We had heard of a few random thefts including ATV's in our area se we were keeping an extra good eye on our ATV's that were in our driveway on their trailer. All of the family but our son was heading out to the lake for some afternoon Jet-Skiing. We didn't really worry about our machines much, since our son would be home within 15 or so minutes and we live in an upscale neighborhood on the foothills of a mountain where crime virtually doesn't exist. A few minutes after we got to the lake our Son called to ask us if we had the Raptor since it was gone.

It was gone alright, wearing it's 10 paddle haulers with the straps all cut taken approx. 5:30 in the afternoon in broad daylight and none of the neighbors heard or saw anything. Police basically told us to keep our eyes out but leave everything to them and now we find out that this is basically a crime ring at this point with at least 6 machines stolen that they know of. I organized as many friends and family as I could find and we put out the word of the theft of the Raptor and coordinated a surveilance network across a 3 mile area at the base of the mountain and canyon where we live. I was sure that the Raptor was within a hundred or so yards of my house since nobody heard it start up or a truck to pick it up.

To cut a long story a little shorter, about 2:30am that same night we heard my Raptor driving along the foothills above the houses. We called the cops and started searching with spotlights. The cops and their Sargeant did not want to be out-done or something and told us we had to leave and let them handle it we must have heard a diesel truck driving down the canyon or plastic bags on a fence???. They were sorry my machine was stolen but leave it to them and it is probably two states away by now.

The next afternoon while I was gone taking care of some business my Dad came over and he and my Wife go searching where we had heard the Raptor with very loud Big Gun exhaust stop (the same place the cops kicked us out of the night before). Lo and behold they find paddle tracks out on the dirt trail and follow them for a mile or so and they lead up into some trees and bushes not more than 200 yards from a house. My Raptor!! It was sitting my itself stuck clear into the center of some trees. Next thing they know a detective walks out smiling at them. He told them that they had heard our report from the night before and decided to believe us that we heard it and look around. They found it an hour or two before my Wife and Dad and were in the process of staking it out so they asked them to leave the Raptor there for awhile so they could catch the punks who stole it.

Later that night about 10pm we drove up on the "pass" as we call it because it looks down from the canyon onto where the Raptor was hidden. We wanted to watch and see if anything would happen and you could actually see the Raptor in the brush from there with high powered binocs. I was watching with night vision on my Camcorder and next thing I knew there were at least 6 cop cars rushing in with lights going so we headed down there to find that they had caught two 20 year old's in a newer truck with a trailer. One was sitting in the truck with the back ramp down on the trailer and the other was just going for my Raptor.

Just as the kid starts pulling my Raptor out of the trees the detective runs out to grab him but runs into a barbed-wire fence and rips his pants open. Luckily there was another detective nearby that grabbed him. The punks apparently are singing like canaries and told the police that them and a big group of friends were stealing them so that they could all go camping and they each wanted to have their own stolen macine to ride and were going to tell the police where to find the rest of the stolen quads. The little bastards now have many felonies stacked up against them but that's better than the street justice I was prepared to enforce (the fully automatice paintball gun with frozen ammo was a cool thought tho). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Good to hear you got your quad back! Mine sits on a trailer as well but has a logging chain and lock wrapped through the frames of my 3 quads. Not saying its bulletproof but it will take them a while to get them off!

 

If I were to catch the punks that would have the nerve to try to steal my Raptor... I would tie them to the grab-bar and drag them behind my quad for a few miles. Give em a taste of what they would have put my ATV through...mud, sand, thorns, rocks, bit of asphalt.

Congrats on getting it back![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

LMAO...sounds like something i did [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] lol j/k

 

Congratulations!! Now go buy the "New york chain and lock" through Kryptonite. you'll sleep easier.

 

Great story with an even better ending.

Anyone got one of those Kryptonite lock things? Are they all they are cracked up to be?

 

Good story but I have to ask why you didn't lock up your quads and trailer if they are sitting out in the driveway especially with thefts going on. Even the best neighborhoods have crime.

 

Glad to hear you got the Raptor back. Anyone who tried to steal my wheels would have a load of buckshot in 'em.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

$99 On-line. 5ft section w/disclock. Remember, given enough time. any chain can be cut. i lock my Raptor outside to my landscaping trailer. I'm convinced i would have an easier time cutting through the steel frame of the trailer then try screwing with those square links.

All your trying to do is buy time. if they think it's gonna take precious time getting your Quad, then they'll move on to easier targets. Including a B&E into someones garage who has not locked up their quad because it's out of sight.

If you have a cable lock. I'm sorry but you just wasted $40. and have just made the shopping list of your local thieves. If your scared. Good, you should be.

talking from experience...