Missing Basket

[Wog]

Reward for stolen basket from Leverich Park! Discraft Chainstar with orange decal on the center post. Contact Vancouver/Clark Parks and Rec or VCDG.org with information.

:mad:

[dan]

:nono::nono::nono:

Arrrrrg. That stinks! Which hole?

[Adam Schneider]

Was it stolen before Tuesday the 24th? Could this be it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300296205350

If you sign into eBay, you can see that it was purchased from the seller (in Troutdale, OR!) on Feb-24-09 at 14:47:42 PST.

"Pretty new condition but comes without the inground sleeve"?!?!?! And the second photo has been HEAVILY photoshopped, which is also suspicious.

http://i16.ebayimg.com/08/i/001/31/86/be40_1.JPGhttp://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/001/31/86/b568_1.JPG

[Tim]

Out with the old in with the new. We are upgrading our course and selling all the old baskets. Pretty new condition but comes without the inground sleeve as we are using the bottom half for the new baskets. Comes as pictured in the right; shipping to lower 48 states only. Message me on ebay with any questions.

selling old baskets? that are in pristine condition? i have lots of profanity i could spew about this, but i'll try to keep it contained. :explode:

looks like a college kid...his other sales are textbooks. i wish he was selling some cheaper items, wouldn't mind having a name/address to associate with this douchenozzle.

[all2common]

Good sleuthing...if you find an address let me know. I'd like to practice my putts.

[Adam Schneider]

It was hardly "sleuthing." I typed "Discraft Chainstar" into eBay's search form and it came right up. ALWAYS the first place you should check for stolen stuff.

[NWDiscer]

The auction has ENDED.........:cop:

[Adam Schneider]

Yeah, it ended on Tuesday when some poor schmuck bought the stolen basket.

[Adam Schneider]

Hmm. Now I'm not as convinced this is indeed the stolen Leverich basket. Because eBay item #300292738389 is an identical (but still suspicious-looking) listing that ended on the 21st -- and we know no baskets were missing from Leverich last weekend.

Any other courses missing two or more Chainstars?


I sent the seller an innocent question via eBay's system....

[Wog]

I sent a not so innocent question using eBay's system...

Dear 1234ohio4321,

To whom it may concern,

The disc golf basket that you are selling looks very much like the basket stolen from Leverich Park earlier this week. If the basket is returned I will encourage the Parks Department not to press charges against you. Your explanation that you are upgrading your course does not make sense. Why would you sell a perfectly good basket that is new in order to upgrade your course? What course is this you are upgrading?

Please do the right thing and return the basket immediately. If you need someone to pick up the basket and return it, I can make arrangements for someone to pick it up from any location in the Portland metro area.

Steve Carson
Founder of Vancouver/Clark Disc Golf
President Stumptown Disc Golf

[Wog]

Response from ebay...

Dear eBay Member,

Thank you for reporting this item.

If you see an item on eBay that you think may be stolen, please contact
law enforcement immediately. Tell the police officer handling the case
that we will be pleased to cooperate in the investigation.

Please forward this message to the officer and ask him or her to contact
us as follows:

1. Go to:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index_selection.html

2. Select "Listing Violations," and then click the "Continue" button.
3. Select "Stolen property," select "You are a law enforcement
official," and then click the "Continue" button.
4. Click the "Email us" link.

Thanks again for your report.

Sincerely,

eBay Customer Support


Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

Form Message: %221333% 103197
D_ID022620091905D_ID/W_ID166287862W_ID/S_ID0S_ID
Subject: VE=C00160 You suspect stolen property is for sale on eBay [#US
100770T US 100770B ?01 -01]
User Feedback: 184
User State: 01
Browser info: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US;
rv:1.9.0.6) Gecko/2009011913 (BT-nascarnationwide) Firefox/3.0.6

Listing Violations > Stolen property > You suspect stolen property is
for sale on eBay
Item Numbers(s):
300296205350 770100B $US
Message: This item was most likely stolen from Leverich Park Disc Golf
course this week. Police notified.

[Wog]

Reply back...

Dear wog-steve,

This account is old, i live in iowa. Look at my listings they were listed before last week when you said they were stolen.

- 1234ohio4321

[Wog]

My response...

Dear 1234ohio4321,

To whom it may concern,

I'm sorry, I don't buy your explanation. First, I don't believe anyone would sell a like new Chainstar basket for under $250 and it doesn't make sense to replace like new Chainstar baskets for some other basket at a course.

Your claim to not be from Oregon will be proven or found out when ebay provides for your seller history information to the police department. I hope for your sake you are telling the truth.

I don't understand your argument about the date of the sales. You could easily have posted the auction and then acquired the basket after the close of the auction. The dates are too close and the description of the baskets too similar for us not to investigate.

Thank you for responding,

Steve

- wog-steve

[Adam Schneider]

Item location: Troutdale, OR, United States

[Ol' Bob]

The second photoshopped picture has two people's shadows and the shoes of the person holding the basket have been removed. The marked lines on the basket pole show it to be essentially brand new. I'll be expecting to see the perps eventually show up on The World's Stupidest Criminals.
http://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/001/31/86/b568_1.JPG

[jevon]

Maybe all baskets should be engraved somewhere on them so in a case like this the authorities could be told where to look for the "branding". If it was small and inconspicuous the thief's wouldn't even notice it.

[Ol' Bob]

Good idea.

If number and letter punches are used to ID the baskets and poles, even if the numbers were completely ground off, they could still be read using acid, as the imprint goes deeply into the grain of the steel.

[Adam Schneider]

"Branding" baskets is a VERY good idea.

Steve, have you contacted Vancouver Police? FYI, I also got the "no, I'm in Iowa" line -- surprised they even bothered writing back.

[Wog]

The police department has been notified. They have added Leverich Park basket thieves to their list of other criminal activity to watch out for in the park after dark. I am also in the process of branding all the baskets with the VCDG initials. At least once in a very conspicuous location. In the future all baskets will be branded in a couple locations, some hidden and some visible.

[Ol' Bob]

...in the process of branding all the baskets...

This is happening at Mud too.

[Pizzel]

I played Leverich today and there were 12 baskets in the ground. Does that mean the stolen basket was returned? You had an extra? Had to buy a new one?

P.S. Any chance some of pins 1, 10 and 11 could be moved?

[topdawgy58]

I played Leverich today and there were 12 baskets in the ground. Does that mean the stolen basket was returned? You had an extra? Had to buy a new one?

P.S. Any chance some of pins 1, 10 and 11 could be moved?

Steve had a spare Basket. I have not heard anything about the missing basket.

[Wog]

I was told yesterday that vandals pulled basket number 6 and threw it in the creek, cement anchor and all. Mike (forgot his last name) called to tell me he retrieved it and put it back in the ground, but it was pretty loose. I'm gonna move the basket to the other side (north) of the path and we can play 6 to there until we can get some volunteers to re-set the anchor with more cement.

[Wog]

Pizzel, where do you want them moved to?

1 short, 10 short and 11 long?

[Pizzel]

Pizzel, where do you want them moved to?

1 short, 10 short and 11 long?

Yah!

[Ol' Bob]

So no basket was stolen?

[Adam Schneider]

So no basket was stolen?
I was under the impression that this was a second basket that had been ripped out. With the first one -- the one that was probably sold on eBay -- I don't think they took the concrete out.

[Wog]

Basket #8 was stolen last week, lock removed and anchor left in the ground. Sunday morning basket #6 was ripped from the ground, anchor and all and rolled down the hill into the creek.

Both are back as they should be, 6 is a little wiggly, but playable.

[Ol' Bob]

I started branding the baskets here today (meanwhile, two thieves were down on my land by the creek stealing three trees--fortunately, my neighbor caught them before they dropped any more trees).

[Scott]

(meanwhile, two thieves were down on my land by the creek stealing three trees--fortunately, my neighbor caught them before they dropped any more trees).

Holy crap! Is that common?

[Ol' Bob]

Holy crap! Is that common?

Only when the inbred offspring of generational tweakers drive up a county road with chainsaws.

I've never gone for growing the sport, locally. When the highest educational priorities are sports, military recruitment, and carrying on the traditions of logging and shooting anything that moves, I'd get to feeling I was being cased if the younger locals were playing through on the tenth hole. But, I've only been around here for thirty six years.

We all know there are a few DGing persons we'd prefer weren't on our favorite courses. These most likely aren't posting on these boards. This rural county has some pretty good people, but they don't vote in the majority. Many only know what they hear on talk radio. We are glad we are up a private road.

The big course management question usually isn't about problem people, usually, 98% are great. The sad thing about thieves is, it's not what they steal in terms of materials, it's what they take in terms of trust and piece of mind. I curse the young fools for their ignorance, though it's not completely their faults.

More money for arts and education, eh?

[Ol' Bob]

Is this story dead?

[Adam Schneider]

Yeah, did the Vancouver cops ever get in touch with the eBay "entrepreneurs"?