Stealing baskets is pathetic

[Mystjava]

I had just gotten an email this morning about some stupid individuals who have chosen to vandalize a wonderful disc golf park... GRRRR! We need our folks to be :cop:

=========== (this is the email)
Sometime between Sunday (4/12/09) and monday (4/13/09) the MACH V basket from hole #2 was stolen! I filed a police report and I am offering a reward of $100.00 to anybody with information regarding this theft. This is the second basket in a year that we have had stolen. We have dealt with too much vandalism to our course and our kiosk. This has got to stop!

This is a huge step backwards for the club and the course! All of the hard work that went into the Yauger Bomb tourney, only raised enough money for half of a basket! Instead of talking about concrete tee pads, now we must buy another basket!


Chris Gilberts
President,
SPSDGA
==================== (end of email)
Let's pitch in and help out!

[sk8architecture]

That sucks. It's really irritating because its probaly a disc golfer who wanted a basket, Those #uc$er$! Especially since I'm reading that it is the second basket.
Could you potentially just replace it with a tone and put a sign up at the tone and kiosk that states "Unfotuntly a few people have spoiled it for the rest. Since this is the second basket stolen the club has put the course on probation, therefore this hole will remain a tone hole for one year or until someone returns the basket. This is unfortunate but until people can learn to respect the park this is what must be done."

Maybe we can get on-star tracking on the baskets. I know its far fetched just throwin out ideas. Hey Karma works, so however did this will pay one way or the other.

[TYVEK]

That sucks. It's really irritating because its probaly a disc golfer who wanted a basket, Those #uc$er$! Especially since I'm reading that it is the second basket.
Could you potentially just replace it with a tone and put a sign up at the tone and kiosk that states "Unfotuntly a few people have spoiled it for the rest. Since this is the second basket stolen the club has put the course on probation, therefore this hole will remain a tone hole for one year or until someone returns the basket. This is unfortunate but until people can learn to respect the park this is what must be done."



I really like having a basket to shoot at, but you have a pretty good idea here. i will pass this on to our club president. we have a practice basket that we were planning on moving to the #2 position, but maybe this would be effective on letting people know that everybody suffers when something like this happens.

[Rideout]

Stealing baskets is pathetic. Play at the park or fork out the dough and buy your own damn basket.

We have a growing problem in this area, this email was just sent to me




Over the last three weeks baskets have been stolen from Yauger Park and Ft Steilacoom. As a member of both clubs I am appalled at the behavior of some golfers. I am sending a blanket e-mail to all club members to ask for your support in catching these thieves.

Team Oly just had a fund raising tournament to raise money for installation of concrete pads. They must now spend the money raised to pay for a new basket. As disc golfers we must remain diligent in protecting course assets from vandals and thieves. If you see someone vandalizing or stealing course assets, we ask that you call 911 and report the offense immediately. Together we can stop these people! When you see something happening, get a description of the offender and the vehicle they are driving. The TDGPA supports the prosecution of these individuals. Repairs to course assets takes away money that should be spent improving the park.

A reward has been offered by Team Oly for information that leads to the arrest of the individuals responsible for the theft from Yauger Park. Be observant when you are golfing. I know together we can stop the vandalism and thievery.

Thanks, Rob




Rob is Rob Dean, an active member of the Tacoma Disc Golf Player Association.

Thanks for reading this post,

Mike Rideout

[Ken Smith]

I'm sorry to hear this Chris. It's so damned disheartening! Carry on.

[Ken Smith]

Wow, incredible. This is highly irritating. What unintelligent, angry, white trash, tweaking (probably young male) pricks! Sorry webmaster, that last word slipped. It's impossible to be super vigilant on every course at every hour of the day/night ... sorry to hear this.

[snap7times]

I would probably put up a reward for anyone who actually is a disc golfer and catches someone stealing or vandalizing a basket AND puts a pounding on them on the spot. Not KIDDING... Couple weeks ago, me and a friend are playing at ROCKLIN, and this group in front of us is taking their sweet little time causing quite a back up. We decide to play through them while they are on the fairway but way off to the right in no man's land. My disc goes into the tree down the fairway. WHile we were focused on this, the group finished out the hole and took off, stealing my friend's disc in the process, only 100 feet away! My friend saw his disc missing and knew the group stole it cuz they weren't playing the next hole. He took off and apprahended them, demanded they open their bag, the guys did, because my friend is like 6'1" 235 pounds, he ripped the disc out of their bag and they gave him shit for it and he was like, you really wanna risk your throwing arms... they ran... but point is, it seems there are different subcultures in the disc golf world, the ones that play for fun and FK the world, and those who cherish the game and everything with it... someone needs to send these "play for fun and fk the world" guys a message...

[Bullseye]

You might also look on EBay & Craigslist for baskets for sale.

[snap7times]

I probably will be marking our baskets at Camp Taloali as well as informing the local community that if someone tries to pawn or sell the baskets for money in one form or another to confiscate it etc...

[Mystjava]

There's more in the other link "Stealing baskets is pathetic" on this forum. I just wonder if it is possible to get the two threads posted together?

[Sam]

Sure... as in the same thread?

[Sam]

Huh.... did that work "gracefully"? :)

[Mystjava]

If you read them both - you will realize they're both on the same topic.. rotten people who chose to destroy or steal things that are connected to disc golf.. (Not in that many words!)

[Adam Schneider]

Huh.... did that work "gracefully"? :)
More or less... I'm not sure if the "Moved" thing is necessary though.

[Mystjava]

Thanks for the effort -- they're both on the same line - I recall my frustration this morning when I got the email and the first place I had to come share about that was here...

[ChUcK]

I have no say in the issue, but my advice is to go ahead with the concrete tee pads. That's what the money was raised for, that's what it should be spent on. I've only been to Yauger once now, but it seems that concrete pads will make the course more complete than replacing #2's basket.

Throw another fundraiser tourney for a new basket and I'll come to that one, too.

[Ol' Bob]

Throw some fundraisers to pay for printing up the "Wanted, Dead or Alive" posters and the reward purses.

[Scott]

Baskets should be prominently marked with an easy to spot identifier. That would make identification after the theft much easier. And when the basket stealing assclown has friends over he'd have to explain why he has the #18 basket from Dabney sitting in his backyard.

[Ol' Bob]

Oh, and a few more bucks for the pikes for displaying their heads on the first tee. (You'd never guess I'm a pacifist.)

[Discdogs]

Oh, and a few more bucks for the pikes for displaying their heads on the first tee. (You'd never guess I'm a pacifist.)

hey we could put there heads on top of the baskets like cartman on yous bob then you can spin it and point it at the person putting
:pullhair:

[Sam]

More or less... I'm not sure if the "Moved" thing is necessary though.
In a case like this, I thought it might be. This is a passionate subject for a lot of people and I would be upset if I posted my thoughts on a stolen basket and thought that it was just deleted. It's the expiring kind, anyway. :)

[Adam Schneider]

In a case like this, I thought it might be. This is a passionate subject for a lot of people and I would be upset if I posted my thoughts on a stolen basket and thought that it was just deleted. It's the expiring kind, anyway. :)
"Expiring kind" is good... I didn't know that was an option.

[Sam]

Yeah... I was pleasantly surprised myself. Pretty cool with a lot of options.

[ChUcK]

Baskets should be prominently marked with an easy to spot identifier. That would make identification after the theft much easier. And when the basket stealing assclown has friends over he'd have to explain why he has the #18 basket from Dabney sitting in his backyard.

Not a bad idea. How do you mark them? I would think using an engraving tool would be simple, but you'd need to mark all parts of the basket, because they come apart, right?

It may need to be something even less specific than course/hole, though, unless it's a very established course that won't be moving baskets around.

I'd like to electronically ID baskets, like they can do with motorcycles, so the police can locate them with their little devices and recover them with much justice to the evildoer.

http://www.lojack.com/motorcycle/pages/motorcycle-recovery.aspx?crcat=ppc&crsource=google&crkw=Motorcycle%20Theft&gclid=CLyj9rOx85kCFRBbagod8z-bQg

[Adam Schneider]

Not a bad idea. How do you mark them? I would think using an engraving tool would be simple, but you'd need to mark all parts of the basket, because they come apart, right?
Right. And engrave deeply, because you can be sure the tweakers know about removing identifying marks.

[TYVEK]

Not a bad idea. How do you mark them? I would think using an engraving tool would be simple, but you'd need to mark all parts of the basket, because they come apart, right?

It may need to be something even less specific than course/hole, though, unless it's a very established course that won't be moving baskets around.

I'd like to electronically ID baskets, like they can do with motorcycles, so the police can locate them with their little devices and recover them with much justice to the evildoer.

http://www.lojack.com/motorcycle/pages/motorcycle-recovery.aspx?crcat=ppc&crsource=google&crkw=Motorcycle%20Theft&gclid=CLyj9rOx85kCFRBbagod8z-bQg

to answer some of chucks questions about marking baskets, our Mach v baskets here at yauger park are somewhat unique because they dont come apart like others do. they were welded together where they usually are bolted and are painted black in those areas. i have my doubts that we will ever see this basket again. and what are we going to do? go poking our heads in every back yard in olympia?

i think one way of theft deterent would be to install a anti personel device (mine) under the basket, so that when somebody wrenchs the thing out of the ground they lose there legs. (part of me is just kidding...........what about the other part?:whistler: )


our course share a very public park with softball, soccer, footpaths, gardening center, homeless people that leave there needles around, the worst is the skate park. the skaters are the worst vandalizers in our park. it is difficult to maintain our course the way it should be. i really hope that we can make such an impact that the city will consider allowing us to use a different park for our course and that it would only be for disc golf.

[snap7times]

go vandalize their skateboard park and see how they like it when their wheels fall off in the holes in the cement... And then have a work party a week later on the course and say, oh you need cement? sure dude, and fix it up and they will think DG'ers are soo cool...

[TYVEK]

go vandalize their skateboard park and see how they like it when their wheels fall off in the holes in the cement... And then have a work party a week later on the course and say, oh you need cement? sure dude, and fix it up and they will think DG'ers are soo cool...

we dont need to vandalize their park, they do a good enough job themselves!! between them and the bikers they are always tearing something apart in that place. the city workers come by once a week and clean up the trash and fix what needs fixing. i wish the city would come and fix our stuff!!! but we paid for it ALL! the city didnt pay for any of our baskets or signs. we got the permenant status and now they offer to pour the concrete, once WE pay for it!
i know that not all skaters are destructive, but why do the rest of them feel like they need to do stupid stuff to be "cool"?

[KG_MCDGC]

My .02

This situation sucks, big time! Those who know me, and some who don't, know my house was broken into last Friday. I felt dirty and violated. But, I continue to think of ways I can keep this from happening again. Preventive measures were taken (ie. outdoor lights on during the evening, dowels in the windows, keeping the dogs in the house while we're gone, getting a security system, etc.). All of which help to realize what I didn't do.

I bring this up because I noticed that the exact place that the basket was stolen from is now just a hole large enough for the Pole Hole. Meaning, that simply shaking the basket back and forth enough will loosen it to where all you need to do is pull it up. I've been told that a great way to avoid this (and let's face it, if some one really wants the basket, nothing's going to stop them, just slow them) is to set the Pole or anchor in a 5Gal. bucket with concrete. Then bury the bucket. A lot of work, but IMHO, necessary.



I've gone to the neighboring apartment complex (Courtside Apartments) and ask them to keep an eye out for the basket. Same with the construction guys next door. Both seemed disgusted with the theft, and assured me they would call the OPD if they see or hear of anything.

[TYVEK]

My .02

This situation sucks, big time! Those who know me, and some who don't, know my house was broken into last Friday. I felt dirty and violated. But, I continue to think of ways I can keep this from happening again. Preventive measures were taken (ie. outdoor lights on during the evening, dowels in the windows, keeping the dogs in the house while we're gone, getting a security system, etc.). All of which help to realize what I didn't do.

I bring this up because I noticed that the exact place that the basket was stolen from is now just a hole large enough for the Pole Hole. Meaning, that simply shaking the basket back and forth enough will loosen it to where all you need to do is pull it up. I've been told that a great way to avoid this (and let's face it, if some one really wants the basket, nothing's going to stop them, just slow them) is to set the Pole or anchor in a 5Gal. bucket with concrete. Then bury the bucket. A lot of work, but IMHO, necessary.



I've gone to the neighboring apartment complex (Courtside Apartments) and ask them to keep an eye out for the basket. Same with the construction guys next door. Both seemed disgusted with the theft, and assured me they would call the OPD if they see or hear of anything.



as far as i know all of our baskets are cemented in, although this one might have had the same problem as the bumhole's basket did with the concrete not setting around the pole correctly.

[LakeStevensBA]

Sorry to hear about your baskets Oly and Steilly.

We had a problem with vandals at the Lake Stevens course about 7 or 8 years ago. There was a local teenager that was pissed that the city allowed the course to go in at "his bmx course". One night he and some friends used a large log and pried about 12 of the 19 baskets out of the ground. They hauled them a long way to toss into thick blackberries and the neighboring stream.

We ended up digging new, much larger, anchoring holes. We pounded 16 inch spikes half way into the dirt inside the hole. When the concrete dried this really helped anchor the basket and made it difficult to rock or pry loose. We haven't lost another basket since, but maybe that's because the little punk finally got sent off to a juvy camp.

Hopefully the basket will turn up somewhere. I can't imagine they would get much at a scrap yard for the metal. Have you checked the local metal scrap yards around you?

[Ol' Bob]

I hear scrap prices have come down some. We talked about marking techniques over in the Leverich Park Basket Theft thread -- http://nwdiscgolfnews.com/forum/showthread.php?t=802.

Being a not heavily played course without a population base to support local clubs, the price of baskets and the infrequency of baskets being donated (and hearty thanks to those who have), the theft of a basket would seriously hurt. When I hear of it happening anywhere, I feel what I'd feel if it happened here.

[olydiscgolf]

A simple solution for new anchors in the ground is welding angle iron perpendicular to the anchor. Even if the concrete is loosened, you have to pull the concrete out with it. All of our new anchors will have this feature. Hindsight is 20/20!

As far as this theft goes, and as much as I hate to think it, let alone say it, it was a disc golfer! I only hope they are enjoying their backyard course so much, that they decide to invite a few friends over for a round!