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Author Topic: IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.  (Read 8103 times)

AH6KW

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« on: July 21, 2008, 07:07:33 PM »

Somebody lifted my IC-745 (1982 model HF xcvr - great rig!) from my truck parked in my driveway the night of 19 July '08 (we were home all the time!).  The jerk carefully unplugged everything (including power plug, coax, DSP signal and power, AND the 3" RCA-RCA jumper that I'd never touched - I think it was to configure for hooking up a linear) and left all the connectors lying on the seat next to where the rig was.  Not sure how he'll use it without the power connector or the jumper, but his frustration probably won't get it back to me.:-(  He DIDN'T take the new DSP unit, 2m handheld or any of the multitude of other gear also in the cab - or any of the tools in the unlocked toolbox in the bed.  We've lived here ~25 years and never locked anything - until now.  Xcvr worked OK, but tuning dial bearings were shot and I'd taken the knob off - just used the UP/DOWN on the mike, which worked fine (He DID take the mike.)  Worked OE9TPI on my way home from work that evening, and the rig was missing the next morning.  Any suggestions about possible ways to recover the rig are very welcome!
73 & ALOHA, Tom AH6KW
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KO4NX

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2008, 08:25:58 AM »

That almost sounds like someone whom knew what he was after. I hate to say this, but if they were so careful, I wonder if it was not another Ham.


73


AJ3G
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K3JLS

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2008, 06:11:53 PM »

Hi Tom -

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss.  Some suggestions:

1) If you haven't already done so, report it to the local police and have them 'dust' for fingerprints.

2) Ask your neighbors if they had seen anything suspicious.  By the way, are your neighbors above suspicion??  Have any of the neighborhood kids expressed an interest in ham radio??

3) Check the local pawnshops, etc.

4) Periodically check eBay.  If some crackhead stole it, it just may turn up there.

Sorry to say, but our society has gotten way too permissive over the years.  I'll resist the temptation to get on the soapbox.

Take care and let me know if I can somehow help.

73's - Joe - K3JLS
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AB4D

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2008, 06:16:40 PM »

Scan the local CB frequencies at night too. A ham transceiver on 11 meters AM is not hard to spot.  A few years back a local ham recovered his stolen Icom 725 from a CBer that lived near his home.  The CBer had received the radio in a trade after it had been modified to transmit on 11 meters.  I never found out if they caught the actual thief, but the ham did get his rig back.

73
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N0MUD

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2008, 08:50:11 PM »

I agree with K04NX as to me it sounds like someone who knew what they was doing.  I am a retired Police Officer and someone mentioned to call the police and I am sure you did.  As far as fingerprints the only ones would be on the outside from what it sounds like and those are going to difficult to take because of the humidity/moisture and from where you live thats pratically impossible. Even in this day and age and the material makes it hard to do.  Not knowing if there was anything inside that was flat that maybe they could have touched then the police would know what they can or cant take prints from.  Not trying to get technical, it's just in this day and age and watching alot of cop shows on TV and yes I do and enjoy them but everyone thinks the crime can be solved in an hour.  Any ways like one of the comments made is true watch E-bay, QRZ QTH and if you have the ability listen to the local CB channels as was said some idiot on 19 will brag.  Of course the CBer that bought it may not know who he bought it from but at least you may get it back and the CBer may be out his money unless your a nice guy and of course your not required to reimburse him at all, he's just out his money.  Watch the pawn shops.  I know in California where I was a cop whenever someone pawns something a copy of the pawn slip goes to the pawn detail of the local department and if they are caught up on their work they might come across it.

I hope I didnt comment over your head, I was just trying to give you some suggestions like some of the other hams did.  I just cant believe the thief was so meticulous in removing the radio,  he had to know you, know you dont lock anything or at least used to.  I bet you do now!!!!  Wonder if he knew your knob wasnt working???  And on and on and on......I just wish there was something else I could add other than the pawn shops and the ham sites -- for sale items --....

So good luck, one thing you might do if you have the serial numbers of all the missing quipment you might put them out on these sites so if anyone buys that main piece the serial number will be posted and hope the ham that buys it is honest.

73s good luck and keep your chin up, not all humans on this earth are crooks, except the Chief of Police where I retired from, his last name is and this is honest Crook.  So the department has a Crook for the Chief.......honest.....Chief Crook......Look me up in QRZ.....

Mike Dassero, N0mud
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AH6KW

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2009, 01:03:04 AM »

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your concern!  I admit, I was confused by your first message, coming as it did, about 8 months after the theft!

The answer is that I never heard anything from the police or any of the neighbors or other friends and hams that started checking for me.  The local supposition is that it was stolen to be sold for communications between/with some of the sophisticated drug running ships operating in the S. China Sea.  There is a very significant crystal methamphetamine addiction problem here in our community, so the supposition is that some of the suppliers get requests from their suppliers for HF radio gear to be used in the operations of THEIR suppliers.  The addicts, as is well known, are habitually short of money to support their addiction and will steal whatever their suppliers request in exchange for the stuff - called "ice" here in Hawaii.  People who know the situation, including the police, told me to forget about the rig and move on.  The fact that the thief left behind the somewhat unique power plug, may well have led to the immediate disposal of the rig here - but the perpetrators are pretty sophisticated and wouldn't dispose of it anywhere that I might be able to get it back.

Anyway, I bought a "new" rig from a friend and I'm happily back on the air.  I DO always lock my car doors now, even in the driveway, but it appears the thief has moved on to other neighborhoods.

Thanks again for your concern!!

Aloha,

Tom
AH6KW
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WA8MEA

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2009, 10:48:55 AM »

1) If you haven't already done so, report it to the local police and have them 'dust' for fingerprints.

>>Cops don't even dust for prints anymore, even when it's a burglary or home invasion.  Don't even ask, they'll just laugh at you. (It's like the old Seinfeld episode when Jerry asks the cop about all the things they should be doing to find his stolen car....but aren't doing.  He finally says to the cop; "I'm never going to get my car back, am I?"<<  

2) Ask your neighbors if they had seen anything suspicious. By the way, are your neighbors above suspicion?? Have any of the neighborhood kids expressed an interest in ham radio??

>>Neighbors don't want to "get involved.  They might even think you're some kind of "secret agent" with all of those antennas and radios....<<

3) Check the local pawnshops, etc.

>>What pawnshop is gonna buy a ham radio???  A CB, yes.  They are familiar with channels 1 though 40....<<

4) Periodically check eBay. If some crackhead stole it, it just may turn up there.

>>Best suggestion of them all....<<

BTW, this MIGHT be covered under your homeowners policy and not your auto insurance.  You might wanna check.  I had a ten meter stolen from my vehicle parked in my driveway years ago.  They must've thought it was a CB.  But it was covered under my homeowners policy instead of auto.

73, Bill
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WA8MEA

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2009, 10:53:01 AM »

OK, OK!  I see I got nailed by the DATE!!!

Maybe this new forum set-up isn't as good as I thought it was going to be....

Sorry ladies and gents....

Bill
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WA8MEA

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2009, 05:50:46 PM »

Still wonder if he ever got it back....
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WA8MEA

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IC 745 Stolen from my pickup.
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2009, 07:40:16 PM »

Nice rig, too.  I've got one.  But don't wait for the processor battery to go out!Get a PIEXX ICOMPROM Memory Board.

Bill
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