Golf Clubs Stolen

[PR1234]

Just thought I would give everyone a heads up. Today my husband's clubs were stolen out of our cart. He was playing billiards at LaHacienda and it was sometime between 2:30-5PM. Guess it's not as safe as we thought:mad::mad:

[Talk Host]

Just thought I would give everyone a heads up. Today my husband's clubs were stolen out of our cart. He was playing billiards at LaHacienda and it was sometime between 2:30-5PM. Guess it's not as safe as we thought:mad::mad:


I am so sorry to hear about this. You know this is not a new story. I guess it has been a real off and on problem. People like to think it's nonvillagers, but I guess we'll never know.

I'll bet your husband was really :mad:

Did he report it to the Sheriff????

[tracy1j]

That's just terrible! I'm so sorry to hear that.

[PR1234]

He is still over there waiting for the police to show up to make the report. The thieves got an added bonus of a nice range finder too! Even though it stinks, it's like I told my hubby....it's just "stuff" we can replace it:sigh:

[BobKat1]

Unfortunately, no place, including TV, is totally safe from crimes of opportunity like this.

[graciegirl]

Oh. I am really sorry to hear that. Your attitude is right and good, but oh how sad to know someone could do that.

[carm310]

Having lived in the Chicago area all of our lives we wondered about clubs so freely left in carts everywhere we went the first time we came down and every time thereafter. A sad dose of reality no matter where you live. :sad:

[otherbruddaDarrell]

Unfortunately this time of year brings out the thieves all over the country.
They caught some one a while back that had done a lot of the club thefts.
If I remember right he was a young guy that would take them to pawn shops.
Sorry for his loss, and I hope they find the rotten b...... that took them!

[Aceskaters]

At my former home, near Tampa, a neighbor had his clubs stolen and he found them shortly after...for sale at Play It Again Sports. He bought them back, but was told that if he had filed a police report the store would have had to give them back to him for free. Just a thought....

[ijusluvit]

The incredible number of folks who leave clubs and other valuables unsecured on carts is one of the most powerful examples of how TV seems to make us hallucinate on sugarplum thoughts. What better reason to live here!
But occasionally reality bites.

So we should probably remember that there are lots of effective, convenient, and reasonably priced club and bag locking devices out there. You can start with golfsmith.com.

[ricthemic]

Sorry to hear that and sorry for your husband's loss. I am relatively new to TV and unaware of the frequency of stolen golf equipment from golf carts in public areas. These crooks need to be caught and their names and sentences published so others may think twice.
If the frequency is common to a couple of sites then I hope they are installing security cameras and also considering setting up some sort of sting with premium clubs being monitored by camera and an undercover authority. Catch a few of these jerks, publish the results so others will think twice.
Make sure you check websites like Craigs List Ocala, Orlando and others for your stuff. I hope it is a dirt bag outsider rather than a Village resident.
Good luck

[Russ_Boston]

At my former home, near Tampa, a neighbor had his clubs stolen and he found them shortly after...for sale at Play It Again Sports. He bought them back, but was told that if he had filed a police report the store would have had to give them back to him for free. Just a thought....

Most people don't ID their clubs in any meaningful way that they could prove which clubs were theirs. But I guess your point is that maybe we should.

[Bogie Shooter]

Sorry to hear that and sorry for your husband's loss. I am relatively new to TV and unaware of the frequency of stolen golf equipment from golf carts in public areas. These crooks need to be caught and their names and sentences published so others may think twice.
If the frequency is common to a couple of sites then I hope they are installing security cameras and also considering setting up some sort of sting with premium clubs being monitored by camera and an undercover authority. Catch a few of these jerks, publish the results so others will think twice.
Make sure you check websites like Craigs List Ocala, Orlando and others for your stuff. I hope it is a dirt bag outsider rather than a Village resident.
Good luck
Hasn't hapened that often but does happen, probably more are stolen and not reported.
The crooks have been caught in the past. Yes, it was in the Daily Sun. Doubt that putting it in the paper will deter future thefts.
Who pays for the security cameras?
Biggest deterant is cover your clubs or lock them up.
Drive around either of the squares and you will see clubs on the back of the carts with those nice Cobra, Callaway,etc. head covers just advertising "here I am".
No wonder they get stolen.

[PR1234]

Nothing fancy about these clubs, just middle of the road. There was a Bushnell range finder worth about $400 in the bag, but it couldn't be seen. It's one of those live and learn life experiences. My husband is just way to trusting for his own good! Guess that's why I love him so much:)

[graciegirl]

If you see someone placing clubs into a car conciser that suspicious activity. Take a second look and decide if it appears out of the ordinary if so write down the license plate number of the car.

Watch for them for sale on Craigslist and Ocala for Sale. All advise you all have heard before. Now here is advise you haven't, go to Google alerts and enter the search criteria to match what you are looking for and if they show up for sale in Cracktown U.S.A you will get an alert in your E-mail box. You can do the same at sitemash, it searches all the Craigslist sites for you.

The best thing to do is engrave your name on each club. Don't buy one of those electric engraving tools that you see. Buy a variable speed Dremel at Lowes or HD and the engraving bit it works much better. :thumbup:

Wonder if someone would think, when they bought a set with someones' name engraved on it that the past owner was teeing it up with St. Peter or had a bad round.

It makes me SO mad that people are running around stealing in my Paradise.

Hugs once more to PR1234 who has beautiful values!

[ajbrown]

My clubs were stolen last year just before we went north for the summer. It happened in the parking lot at Mallory after a round of golf, while we ate. I did not have them secured due to the age old syndromes 'what are the odds' and 'things like that only happen to other people'. I call the sheriff, gave them info and I figured that was it.

I began to put together my wish list for the insurance company ;).

A month or two later a friend in TV called and said they saw in the paper someone was arrested for stealing clubs. This was an 18 year old with grandparents in TV (so proud :)). When he would visit, he would sneak onto a course, when he got kicked off as he left he would take 1 club or a whole set.

The kid gave details on everything after he was caught. My clubs were found at a 'Play in Again Sports' in Fort Myers.

I DID have to buy my clubs back at the cost the 'pawn shop' paid, not what they were selling them for. The state attorney then tries to get that money back for me when the kid is prosecuted which is happening now(good luck).

I notice the country clubs now sell a cover for $50/bag. My wife sewed one up using things laying around and a 7 foot cable from Lowes. The cable runs through the seam of the rain cover, through the golf bag handle and around the cart bag rack. Fool proof? NO, but maybe they go to the next cart ;)....

Some pictures if you are interested.

http://s1002.photobucket.com/albums/af146/ajbrown2007/totv/?action=view&current=P1030207.jpg

http://s1002.photobucket.com/albums/af146/ajbrown2007/totv/?action=view&current=P1030203.jpg

[PR1234]

Thanks AJBrown just the thing we were looking for, will have to give it a try. Unfortunatly for us we can't turn this into our insurance company:(
Another thing the officer told my husband was he was surprised they didn't take our golf cart too. We just got a new Star cart 2 days ago and he suggested that we take it to a locksmith and have it re-keyed as apparently anyone can get keys to these carts??

[dgammon6]

I'm not sure what other brands offer, but on the Ping web page you can register your clubs. This would help you prove you are the rightful owner of the set if they are found.
I remember reading in the Sun last year about two "dirt bags" that took clubs from a cart in Colony Plaza and took them to the Golf store in the same shopping center to sell them. Sheriff got them.

[BobKat1]

Having lived in the Chicago area all of our lives we wondered about clubs so freely left in carts everywhere we went the first time we came down and every time thereafter. A sad dose of reality no matter where you live. :sad:

Whenever we visit TV, we always lock up everything, or take smaller items with us when the cart is unattended. Just habit, I guess.

[Ooper]

If I go to the squares or a restaurant here in TV, I always leave my clubs at home. If I do have them with me, like having dinner after golf, I devised a little locking system for my clubs. All it cosistes of is a chain and lock I bought at Walmart. For only a few bucks (less than $10), I can weave the chain thru the handles on the golf bags, around the bumper and thru the rain guard I pulled down on the top of the cart. Even thou this isn't 100%, it is a real deterant as it is very difficult to pull the clubs our of the bag as the chain holds the rain guard down. I believe all things being equal, a thief will look for something easier to take. When not in use, I keep the chain and lock under the seat in my cart or in the dash if you don't have an underseat tray.

[dillywho]

Wouldn't you just love to be the one catching the thief in action!!!:highfive:

[batman911]

You can buy two items that will deter theft of golf clubs and bags. One is a device that locks the clubs into the bag. Another is an alarm that will sound if the bag is moved. The cost is moderate and well worth the peace of mind if you need to leave your clubs unattended for any length of time.
Both items are easily found by Google search.

[PR1234]

We bought some cable today at Home Depot, really don't like the idea of it at all
but there are just certain instances where it is not convenient for us to bring our clubs all the way back home.....oh the good ole days:(:(

[interested]

I bought an inexpensive bike lock at Wallmart and I thread it through the bag handles and our cooler (hot theft tickets as well). I put the rain guard over my clubs. It will be easier to steal someone elses clubs than mine. Why not be careful?

[otherbruddaDarrell]

Maybe they :police:could do a couple "bait cars".................and see what low-life bites!!

[chas39]

He is still over there waiting for the police to show up to make the report. The thieves got an added bonus of a nice range finder too! Even though it stinks, it's like I told my hubby....it's just "stuff" we can replace it:sigh:
I had my Callaway Driver stolen 2 years ago in front of H.Hills Resturant, I hit
2 drives with it....FYI I posted my rangefinder with all the Courses Mapped
of the Villages...No annual fees holds up to 40 courses...listed for 125.00.
Its a IGolf GPS Caddie ll....lists for 299.00...check it out...chas39

[billethkid]

people who freely park their golf cart with their clubs "wide open".....would lock their car if the same clubs were in the back seat. I suspect for most the answer would be ...yes!

The event is an isolated incident, expected in any population statistically no matter where one lives. Fortunately in TV the percent is as low as it is.

I do not leave my clubs on the cart when not playing golf. The simplest and least expensive deterrent.

btk