The Saga of the Prodigal Corvette
As I had mentioned in a previous post, three weeks ago burglars paid us a visit. They broke into our house through a small window. Among items that were taken included laptop computers two digital cameras, and a cell phone, and, by the way, also our Corvette. It happened in the middle of the day. Our neighbors had witnessed the crime. The burglars were driving a pickup truck that had been stolen from the local Toyota dealer two days earlier. The dealership confirmed this information.
Three days later the stolen pickup crashed and the occupants fled on foot and were not apprehended. Still no word on the Corvette. I suspected that the Corvette had gone to a chop shop and I would never see it again.
Two weeks following the crash I received a call from a sheriff's detective. He had just returned from vacation and was beginning work on the case. We discussed relevant aspects of the case. He told me that he would keep me informed about any progress.
About 2 hours later the dective called to inform me that they had found the Corvette and that I could get it back shortly. It had it been towed and I would have to pay its ransom. At the tow yard I discovered that the battery had been stolen. After installing a new battery I was on my way back home. The car was very dirty because it had been sitting under a tree for more than a week and the police dusted the car for fingerprints.
Now for the interesting part of the story: we live outside of the city limits of Reno. A Sheriff's deputy took the report of the burglary. The pickup truck was stolen inside of the Reno city limits, and was reported to the Reno police. The crash also happened inside of the city limits of Reno. That was also handled by the Reno police.
I visited the headquarters of the Reno police department to see if I could get some information about any personal property that may have been taken from our residence, possibly being in the pick up. The visit produced a phone number. I called Thursday. The detectives were all in the meeting. I left a message. I called again on Friday. The detectives had the day off. I called again Monday and finally managed to speak with a detective. He was anything but cooperative. He told me that he would not give me any information, that it was privileged information, and I was not entitled to it. I told him that the pickup that had crashed was the same one that was used in my burglary. He demanded to know how I knew that. I explained. He then asked if I was doing my own investigation, implying that civilians should not mess with real police work.
After a while he handed me off to his sergeant. The conversation with the sergeant was much the same as with the detective. He again explained why I can't have certain information. I again brought up the connection with the stolen pickup. He repeated the demand, how would I know that. I again explained my knowledge of the case, the witnesses, and the communication from the Toyota dealer. He told me that I should be directing these questions to the sheriff. (I later learned that my wife had already done so, but wit no results as of yet.) I further explained that I was not interested in personal information about anyone else. I only was asking if any of my own personal property which had been taken from a burglary was found in the truck, and if so, I would like it returned. The sergeant finally seemed to understand what I was requesting. He asked what items I was referring to. He then said he would get back to me. I'm still waiting - - and waiting.
Now, back to the car; the car had been sitting in a private parking lot for over a week. The owner of the of the parking lot contacted the Reno police department and said this car had been sitting there for over a week. She added that, and that it was a nice car. The police responded that she should just have the vehicle towed. The towing company did the necessary checks to find that the car had been stolen. Perhaps the towing company is the true investigative arm of the Reno police auto theft division. Is this Reno PD's version of outsourcing? Can you imagine the new advertising slogan; "In case of emergency, call your local towing company."
The car was then reported to the police who in turn contacted the sheriff's office.
My experience from this incident suggests to me that I cannot count on the Reno police department for assistance in anything.
Three days later the stolen pickup crashed and the occupants fled on foot and were not apprehended. Still no word on the Corvette. I suspected that the Corvette had gone to a chop shop and I would never see it again.
Two weeks following the crash I received a call from a sheriff's detective. He had just returned from vacation and was beginning work on the case. We discussed relevant aspects of the case. He told me that he would keep me informed about any progress.
About 2 hours later the dective called to inform me that they had found the Corvette and that I could get it back shortly. It had it been towed and I would have to pay its ransom. At the tow yard I discovered that the battery had been stolen. After installing a new battery I was on my way back home. The car was very dirty because it had been sitting under a tree for more than a week and the police dusted the car for fingerprints.
Now for the interesting part of the story: we live outside of the city limits of Reno. A Sheriff's deputy took the report of the burglary. The pickup truck was stolen inside of the Reno city limits, and was reported to the Reno police. The crash also happened inside of the city limits of Reno. That was also handled by the Reno police.
I visited the headquarters of the Reno police department to see if I could get some information about any personal property that may have been taken from our residence, possibly being in the pick up. The visit produced a phone number. I called Thursday. The detectives were all in the meeting. I left a message. I called again on Friday. The detectives had the day off. I called again Monday and finally managed to speak with a detective. He was anything but cooperative. He told me that he would not give me any information, that it was privileged information, and I was not entitled to it. I told him that the pickup that had crashed was the same one that was used in my burglary. He demanded to know how I knew that. I explained. He then asked if I was doing my own investigation, implying that civilians should not mess with real police work.
After a while he handed me off to his sergeant. The conversation with the sergeant was much the same as with the detective. He again explained why I can't have certain information. I again brought up the connection with the stolen pickup. He repeated the demand, how would I know that. I again explained my knowledge of the case, the witnesses, and the communication from the Toyota dealer. He told me that I should be directing these questions to the sheriff. (I later learned that my wife had already done so, but wit no results as of yet.) I further explained that I was not interested in personal information about anyone else. I only was asking if any of my own personal property which had been taken from a burglary was found in the truck, and if so, I would like it returned. The sergeant finally seemed to understand what I was requesting. He asked what items I was referring to. He then said he would get back to me. I'm still waiting - - and waiting.
Now, back to the car; the car had been sitting in a private parking lot for over a week. The owner of the of the parking lot contacted the Reno police department and said this car had been sitting there for over a week. She added that, and that it was a nice car. The police responded that she should just have the vehicle towed. The towing company did the necessary checks to find that the car had been stolen. Perhaps the towing company is the true investigative arm of the Reno police auto theft division. Is this Reno PD's version of outsourcing? Can you imagine the new advertising slogan; "In case of emergency, call your local towing company."
The car was then reported to the police who in turn contacted the sheriff's office.
My experience from this incident suggests to me that I cannot count on the Reno police department for assistance in anything.
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