I had an R10 stolen today in Tulsa, last 4 of the serial number is 5432. It was running as a base on a post (not a tripod). I got back to it in time to see a raggedly looking couple on foot walking nearby. I questioned them, they said no, they were just coming from the highway (fenced interstate, so doubtful). The woman had a large hippie purse, so I suspected it was in there, but I didn't want to have a confrontation, so I called the police. They went into a nearby convenience store, then came back out, crossed the road and went in to Lowe's. I think they knew I was watching them. The police got there then, and confronted them when they came back out (after being inside for 20+ minutes). They said they went in to Lowe's to get a soda (which they had one bottle, but they had also just come from the convenience store). I believe they stashed it somewhere inside Lowe's. Unfortunately Lowe's only has cameras on the entrance and exit.
When I called the police the 911 operator asked if it was stolen from a vehicle, I said no, and she said I had to fill out an online report, that they could not come for a larceny. Only after I said I was following the suspected perpetrators did they agree to send a car there. Four cars showed up. But no proof, so they had to let them go. It is most likely in the store somewhere, or they could have stashed it in the area near where I had it. I seriously doubt it was anyone else, as it was not in a location where any vehicles were likely to be.
Second receiver lost in less than a month (R8 into the river), with nothing similar for the last ten years or so (at least). But, I imagine the insurance company will drop me, so that is another problem I will have.
Thinking back, I should have just offered $200 to give it back in the initial conversation I had, but I didn't think of it then.
So if you find an R10 in a Lowe's...
Might be worth seeing if Lowe's would let you put a $200 reward sign with a picture of the receiver in the employee brake room. $200 to a part time minimum wage employee might help it get found faster. That is if the people haven't gone back in the store to get it or sent someone else back in to get it for them.
Corey
John Hamilton, post: 390073, member: 640 wrote: Second receiver lost in less than a month (R8 into the river), with nothing similar for the last ten years or so (at least).
Knock on wood; bad things like this tend to happen in 3's....
I imagine they will send some meth addict/crackhead in to retrieve it.
It does have a GSM sim card, so hopefully they aren't smart enough to remove it before turning it on. It is set to autostart, and to send me the data file at the end. I just wish it would send a position on startup, but that isn't available. So i may get an email telling me where it is, but I am not holding out hope.
As I said before, a person who steals a man's tools that he uses to make a living is the lowest scum around.
And my daughter is in law school to be a defense attorney. I keep trying to talk her out of it, but that is her goal.
Danno, our insurance guy says that claims are like baseball "Three strikes and your out." So you might have one more strike left.
Did you let the police know the cost of the device. They may have assumed that it was a $500 instrument, not the equivalent of a new pickup truck.
They will get $300 for ot at a pawn shop
Since I had not received an email with the last data file collected (receiver would have sent it to me next time it was powered on, as configured), I assumed the unit may not have been retrieved from where ever it was ditched, either the gas station/convenience store or the Lowes.
I got my replacement unit on Friday, so I was configuring a new sim card for it. I went to my dynamic dns provider and saw that the IP address was updated on 9/9, two days after it was stolen. That means it was powered on at least long enough to update the IP address, but probably not long enough to send the file. So someone does have it. 😡
That unit had an RTX subscription, which is activated "over-the-air" via geosynchronous satellite link, the same link that supplies the RTX data. It occurred to me that Trimble could offer a service to "disable" the receiver over that link when stolen, and that is something that could not be defeated by removing a sim card or otherwise reconfiguring the unit. It wouldn't prevent all thefts, but it would make the receiver a worthless doorstop if stolen which might remove some of the incentive if word got out out that there was no resale value.
One more comment-anyone who would buy a GNSS receiver (or total station) for a deeply discounted price would have to know it is stolen, and they are just as much of a scumbag as the person who stole it. I realize that it may go through several hands and the price may look like a legitimate sale, but I would NEVER buy such an item without knowing where it came from. We need a national registry of stolen equipment. NSPS does have a web page listing items, but I feel it needs to be more formalized and widely publicized. Automobiles, which are of similar value new, have VIN numbers that go into a database when stolen, and that makes it easier to recover. It doesn't eliminate thefts, of course. And thieves do send a lot of stuff out of the country.
John Hamilton, post: 393559, member: 640 wrote: anyone who would buy a GNSS receiver (or total station) for a deeply discounted price would have to know it is stolen, and they are just as much of a scumbag as the person who stole it.
If I where contemplating the purchase of a slightly used R10 I would be contacting my friendly neighborhood Trimble dealer to find out about the unit's service history. If the seller's name is the same as the person who has had it serviced from time to time, I'd be felling pretty good about his right to sell.
I bought a slightly used one directly from my dealer.
Now I have a problem...It looks like I am getting the unit back, a buddy of mine In Tulsa called to say that someone went in to a survey company there trying to sell an R10. He had a name and a phone number of the person. I called him. He said he found it. First I asked him how much he wanted, he said a few thousand. He said he found it exactly where it was taken from, in the weeds on a certain street, etc. I told him it was mine, that it had been stolen. He asked if I could prove it was mine, I told him the serial number, which he said was scratched off. He said it used to turn on but now doesn't (dead battery). He also said it still has the GSM card in it, but of course I cancelled that. So, I offered him a $250 reward for finding it. He hemmed and hawed, but agreed. So my buddy is going to get it tomorrow.
So what is my problem? I received an insurance settlement and bought a replacement (used). The replacement has modem issues (as I posted about extensively). I don't know if my old unit is in good working condition, or if it has the same issues with the modem, but if it is in good shape I would rather have it back. I called my insurance claim rep, she wasn't sure what would happen but said I could return the insurance money, which of course I don't have because I bought the replacement unit, etc.
Anyone knows what they usually do in situations like this? If it works, I would be happy to get mine back and give the replacement to the insurance company. My rep is going to call the actual insurers to see what is done.
I would have thought the law in the USA is the same here, that if you find something you need to give it back to the owner or hand it in to the police. If you don't, it's regarded as theft - otherwise people would be "finding" a whole lot of things.
Very ture. But, I just want to get it back with no hassle. However, if he does not show up, or demands more money, I could give the police his name (I only know his first name) and telephone number. But, they didn't seem too interested back in September, probably less so now.
Lost a boat in a flood once (long story) insurance paid it off and the boat dealer that picked up the wreck from the insurance company, wanted to sell the boat back to us a very substantial discount. That's all I have.
My daughter, who is law school to be a criminal defense attorney, says I should get the police after him. I am afraid if I get them involved (if they even care, not so sure they will), he will ditch it and deny the whole thing. He did offer to meet me, so I don't think it is the same person I confronted that day, maybe a buddy of his.
