ATV Florida Forum

Turboderf and I went to Croom this weekend and met up with some other friends. Well on Friday night 2 bikes were stolen. We heard about it on Saturday late in the day. Saturday night rolls around and I was whooped from a lot of riding. Plus being old and out of shape doesn't help either. I went to bed about 10PM. I woke up at about 1:30AM and went out to take a leak. I noticed Turboderf wasn't in the camper. It's not like him to stay up so late. Well about 30 minutes later he comes in telling me that him and a few other people from a different site were watching this BMW since midnight that looked like they were casing the place. They drove around a few times then backed into the empty site right across from ours. One of the other campers saw a U-Haul truck parked on the rode just outside the camp ground with the rear door open and a ramp going into it. He also noticed the ignition lock cylinder was punched out. It was obviously stolen and ready to load up some stolen bikes. Little did the thieves know that they were being watched buy a few campers and some Henando County Sheriffs that were staking out the camp ground. I don't know what spooked the crooks, but they decided to bail. The Sheroffs had 2 K9 units there and a chopper in the air. They also had spike stripes at the gate so they couldn't escape. They caught 3 black males from Tampa. Come to find out they were there last weekend checking the place out and someone thought they looked suspicious and got there tag # and reported it to the police. The police followed up on the lead and did a drive by to their house in Tampa and said they were dirt bike tracks in the yard. They also said they think they are a part of a bigger bike stealing ring and that they were parting out the bike somehow. The police said they were finding the frames from the stolen bikes dumped in the woods, but nothing else. Hopefully someone will be lucky enough to get their stuff back.
Good job to everyone involved!!

Thats great news!

Great news


I hate thieves hope they stay in jail for a while, hopefully while they are locked up someone will still something sacred from them (cant find the smiley that I want)

always lock your bikes  ... dam dirt bags

Wow. That is crazy!! Glad they caught those bastardos!!!!

If they found the original frames (with VIN #'s) couldn't those people go after them for damages then?  Getting caught means little to these people making them pay is something else.  Just take their welfare checks, I heard they might get a raise, LOl.

Maybe they should run for President in 2012  :o

thats crazy!  i always thought of that if i camped out i would probally chain the quad to the trailer and sleep right on the trailer.  i wish i could have seen it glad they caught them

The bikes stolen Friday night were chained and locked. They cut the lock with bolt cutters. You would be surprised how heavy some people sleep. Turboderf was trying to wake up some people to have them keep an eye on their stuff and was having a hard time getting some of them up. They were in tents too, so you think you would hear everything.

man when i'm in danger or my stuff is i have like another sense. i remember i was at this kids house and his sister woke up early and thought it would be funny to write on me.  i was still sleeping and right before she was about to write on me i grabbed her wrist and said dont even think about it and woke up lol  she was freaked out and i was like dang i have like an extra sense or something.  i always had the advantage in hide and go seek or manhunt I could always feel where someone was even if they were sneaking behind its weird.  hopefully thats what would happen if i was sleeping and someone tried to rob my quad. 

Damn shame some one could not dispense a lil 40 cal justice on these low life's,scum bags.!!!!!

agree with 40 cal but im sure they will be out  and stealing again in no time.

good jobs. that really sucks for the guys that got their bike stolen i will be so pisst because i work hard to get what i have just to be taken away y some a**h*/e that probably dont even work leave of the off the government and drive a bmw. again good job guys ;)

Get insurance. It is peace of mind.

Don't get me wrong I would be pissed if mine got stolen, but at least I would have some cash to start over again.

Back when I use to camp before going to sleep I would leave one of my bullets on the seat of my quad with a note saying "Do you feel lucky". I never had a problem. :D

i will get insurance because since economy is getting worst people are doing anything to get money now days

It is also a good idea to tie some fishing string to the quad with cans or bells or something at the other end. Of course the end with the noisemaker gets put inside of your tent.

Is there anyway to find anything out about the bikes recovered from these people or the people that they know of the bigger bike stealing ring? I would like to know where my bike is.

I would contact the Hernando County Sheriffs office.


That's a good idea Mike.

You could also tie the string to your sleeping bag.

Dont listen to anything Mike says, He would probably tell you to tie a string to you know what........ That would alert you to something going on foresure, BUT, probably not a good idea.

Good to hear they caught the dirtbags,UNFORTUNATELY, as already stated, they will be back out before you know it doing it again :'(

Sweet....we were there last year when a guy was caught and cased to the front gate....he just crashed right through it.  I am glad they are going to lock it in the future.  As long as the people that are inside get the combo to the lock.  That being said, they need to change the combo regularly to keep them from learning the combo and helping themselves.

who said they were going to start locking the gate??????

They were discussing it when we were there. They were doing it a whille back, but too many people were busting through it. They would lock it and give everyone in the camp ground the combination. I was there once when they were looking it and we went out to eat. When we came back there was someone waiting to get in. If it wasn't for us he would have spent the night outside.

how would they give it too you at the campgrounds?
was it posted where you pay?
what about people who don't get there till after dark to set up camp?
and if the thieves were stealing bikes that were locked up what is locking the gate with know one around it gonna do?  they would just cut it too!

during the day when u go in the rangers will give it to u. if they lock the gates and u get there after dark u are sol and u have to wait for the morning to get in the gate when the rangers go to work the next morning.

Thats why its important to get to know the people in the campground on the day you go, this way everyone looks out for each other. All my trips to croom, anyone next to me at the sandpit or the campground  I get to know, they watch my stuff, I watch theirs,no problems. And you can always leave your bikes at OAS powersports just outside the rangers station, those guys are great!!!