Marty72
Elite member
I have to share this story (which I still can't believe). This morning I took a Ft Spitfire and FT P 40 (w/ Rimfire 3536) to the ball field I fly at. It's a private place, with a gate (only one way out, at the end of a road), and a very nice field. I know all the folks involved with the park, today, the field manager was on the site taking care the park. I had just finished flying the P 40 and it was a bit damp due to the wet grass landing. So I put it in the bed to sun dry. I walked about 200 feet to my spot, to fly my Spitfire. After a 6 minute flight (As I do after every flight), I landed the plane and saw this white Ford explorer backing away from my truck like a bat out of hell. I wondered what that was about, as I approach my truck, I don't see the P 40. I question myself, did I put in the truck without thinking? Nope, this guy stole the plane. I told the Manager what happen and he called the Sheriff. We review the cameras and saw the whole thing. Unfortunately, no tag number could be read.
Now, I feel pretty fortunate because my loses could have been much, much worse. Unusually, I take as many planes as will fit in the truck. I also frequent the place after mountain biking. I'll take the bike ($$$) off the tail gate and lay it on the ground to allow me to use the tail gate to prepare the planes for flight. But today, I only had 4 batteries charged up, so I just took two planes and no bike. He didn't take the batteries, either.
I felt like that location was about as safer than my own driveway (cameras on site too). The Pepsi guy was in there delivering while this was going on. It's not a busy area, no one is in there during the week, just me, the field manager (riding around on a Gator). No traffic. For whatever reason, this guy drove in there and pull up behind my truck, grabbed the plane and spit.
I talked with the Deputy Sheriff and he said to call if we get a tag number but then added that even if we had it, and the video, that they won't charge him, I would have to do that (but they would help me). I've never heard of such a think. I don't know if this is a NC thing or a county issue. I want to learn more about this. I have enough live experience to know that I'll never see that plane again (along with the list of things I've had stolen over my life time) but I was very surprised by the remark, "we can't charge him, even if you get the tag number, we (police) didn't witness it. You will have to go the court house and charge him."
Now, I feel pretty fortunate because my loses could have been much, much worse. Unusually, I take as many planes as will fit in the truck. I also frequent the place after mountain biking. I'll take the bike ($$$) off the tail gate and lay it on the ground to allow me to use the tail gate to prepare the planes for flight. But today, I only had 4 batteries charged up, so I just took two planes and no bike. He didn't take the batteries, either.
I felt like that location was about as safer than my own driveway (cameras on site too). The Pepsi guy was in there delivering while this was going on. It's not a busy area, no one is in there during the week, just me, the field manager (riding around on a Gator). No traffic. For whatever reason, this guy drove in there and pull up behind my truck, grabbed the plane and spit.
I talked with the Deputy Sheriff and he said to call if we get a tag number but then added that even if we had it, and the video, that they won't charge him, I would have to do that (but they would help me). I've never heard of such a think. I don't know if this is a NC thing or a county issue. I want to learn more about this. I have enough live experience to know that I'll never see that plane again (along with the list of things I've had stolen over my life time) but I was very surprised by the remark, "we can't charge him, even if you get the tag number, we (police) didn't witness it. You will have to go the court house and charge him."
