Theft of mining equipment.

[Bejay]

A pair of my mining buddies/ and a claim partner(s) have had their mining equipment and camp trailers stolen right off the claims. Both were occupying different claims but set up within 1000 yds of each other. Anyway, long story short: Using/utilizing trail cams the identity was determined and a pair of culprits were caught. Most of the equipment had been sold but one of the camp trailers was still pretty much intact. (they would strip them down and part them out). After about 5 months a Federal prosecutor called my friend/partner and said they were throwing the book at the pair. It happened on managed Federal Lands and they were Federal Mining claims and the amount added up to Grand Theft. The prosecutor told my buddy that each could get up to 50 years in the big house. After further investigations the prosecutor stated he felt there was a ring of thieves and that the two who were caught were just the tip of the problem.


It is nice to hear that a Federal Prosecutor has/shows no mercy for the thieves. Of the two culprits one is pretty much penniless but the other has a house and property...which he says he feels can be attached to retribution. A Federal Crime was committed. It is nice to know someone has the miners backs. Now it is a wait and see what finally happens.


So Clay...you know the mining partner:....Jack.

There was also a such a pair of culprits in the Rich Hill Az area and it would be nice to clue those two guys in on the consequences of mining equip theft......just saying!


Bejay

 

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[Kace]

I'm glad the thieves were caught and are being prosecuted! I hate thieves!

Kace

 

[Mad Machinist]

In Arizona we still hang them from the nearest tree. LOL.

 

[mikep691]

Yucca doesn't count as a tree LOL

 

[russau]

Yucca doesn't count as a tree LOL

BUT IT WILL WORK JUST FINE !!!

 

[SaltwaterServr]

There's a lot of open shafts out there. Be a damn shame if a thief tripped on a rock and fell into one.

 

[Bonaro]

Ummm...Yeah....I share your dislike for thieves but this is not 1872 and theft does not justify homicide. A lot of miners have a Yosemite Sam attitude but acting on that will land you in prison.

 

[mendoAu]

The miners and neighbors around here may not always see eye to eye but we all stand together when we need to. One of the helpful things is to see photo's and names of those to watch out for. Any info, area, time frame on those two that were caught?

 

[Nitric]

There's a lot of open shafts out there. Be a damn shame if a thief tripped on a rock and fell into one.

This is why people should stay out of abandoned mines!!! They just aren't safe! Snakes,bad air,unstable.......Trip on a rock and fall down a hole?
Would it be a little better if you hung your tools over the hole? Then it wouldn't seem as bad.



Glad the thieves were caught. That's good to hear that they didn't get slapped on the wrist and let go.

 

[diggummup]

Ummm...Yeah....I share your dislike for thieves but this is not 1872 and theft does not justify homicide. A lot of miners have a Yosemite Sam attitude but acting on that will land you in prison.

I'm old school. I'd rather just chop off their hands.

 

[Goldwasher]

If they actually did more to thieves people wouldn't have such a "Yosemite Sam " attitude about it.

Where I'm at they barely investigate break ins. and The S.O. takes about a day to even show up and make a report.

The thieves know this.

Glad that some states still have law enforcement with some teeth.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'm old school. I'd rather just chop off their hands.

You mean like the Saudi Arabian hard core Muslims do?

 

[Actionman]

If they actually did more to thieves people wouldn't have such a "Yosemite Sam " attitude about it.

Where I'm at they barely investigate break ins. and The S.O. takes about a day to even show up and make a report.

The thieves know this.

Glad that some states still have law enforcement with some teeth.

This, the thieves took something I worked for, time out of my life. They need to make me whole again, or they loose their life. Would make it pretty simple.

 

[Bejay]

The miners and neighbors around here may not always see eye to eye but we all stand together when we need to. One of the helpful things is to see photo's and names of those to watch out for. Any info, area, time frame on those two that were caught?

The culprits were out of the Myrtle Point/Bridge/Remote area and cruising Powers to Riddle to Glendale areas. West Fork of Cow Creek and Cow Creek as well as Coquille Middle and South fork areas. They had been operating as thieves for about the past 6 years that I know of. I have not talked to the authorities, but my mining buddies will be more informed as the sentencing begins. The culprits both pleaded guilty to the theft....kinda hard to deny things when you are on camera and get caught with the goods (some of it).


Most often such things/happenings get tossed aside by some of the authorities; but my partner is connected. I will gain more info as it comes forth.


Bejay

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Ummm...Yeah....I share your dislike for thieves but this is not 1872 and theft does not justify homicide. A lot of miners have a Yosemite Sam attitude but acting on that will land you in prison.

 

[Nitric]

This, the thieves took something I worked for, time out of my life. They need to make me whole again, or they loose their life. Would make it pretty simple.

Not that I would take a life for theft. But in a sick way I agree... I don't have much, but what I do have left I worked hard for. If there was threat of being killed by taking something that someone has worked hard for? Some would think a little harder about taking things. I had a cousin that was a thief...He told me"as long as I'm not on camera, get caught in the act, hold on to things too long, or admit to it? There is nothing they can do to me". I think he's in prison for meth at the moment, but what I'm getting at there is nothing to be afraid of.

I know kind of off topic...I just hate that there isn't stiffer penalty for theft like this. These types of guys usually get very little while the hard worker is out time and money replacing or tracking down their stuff.

 

[wildminer]

These bad apples are in my backyard. They sound very brazen which makes me think they are in the meth world also. I am locked and loaded punks.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Sad thing is no one really serves any time for that. They dont have room for petty thieves so they will be let go to reoffend over and over. Our justice system sucks b@]]$.

 

[Goldwasher]

FOR REAL

 

[Goldwasher]

Not that I would take a life for theft. But in a sick way I agree... I don't have much, but what I do have left I worked hard for. If there was threat of being killed by taking something that someone has worked hard for? Some would think a little harder about taking things. I had a cousin that was a thief...He told me"as long as I'm not on camera, get caught in the act, hold on to things too long, or admit to it? There is nothing they can do to me". I think he's in prison for meth at the moment, but what I'm getting at there is nothing to be afraid of.

I know kind of off topic...I just hate that there isn't stiffer penalty for theft like this. These types of guys usually get very little while the hard worker is out time and money replacing or tracking down their stuff.

Ca. changed the grand theft threshold.

used to be theft over $500 bucks , any vehicle, firearm or theft from a mining claim was grand theft.

It was changed a few years ago $950 bucks or more . No more for guns unless it is worth more than $ 950 ( most pistols are less than that )

The amounts were changed as a way to affect and bring down the states prison population.

Cause you know making it less likely for a thief to get caught lowers the likelihood of a thief wanting to steal right?

Over and over again we are seeing society being led into a situation where the bad actors are labled as victims. That something someone else did to them is the reason they "have" to go out and do what they do to others.

the irony...very little relief or justice for the actual victims. (if any)

We have had rashes of break ins where I live. A few years ago someone came on our property took all my prospecting gear out of my truck. Got in the garage and took my compound bow. All my metric tools for my VW. all my diagnostic tools. Some other tools I was storing for my friend.

every few weeks a few houses are hit. It comes up on our community pages. No, one is caught.

These guys know what they are doing. They hit me during a four day period of rain.

Took the tools I make money with, fix my vehicles with and feed my family with.

If they handed me the axe I would do the chopping.

If thiefs knew the "authorities" backed property owners they would be scared.

If it was understood that. You are at fault and deserving if you are caught in the act by the owner. That you would have no recourse or help going after them because of what they did to you....

We would have less of this..a lot less of this.

instead we have people like one of the commenters above...who try to flip it back on the actual victims. Lame.