Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Gone............

Yeah - this:








Crickets.

I've been asked a bunch about the crackhead and have nothing to share. Claybreaker - you hear anything lately?

That's absolute horrible, I don't know what else to say.

Mind if I ask which hotel it was? I usually stay around KC and was through there twice in the last few weeks. Probably have stayed at the same hotel.

That. Blows. Years ago there was a lot better coverage and overlap. Unfortunately with BS cuts to funding on so many levels there is over lap,no officers and no coverage. Unfortunately you are a victim of politics as much as you are a victim of a criminal/crime. My only advice to you and others is keep anything and everything of value within reach. Automobiles are not secure. Criminals don't care and going to jail/prison is likely an improvement over their current living conditions. Incarceration isn't punishment anymore. OnStar or something similar can help tracking and shutting down the truck but how long was it gone when you realized it was gone. And your gear was likely the first thing pawned. No excuses it's a [bleep] situation and world we currently live in and I hate thieves. Only thing you can do is be paranoid and prepare like everyone is a criminal unless proven otherwise. Don't doubt that someone at the hotel was involved and made a phone call when you rolled in.

This sucks. My buddy from up here just had all his hunting stuff stolen out of his truck down in Port Angeles on his way to MT to elk hunt. Over 4k worth of gear.

One last thing for the future that may help. Ask the hotel manager where the outside cameras are so you can park there and flat out tell them that. And....make a call to local law enforcement and tell them that you are in town to hunt and have gear in your truck ask if they could make a check on it if they have time. As a LEO I know that there are a lot of fellow LEOs that hunt and trust me when I say this kind of senseless crime truly pisses us off and nothing that is done to that chitbird will make things right or get yes that hunt back. Sorry for the loss. Its completely inexcusable from every angle.

Comfort Suites in Independence, MO. Sits right off I-80 just before KC, MO.

I wish I was only out $4k........

Fixed that.

E Valley View Pkwy

No news on recovering the contents... I'm going to the call the detective tomorrow and give him some info and ask for information. I don't expect any of the contents returned.

As many of us know, it's so much more than just the value the "stuff", stuff is just stuff, and stuff can be replaced. But what can't be replaced is the countless hours we have invested in the stuff, many people will never understand or appreciate that. The time that many of us put into selecting just which stuff we want, the testing of what stuff we want going down the tube when its time to "send it". Getting the stuff broke in so it fits right. That stuff is unrecoverable and in some cases like the stuff that you give to your son and that he used on his first elk kill. ... Maybe I ...?

It's just stuff,

Each of us exceeded this, with MARGIN.

Brad,

I was really looking forward to this also, you and I had chatted (via PM) a little before when I was working on some loads for my MT 8400.
Hopefully we can get it done in the future.

Good Luck,

Thanks, guys.

I've stayed there at least once or twice, and never really got a sketchy feel about the place, either. Last year I stayed in the Comfort Inn out in Grain Valley just before KC and liked it, FWIW.

My truck is almost identical to yours, same color and all, except it's a '97 model. Thank you all for posting your story, it's an eye opener for sure. I wish you all luck in recovering your rifles and gear.

CFVA,
No, nothing about the area gives you the "sketchy" sense. It a upscale business / commercial area, clean, well lit,....

But thieves have no boundaries. Neither do drug heads as it is a problem that invades every aspect of society, rich,poor, professional, nonprofessional, white collar, blue collar, redneck, hillbilly, elite,...

To quote POTUS "Sad".

Be safe.

Caveat I didn't read it all... just the first page..

When hunting traveling or to Camp Perry national rifle matches, we sleep in the truck. I can't move all my stuff in and out of a motel room that easily. I won't even listen to motel staff about locking it in the truck.. hell they may be getting paid to make the set ups...

So we just tough it out and sleep in the truck.

RE insurance. You always have to understand what you are buying... one company said we had to list everthing... even mixers, dishes etc... it was cheap insurance though... but went to another that has blanket firearm insurance in an amount I can handle the loss of, I can't afford to insure all my guns, but they are kept in a safe inside a vault.... so I'm just trying to take out lesss than 10K at a time...

Regardless its a good thing to at least video everything you own.. and update once a year...

Last thing I think we should have is the legal ability to have a small remote charge under the car... when you need to locate if stolen, push button, look for smoke.....

I like the system used in RoboCop 1 where the guy jumps into the drivers seat and the metal straps around him and he gets fried. Instant justice.

Shuueee... I don't know if I could afford the needed air freshers after that.

I NEVER leave my rifles in the truck overnight. EVER. If we go eat or stop at store we sit where we can see them or someone stays in the truck.

Sorry this happened to you and your friends.

I pack my SUV so that if staying in a motel I can carry in everything of value every night. Is a pain. Takes 20 minutes to unload. 20 minutes to load. I use the plastic tubs with the lids that fold. They stack out of the way so can put against a wall so I do not trip over them at night. I usually have a bin with the optics, rangefinder, gps. A bin with the daypack, knife, tag, etc. The gun case with the ammo. The spotting scope tripod that does not fit in a bin. If I am energetic, I carry in the two bins with my clothing and boots. I always ask for a ground level room or near the elevator which helps as move the gear. I do not trust the attention an out of state plate with camo backpacks up against the glass or NRA stickers or other obvious hints that hunting gear and guns might be inside.

I hope the thieves suffer a calamity worse than a thousand fleas inside a sleeping bag.

Man, I just read this and I'm am so sorry for you're loss. To lose those things and miss a hunt like that.

My "hunting" trucks are restored 96 and 97 Chevy K1500's. In the process of rebuilding them I installed a fuel pump shut off switch located in a discrete place.

I had my Colt Trooper .22 stolen from my truck 13-14 years ago. On the rare occasion I see them up for sale and the price they are selling for I'm pizzed off all over again.......

The police have the serial number but the revolver has never surfaced.

I travel via truck for work all over the western US. I'm usually hauling over $35k in equipment with me. Used to be over $50k.

I usually try to stay in a true motel with outside entrances to rooms and haul the major stuff in with me as I don't have inland marine insurance on my gear anymore.

I will admit that I've gotten lackadaisical on hauling gear in of late. But thievery is on the rise around here locally and I assume all over the country so I will be back to hauling gear in at night. I usually haul my firearms in with me, but I have become lazy and left an AR in the truck fairly regularly. That too will change.

I like the idea of a shutoff switch also. Where can I get more info on that?