SOLDOTNA ALASKA ALERT: Aircraft Thieves

My advice is to video while confronting or communicating with unknown individuals. You get the faces and vehicles. Next time you see a police officer look for the camera or cell phone. I've made many cases by getting the information the first time. One doesn't need to be rude just ask questions and capture the moment. It could prove to be something invaluable. If you are not armed then you are foolish. It's not being paranoid it's simply tools of the trade to compete with skumbags. AK has its share along with everywhere else.

Do you guys in AK have the "purple fence post law"? Its gaining traction in most all states, means same as no trespassing. It is just another "sign" but can give you more leverage if you ever had to file charges on someone. Most everyone now has a "dash cam" or phone in their camera. ........ If conversation doesn't give you the warm and fuzzy, tell them to leave now while you are taking their pic......... but always be armed. Its not like you can shoot the fockers unless threatened. Another possibility is they could be undercover cops. I almost confronted a couple unknown cars sneaking around the Newnan GA airport late on night a couple years back. I didn't have anyone to watch my back so called local cop friend. Turns out they were DEA waiting on a Citation coming in from Mexico. ................ no one told anyone on the airport! My cop buds that cruise in unmarked cars don't ever have the same plates on their vehicles..... rotate any tag they confiscate and paper dealer tags too.

Like Teddy said............ speak softly but carry a big stick..........

Many years ago the Authorities in Alaska would take pictures at every opportunity of us and our beautiful unique airplanes. They built up quite an album of pilots and aircraft ID's just in case evidence was later needed. I doubt that was the deal here tho. Driving w/o plates would be a red flag so some prior planning occurred before the trespass. In Alaska temp tags are taped to the inside of the rear window not on the outside of the vehicle...motorcycles are the exception.

Gary

Rob said:

This would insinuate inner city riff riff which is a world wide problem and not the case for the OP.

And this elitist attitude is likely the only thing about Alaska I don't enjoy, but it is fairly prevalent.... Last I checked your state flag always followed the Nations flag on the way up, and never flew higher....

Take care, Rob

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Rob the OP is trying to come to grips and deal with an alleged intrusion onto private property - potentially a innocent or maybe worse yet pre-criminal act. Please leave the Straw Man comments for a personal mail.

Gary

Rob said:

And this elitist attitude is likely the only thing about Alaska I don't enjoy, but it is fairly prevalent.

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Welllll, there is a sub-section of 'people' that have caused this, and for good reason.

Moving along-

Quite often we have conversations that words convey less than people's actions and demeanor. I was not there when Barnstormer talked with the people; he can not convey everything he observed and the speech cadence of the trespassers; nor could he convey what made the hairs on his neck prickle about them.

One thing I have learned after 24 years with Lyn- if she tells me to stay away from a person as they are bad news, there is good reason. We may not know what, but she has the ability to tell about someone being a POS.

I am sure had the people been polite and conveyed an innocent love of aircraft, and been able to tell how they found the plane- they might have had a different reception. Heck, I have invited folks to stay the night I just met because I could tell they were good people.

Thank you for letting us know about this BarnStromer. It is sad that we now must be vigilant to a point of being suspicious at all times. Until SB 91 gets resolved, the good people of Alaska will be suffering with these issues.

I am 100% behind Barnstormer on this. We live near the end of a cul de sac on a road that is much more public than his. MANY times a day we get very unfamiliar vehicles driving VERY slowly looking around. 8 out of 10 times just standing in the driveway and letting them see us causes them to leave the area much more quickly.

Pictures? Yeah, we take them too.

Meth heads? Very likely and also very likely born and bred here in the state of AK. And it isn't just the drug addicts out cruising for drug funding. My neighbor has a hangar at a different strip across town. His thing is shortwings. Wouldn't you know it, some a hole cut a hole in his building and helped himself to VERY specific aircraft parts. A single gearleg and a flap handle(installed).

It aint just addicts, there are some very scummy aviation folks out there too.

How many airplanes have been stolen in south central Alaska lately?

IF it was some guy snooping? Looking for fuel or 4-wheelers is MUCH more likely. Even a thief is smart enough to deflect his intentions. Thieves are opportunists. Make it hard for them and they go elsewhere.

Social media puts local crime right in your face until you believe you're about to become a victim. It's alarming how guilty until proven innocent is becoming the new American mantra.

Hi AKT,

You're right I guess... I certainly owe Phil and apology, as I was not there either. I apologize for sharing my opinions Phil.
But as I write this, I can't help but be even more grateful for where I am. Because as I sit here on the back ramp of my hangar, I can look around and see tractors, combines, equipment of all manner, even airplanes! A loot in the millions to be certain. None of which will be under lock and key or chained up tonight. Perhaps all the riff raff from my state have migrated to Alaska?
As for the rest of my day? Well... my grandson is in town, and I have no doubt he will be along soon to drag me out to the barn to get out the 4wheelers or point me towards the stable to sharpen his mulemanship.
Neither of these is all too secure if anyone cares to join in. I won't even ask for ID.

Take care, Rob

Hi 85hp tcart (love them!)

Touche' but the scarecrow was yours, I merely obliged by shooting the holes in it. PM (per your request) to follow. But after out trail ride on the mules ;-)

Take care, Rob

I understand the Paranoia, or being cautious. I live on a state road that is halfway between a major tourist attraction and Interstate 90, 15 miles from I90 and 15 to Cooperstown. My house is on a lonely stretch of road a half mile from one house and 1500' from the other. It's really dark most times. Before everyone had a GPS we would get cars stopping a couple times a night and park in front of my shop so they could get off of the road. Normally the interior light would come on and a road map could be seen crumpled up in someones lap. Most of them had driven what seemed like a long ways on the curvy road built next to a creek over 200 years ago. Most figured they had gone the wrong way because it couldn't possibly take this long to drive to Cooperstown from the intestate. Some pulled off the road too far and got stuck in the mud or endless snow we get. I have gotten out of bed more times then I can remember to help them get unstuck or needed a jumpstart because they left the lights on too long and killed the battery. Even had a few fall asleep out there. Most jumped out of their skin when I knocked on the window to see if they were alright. Never really bothered me till one night staying up late I watched the movie " In Cold Blood " Humm.... old farm house on a lonely road.... scared the fecal matter right outa me. Took me awhile to get back to being a concerned citizen from someone who was pointing a shotgun out the window a couple times a week. Life's too short to be that worried.

Glenn

Rob said:

Hi 85hp tcart (love them!)

Touche' but the scarecrow was yours, I merely obliged by shooting the holes in it. PM (per your request) to follow. But after out trail ride on the mules ;-)

Take care, Rob

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Good we'll have a good visit and exchange via PM. Maybe share something too about each other's perspective of here and there.

Gary

It's a different world out there now than it used to be.
I grew up in southwest Los Angeles, but for about 25 years now I've lived on the Olympic Peninsula in rural western Washington.
For a long time I liked to think that bad stuff was confined to the "big city".....
until about 10 years ago when a long-time local couple were murdered in a home invasion type situation.
They lived about 5 miles from me, and the man's niece owns the café at my airport.More recently a local friend had his house burgled while he & his wife were out for a 20 minute walk.
So now I'm more inclined to greet a stranger on my property with a gun in my pocket than a smile on my face.
Sad but true.

In the 30 years I've had a remote cabin I can't count how many people have gone out of their way to come into my yard and sometimes bang on my door. Each time I've done what I could to help them whether they needed directions, a couple of gallons of gas, first aid, dry socks, a place to warm up, a tow, a ride, etc. Not once did it occur to me to pull a gun and scare them off. Several times I can recall being the guy that passed a no trespassing sign and banged on a door, and each time those folks treated me well. I hope I never run into you gun wielding hermits, but if you happen into my yard needing something? I'll do what I can to help.

To Phil, I also understand the occasional need to move somebody along. Did it myself a couple of weeks ago when a had a squatter on a piece of property I own. Not a friendly encounter but no gun needed. I've had my share of thieves helping themselves to my fuel and even one truck so far this year, so I'm not naive to the issues.

stewart, you are comparing apples to oranges. Remote property where it's pretty much aircraft access only, uninvited visitors would normally be considered legit.

Living on the road system and having unknown characters just show up and start snapping photos with a shuck and jive story is a problem that needs to be handled swiftly, carefully and leaving no doubts in the visitors minds.

Not to argue, but there's lots of traffic by my cabin. And I understand the other issues where there's road access. I don't need a gun when somebody pulls into my driveway and I can't assume every car that drives by slowly has sinister intentions. If you turn off social media discussions about crime in Alaska 99% of Alaskans wouldn't know there was a crime problem. To me that means the problem is mostly social media.

Here's a summary of reported crime in Alaska for 2017. Draw your own conclusions as to what and why some criminal acts have shown a recent increase from a prior trend:

https://dps.alaska.gov/getmedia/905b42bb-cd71-443c-a035-6eee5f65beb4/CIAK-2017-8-9-18-LOCKED

And a media take as to why in some areas:

https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-crime-rate-in-Alaska-so-high

Gary

My take? An unknown individual showing up at my place is just that, unknown. Gotta play it by ear. I've only had a problem once, physically attacked inside my home. My handgun played a role until the Alaska State Troopers arrived and arrested the fellow.

Rob, no worries.
Stewart, appreciate your latest comment to me.
Gary, thanks.


Everyone, my original post was only intended as a warning.


No one knows what's occurred before this event, and no one was there during this event but me so no one has a clue as to what triggered my reaction other then the words I wrote. My original post was only intended as a warning.


When I first purchased this place no one ever came down my driveway except those that belonged (utilities, delivery, friends, tax accessors, etc) and of course the asphalt gypsies. But a year or so ago something changed. More and more vehicles who didn't belong started coming down my driveway, most all the way to the cabin then turning around and leaving. And these were only the ones I saw. I assume there are lots more when I not here. 99% of the time I just let them do their thing. They are not using my driveway as a turn around because right across the highway there is a big abandoned parking lot in front of an old closed down restaurant that provides a far easier turnaround. Some were obvious drug addicts, but others not. Now with fuel and two airplanes at my place, and with the popular theft of Avgas by snowmobilers, I decided I needed to stop folks from coming in.


Being of the personality that always sees the good in folks even when it isn't there I couldn't bring myself to post an actual no-trespass sign so instead I posted two black/white Private Residence signs, one on each side of the driveway, assuming they would be respected. But no, made no difference. Begun the process of figuring out a gate but this is Alaska and if you don't set things up before the beginning of summer you don't get it till next year- the construction season is just too short.


So I did the next best thing, put a red road cone in the middle of the driveway far enough to allow someone to pull in off the highway safely so they could then turn around. Worked great. Stopped them all, none ever came past the cone on foot or by vehicle, and no one ever moved my cone. Until this happened.


I walked out to talk to this guy and when I did all my internal bells and whistles went off. And I can count the number of times that's happened in my 62 years on one hand.


Afterwards I had to console someone I love who was robbed at gun point, beaten, and shot at- and suffers from PTSD when reminded of that event- which this did.


So if you think that I over reacted put a sock in it, you have no idea what you are talking about, and quite frankly I'm surprised you'd even go there not knowing anything about what transpired.


Thanks to the others who expressed sympathy or things to do to help with incidents in the future.

Phil,

We live at the end of a 1/2 mile dead end road. Take a look at a wireless driveway sensors (I found some that are FM and claim 1/2 mi range and will install them this weekend) and if you have a concealed spot put up a trail camera that will capture their tag number going in and hopefully faces coming back out. Our road ends at two heavy pipe gates into the neighbors ranch and one we share that we use a kryponite cycle lock on when we travel and then we have an electric gate further up we use for daily access control.

Kirby

Just one more point, if I may - - The most effective and dangerous of bad guys look for all the world like the best of good guys.