Trolling Motors that are Missing

[lure-washer]

I went down to the boat, which is trailered and parked under a security light, in our condo complex RV area, the other day and found that the trolling motor was missing.
It was bolted through the hull, and had a custom, stainless steel cover over the handles of the motor attaching bolts, with a pin through the two components of the device, and a padlock underneith, which was in a space of about 1 1/4 inches.
I never would have believed that it could be removed without a lot of work and a key for the lock.
I called the police to report this, and when I called back with the serial number, they said, come on down, we have it here.
It was stashed, with another motor, down the street a block or so, and was spotted by someone out walking.
Never think that anything is secure, when these low life individuals are around.
Lure-washer

 

[Bent-Tip]

I'm glad you got it back!

 

[Rockfish]

You are very lucky indeed as boat equipment thefts are now epidemic. Unfortunately no amount of hardening your kicker or mounted downriggers against theft is going to stop determined prepared thieves with the tools available today and it only takes a few minutes to remove two riggers and a kicker even if they were welded to an aluminum hull.

What is needed is an RCMP/Police Bait Boat Program like the ones that have been so successful in reducing vehicle theft, with cameras and the boat/trailer, kicker and downriggers all fitted with small hidden GPS trackers with long life batteries.

 

[pescador]

LW, where are you located? Would be helpful to know. Sounds like buying those locks is a waste of time. Did you use those special key required bolts, bolting motor to the transom?

 

[Rockfish]

LW, where are you located? Would be helpful to know. Sounds like buying those locks is a waste of time. Did you use those special key required bolts, bolting motor to the transom?

My kicker was mounted with bolts including one of those very expensive recessed inside a cover keyed socket locking bolts. One day we went out to remove the kicker to take it in for servicing and forgot the key and did not want to drive all the way back to get it if we did not have to. Two of us old guys removed it quietly in twenty seconds with simple hand tools and no damage. A full set of vice grips was a big help.

 

[tidal shot]

God i hate thieves! Would love to catch someone red handed trying to rip my kicker off, like an RCMP officer told me after finishing my break in report " it would be hard to come to a thiefs defence if he got pumbled by someone wearing a disguise of somesort! But you didn't hear it from me!" thinking they are sick of this type of crap as well. The guy with a pink bunny suit and a baseball bat comes to mind.

No respect anymore in our society, can not leave anything out without fear of it being stolen, pretty sad we have to live in fear because of perasites in our society!

 

[trophywife]

my theory is dont call the cops, call an ambulance, balaclava and bat waiting.

 

[Rockfish]

This is off topic but what the heck it’s cathartic. Sometimes the thieves have made themselves useful. After once getting a good tire stolen out of the back of my pickup parked on the street out front, I no longer leave anything of value in the bed. But for junk that would require time and effort to get rid of I have put it in the bed and left it there for a while till I got around to disposing of it.

One day I was putting some vehicle speaker boxes without speakers out on the lawn with a free sign when a young guy walks up and wants them. The next thing I know his buddy comes running up from my truck with one of those Canada Tire portable car starting rechargeable batteries that he had just stolen out of the bed of my truck. It was complete non working junk that I had put there to get rid of so I just smiled and waved goodbye. Also had a very large burned out (bearings shot and smoked and made a huge racket) Shopvac full of dirty water and old drywall and mud in the pickup bed. Only took three days for thieves to carry that off.

 

[pescador]

Had my boat moored at Gov Wharf at Port Renfrew 3 years ago in July. Came down to dock at 0500 on second day and found the gear cable disconnected on my 8 HP Yam. I didn't put two and two together, thought innocently that it was just a loose cable issue. Got the boat home 2 days later and found all 4 bolts connecting the motor to my kicker bracket half backed off. Clearly someone in the middle of the night had attempted to steal the motor while it sat in the water. Its a miracle the motor ran two days without falling off. I don't check my motor bolts every time I take it out. There are thieves everywhere. Even in places you'd think not.

 

[lure-washer]

I live in Parksville, and the boat is in plain view from the house.
Since I sleep very poorly anyway, and since the boat is a very easy rifle shot from the house, the kicker may stay on the boat this time.
Lure-washer

 

[Gunsmith]

Heck, that sounds like a new fun game and a good way to get rid of junk.

This is off topic but what the heck it’s cathartic. Sometimes the thieves have made themselves useful. After once getting a good tire stolen out of the back of my pickup parked on the street out front, I no longer leave anything of value in the bed. But for junk that would require time and effort to get rid of I have put it in the bed and left it there for a while till I got around to disposing of it.

One day I was putting some vehicle speaker boxes without speakers out on the lawn with a free sign when a young guy walks up and wants them. The next thing I know his buddy comes running up from my truck with one of those Canada Tire portable car starting rechargeable batteries that he had just stolen out of the bed of my truck. It was complete non working junk that I had put there to get rid of so I just smiled and waved goodbye. Also had a very large burned out (bearings shot and smoked and made a huge racket) Shopvac full of dirty water and old drywall and mud in the pickup bed. Only took three days for thieves to carry that off.

 

[Cuba Libre]

I had a spare tire for my PU chained into the box and I was planning to take it to the dump because it had a sidewall separation . The rim was badly rusted as well...I forgot about it for a while-- All of a sudden it was gone!.. saved me trip to the dump! LOL

 

[Fishbreath]

I Know someone that lives in Surrey on a busy street. He told me a story of replacing the carpet in his house and didn't want to pay the bucks to take the old carpet to the dump, so he neatly rolled up the carpet into nice rolls ( one roll at a time) and put them out at the curb. He then told me the key to getting rid of them was to put a for sale sign on them......... GONE in no time. all he had to take to the dump was the short pieces. Thieves will steal anything if they think there is a value on it.

 

[doger5]

Ha ha ha ha