To catch a thief

[Mcfish]

This past June my golf cart was stolen. I bought this cart new 8 years ago and took very good care of it.  I was sick about it.  After being hassled for a week by my insurance company, I was paid about 2 grand less than what I paid for it.

Fast forward to last Saturday.  I was at work and checked Craigslist like I've been doing faithfully for four months.  Finally, there it was!  It had been modified in order to disguise it but I recognized it right away.  I immediately texted the guy and set up a meeting time.  I posed as a buyer of course.

I get over there (less than 5 miles from work) and sure enough it's my cart.  I look it over and tell the guy that I am going to go and get my wife.  I leave and call the Kent county sheriff.  After a grueling hour and a half wait the Walker police show up and we go to the guys house.  The officers look for the serial number and I inform them that it had been removed.  Oh, well, without the numbers you can't prove its yours.  Uh, I can have three witnesses here in a half hour that will vouch for me.  No good.

Dang, what the heck do I do?  I quickly Google EZGO golf carts on my phone.  I call the first dealer I find and he tells me there are three different spots where the number is put.  Sweet!

The first, and obvious spot, is missing.  I go to check for the second, gone too.  But thank heavens the third is hidden and the scumbags hadn't removed it.  Bam!  Gotcha sucker.  The guy comes up with a bullcrap receipt and is now under investigation from the MSP.

Because it's technically the insurance companies cart, it was impounded and I am in the process of buying it back from them. 

But the reason I'm telling this story is because if I'd just engraved my name/initials and the serial number somewhere that wasn't easily found I wouldn't have had to rely on EZGO having so many serial number postings.

So please, learn from my mistake and get an engraver and put a positive i.d. on your boat, outboard, trailer, truck, lawnmower etc. etc.  I'm actually going to put i.d.'s in two different spots on my stuff from here on out.

[bigjc]

Congratulations for your diligence!  I hate thieves.  There was a time in this nation when we would execute horse thieves.  While execution may be a bit extreme, it was pretty effective.

[thedude]

sterilization seems like a nice compromise.

[bigjc]

sterilization seems like a nice compromise.

When you finally decide to run for office...I would like to be your campaign manager!

[Team houston]

I wouldn't call it extreme. In fact I would call it just about right.

[Mcfish]

I ended up paying my insurance company back a little less than half of what they gave me for my claim.  I got to pick up my cart at the impound lot two days ago. It was a great feeling. 

And sterilization would only be part of my sentence for a thief.  I'm thinking a random finger off of each hand also.   

The trooper told me that I will likely be subpoenaed.  I told him that I would be happy to. Whatever it takes.   

[djkimmel]

Very glad you stuck with it and got it back! I have been told by my insurance company and other smart people to engrave some type of ID on valuables for years. I have done so on a few things but it really helps to have a live, first-person reminder to do so! Thanks, and good luck nailing the loser!!!