MTFCA Forum

I am down from Alaska to visit family and take care of some things. I picked up a bunch of parts today and brought them to my little ranch in Nevada only to discover that someone had broken into every building and stole my 1969 international scout and flatbed trailer. They went through everything, stole all the tools and a bunch of other things. The place is a total mess but it looks like it went down within the last week. The one thing they didn’t touch was the pile of T parts. So I guess T parts have no street value among the crackheads.

Spending tomorrow getting everything secure and shopping for security cameras (I know, cows and barn doors). This is the first time I have had any trouble in 20+ years.

Sad world we live in. I can remember back in the day, the only thing ever taken from a ranch or a rural America was some gas with a note and money if no one was home! Thank God for the Farmer as Paul Harvey use to say!

Hank

Wow what a shame and hate to hear it. Dang it it’s gotten to the point you can’t trust hardly anybody. Maybe the Scout can be traced along with the trailer since they probably had serial no’s and a title but even with that it may be a long shot.
With all the unknown people that are now illegally in this country there is unfortunately going to be more of that.
Good luck

Absolutely disgusting. Forget about finding the scout...it's probly been parted out and the trailer "re-sold" to some unsuspecting buyer, who sadly, could actually be thrown in jail for buying the dang thing! The proof of proving innocence in "receiving stolen goods" weighs heavily on the innocent.

The IHC Scout ought to turn up somewhere. They're quite rare. The ass-burps probably thought it was a Bronco.

Here's a list off the internet of 1969 IH Scouts for sale - do you have a picture - what color condition?
http://davidsclassiccars.com/internatio ... 8-304.html
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1969- ... ut-800-20/
https://www.google.com/search?q=1969+ih ... dM-q04Y5nM

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:51 am

Wow what a shame and hate to hear it. Dang it it’s gotten to the point you can’t trust hardly anybody. Maybe the Scout can be traced along with the trailer since they probably had serial no’s and a title but even with that it may be a long shot.
With all the unknown people that are now illegally in this country there is unfortunately going to be more of that.
Good luck

I don't wanna get folks all in an uproar, but it is adding an entity (see Occam's razor) to jump to the conclusion that these thieves were illegals. As a practical matter they were most likely natural-born American citizens. An illegal knows that if he or she is caught committing a crime, after serving the sentence, it is an automatic trip back to the border. That's the last thing they want.
Here in sunny Florida the story goes that if you see someone driving an inexpensive car at or about 1 mph below the speed limit, quiet exhaust, and all the lights working properly, it is probably an illegal. They don't want to give the police "probable cause" to stop them.

John is right - Unfortunately there are plenty of native-born scumbags that think nothing of helping themselves to easy pickings. I live 600 feet off a country road and have never had a problem in 28 years... that said, I'm putting up a security camera and thinking of adding a deadbolt to my garage door. Such people as those who robbed Morgan have always been out there...it just seems that there have been more of them lately or the ones we have are bolder.

After 40 years of our family owned cabin in the U.P. of Michigan it was broke into about 4 years ago. Desroyed the front door with a rock from our fire pit. The only thing inside that was disturbed was the medicine cabinet. Nothing taken in the entire place. Tools, generator, chainsaw all untouched. Lucky they didnt trash the place. I did have to drive 7 hrs to make repairs to the door and 7 hrs home. Looking for drugs I suppose?

Sorry to hear you lost the IH and other things. Its sad knowing we all are targets for low life scum too lazy to work for what they want like the rest of us.

Some years back (MANY) when we lived in town and I was driving a 79 Toyota with a camper shell, the truck was stolen out of our driveway ;this actually happened three times over a two-year period, but this time the shell was full of T parts, including the back half of my '15 touring body. My truck was found some 90 miles away in a suburb of Sacramento, with the doors wide open. They snagged my radio and my mileage record book, went through the boxes of T parts, but didn't take anything. I had a bronze steam locomotive water glass unit under the seat, and they missed that (thankfully, that also would have been difficult to replace. Rusty old car parts just don't look like anything to crackheads, etc. I was more happy to get the parts back than the truck!
One of the other times it was stolen was right after we had gone to a train show selling gift store items for the Railroad museum. Truck was found a few miles away where stolen cars were frequently parted out--they had gotten stuck in the side ditch. They stole the engineer teddy bears, wood whistles, and all the decorative pins, but not the red T shirts I had been given to sell-out as they weren't moving at the museum--I told the Director, "Sell?? Heck I can't even get them stolen!" BTW, a month later the transmission failed--I learned later AFTER I fixed it that it was probably from them trying to get unstuck and if I had reported it to my insurance Co. it would have been covered!
So sorry your place was broken into. It seems to be becoming rampant.

Good news. The sheriffs deputy who took the report called and said he had his eye on the scout and would be making arrests. No word on my flatbed trailer or any of the other things that were taken. I told them I would do whatever they wanted to prosecute these guys.

I spent all day(my birthday by the way) sorting things out at the property. So far, it’s about $1500 in just getting the buildings closed up. More to come getting new doors windows etc.

Evidently, the neighbors were involved. I saw a bunch of sheriffs cars at their place this afternoon and the deputy mentioned seeing me watching when he called.

I'd guess this ain't the perps' first rodeo. In my opinion, property crime is treated far too leniently in many jusrisdictions.

My uncle had a whole bunch of T parts stored in a family owned barn with no house around it that was about a 45 minute drive away from his place. A few years ago, scrappers cleaned it out of everything remotely heavy, including a complete 1915 engine.

Scrappers are a problem.... we've had them steal old farm equipment right out of a field and strip wiring out of unoccupied houses. When they were putting in a windmill farm a few years back they stole reels of copper wire and other materials. One thing the cops have done is crack down on the scrap buyers. They have to have documentation on anything they buy....now.

Morgan, let us know how it turns out. Too bad if the neighbors were involved. It's a good thing you discovered it when you did.

The sheriff’s office called and I am going out to look the scout and property to see if any of my other stuff is there. The problem is getting the vehicle and anything else back to my place. All I have is a rental car so I will have to rent a truck or have it towed.

I was very pleased that they didn’t take any T parts. I have a whole 26 engine, Ruckstell axles, transmissions, and a bunch of other things. Everything is buttoned up now and security cameras are going up.

BRING BACK PUBLIC HANGING!

Sad to say, if they go to jail we will pay for room and board and healthcare and education. Steve may be on to something.
At least public flogging.

Education? I just always assumed that came from the other inmates at no direct cost to the taxpayers!

Knowing who is 99% of the battle. Your choice if justice is administered. This is a DIY job.

Please don't be offended but some of the most out spoken on this subject come from states that have voted away there right to protect there own property. Don't call 911 call 1-800-bac-khoe.
Craig.

Oops just pointed out I went to public school didn't I.
Craig.

Just a follow up. The Sheriff’s deputies found the scout and arrested 3 people. All 3 are meth heads known to the deputies.

When I went to recover the scout with 4 deputies and a detective we found a bunch of my other stuff including 4 total wreck old rifles (really just barreled actions missing most of their parts) that I had at the property. We recovered all the stuff we found yesterday. Because of the burglary, the guns, and the grand theft auto, these guys are looking at some serious jail time. It would have been much better not to have had to go through this at all, but seeing these guys get screwed by the court will be a pretty good outcome.

I can’t thank the Churchill County Sheriff’s department enough. They broke the case in 24 hours and much of my stuff was back to me in 72. My flatbed trailer is on the hot list and may show up. Very glad to have gotten through the last 4 days.

Great that they got the guys and you retrieved your items. I hope the investigators dusted for prints. If they get a lawyer to try and get the, off, fingerprints would prove they were in your building and, pretty much, seal their fate. Jim Patrick

They dusted for prints and took touch DNA samples. Some of the things had my name on them, which helped prove they were mine. The detective said he thought it more than likely that they would plead out. I am asking that restitution be included in the plea deal. Not sure that this will get me much back, but it will complicate their life further.

It might depend on the DA. There are some states and we know who those are who are soft on criminals. They don’t want to offend those poor guys who just needed some extra spending money.