Lake Fork Thieves

Hearing many boats, boat houses in the Penson area were cleaned out late Saturday / early Sunday. Props, electronics, rods, tackle. Don't have all the detail - Wood County or possibly Rains County Sheriff's office does and would appreciate any info if you come across any "fishy" fishing stuff. It's been a number of years since I've heard of this on Fork.

It used to be posted on here almost weekly about stuff getting ripped off out of boats in the Lake Fork area.

and then the ringleader got put in jail, or rehab, or "school" or whatever

is he back in town?

You may be correct there.

I'm hearing it was the Rains County Sheriff office that came out and took the report.

Rumors years ago it might of been a cop doing the stealing and a cover up.

Seems like they arrested a former Rains cop for drugs and theft last year

http://raycomgroup.worldnow.com/story/32...rcement-officer

The cops sure do love writing speeding tickets around the lake but theft continues year after year, even as technology improves. More cameras around the lake than ever before, but local police inability to catch and prosecute keeps these backwood meth heads coming back for more.

Side note...if you travel south on 17 from 515 to 182 (Alba), there is a cop that sits behind a small white barn and pulls you over as you come from the 50mph speed limit to 30mph to the stop sign. He should be patrolling the neighborhoods around the lake....

I can tell you from 25+ years in law enforcement, theft prevention only works when the owners take responsibility of their property and secure it better than on a boat or in a boat house. There is no way that the community can pay for enough officers to provide individual security to every citizen. Posts making people aware of a problem is the most effective prevention so neighbors look out for neighbors. He could be patrolling the neighborhoods, and I would guess that he does, but the community also pays him to ensure their safety from drunk drivers and reckless drivers.

Having patrolled communities for years, I can assure you that I have arrested more thieves and recovered more stolen property from traffic stops than I ever have patrolling neighborhoods trying to catch them in the act. Something as simple as speeding is how the majority of criminals are caught. Officers and their administration usually have a better idea of what is going on in the community than the average citizens and have decades of experience on how to combat it.

Until the laws, courts, etc. Get tougher on crime and drug use, the problem is only going to continue to evolve and erode away our society. I would be willing to bet that 90% of these thefts are drug related, dope heads need money to feed their addiction, so they steal whatever. We only hear about the fishing stuff because this is a fishing forum but this problem is getting out of control

Well said Bobby Milam.

Thieves are right up there with child molestors, scum of the earth!

They got me for 3K replacement cost thus far, electronics, batteries, props, my 2 man boat, and 3 trolling motors, one of which was very exspensive for the pontoon boat..I really didn't think, we had to much stuff down there at risk, just goes to show you, desperate people will do----desperate things.. Oh yeah, the main thing that pizzed me off, they stole a Sheridan Blue Streak pellet rife my grandfather gave me 46 yrs ago. It still worked like a champ, bust right through a turtles shell.. All 7 docks on my side, and what boats were in the stalls got hit, they also hit the opposite side of the cove too 6-7 more..

.

Same thing happened on Lake Palestine last week. Eagles Bluff docks (main lake south of 155) got broken into. Those docks had living quarters in them with big screen tvs, nice furniture, golf cart batteries, etc. Thieves broke the glass doors to get in. It won't stop the thieves but if I had a dock with expensive gear, I would put a trail cam on a nearby tree facing towards the dock.

I used to get calls for potted plants being stolen off of porches. It doesn't matter how little something is worth, if they can literally make $1 from it they will steal it.

Usually this is a group doing this much stealing. They'll continue to hit areas and eventually get caught but it won't get your stuff back. They'll get minimum punishment and be back at it but usually somewhere else one they are known

I hate a theif but come now...not even close.

Lock your stuff up good folks.

My problem is everytime someone gets busted for dope. they always say well we are going after the big fish. Well my opinion is as long as the demands is their someone will supply. Get rid of the demand by being tougher and the supply will die off.

It was locked up Dan, explain how you lock a prop over the water ? how do you lock an in dash fishfinder? how do you lock a trolling motor hanging in a boat sling?? Please inlighten me.. They took a Blue Top Optima 31 series, heavy sap sucker too.. They could have used our 10' foot 2-man to pile stuff on, the seats were at the end of the dock where I guess they loaded up, but thought the seats would take up to much room. They were still there, I don't have a boat to put them on..

Dang, Billy. I'm sorry to hear that you and others were hit. I hope they hang them from their gonads.

Rayburn/Toledo Bend has had theft problems periodically but it sure seems like Fork has had bigger theft problems historically speaking. Surely the Fork area doesn't have more meth heads than SE Texas. Maybe you guys are just better at getting the word out.

I know a couple years ago my father caught some guys on his dock in Elm creek. They had come in by water. When he went down to his dock they sped off in a boat. I think that's how they got bridge view a couple years ago. Man I wish they would catch these low life's.

So how do these thieves get rid of this much gear? Am I just naive to think a pawn shop would ask questions?

Man that sucks for everyone that got taken. Billy - you've had that place for years and never been hit...not to mention, think about the amount of time it had to take for them to get all that stuff off there. I do have a suggestion for all of you. Buy a game camera and secure it in a lock box that is bolted somewhere they can't reach without a ladder.

2 things happen when this is done. One, when the flash goes off, they normally leave and you got their picture anyway or the 2nd is they still steal the stuff but again you have their picture now.

I did this in a neighborhood I used to live in that had alleys behind the houses after my Tahoe had been broken into 3 times in 5 years. Once I did that, I got 2 different sets of pictures that showed kids (late teens to 20's) approaching my vehicle yet nothing happened either time. I sent the pics to the police since there had been so many break-ins. Never heard anything back. The point is the camera flash ran them off.

Pawn shops do ask questions but what are they going to really find out? They have to report every item that they take in to the police department and hold it for a number of days before they can resell it. The items are ran through the computer by serial numbers to check for stolen. That is why it is so important to record your serial numbers when they are available.

Today with ebay, craigslist, etc. there are tons of ways to get rid of stuff. If they were meth heads, they can trade it for their drugs to the dealer.

Thanks Chris,
Yep, motion detection with lights on the way. There are trail cams that load to the cloud on the way too. Dusk to dawn light is on every night, ADT cameras at the big house. Damn meth heads.

I wish all the dock owners would put those game cameras up that have a SIM card in them. It's about $15 a month for service. Cheap insurance. They will send the pic to you immediately. We had a few problems at our place at Fork. We installed these. Scum of the earth is right!! I hope they get caught!

is all you need to stop these then word spreads

All criminals are pretty close in my opinion. A thief should have his hands cut off and a child molestor should have everything else cut off! They're all scum!

I picked up a Chamberlain wireless motion sensor alarm for $50 for my driveway after our car was burglarized. Keep in mind...

Texas Penal Code 9.42
A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:
(1)if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41;
and
(2)when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A)to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or
(B)to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property; and
(3)he reasonably believes that:
(A)the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means; or
(B)the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

Not giving any advice, just sharing our state's legal view on the situation...

It's the criminal justice system that allows these people to keep coming back.

Place a bullet in their head for stealing or dope dealing and this issue would go away

Dang before I clicked on this post I though of you and The misses sorry man , if it helps I'll get you the blue tops thru the store for cost

Craigs List, Offer Up, etc.. They get rid of stuff quick because they sell it for pennies on the dollar

Thank you Chris, I have a case # sending in a list to Farmers ( Dillon ) is gonna love that....Ouch, I will get back with you on that, we're going to need 1..

there always seems to be a lot of rods/reels and tackle on the east texas craigslist, makes you wonder when a listing has 25 rod/reel combos to choose from.

Yea and if they know you are on the highway instead of the neighborhoods guess where the crook is. I want my stuff protected before it gets stolen. And if there is a higher visibility in the neighborhood better chance of that happening. I'll just bet when the Chief was getting an ear full from the residents he didn't tell you to go write more tickets!

That's because East Texas has a disportionate amount of low lifes compared to the rest of the state. Same thing happens to deer feeders and trail cameras....

Man that sucks. The criminals have more rights than the victims anymore. This [censored] is getting worse and worse. Shoot one and their mother and grandmother will be on tv saying he was a good kid and didn't deserve to die and then bury you in lawsuits. Let em go they keep robbing you and others. If they get arrested they're probably back on the street before the cop can fill out the report. Sad times.

part of the problem is the courts don't seem to think drug use and stealing are a big deal now. Obama just let out 214 people a couple of weeks ago. Meth is cheap and easy and once you get hook on it it has control of you.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AYEWJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nice, I got a Yamaha..

Crazy that they not only took your stuff Billy but sounds like they made several stops...so freaking brash!

Put up a cattle wire along your dock where it's not noticeable... Turn it on at night when these thefts are happening... Can even put up a beware sign if you want. Just say your dog can't swim if anyone ever ask about it. Just a brainstorming thought. Loud audible alarm would also help the situation along with good hd digital cameras. Cameras are great, but they need to be quality images for police to really get any use out of them. More than likely these thieves live in the general area. Also mark your gear somewhere it's not noticeable with your name or initials... Make it unique so if it is located you can identify it and show why it's yours.. If not they can be caught red handed pawning it off and just say it's theirs. Sorry for the loss.

https://www.amazon.com/McGard-74040-Mari...7504&sr=8-2

Bobby is right on about all he said, nobody can protect your stuff better than you. Here's what I did after we started having some petty thefts in my neighborhood. I bought a security system ( 4 cameras w-DVR ) at Fry's for $250. Ran wires to all four cameras, 2 in front, 2 in back and all 4 to DVR and DVR to a monitor. Sounds complicated but simple enough for an old dude like me to hook up. Bear in mind I had to run all these wires in my attic to the cameras. But it all paid off. Within a month the cameras in back caught a guy going in my garage and stealing my $700 Honda mower. The cops came out, saw the video on my monitor, got the serial # of the mower, found the mower at a pawn shop, picked it up and brought it to my home. Also caught and arrested the guy. They recognized him from a previous arrest. Docks might be a little different to run wires to but you can get wireless cameras and they work at night especially if you have lights at your docks. Something to think about and look in to. Sorry for all the losses guys and I hope they catch the a$$holes that got your stuff.

While quite a bit more expensive, this is done much more easily with Dropcam. Plus everything is stored in the cloud and you can watch your cameras from anywhere in the world. Downside is they need access to wifi and many docks (mine included) are too far from the router to get a signal.

Man, some of yall need to think before you post! Yes, you may have the legal standing to shot to protect property but should you? When the Wrongful death lawsuit hits you after the shooting as well as the indictment for murder that will go to a grand jury! You better hope you had all your ducks in a row! Don’t kid yourself, you will be read your rights and the case will go to the grand jury! Hopefully you will get “No Billed” but you never know these days. The Grand jury will be filled with residents from your county so let that sink in.Your attorney will do his or her best to wash your social media but all of your social media posts that say something along the lines of “chewt’m dead” and such,,,well let’s just say your cooked if that comes out in court. If you don’t agree, google court cases were social media played a role! It’s also not the Police Officers fault that a theft took place nor the early release of the thief after arrest, funny how that comes up. The hard cases that come from areas like this involve no witness’s at all and little to no evidence. There are no witness’s due to allot of property being weekend getaways. These cases are however solved by prudent property owners that have serial numbers and if not they scribe an identifying number onto the item. This won’t stop a thief from taking it if they have the opportunity but it very well could catch them when they try and sell it or are stopped for that dreaded traffic stop. I understand some complaints about traffic cops but come on! The original post was to put the word out so that if you come across a deal that is too good to be true, report it!

Where on lake fork is penson area? Thanks in advance for info.q

One other idea that might work and even less expensive. I bought a Dash Cam similar to what police use for my truck to protect me against red light and stop sign runners and also hit and run. It has a built in DVR, actually records on a 32gb sd card. It runs on 12v and has a wide angle lens. Night vision is not all that great in darkness so you would need lights on your docks which most do anyway. I bought mine on Amazon but Fry's and Best Buy also carry them just don't have as wide as a selection. Paid $99 for mine and it works great. I don't recommend getting one of the cheap $15 ones. They go up to $300 and more so pick one that fits your budget and situation. Other than a live guard those are my best ideas. If one of these thieves happened to get shot and the news and media got wind of it that might help also. They might try home burglaries next and that could get real serious.

Penson is the 2nd cove north of the 515 west bridge and on the west side of the lake. 2946 crosses the upper end of it.

Thanks for the post.

This just happened to me tonight at the 154 public ramp. I came back to load up around 8:00PM and they had broken into my truck. They took a lot of stuff.
I had to cancel some appointments and take care of the bank, insurance company, police, broken window, etc,,,
I won't be back to Fork for a while, unless I know who did this
Cant get picture to post , worst of it was I was really into a good bunch of fish and now I don't care.
You'll be careful

Sorry to hear about this.
I cant stand a thief.
I know a guy that had his truck stolen from the 515W ramp earlier this year.
We fished the Penson, Birch area a couple Saturday nights back and there were quite a few boats out at least till 2 when I left, I assumed they were all just fishing but now I wonder. I will pay more attention when Im out next time and make sure I have my .45 on me.

I sure wouldn't be trying to retrieve any hung lures or rigs out of anyone's boat slips, while night fishing, right now! Dock owners on high alert and rightfully so.

those area scum crank heads just wait for out of towners to visit.

That is what all officials seem to run on here in our state. However, I have always lived in smaller parishes with no large cities/towns so everyone knows people all over the parish. One thing that is pretty common knowledge/thinking is that there are high up officials running the drug trade in our parishes and I suspect your counties. To bring down the big fish like they say they are going to is a much more difficult and dangerous endeavor than most of us want to think about.

Calm Down Perry Mason Jr.

I still say put a bullet in their head, Dope heads or thieves have no value to our society.

Boat ramps in general seem to be high profile area for thieves, Fork seems to get extra attention.

There are a couple of no goods working the Yantis/Lake fork area. Keep your eye out for a late model Chevrolet PU, beat to hell, gold cab, with black bed. Authorities and most everyone else know who they are. Only a matter of time till they pick on the wrong individual or property. Hopefully, they can be removed from the gene pool before procreating.

Gman

No offense but leaving a lot of stuff in your truck is asking for someone to help theirselves,..

I never launch at a public ramp, whats 3 dollars.. Minner Bucket has T/T right in the parking lot now, someone always there...It's not 100% safe, but it has been so far for me..And that's a lot of launches over the years... Bob at westside RV charges 4 dollars, (old Val's) he bird dogs the hell out that parking lot...

sounds like we have a candidate for the theft(s) right here... I would hate to think my personal property left locked inside my vehicle is thought of by others to "help themselves" too... wow what a comment- sure made my morning. maybe post your address so we can help ourselves to whatever we like there since you seem to think doing it to others is Ok...

Beat me to the punch bassman, I leave my check book, tie downs, transom saver, umbrella, glasses, GPS, spare shoes and even a 9mm ( under the seat ) in my truck. That stuff is there at the boat ramp, grocery store, bank and every where else I go. I don't consider that an open invitation to crooks. YOU CAN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM A THIEF NOT EVEN IN YOUR HOME. To blame this guy or any of these dock owners for their loss is ludicrous. Where do you hide your stuff from thieves ? You can't. I'm in the camp with the previous poster though, a bullet is not too good for them.

Here's another one...

http://www.basspro.com/McGard-Propeller-Lock/product/7400/

Nothing was in plain sight.
A 9mm S&W, checkbook in locked console, as well as an envelope full of cash locked in the glove box.
Pick up locked.
I think they came to the ramp by boat.
Sheriff said there was a lot of it going on.
I haven't been robbed in about five years. I guess it was time.
I have another pistol in the boat, sure wish I would have caught the guys. I think they were watching as I left the ramp area, then went to work.
You guys watch out for one another. Anything out of the ordinary, stick around until they are gone. These thefts only take about one minute to hit, steal, and leave.
By the way, I was not asking for trouble as someone said. You can't live in a bubble, you have to live your life the way you want and not expect this.

Thanks Gman, I'l keep an eye out. Our subdivision only has 20 homes, 1 way in 1 way out. Nosey neighbors too, I am getting nervous about the big house after what just happened.. Scumbag SOB's

One thing for sure, I'm not your 'canidate'...and I will never be on here complaining that someone stole all my stuff out of my truck because I'm smart enough not to leave anything in my truck or car that is of any value, sure they can break my windows, even steal the truck,..but they won't get a bunch of money, or a gun, or my GPS, or sunglasses, or anything I value. If you think all your stuff is safe at a public boat ramp in a high theft area, and you trust your stuff to be safe and sound then leave whatever you want where ever you want. Thieves love guys that leave their stuff in trucks..boats..wherever they can find it and steal it...when I fish I carry my 'valuables' and a gun with me, I leave nothing of value, I hate thieves and liars...and I'm not going to give them a chanve to take something of value if I can prevent it.

Stopping theft is also a personal responsibility. Thieves don't wait for an invitation nor do they need one to break into your vehicle. If you take 10 rods and decide to leave 9 of them in the truck and come back to them missing then you have to accept some responsibility for that. It's not your fault. The fact you have the right to leave items in your vehicle safe from theft is irrelevant, just not the world we live in. You can't stop them from breaking into your vehicle but you can determine what is taken. Those of us that are honest and work for what we have are unfortunately on the s*** end of the stick on this topic. The honest man has to be much more vigilant than we should have to be but again it's the world we live in.

Real sorry to hear of all the theft and losses. Ballsy SOBs.
I agree with you Billy. I have my spot, costs 3 bucks and I dont worry about coming back to a busted window.
I pay $10 to put in on Twok and wont put in anywhere else.

I try not to leave anything of value when I use any boat ramp anywhere just seems like common sense to me. I even have a pretty high end alarm with audible glass breakage sensors but still think it is much smarter not to leave valuables in an unattended vehicle especially at any boat ramp.

I realize sometimes it's not reality to take everything out of a vehicle when going somewhere, but never leave a firearm inside your vehicle unattended... As an officer you would be amazed at how many burglary of vehicles take place with owners who not only leave their vehicle unlocked, but leave a firearm under the seat or in the glove department. These two areas are the first places a thief looks. Also tell your wives to stop putting their purses in the back seat on the floor board or in the trunk... Thieves are normally in the parking lots watching.

Just talked to the insurance company about my claim. Looks like I get hosed for $1200.00 of the 2700+ taken.
Homeowners would cover it for the standard 1% deductable, hell that's more than what got stolen.
The pontoon had $1500 article replacement w/$100 deduct..
I got ripped off on the R/R's, 2-man and 2 other T/M's...Damn dope heads

You could also sell your vehicle to make sure it never gets stolen. I mean who wins when a man can't leave a pair of sunglasses in their vehicle??

You are a perfect example of someone who thinks they have all the answers and does everything right. To accuse all these folks of being reckless with their belongings is just plain mean spirited, callous and heartless. It's bad enough to be a victim of a crime but then to have someone blame you is pure hateful. I've fished Fork since 1986 and never had one thing stolen. Maybe it's because I don't fish at night or use public ramps or maybe just plain lucky but I would NEVER point a holier than thou finger at someone who was less fortunate. Do you take everything out of your house when you leave ? Many more homes are burglarized each day than boat docks or pickups at boat ramps. Maybe you will be the next victim of a home burglary or even worse robbed at gunpoint. Hopefully you won't receive the same criticism you dished out to these folks.

Can you just imagine slowly idling in to a cove at 2AM to hit a favorite night fishing spot and find someone in a boat / pontoon boat with it jammed up with rods, reels trolling motors, a kayak, and a bass buster tied up behind it making a break for open water? Would keep my distance as I dialed 911 and know they could run, but not out-run me.

the Alba police only patrol Alba city limits, there are no neighborhoods on the lake that are in the city limits

My thoughts exactly Chris. Better take everything out of your house too in case somebody breaks in while your gone fishing.

I'm out,..have a nice day.

Sorry to hear about this. It really sucks.

These threads always turn this way. He never said anything about the folks who had their boat houses broken into or boats on lifts stripped. If you don't think leaving a pistol and an envelope full of cash in your vehicle at a public boat ramp in an area known for thieves while yo go out fishing for a few hours is reckless, I don't know what world you're living in but it's not this one. We all know there are plenty of folks out there looking for money for their next fix and they will steal whatever they can. All you can do is take reasonable precautions and hope for the best.

It' just a matter of time before someone gets shot, and if it's one of these stealing dope heads, that time can't come soon enough in my opinion.

These thieves think its easy pickings and I guess in some ways it is, but most of the people I run into out there are good ole boys that aren't afraid to carry and use a gun or whoop someone's [censored] if need be. So it's just a matter of time IMO

JIM SR & SAKS & others that think it's MY fault, & open invitation to thieves for having property in my vehicle.Thanks so much... Y'all have just helped me make the decision NOT to bring my business to Lake Fork. Y'all act like everyone lives locally & has a choice not to carry valuables in their vehicle. I for one will NOT be making the trip again because when I travel,fish I HAVE TO bring things with me I normally wouldn't bring as I do when I fish close to home. Please convey my feelings to the guides, restaurants, tackle stores,& motel/room rental places that my financial assets will no longer be spent in or around the Lake Fork area. ive been going there since the early 90's but won't anymore since this issue seems to raise its ugly head on a fairly regular basis the past several years. Good luck. My personal opinion: I think thieves should have a hand cut off on the first offense!!!!!?

Set up a sting. Leave stuff in your vehicle lock it and sit somewhere and wait. See what happens. Call 911 then approach the people and vehicle. If it takes a weapon let it be or just kick some butt.

Probably a bad idea. Do not approach a crime in progress unless you are prepared to shoot to kill. You are dealing with criminals.

Bryanmc57. Not everyone KNOWS which ramps are KNOWN to have high theft rates. I know what areas to stay away from closer to home, but to think EVERYONE knows about a certain area is ridiculous.

I hear the public ramps on Ray Hubbard are pretty safe....

I'm done... Stay safe gentlemen

Curt... It's not a matter of what's known. I won't ever leave a weapon or an envelope full of cash in my vehicle no matter where if it's going to be out of my sight. The world is full of thieves, honest folks need to adjust. Sure, you "should" be able to leave stuff in your ride, but it just doesn't work like that anymore.

this is exactly right...



This person is also correct as well and prob the most effective. Let the tourist money start drying up and i promise then there will be change. Anyone who travels for sportsman vacations etc bring knows they bring huge amounts of money to the local economy. If the local authorities have not thought of that yet .... shame on them. I know what i pay for my week or so long adventures in hunting or fishing. Most of those are out of town or out of state, so multiply that by a couple 3-4 dozen others that think the same.... its a ton of money.

I make sure there isnt even a quarter or a few dimes in my console when I launch at Hubbard.

Very sorry for all who lost their hard earned gear and money, recently. As someone who is around there quite a bit, I think the Wood County Sheriff has done a great job of cutting down on thefts around the lake. They're more visible now than ever before. There was a time a few years ago when this type of stuff happened all over the lake quite frequently. Especially when big tournaments come to Fork. Not so much in the past year or two, until now. The police can't be everywhere all the time. Just not enough $ to hire that many patrol officers. And before anyone cries about speeding tickets, there are officers assigned to traffic and that is their job. Don't speed and you won't get a ticket. Personally, I will not park at ANY public ramp on Fork as this is where most of these things happen. As for these azzwipes that hit Billy and all the others in Penson, I'm sure they came in by water. Not much the police can do about that when it happens in the middle of the night. As someone who had almost $50k in rifles stolen out of my Tahoe (parked in my driveway in a gated community), I know the gut wrenching pain of discovering I've been burglarized. I also accept full responsibility for my loss, as I should have never left those guns in my truck. It sux, but it is the world in which we live.

Theft prevention only works when the property owner shoots and kills the SOB so nobody has to deal with the POS again!!!

Thinking about this whole deal, has me impressed with the stupid dope heads, that may not be so stupid.
To go undetected for atleast a couple of hours, to carry such a large amount of booty from dock to dock, and I do mean a lot. To transport the booty to a safe haven, then unload it, again undetected, it's actually amazing they pulled this big of a heist off. The logistics alone speaks volumes for their true sorry azz talent.
There were, and are so many ways they should have failed, but didn't.. they have to have a lake house, or access to one. How can neighbors not notice the large amount of booty being moved around.. Like I say, pretty amazing feat to pull off, just wish me and old Mr.12 ga coulda been there..

This past winter it was too cold to fish so I laid everyone of my rods and reels on the floor of the garage and took an overall and close up pictures of every one of them. Several years ago I got hit and before the insurance company would pay I had to provide proof (receipt, pictures, etc.) that I had actually owned the items taken. I also keep every reel box.

Sounds like to me they are coming by boat at night. Would be nice if local law enforcement could make the local ramps a patrol priority. I don't blame law enforcement. Scum of the earth has been with us since the dawn of man. The best thing is to submit them to S&W Law.

The only reason I launched at that 154 boat ramp is because I was meeting someone there at their suggestion. He was getting out of one boat and into another.
As far as the money, I had a guide lined up for early in the morning. That money was to go to him. I don't usually do that.
Still, if I have to worry about them steeling my stuff all of the time, fishing Lake Fork isn't worth it to me.
The suggestions that "you are crazy to leave anything in your vehicle" makes it my fault I guess.
My last robbery was my two front tires off of my truck parked at Hubbard Creek a long time ago.
Darn, I guess I should have taken them with me in the boat.

I missed the post where someone left an envelope full of money in their truck. I do have a 9mm I keep under my seat for personal protection but anyone who would steal my truck probably already has a weapon and it's probably bigger than mine. Most of us do what we can to protect our belongings. We lock our vehicles and homes, some have alarms on everything and write down serial numbers and do their best to be vigilant for suspicious activity. The only thing visible in my truck at the Little Mustang ramp is my transom saver, an umbrella, extra pair of shoes, a towel and a can of mints. If that's considered valuables and worth breaking into my truck for consider me guilty of being reckless.
My contention and aggravation are all those on here who accuse those who were victims of being reckless and deserved to have their stuff stolen. Instead, how about a little compassion and sympathy. I mean after the fact we're all a little smarter aren't we. I live in what most would consider a safe suburban neighborhood of Dallas but there is an opportunity for thieves to break into my home everytime I leave it. I have security cameras front and back but they would not keep thieves from breaking in if they wanted to. They break into stores while the stores are open. They steal peoples cars with them in it. They even stole an EMT ambulance this week. Bottom line, if these creeps want something they will take it no matter what you do. If you haven't had something stolen consider yourself lucky because I can guarantee you you're not that smart.

True story. Ask the kid who stole the Jaguar and ran from the cops. BLM upset cause he was shot in the back. If you're running away that's the part that's exposed. Best way to keep from getting shot is don't break the law.

why would you leave your guns in your truck and not take w you on boat for protection as well? I just heard recently some people were shot at on a local dfw lake because homeowner said he owned the water around his dock, bla bla, and homeowner shot at the boat. No lie, guy got arrested and gun taken. I personally witnessed the lake patrol officer at marina say "you are aloud to have your weapon in your boat" also he said "if that would've been me the guy would've been laying in a pool of blood"

Partner, if it ever reaches the point where I don't feel safe fishing, I'm quitting. If a guy doesn't want me fishing around his dock I'm moving on and fast. I just recently started carrying in my truck when an idiot tried to run me off 635 with my daughter in the truck with me.

RedSkeeter you are absolutely right. People are under the impression these guys are stupid drug heads looking for a fix. It would not surprise me one bit if they are on this forum reading this and laughing their a** off. These types typically get caught but usually not until thousands of dollars of property are gone. For those on here that seem to think I am putting blame on the victim you are dead wrong. Like a lot of people I am commenting from experience. Like it was stated law enforcement cannot just set on an area hoping lightning strikes twice. Therefore the people have to take up the burden of protecting ourselves as much as possible. Just some things you cannot stop. We cannot control when we become a victim of theft but there are measures you can take to limit the damage it causes. I am also speaking about our everyday lives and not just at a boat ramp on Lake Fork. Life would be grand if we could leave valuables anywhere we wanted without the fear of it being taken but life isn't that grand.

To all who were robbed I am sorry, I was in law enforcement for 35 years the camera and motion light suggestion is right on target for prevention. I moved to rains county after living in 15 different states 5 years ago upon retiring, including Dallas texas, I am troubled when someone jumps in and badmouths a community because they have a personal problem or prejudice to lake fork, the people who live here are mainly hard working salt off the earth the people that make a living in the fishing business break there backs to keep visitors happy It is a dis service to this site to take advantage off a robbery that occur every day everywhere to bad mouth a town. I think this a great area to live in raise a family and live safe, again I am sorry for the invasion off your home and lose off property it can make you feel violated. God Bless. Tomorrow you will wake up at world class lake fork a place many dream to visit just once.

Rudy, good on you for the compassion you're showing these folks who were violated by these thieves. Most who live on the shores of Lake Fork are decent law abiding citizens who work their a$$es off for years to be able to move here and enjoy their retirement. I know many of them and they protect each other and their property like family. If they are to be faulted for anything it's their kindness and generosity to each other and the community. Thefts like what just happened travels quickly around the area and folks will be on guard and alert for any suspicious activities. I'm sure they will also be taking extra precautions with their property. Most if not all do not use public ramps so those who did get vandalized were probably not residents of the area. Still, they deserve our empathy and sympathy for their losses.

I'm NOT badmouthing against Lake Fork or any community around it. MOST are hardworking honest friendly people. Believe me I know!!! Good people .They've done the same as me & EARNED what they have & GOOD reputations. Overall they suffer the most because bad people can & do cause issues for the main economy in that area.I AM prejudiced against having my hard earned equipment, money, or possessions stolen. We ALL agree stopping thieves is what we have to do. My statement that I won't go back is my way of preventing it happening to me again at Lake Fork. My decision. My opinion. I was hit in 1999 to the tune of over $4800 worth myself. Honestly it sucks but being a victim once is just that. Twice is possibly not as much being a victim as it is of just not making smart decisions. Another lesson from dear old dad. He sure loved fishing Fork. So do I but......

Sorry for your losses Curtbass, truly am. Wish you luck in all your future endeavors.

Many years ago the 154 and 515 east ramp were getting hit pretty hard, come to find out some of the thieves were bank fishing around the ramps, after someone would launch a nice boat and take off on the lake then these so called bank fisherman would call up buddies to come hit the vehicles. This is why im always suspicious of bank fishermen around the ramps, most likely nothing to them but i always remember that story in the back of my mind.

Went to 154 ramp, saw the glass in the parking lot near the light pole in the center.
Man sorry that happened. I feel your pain. I'm not quitting fishing fork, but i will be on high alert..

hope they get cought real soon

I'm not going to quit fishing Fork just because this happened to me , I've "cooled down" since then.. All I can do is keep my truck locked, probably get an alarm for it, and keep on fishing.
Sorry, I thought I got all of the glass cleaned up.

I hope some of us catch them in the act, they need a GOOD A__ wiping, just taking them to jail doesn't work because they just go back to doing the same thing over and over again

I'm thinking a rope and a horizontal tree limb.

Emory TX and Rains County are Crime infested.
Those are Family criminals.
Look at what they get away with.
Strangest thing I've ever seen.

emoryobserver.com

You hit that nail square on the head with that statement. I was told to don't waste your time reporting what I'm seeing "drug dealers "

I'm still thinking about trying to see if someone from the outside of Rains County would come in and clean it up, it would be a big news story...

Sadly your right about that.

That has been the rumor for many many years. I used to have land there.

Many of the lakes are Corps lakes and it is illegal to have a firearm in your boat, even with a CHL.

You get some prick game warden and he will arrest you, they tried that to me on Lewisville.

Shouldn't be long before the local Gendarmes hear or read this and realize they are being watched just as much as the thieves. My suggestion to the Raines and Wood county police dept., the local game wardens and the SRA would be to show you care and install security cameras at all the public ramps. This thing has gotten that big and needs to be addressed.

Texas Rangers perhaps.... I'm not talkin baseball either...

Man this [censored] gets old. I've asked before, whose going to pay for all these cameras,install and monitoring?
I know the new sherif for Wood County very well, both wardens, several deputies and several troopers- ALL of them do their jobs to the best of their ability. They do it because it's how they are made inside, to make false accusations based on heresay is a disservice to them. And pretty cs imo.

I used to know folks that worked on the Emory police force. I'm convinced they either don't care or even in on some of it....[/quote]

Shouldn't be long before the local Gendarmes hear or read this and realize they are being watched just as much as the thieves. My suggestion to the Raines and Wood county police dept., the local game wardens and the SRA would be to show you care and install security cameras at all the public ramps. This thing has gotten that big and needs to be addressed.
[/quote]

Man this [censored] gets old. I've asked before, whose going to pay for all these cameras,install and monitoring?
I know the new sherif for Wood County very well, both wardens, several deputies and several troopers- ALL of them do their jobs to the best of their ability. They do it because it's how they are made inside, to make false accusations based on heresay is a disservice to them. And pretty cs imo.[/quote]
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Who did you ask about the cameras and what was their reply ? Not saying law enforcement isn't doing their job but haven't seen or read any news where they caught or arrested any thieves. There are two main public ramps on Fork, 515 and 154 that have had break ins. Probably 2 cameras at each location would do the job. DVR's would be located at or near the site for recording and would only need monitoring after an incident. Both Wood and Rains county already have security contractors on board so maybe they and the local law enforcement combined would share in the cost. Everyone, local businesses, homeowners, tournaments and tourist lose when these thieves are allowed uninterrupted to continue vandalizing. Sooner or later one or more of these thieves are going to get caught red handed and law enforcement is going to have a homicide on their hands and it will be harder than difficult to find a witness.

While you are certainly correct.....it is actually much cheaper to just let them take it. That deductible is a heck of a lot cheaper than the attorney fees and civil suits you will be faced with. Last I heard it was costing individuals on average $12-15k in civil suits and that is for the clean and justifiable shootings. I'm not shooting someone unless myself and the people around me are in fear for their lives.

Back a few years ago, then Wood County Sheriff Brown reached out to the fishing public asking for help. The Sheriff wanted to have a few deputies trained by the GW's to help out patrolling lake Fork. They needed training and boats. I donated $500 to Wood County for this effort, but mostly all I heard on here was bitching about older boats never being used by previous Sheriffs, "my tax dollars already cover that", etc. How many of you donated to that effort?

So before folks get on here bitching about the local LEOs, perhaps we should try and find a way to help fight crime around the lake rather than run our heads about what SHOULD be done by the local authorities.

Fork is not the only lake with thieves, 9 boat houses were hit on Palestine last week, they stole big screen TV's, stereo systems, and stuff from the boats. Its everywhere now a days.

I've been trying to get George Zimmerman to move into my park.

I know of this Sheriff Brown, my parents live in Winnsboro. They spoke very highly of his aggressive approach to fighting crime in Wood county.. That's been awhile, I can't speak much on Wood, I just barely live on the edge of Rains, regretfully. Worst county management I've ever seen, they are criminals imo..

Here it is, I believe they're still looking for one of the guys..

http://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/loc...HukseI.facebook

You have to remember that you are in east Texas and some of those people aren't gonna act right. It's been the same way forever.

It's NOT JUST EAST TEXAS, sadly it's everywhere.
Maybe now with some pictures they can find him, trail cameras work very well, in this story 7 boat houses hit and only 1 had a camera on the inside.

I use game cameras and you wouldn't believe what's going on when your asleep or away in the daylight , less now than when I first installed them, I believe they know they are there and the action has slowed way down.

http://www.kltv.com/story/32761034/suspect-sought-in-string-of-lake-palestine-boathouse-burglaries

holy smokes, hope they catch em w those photos

What an idiot. Who does all these robberies with no damn shirt on that reveals a bunch of his stupid tattoos?
An idiot for sure.

You can't fix stupid

There will be more to take his place, this is East Texas meth country.........

typical crank head looking sob

They should catch the guy given all of that info. He's got 3 prior arrests and should be easy to spot. As previously mentioned, it won't matter. He will get out soon enough and someone will gladly take his place in the mean time. All we can do is try to put things up that deter them like motion sensor lights and cameras. Yes, its an expenses to US but its a lot more expensive to have all of your stuff stolen.

And for all those Cowboys saying show up with a gun, are you seriously wanting to put your life at risk to stop a thief? I am all about carrying weapon and protecting myself but many fail to realize they may also be carrying and if you miss they might not. We can buy more possessions but you can't buy a person's life.

Yep, it IS everywhere. I recently moved here from Northern California, and we had the same problems there. Clear Lake and the Delta can be every bit as bad as Fork or any other lake in Texas, due to their overpopulation of meth-heads. There have even been folks that had their boats broken into at the ramp while they were sleeping in their trucks. Not only can thieves be bold, they can also be sneaky quiet.

crime like this is everywhere . Camera's work , especially if you can set them up with your smartphones . You can be at work and still see everything going on remotely .
Secondly , the only thing that really stops these idiots are CONSEQUENCES !!!! Our government has completely failed law abiding citizens when it comes to criminals and the consequences they pay .
My dad had the best idea , buy a good sized island , put all criminals on it and let them govern themselves . Surround the island with the Navy and Marine's , anybody trying to leave is immediately shot . Nit only would criminals think twice about the crimes they are committing , they probably have no real chance to get to civil society .
I HATE , liars , thiefs and cheaters ---- Hillary wants to be their leader http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/images/icons/default/thumbs_down.gif

I Installed point to point WIFI and cloud based, motion sensing, wifi, infrared cameras for 2 people in the Penson area this week due to this. Remote monitoring capabilities from smart phone, with alerts. Pretty cool deal. I am in the telecommunications field, specifically wireless internet and phone. This was a learning project, but it seems to work exceptionally well and cost effective considering the value of the equipment most people keep at their boat house!!

Looks like a fine, upstanding citizen.

Hopefully more people install this type of deal to stop this sh*t!! I night fish a lot and always keep an eye out for these low-life's.

Man....you sure are the defender of all law enforcement. These guys (like any other profession) are not perfect. They make mistakes, some are completely unqualified for their job, some are checked out and don't care, some are criminals themselves. Oh and guess what, some are incredible people that work their [censored] off and do an amazing job.

However, to lump them all into the same bucket, implying that they are just underfunded, need more help, need free boats....is simply out of touch with reality.

The point that many people on here are trying to make is that areas like Lake Fork seem to have a disproportionate amount of crime when you consider the population and the reason 90% of the people are even out there (weekenders, fishing, retired). We aren't hearing the stories about thieves getting caught, cars getting pulled over full of stolen gear, pawn shops getting shut down for being trading posts for meth heads, etc.

The night I got pulled over by officer dolittle, two vehicles had just passed me (100% drove by him) with one missing headlight on each beat up old truck. He ignored those trucks (beat up old truck, headlight out) and pulled over a brand new luxury sedan. All three vehicles were breaking minor traffic laws. Ask yourself though, which was most likely to have stolen property?

I would love to see them bring some city cops to patrol those areas out there and get rid of the homegrown boys that grew up with the criminals and refuse to hold them (and their offspring) accountable.

^^agreed

100%right somewhat make it all legal and penny a gram at Walmart and MOST problem solved. No more violence in Mexico and trouble here is reduced big time. We could put money saved in bust units into a voluntary rehab for the good people that fell into a bad thing. Even then gov is saving a ton helping folks to get out(if they want help if not heck with them)and no need to steal just my .02. Because you will never eliminate a cartel supply. I am though pretty sure if they didn't need money it was so cheap they wouldn't steal and guessing 90% of burglary is a person in need of drugs. On a side note though hide your belongings take electronics off and don't show anything of value and your rig should be fine.