Up-to-date details about the stolen radios and the computer, as well as amplifying information regarding the <http://www.genesisworld.com/stolen.asp> and law enforcement databases appears below. IMHO there exists an urgency to find these radios because:
- The beating of John, WB6WQF, was exceptionally vicious, and very easily could have resulted in his death. It apparently was the work of a group of criminals in San Francisco who actively search for an opportunity to commit this type of mayhem. John has informed us that on the previous day a woman was severely injured and robbed in the same manner in a nearby location by yet unknown assailants. I do not know the specifics of her injuries, but according to John they are serious. As long as this group is at large, there is an immediate public safety issue in the San Francisco area.
- Finding the radios or the computer may provide a key to determine the identity of the assailants. My hope is that there are those amongst us who can help accomplish this in some way before someone else is attacked.
A "HAM" radio operator was recently viciously beaten and robbed in San Francisco, California.
On Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, at approximately 5:45AM, John, WB6WQF, was walking to work on California Street between Stockton and Grant (next to the Ritz Carlton hotel). A description of the attack, the equipment stolen, and an Email from John follows:
"Someone came up from behind me and whacked me over the head with a large table leg, knocking me to the ground and leaving me bloody. The radios were in my briefcase, which was stolen, along with my laptop computer. The assailants robbed me and then drove off in a light colored compact sedan.
The MTX9250 was programmed with just about all of the Northern California open 900MHz repeaters, in about 10 zones. I also had some Connecticutt [sic] repeaters programmed in one zone. The repeater locations show up on the display (e.g., Black Mtn., Vacaville, Willits, Concord, etc.). It's not easy to program these radios and it's pretty easy to identify my programming.
The FT-60R was programmed with about 900 repeaters. Bank 1 has all of the 99 or so AAR railroad frequencies. Bank 2 has a number of local Norcal repeaters, mostly SFARC, Marin ARC, Diablo, and Winsystem. Bank 3 has all of the Winsystem repeaters. Other banks have various Norcal repeaters, one bank has Connecticut VHF repeaters, and another bank has Connecticut UHF repeaters. Also should be easy to spot.
I am recovering from my injuries, and I'm lucky to be alive. I would really like to get these guys, and perhaps we can do it if the stolen radios show up."
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Nomenclature of stolen radios (both are Handy-Talkies, see pictures below) - nomenclature and description of laptop computer:
- Motorola MTX9250, serial number 921TDJ1024 (Easy to spot, not a common radio)
- Yaesu FT-60R, serial number 6L441005.
- The laptop is a Thinkpad X60s, model 1704-4JU, serial number LVA3837. It's a 12.1" lightweight portable, with a 60GB hard drive, and 1.5GB of RAM, no optical drive. There is a power-on password and a hard drive password, so it boots with a black screen and a padlock symbol prompt in the upper left corner.
*It has been suggested that the "Ebay" and "Craigslist" websites be monitored in case these items show up for auction.
If you have any information regarding the perpetrators or the equipment, please email John:
"jpoesq at sbcglobal dot net"
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Information regarding the <http://www.genesisworld.com/stolen.asp> stolen radios website, as well as the law enforcement database, was received from Frank M.:
"Bummer on the stolen gear, but that database you gave us is no good.
All the gear on it is commercial, 99% Motorola.
A database of stolen consumer electronics does exist, and the Sheriff
of any county can access it. Any time I acquire a radio, through ANY
means, I check with my county Sheriff. I once purchased a "new" radio
from one of the major dealers and ran it past my county Sheriff.
Turned up stolen! We confronted the dealer who admitted that they
were drawn in by a "deal" for then-new HF rigs, from an "alternative"
source. To avoid prosecution, they turned in the "alternative"
source. I got my purchase price back...ended up paying $75 more for
the same model from someone else...this time it did pass the check.
Things are better now than they have been in the past. From the late
1970s to the late 1980s, as the repeater revolution exploded, and hams
(particularly in larger eastern cities) were Jonesin' to catch the
wave, it was common for a repair depot for police/fire or other
two-way gear to "lose" a handheld. At one time, it was estimated that
50% of the Motorola HT-220 radios in the hands of hams were "hot".
That's what started this whole wave of having a database for stolen
electronics.
I took delivery, just two weeks ago, of a radio. It was given to
me...story was that my buddy had been given the radio five years
earlier, by a buddy, who'd been given the radio by a buddy...about
five "buddies" back, someone theoretically purchased it brand new, but
never got licensed, and "just gave it away" to someone who'd actually
put it on the air. I took delivery of the rig, told my buddy I'd find
a home for it, and called my county Sheriff. Yep, it was on the
stolen gear list...but it had been reported a long time ago, something
like 12 years. A detective in the dept contacted the police dept
who'd originally reported it, who contacted the person who reported
it, who said they were no longer interested, donate it to a good
cause. The Sheriff told me that I could keep it, since the original
owner now declared it "not stolen".
I put it on the bench; it needed an alignment and cleaning. I did
that, then gave it to the lead instructor for our ham classes, who
will use it as a "floating loaner" radio for newly-minted licensees."
Notes from Bundy, KF6YXQ:
Re: [WIN System Member's Yahoo Group] STOLEN MTX9250 AND FT-60R
http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/map/891387/san_francisco_ca/alemany_flea_market.html
I've also found a number of stolen or misplaced SFFD and SFPD radios there and returned them to their depts.
On Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 10:14 PM, F <jpoesq@...> wrote:
Thanks. Where is that flea market located?
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
From: bundolicious@...
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 21:05:13 -0700
To: <winsystemmembers@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [WIN System Member's Yahoo Group] STOLEN MTX9250 AND FT-60R
Bundy
KF6YXQ-------------------------------------------------------------
Dan H. Wrote:
"Luckily our equipment is within a tightnit [sic] community and easily tracked
if we have the serial number.
unfortunately when caught, it is a stretch to expect the courts to act
appropriately against these perps.
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Pictures of these rigs are blogged here.
Updated information regarding this matter will be blogged here.
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Motorola MTX9250
