THIEVES...

[Jack Suber]

This is not the first time I have heard of this happening at matches. The first I saw was in Florida for the Fla State or Open..Can't remember which. Only shooters cars were broken into. I had rented a car and mine was not touched.

I am convinced that these are inside deals...for the most part. Someone in the hotel talks to "buddies" and watches who comes and goes for the matches.

Then you have to consider that we are posting "match hotels" for shooting matches on line. All someone has to do is watch those hotels and see who is coming and going. I don't know how to address the issue. After the incident in Florida, I quit staying at match hotels. I also carry my gun and laptop into the hotel everytime I get out of the car.

Randall, I am very sorry this happened to you. It pisses me off just thinking about it. I hope they catch the "people"..

Edited April 19, 2010 by Jack Suber

[Nik Habicht]

And I'm pretty sure he said there wasn't any sign of entry. Like Bill said I wonder if these thieves have some new technology that can transmit the same signal that remote fobs do. It's just a frequency of some sort like a radio station. All they would have to do is be sitting there to pick it up when you hit the lock and/or unlock button and then I'm sure that reproducing and transmitting that signal can't be that hard with modern technology. They'd need seconds, not minutes to open your car without breaking a thing.

I'm far from an expert on these things --- but when I bought my truck, I was still a working a photographer, and transporting $40,000 of gear virtually every day. The truck came equipped with GM's typical remote door lock and noisemaker. I had a real alarm installed -- one with ignition and fuel cut-off, an obnoxious siren, door, hood, tailgate and glassbreak sensors, and remote start as a bonus.....

Knock on wood, no issues eight years later -- not even on the night that a co-worker had his trunk emptied at the same party I attended. I'm out of the photo business now, and may not "need" it, but I'm pretty sure real alarms will be going into all future vehicles....

[Nik Habicht]

Then you have to consider that we are posting "match hotels" for shooting matches on line. All someone has to do is watch those hotels and see who is coming and going. I don't know how to address the issue. After the incident in Florida, I quit staying at match hotels. I also carry my gun and laptop into the hotel everytime I get out of the car.

Good advice. I'd add -- try to park near a well lit, high-traffic area of the hotel, ideally near the lobby, even if there's a better/closer entrance near your room. Take your valuables wherever you go -- if its legal, I've been known to shove my blasters into my computer bag, and to take that in to restaurants for dinner....

Randall, I am very sorry this happened to you. It pisses me off just thinking about it. I hope they catch the "people"..

Me too....

[tomfturner]

Sounds like shooters are being targeted at these matches. There may be a better solution though ... some sort of metal "built in" lock box attached to the sub-frame of the car big enough to hold range bags.

Sucks that we're having to think about things like this.

Hate to hear about anybody loosing guns that way. Is there really a market for those guns outside the "shooting" community? I would think it'd be slim profit margin since these guns are SO custom.

[XD Niner]

Damn that just sucks! I'm sorry to hear about this thievery but glad that you shared it with us. I know it is small comfort but at least it may in the future cause someone to remove the guns, laptops and other significant valuables from their car or truck when they check in.

Here's hoping that the scumbags are caught some day.

[davidwiz]

If the competitors are being targeted, and they don't leave valuables in their car but rather their room, what's to prevent the thief from breaking into the motel/hotel room? If the thief can get into a locked car trunk w/o leaving any traces, it stands to reason that they can probably get into a locked motel/hotel room. I don't know what the solution is.

[BMartens]

This is all inside work and well coordinated. Atlanta has always been known for this type of activity. My job has taken me, and several from my group, to Atlanta many times over the last 20 years and almost everyone was a victim of the same type of theft. Laptops, cameras, cellphones from cars and even cash, credit cards and other valuables from rooms.

You are watched and things happen fast. One of our guys left his room for a 20 minute walk. Put is room key in his sock and left everything in the room, secure he thought. He returned to the lock broken on his door and his cash and cards missing. He called the card comapnay immediately and was told that his card had just been approved for $1100 at a Best Buy a mile or so away. The card company called the local police and a Deputy Sheriff pulled into the dock and blocked a pickup truck that was being loaded with a refirgerator.

In this case, they caught the guy but, there were 4 cards missing and this clown only had one of them. Remember, this all happened in less than 45 minutes from the time he locked his door and headed down the stairs for a walk. If the Sheriff would have arrived 5 minutes later they would have added a very nice refrigerator to the take. One other card bought 4 tires and the other 2 where never seen again.

Lesson learned, when you are in the Atlanta area, you are the target.

[PCC-1]

Sorry about the guns brother... hope they turn up soon... we will all keep an eye out for them...

Edited April 19, 2010 by PCC-1

[ogiebb]

sorry to hear about that dude...i hope your insurance will pay some chunk of it.

[whitedog]

i have been a ase master auto tech for many years and worked repos on high end cars. there is a way to open your car using the freq. on your fob. that's why garage doors have rolling codes. the signal from your fob can be captured and re-transmiited after you walk away. manufactures will not admit it, and the insurence companies don't want to hear it. it is 100% true, i've personally done it to repo jags and bmw's. i'm very sorry about what happened to you.

[Nik Habicht]

i have been a ase master auto tech for many years and worked repos on high end cars. there is a way to open your car using the freq. on your fob. that's why garage doors have rolling codes. the signal from your fob can be captured and re-transmiited after you walk away. manufactures will not admit it, and the insurence companies don't want to hear it. it is 100% true, i've personally done it to repo jags and bmw's. i'm very sorry about what happened to you.

Buying an aftermarker alarm system can get you clone-safe code hopping technology.....

[flattop]

I hate to hear this too. I hope you get ol' yeller back soon.

[CSEMARTIN]

There may be a better solution though ... some sort of metal "built in" lock box attached to the sub-frame of the car big enough to hold range bags.

I called a Truck Vault dealer today. He couldn't give me an exact price, but he did tell me the last SUV they did cost $2600 dollars. Anyone else here have a truck vault?

I found a strong box for $35 dollars at Gander Mountain a few years back. I'm thinking about mounting it in my cab or truck bed before Single Stack. This ordeal DrawandDuck has been through really has me spooked.

[BillD]

So, at the SS in IL, could you legally carry, cased, unloaded pistols into a restaurant?

I've been thinking of putting mine in the gun rugs and then into something like a Target bag and carrying them with me when I go out to eat.

[lynn jones]

Dave Sevigny posted on facebook that his truck was broken into also over the weekend in atlanta.

[DrawandDuck]

Dave Sevigny posted on facebook that his truck was broken into also over the weekend in atlanta.

Yep, I wasn't going to mention that but since he posted it....he was hit while at Olive Garden.....his bag had 2 guns in it....

[kmitchl]

My truck got burglarized in in 2006. They got my range bag including a G34. Following that experience I bought a travel safe from PacSafe. These bags have a steel cable mesh embedded in the bag that would take some time and the right tools to cut through. When I have to leave my gun in the truck it's locked to the truck frame behind the back seat. In a hotel I lock it to the plumbing under the sink. I don't know that mine has ever been tested but it takes things away from the smash and grab artist.

[FranDoc]

So, at the SS in IL, could you legally carry, cased, unloaded pistols into a restaurant?

I've been thinking of putting mine in the gun rugs and then into something like a Target bag and carrying them with me when I go out to eat.

I have a heavy, padded, black-with-all-the web-straps laptop/briefcase. It doesn't look at all out of place at any of the chains where I eat while traveling. It sits on the booth bench next to me, or between my feet on the floor. I'm never questioned as to the contents -- because, of course, like all multi-tasking professionals, I'm hauling the laptop to check on business while waiting for dinner ... or so it looks .

Hide in plain sight, keep your mouth shut, keep the expensive contents secure.

[chemepharmd]

Sorry to hear about this, Randall. It really sucks.

I ate at the Olive Garden on Thursday night (shot all day Friday). We were fortunate enough to get a seat with the truck in plain view. When we were half way through the meal, a red Chevy truck with those big, shiny, spinning rims parked 2 spots down from mine, with no vehicle in between. I kept watch on the truck, and they could see it. They were still sitting there talking when we left about 15 minutes later (they never even got out of their truck). This makes me wonder what might have happened if I had not been clearly watching the truck, which until today had a Mobile Pistol Shooters logo on the back glass. That problem is now resolved.

[chemepharmd]

One more comment while it's on my mind. For those of us who drive trucks to matches, one option is to get a contractor jobsite box at Home Depot or Lowe's. These are lockable and can be chained inside your truck bed. I have a home alarm and gun safe at home, but I use one of these boxes in a closet for ammo storage. May be time to put one in the back of the truck. The ones with recessed slots just large enough for locks work best, and you pretty much have to destroy the entire box to open it without a key, which isn't quiet or fast.

Edited April 21, 2010 by chemepharmd

[BillD]

So, at the SS in IL, could you legally carry, cased, unloaded pistols into a restaurant?

I've been thinking of putting mine in the gun rugs and then into something like a Target bag and carrying them with me when I go out to eat.

I have a heavy, padded, black-with-all-the web-straps laptop/briefcase. It doesn't look at all out of place at any of the chains where I eat while traveling. It sits on the booth bench next to me, or between my feet on the floor. I'm never questioned as to the contents -- because, of course, like all multi-tasking professionals, I'm hauling the laptop to check on business while waiting for dinner ... or so it looks .

Hide in plain sight, keep your mouth shut, keep the expensive contents secure.

I'm liking that idea. Thanks

[EkuJustice]

We actually had one built that took up the whole back of an SUV. It could be attached to the base of the vehicle. It could only be accessed through the tailgate and had a lock on the box its self. We had a cutoff switch hidden in the vehicle that cut power to the power lock for the back end. It was big enough to hold 4 shotgun americases, and 16 flats of ammo

[walter hornby]

my brother in law got hit in Phoenix last winter. the police told him not to use his remote to lock his vehicle as thieves just patrol the parking lots and capture codes and enter vehicles. it cost him $2k to learn that lesson (and he is a mechanic.)

[hankfan79]

It is just MORE than obvious this is definately and inside person (shooter) or someone who knows a shooter and they are using them as a spotter.

Different cars at different locations? DUH!

Its a damn shame. I used to think that cars where safe at matches because of the firepower.....NO MORE.

[BillD]

I'm thinking it's more likely some part of the staff at the match

hotel that is letting the thieves know the gun guys are here.

Since most folks take their guns/bags with them into the hotel,

the thieves are targeting folks at dinner or the guys running back

into the hotel for a few minutes and not taking their guns.

They are probably sitting in the parking lot somewhere, watching

shooters come and go, especially after the match when you want to

clean up a little, change shirts and get dinner. If they can't get

you at the motel, they might even follow you to dinner and hit you

there.

That's my theory.

What do they do with an open gun?