Stolen race car and trailer!

rick_bostrom

rick_bostrom

Onda Kattan Racing
At 2:38AM yesterday morning a thief driving a white 1968-1973 GMC pickup with what appears to be a flatbed that has a box built out of wood and a tarp full of junk broke into a keypad controlled gate, cut the locks off of my trailer, and stole it and it's contents.

At about 9 AM today, the police called to inform me that they had found the trailer abandoned less than five minute from my house. The trailer itself, is a mess - not only did they take everything of value off of it, they did at least a couple thousand (maybe twice that!) in damage just destroying it for no apparent reason.

What is more concerning is what was IN the trailer that was not recovered. The white 1996 Corvette that I ran at the midsummer IRDC race at Pacific has not been recovered. It would be pretty close to impossible to make the car street legal as it is patched together out of three different cars, has no VINs anymore, no headlights, no heater, no blower, no wipers ... well you folks know the drill. They also took a whole lot of tools, spares, fluids, a brand new Dewalt compressor, my race ramps, my awnings, and even a custom aluminum Specialized pit bike that my brother made for me so it has been kind of a bad couple days.

Some of the stuff is pretty specific to the kind of racing we do, so if you see anything pop up for sale please let me know and keep an eye out for a Corvette or Corvette parts that look like they came from a road racer. I'm guessing the motor, trans, rear, and some suspension will eventually surface but as a roadrace car it would be virtually unsellable I would think. Sad, probably get hidden or dumped.

Attached is a picture of the car that is missing, and a couple of the GMC truck the scumbag used steal it

$(KGrHqF,!k0E-ir-MST5BP0441Jssg~~60_3.jpgGate_Driver at keypad.jpgGate_back of truck.jpgHooking up to trailer.png.

If you see either - call the cops! (and me!)
 
Last edited:
Sad news Rick. I can honestly say I know how you feel, as I have been ripped off before. The feelings I get when I hear of such things, or when it happens to me are very difficult to describe. Although it is wrong for me to do so, the things that I want to do to such people are such that if carried out would land me on a table with a needle in my arm.

People who take that which is not theirs are the scum of the Earth, and deserve to have their hands removed with a hacksaw.

Without anesthetic.

paddle-big.gif
 
Totally Blows Rick!
Makes me wonder how he made his get away from the trailer found location.
Keypad lock - was he a previous or is he a current tenant?
One can only assume that the police will check that angle out. Like my son who found his stolen Suby STi on Craigslist for parts and assumed the cops would make a sting. They never did. He got the shell back when it had been dumped.
And why destroy the trailer :( This is not the first time you have a trailer vandalized right?
I hope you had collectors insurance.

And yes, without anesthetic - though he maybe high on something already and needed some money for the habit...........
 
I'll notify many non racers corvette friends and see what we can uncover… sorry for the ****ty situation.
 
Yes, Russ - it was Todds old trailer. He gave me a great deal on it and I was able to use at ONCE. It had everything I wanted and was a nice improvement on what I had. Little did I know he was eager to sell because clearly it is cursed! Just joking, of course, but it has certainly been involved in the story of too many unlucky occurances. It is at the trailer shop being examined to see if it can be repaired - that and all of the other stuff I am cleaning up from this mess has kept me busy pretty much 12 hours a day for the last four days. After dealing with towing and impound, chasing a couple leads, enhancing security video, checking internet sales sites and pawn shops, dealing with the police and the storage yard it was stolen from and getting the trailer into towable shape and to a repair facility I had neither the time nor the proper mental perspective to join my friends at the IRDC banquet last night. Hope you folks had fun, sorry I couldnt be there.

Still got my health, my wonderful and supportive wife, two happy dogs, a house that is paid for, and a good job. Trying to remember it is just "stuff" and can be replaced, so I will be fine once this vein in my neck quits twitching and I can see things that arent tinged with red ..... should i be able to hear my pulse like thunder in my ears or is that a bad thing?

Thanks for the kind words and I appreciate folks keeping an eye out.
 
I know this wouldn't work for everyone, but here is one possibility.

Given the "wonderful" neighborhood we live in, we invested in ADT security (the wireless kind). We bought a couple extra door sensors to put on our enclosed trailer doors. When they are armed, they will set off the alarm if opened or if they leave the property. ADT will then call the police.

That said, I am *very* sorry to hear about this, Rick. I hope they catch the bastards with a particularly aggressive K-9, and that you get your stuff back.

Marie
 
rick_bostrom said:
Still got my health, my wonderful and supportive wife, two happy dogs, a house that is paid for, and a good job. Trying to remember it is just "stuff" and can be replaced, so I will be fine once this vein in my neck quits twitching and I can see things that arent tinged with red ..... should i be able to hear my pulse like thunder in my ears or is that a bad thing?
Click to expand...

Sounds like your sense of humor is still intact, too. Thieves should be eaten.
 
It has made me take a much harder look at security, that is for sure!

Gary Bockman always uses a pretty substantial locking boot device on his trailer whenever it isnt moving and he is not with it. It always looked like a bit of overkill, but clearly he is a lot smarter than me on this one. There are some other high tech solutions I am looking into as well that are not "cheap" but would certainly look inexpensive considering what this has cost me so far.

And - I can't stress this enough - I have been meaning to get a declared value type of insurance for the race car and trailer for a while now and just didnt get around to doing it. It is really pretty inexpensive and while it wouldnt have compensated me for the hours spent on it and my personal feeling of attachment to the car it would have at least made me whole financially. Make sure you are insured!
 
I like the it's stuff comment! Since you are a corvette guy now, the national corvette museum has a great collector car insurance program that will insure race cars. I have mine covered agreed value.
I have been watching for the parts or car when I am searching sites for vette stuff.
 
Do you have a list of any oddball parts used on it? Something to identify the parts as uniquely yours?
 
I spent Saturday morning at the Puyallup and it was justblike it is every year - mostly silverbacks (like me!) and just good salt of the earth car enthusiasts who are still capable of the manly arts and not afraid to get their hands dirty. Really no trace of the scumbags I was looking for but if I had found them there I bet there were a lot of hard working Corvette fans who would have heated the tar and fetchedvthe feathers. Those folks are passionate about their cars.

Still no trace of all the stuff from the trailer, including the race car. Im beginning to lose hope.
 
Mike Allen said:
Let's find that scumbag SOB and string him up by his nuts !! I've got some piano wire !!!
Click to expand...

I'm thinking we should do like some societies do.

Catch someone stealing, cut off their hand. With a machete. A rusty machete. A dull rusty machete. Without anesthetic.

Those stupid enough to not learn the first time will not be able to steal after the second offense.

Or pick their nose.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top