gottafish
04-24-2006, 01:11 AM
These guys need everyones support
Group Finds Way To Deal with Thieves; Creates RAT Program
A group of fisherman is tried of having their cars broken into when they hit the rivers.
They say it's become such a problem they've created a group to try and deal with the problem.
Several of them have joined to form a group called R.A.T.
Recretionalist Against Thieves.
They're tired of leaving their vehicles at boat ramps -- to come back and find a window broken.
Or a lock busted.
With fishing season officially starting Saturday this group wants everyone to be aware.
Every week the Harvest Lane Boat Ramp is a popular place for fisherman.
But it's also become a popular place for drug addicts and thieves.
"We're dealing with a lot of the boat ramps that are slightly off the beaten track are getting invaded by thieves," said Brian Marz, a concerned fisherman who has his car broken into.
Many fisherman leave their vehicles here for hours when they're on the river.
When they come back... they find this.
"Right here you can actually see that they're basically used some sort of thieving device that pops the lock out so if they turn the lock it opens," said Marz.
Others find windows broken out.
Things missing.
"Due to the reputation of this boat ramp i purposely left it empty," added Marz.
Marz warned others on online forum.
He noticed other postings.
Realized he wasn't alone.
"Everyone you talk to has been hit or knows someone who's been hit," said the man who started the RAT program and goes by Moon.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office says it can't do anything.
That's why the group decided to form rat.
Recreationalist Against Thieves.
"Anything we can do to stop this epidemic anything. it's time to do something," said Moon.
They know boaters aren't alone.
"It's just became so obvious that this is a problem for everybody. the boaters, hikers, are having problems," added Moon.
Problems this group says has gone on for several years.
"I would say that in the past 2-3 years its elevated tremendously and i would think its due to th elevated drug use in the area," said Marz.
The group wants to get volunteers to help watch some of the hot spots in hopes of scaring off some of those criminals.
The group knows there's other victims out there.
So they've planned a community meeting set for April 27th.
At Armitage Park.
That starts at 6:30 p.m.
andrewpadula@kezi.com
All I can Say is :cheers: :cheers: :smash: :smash: :cheers: :cheers:
Group Finds Way To Deal with Thieves; Creates RAT Program
A group of fisherman is tried of having their cars broken into when they hit the rivers.
They say it's become such a problem they've created a group to try and deal with the problem.
Several of them have joined to form a group called R.A.T.
Recretionalist Against Thieves.
They're tired of leaving their vehicles at boat ramps -- to come back and find a window broken.
Or a lock busted.
With fishing season officially starting Saturday this group wants everyone to be aware.
Every week the Harvest Lane Boat Ramp is a popular place for fisherman.
But it's also become a popular place for drug addicts and thieves.
"We're dealing with a lot of the boat ramps that are slightly off the beaten track are getting invaded by thieves," said Brian Marz, a concerned fisherman who has his car broken into.
Many fisherman leave their vehicles here for hours when they're on the river.
When they come back... they find this.
"Right here you can actually see that they're basically used some sort of thieving device that pops the lock out so if they turn the lock it opens," said Marz.
Others find windows broken out.
Things missing.
"Due to the reputation of this boat ramp i purposely left it empty," added Marz.
Marz warned others on online forum.
He noticed other postings.
Realized he wasn't alone.
"Everyone you talk to has been hit or knows someone who's been hit," said the man who started the RAT program and goes by Moon.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office says it can't do anything.
That's why the group decided to form rat.
Recreationalist Against Thieves.
"Anything we can do to stop this epidemic anything. it's time to do something," said Moon.
They know boaters aren't alone.
"It's just became so obvious that this is a problem for everybody. the boaters, hikers, are having problems," added Moon.
Problems this group says has gone on for several years.
"I would say that in the past 2-3 years its elevated tremendously and i would think its due to th elevated drug use in the area," said Marz.
The group wants to get volunteers to help watch some of the hot spots in hopes of scaring off some of those criminals.
The group knows there's other victims out there.
So they've planned a community meeting set for April 27th.
At Armitage Park.
That starts at 6:30 p.m.
andrewpadula@kezi.com
All I can Say is :cheers: :cheers: :smash: :smash: :cheers: :cheers: