipment. Until it happens to you, and unless nobody you have ever known has told you about it, it may never cross your mind that anyone would steal something from you. And, for some like myself, having learned as a child that others can and might steal from you, even the most unsuspecting acquaintances or associates or even friends, I have chosen to cast caution to the wind. Living in an area where I assumed it wouldn't happen, even with experience, I have fallen victim to light-handedness and been ripped. The key word here is value.....valuable or valued, cheap or expensive. If you value it, somebody else will want it too. So keep your stuff secure in one or many ways. There are lots of great suggestions to help with that mentioned here. It sucks. But don't fall into the thinking (easy to do) that it's these types or those types that probably did it. I know that even the most upstanding looking or acting types can stoop to stealing. Let the authorities do their job (hopefully they are not "on the take"), keep your eyes and ears alert to some degree, and be glad that something worse was not taken, as you have said. And watch your stuff. I know, it sucks to have to always think about that, but it's sort of like eating.....if you have something, you can bet someone (or thing) will want it. And don't get "frumpped out" and negative towards everybody.....replace your stuff the best you can. Enjoy life and friends. Get out there and fish on!

[Jakob5pennies]

dam sorry, i have always wondered about my stuff when i leave a marinas. i will check my insurance company tomorrow. again that hurts! SORRY, i don't have allot of stuff but you can barrow anything i have.