Greensboro, NC -- Greensboro Police are looking for a trailer stolen from the Red Cross.
Melanie McDonough with the Red Cross said someone stole one of their emergency trailers parked outside their building on Yanceyville Street. It was noticed missing Tuesday morning.
She said the trailer contained blankets, cots and a generator used for emergency shelters.
The trailer said "American Red Cross Randolph County" on the side. McDonough said the trailer is stationed in Randolph County during the summer, but was moved to Greensboro to hold supplies for the winter.
McDonough said they are working with Greensboro Police to find the trailer.
Officials at the Red Cross in Greensboro are asking for help after thieves stole a trailer full of equipment from the parking lot of their Yanceyville Street office overnight Monday.
A half-trailer with an estimated $10,000 worth of materials was parked outside the office overnight for churches who were borrowing the blankets and cots to run emergency shelters.
"It shocked us all. We were joking that somebody had moved it, but then we called their volunteers and we didn't move it. These are the times we'd open a shelter, and that's why we need it," Susan Smith, Red Cross official, said.
Melanie McDonough, a spokesperson for the Red Cross, said a bolt cutter was used to pop the lock on the trailer hitch, which allowed the trailer to be towed away. The trailer has a Red Cross logo on the side, McDonough said.
Even if someone had seen the burglary in progress, they likely would not have looked twice, Smith said.
"If somebody came by in the middle of the night and saw it being moved, they would think were just responding to a disaster," Smith said.
This is the first time in Smith's 35 years of Red Cross service that she can remember anything of significant value being stolen.
The Greensboro Police Dept. is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call Greensboro Crimestoppers at 373-1000.
The Harrison County Sheriff says in seconds, thieves are hooking up trailers from driveways and driving away undetected.
The crimes started being reported December 6th and one week later, the Harrison County Sheriff Department was investigating a total of five reports.
Sheriff Bruce Hampton says, "They're not too choosy, and what they're doing is likely taking them another state to sell."
From large car trailers ranging from $6,000 to smaller utility trailers with a price tag of a couple hundred dollars, the sheriff says if it's easy for you to to hook up your own trailer, then it's easy for the thief as well.
Hampton says, "it's winter time, the house is locked up, windows are down, you're in the house snug as a bug, but you don't know if someone is driving around the house."
A similar scenario likely occurred for the Mills family.
They were borrowing a trailer from a friend and keeping it by a barn in their back yard. They say it was last seen Thursday night and noticed missing Saturday morning.
Anita Mills says, "It's just frustrating that people have to steal in this day in age."
Sheriff Hampton says it's important for people to keep record of the VIN or serial number of expensive items like trailers, in the event they are stolen.
He says even a picture can help track the missing item down at times.
Latest Comments
Posted by: Ron Melancon Location: Glen Allen on Dec 14, 2010 at 01:44 PM
Wake up...your state has no registration for trailers.....so how are you going to find them. It is because of Kentucky a Virginia Women is dead due to a trailer that has no registration from your state. Shame on you... As you aware our main concern is "Loose Runaway Trailers" and 4 years ago we noticed a growing trend. See here..http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/Stolen_Utility_Trailers.html We have uncovered some facts that will simply disturb you. They are so cheaply made these Manufactures do not want to spend the money to put the Vin Numbers into the Metal. In fact they encourage Utility Trailers From Being Stolen so they can sell new ones and have the Insurance Companies pay for them if the customer has insurance. In fact Kentucky and South Carolina is the stolen trailer capitals of the United States. Fact: Trailers in Kentucky do not get registered and they do not have a license plate. So when they come unhitched and kill a Virginia Resident back in 2008 nobody knows who killed her because no identification is on the trailer. In addition Kentucky has NO SAFETY CHAIN LAW! http://dangeroustrailers.blogspot.com/2007/10/virginia-police-seeking-information-on.html http://dangeroustrailers.blogspot.com/2006/12/another-accident.html http://thehadenfamily.blogspot.com/ Fact: Trailers in South Carolina also do not need to get registered and when they come loose and kill TWO PARENTS in front of their children and nobody knows who killed them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1I-tDixzo
Posted by: concerned Location: harrison co on Dec 14, 2010 at 11:53 AM
okay so are there no tracks of feet or tires that can be traced by the sheriffs dept. come on guys lets at least try to catch the thieves.
Local Boy Scout Troop Loses New Trailer To Thieves
Local Boy Scout Troop Loses New Trailer To Thieves
Trailer, $10,000 Worth Of Camping Equipment Stolen From Storage Lot
POSTED: 2:24 pm EDT November 6, 2010 UPDATED: 5:33 pm EDT November 6, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A local Boy Scout troop is out of nearly $10,000 worth of camping equipment and a new trailer after they said thieves stole their trailer from its storage lot in downtown Orlando.Boy Scout Troop 148 Troop Leader John Sowinski said he noticed the trailer missing from its storage lot near Brookhaven and Virginia drives Thursday afternoon and immediately notified Orlando police. Local security said they last saw the trailer Thursday morning."The loss is extremely disappointing to the troop," Sowinski said.Sowinski said the scouts purchased the new trailer in March using funds that the troop raised following their annual Christmas Tree sale."A troop losing its trailer is like a family losing its home," Sowinski said. "Each patrol's gear was on board, neatly packed and labeled - all of our stoves, life vests, patrol kitchens, paddles, the works. Scouting is about teaching boys to make ethical decisions throughout their lives while instilling patriotism and reverence to God. It will be quite a challenge to reconcile the lessons we are trying to teach with this loss."In addition to the 2009 Pace American Journey silver trailer, Sowinski said several tents, canopies, grills and other cooking equipment were also missing.Sowinski said they are reaching out to the community in helping to locate the missing trailer and camping supplies. A page on the troop's website, www.Troop148.us, outlines the missing equipment with photos so that the community might recognize the stolen goods at local pawn shows, garage sales and Internet shopping sites.Anyone with information on the stolen trailer is asked to call the Orlando Police Department at 407-246-2470.
FORT MYERS: A Cape Coral man is out of $30,000 worth of equipment and a trailer after it was stolen last Saturday from his business.
The trailer belonged to Scott Janson, owner of Scotty's Automotive in Fort Myers.
Janson moved his trailer to his business after he was told by Cape Coral Code Enforcement to move it.
He believes sometime between 1 p.m. Saturday and Monday morning the thieves came behind his business and took the trailer.
Frustrated with the slow investigation, Janson took the investigation into his own hands, looking at hours upon hours of security footage from neighboring businesses.
"I've noticed, late at night when I'm here after hours doing paperwork, that there's a lot of scrap people coming in here, looking for scrap metal, scrap aluminum, going through my dumpsters, they're going through my scrap tires that I leave outside," said Janson.
He believes someone went after his trailer, not knowing what was inside.
"It's the times we're in, obviously. But it's a shame something like this had to happen for me to do this," said Janson.
They're offering a reward for information on the theft.
Since then, Janson has installed a new security system at his business.
These Utility Trailers Companies make them so cheap they do not want to embedded the Vin number into the medal and have a NATIONAL REGISTRY.
What is going on is they steal them...and take off the Vin number that is on a cheap medal plate. Then they sell them on Craigs list any other means. Then for this example they come into Virginia and call it a 'HOMEMADE" trailer.
Our Crazy DMV has no way to verify that it is really "Homemade" and they issue a new Vin number on a Stolen Trailer. Then for example in South Carolina the Stolen Utility Trailer Capitol of the Nation you don't have to EVER register your trailer at all!!!!!
Because of our efforts the State of Illinois the only one in the Nation enacted a law that requires that you must prove it is really homemade before you get a vin number. The only problem is you simply have to go to another state and get a new vin number and you can register it back in Illinois.
To help we have a solution we own the National Utility Trailer Registry.org and .com where if we get somebody with common sense we can help enact a way to help stop this ongoing behavior.
Yet the Insurance companies, the Utility Trailer Companies and our Government does nothing to help but destroy our cause. Why? at the end of the day we the consumer pays for this.....How much more does my Country Want Me To DO???? I have almost lost it all.
LATTA — The Latta High School band will be in a pinch when it comes to transporting equipment this season after someone stole its utility trailer right off of the school’s property.
The trailer was last seen July 26 outside of the band room at the high school, she said. Band practice started Monday and that’s when officials noticed the trailer was stolen.
“I noticed it Monday because I tried to park where it was and I didn’t really notice it was gone until we figured out that it was gone and it dawned on me that I had parked there,” Latta High School Principal George Liebenrood said.
The trailer was purchased in 1998 by a parent who raised money throughout the community to help pay for the item’s more than $2,000 price tag.
Moore described the enclosed trailer as being 6-by-10 feet long with white with green and gold lettering with the Latta Viking Marching Band logo on it. Inside the trailer was the drum major’s podium, which is made of metal and steel.
School officials said the trailer provided an essential service for the band and officials did not know how they would transport instruments this season without it.
“We use this trailer for several things during the year, mainly for competitions and travel for our marching band,” Latta High School Band DirectorTyler Hutto said. “Mainly for our marching band, trying to load instruments and carry instruments to different places you know, there’s lots of equipment involved to take a band on the road, so we’re kind of upset that we’re not having that opportunity now.”
Police are working to retrieve footage from the school’s surveillance system, but it is proving to be a difficult task because there is such a large window of time in which the theft could have taken place.
The theft is especially bad for the school district in light of recent budget cuts.
On July 20, Dillon County School Board members voted to adopt a new funding system for the county. Five members voted for the new budget system, while three voted against it. The three who voted against it are all from the Latta school district, one of three districts that could be affected the most by the change.
The district has long-used a “per pupil” system for budgeting its schools. But now, the district will implement a tax-based system.
Dillon School Districts 1, 2 and 3 will have to redo their fiscal year budgets because of this change.
Kirby said his district would lose about $300,000 in funding.
Liebenrood said though officials do not yet know how or if they will be able to replace the trailer, they are hoping someone sees it and calls authorities or that the trailer is returned.
“It’s hard for me to believe that somebody would take something that kids use and it’s for their program and they know how much it means to the band program to have this trailer to travel to contests,” he said. “It’s just vital to the program and we desperately need it back.”
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police department at (843) 752-4718 or the state Crime Stoppers hotline at (888) CRIME SC (274-6372). Callers need not reveal their identities.
Father and son arrested in theft of Midwest City police 'bait trailer”
FROM STAFF REPORTS
MIDWEST CITY — A father and son were arrested in connection with the theft of a "bait trailer” equipped with a police GPS tracing device.
Thomas Beach Scott Jr., 41, and his son, Kyle Travis Scott , 20, both of Oklahoma City , were arrested early Monday, Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said.
They were jailed on complaints of grand larceny, possession of a controlled and dangerous s...
Crime Prevention Alert – Thefts of Utility Trailers | 23 August 2010
Three (3) utility trailers have been reported stolen in Clayton over the past three weeks.
August 4, 2010: a 2008 Shivers flatbed 5' x 8' black utility trailer was stolen from 603 N. Fayetteville St.
August 8, 2010: an enclosed white 2008 American utility trailer was taken from 1009 Breeze Ln.
August 20, 2010: an enclosed utility trailer was taken from 242 Pineland Ave.
The trailer from Pineland Ave. was recovered after being abandoned with flat tires on Norris Rd. south of Clayton (photo attached), but some property was stolen from inside. Additionally, the Johnston County Sheriff's Office has received at least a half dozen similar reports of utility trailers being stolen from the area surrounding Clayton within the last thirty days.
Most of the trailers had locks that were removed with a cutting tool before being towed away. Trailer owners are urged to take security precautions to include locking mechanisms and positioning stored trailers so that vehicles, structures, or other obstacles might placed to prohibit access to a towing vehicle. (Although no boat/trailers have been reported stolen recently, owners of such property should take similar security precautions whenever possible.)
Lynchburg, VA - Another area high school marching band is at a disadvantage this fall.
Gretna High School's marching band trailer, which contained some of their uniforms and equipment, was taken a few weeks ago. Now, a trailer theft at E.C. Glass has some wondering if the two are connected.
E.C. Glass representatives say their situation is bad but not nearly as bad as Gretna's. E.C. Glass lost the flatbed trailer. There was nothing inside of it. Those affiliated with the band say it is a big deal, however.
It is the second week of band practice at E.C. Glass High School.
"It really is a shame. People don't... what kind of world are we living in if people can just come and take our trailer?" said 12th grader Josh Bayliss.
Bayliss is bewildered.
"To have something taken that you worked hard for, that all the kids have worked hard for that's very frustrating," he said.
The theft happened earlier this summer on school grounds. It will cost about $1,500 to replace.
"We are stretched to the limit this year," said Heather Knopp, EC Glass Band Booster President.
Unfortunately, the Band Boosters Organization cannot afford to foot the bill.
"Without it, there's no way we can get everything to the field to use it," said 2010 alum Callie Dupree.
We are told the trailer looks similar to ones used by landscapers and it was used to move heavy materials.
"The walking stage that we actually walk on breaks down into four different pieces," said Brielle Farrow, 12 grade.
Students say they do not know how they would start the season without it.
"We would have to get like, everyone even the parents to move it," said Farrow.
"It doesn't seem like much but it is a very critical piece of equipment for our operation," said Knopp.
E.C. Glass is asking for donations from the community. They hope to get a new trailer before their first game, September 10.
Lynchburg Police say they have no leads in this case
Comments.... Natalie I'm just saying, this is horrible! I'm in marching band, and if our trailer was stolen, our season would be pretty much over. If the trailer was full it would have been at least 100 grand in items that would take forever to replace. Why would someone do something so horrible?
Ronmelancon Please go to www.dangeroustrailers.org and see what is going on ....a number of years ago we noticed that these trailers are also being stolen.
What is going on is these companies use cheap vin number tags. They are being stolen and the old vin number is simply ripped off.
Then they call our Crazy DMV and tell them they have a "Home Made" trailer then they send someone out who has idea what a "Home Made " trailer is and issues a NEW VIN NUMBER.
What the police should do is for the next few weeks monitor all new applications for "Home Made" trailers getting new Vin numbers and you will find the stolen trailer.
When DMV issues a new vin number the crooks then sell them on Craigs list or on EBAy....don't believe me...look for your self...go here In one county in Illinois they had 4,000 registered 'Home Made Trailers" but guess what?
Sheriff's Detective Barry Boutwell said the department has handled reports of four trailers being stolen in the past 12 days
Police estimate of the roughly 4,000 registered homemade trailers in Boone and Winnebago Counties, only about ten of them really are. They think the rest are commercially made and stolen.
DESOTO COUNTY — An Arkansas man has been arrested in connection with a string of utility trailer thefts in DeSoto and Marshall counties.
In a joint statement issued Friday, DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco and Marshall Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said Jimmie Lee Rook, 44, of Colt, Arkansas, have been arrested on four counts of grand larceny in Marshall County, with additional counts pending in DeSoto County.
For the past three months, law enforcement agencies in Marshall and DeSoto counties, along with agencies in Tennessee, have been on the alert in an effort to identify the person or persons responsible for the multiple utility trailer thefts.
Warrants were issued along with bulletins requesting information for Rook's whereabouts across the Mid-South.
In Fayette County, an alert citizen involved in a Neighborhood Watch program, provided a description of the driver and vehicle, a gold-colored S10 pickup, used in the theft of a trailer in Fayette County.
Based upon this information, Marshall County Deputy Sheriff Scott Johnson spotted Rook's vehicle on Oct. 8 on Miss. Hwy. 309 in Marshall County.
The officer gave pursuit and Rook bolted out of the truck and into a wooded area.
Johnson gave a foot chase and apprehended Rook who was quickly brought into custody.
The multi-agency investigation has resulted in the recovery of more than 30 stolen utility trailers from DeSoto and surrounding areas. Many of the trailers have been modified and serial numbers removed. Modifications were also made which included color changes, and tires and rims being switched in an effort to disguise the original appearance of the trailers.
Owners of utility trailers are reminded to take photos of their equipment in the event they are stolen.
Anyone having any more information on these crimes or other incidents are urged to call 662-429-1470 or 662-429-TIPS.
DENVER - The folks who operate the Kids Mobility Network, a Colorado non-profit that helps children with disabilities obtain wheelchairs and walkers, were out of town last week. That is when the $4,000 trailer they use to pick up and deliver equipment went missing from a Sheridan industrial park.
“We have had to cut our pick-ups at homes where kids have outgrown their durable medical equipment,” said founder Peter Kopp. “These chairs and other units are very heavy and our trailer had a drop down ramp which made transporting equipment manageable. Now, we must do one chair at a time, instead of setting up a delivery route to drop off and pick up.”
The white trailer was anchored in the parking lot behind their unit, but the thieves broke a metal rod that was used to secure the rig.
Peter Kopp and his wife Christy are at a loss as to who would take their rig that helps kids in so many ways.
“We don’t want revenge or anything. We just need our rig back to help bring mobility to kids in need,” said Christy Kopp.
They think someone in the landscaping or construction business may have nabbed the rig which had many add-ons, including a side door. Unfortunately, they had no painting other identifying marks on the trailer.
The license plate that was on the traveling box was 211 OCT and the rig is 6 by 10, white, single-axel, enclosed cargo trailer made by Continental.
If you have any information about the theft, call Sheridan Police at 303.762.2211. To help Kids Mobility Network call 303.242.8281.
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott is asking for the community's help identifying and locating a grand larceny suspect.
Lott stated that a white trailer with the logo "LIMITLESS SPORTS" was stolen Friday night from the parking lot on Boney Road. Inside were six to eight specialized wheelchairs, a portable goal and extra gear. The team says the value of the chairs and equipment tops $15,000.
Investigators have determined that the trailer was stolen by a newer model dual pickup truck with running boards and lights on top of the cab.
At first, Catherine Lee Graham saw the Rolling Thunder as a chance at a better workout. That was seven years ago, and today, what was great exercise is an extended family. "It was like getting 10 older brothers simultaneously, but they showed me the ropes they taught me the rules of basketball which even seven years later I still don't understand some times," laughed Graham.
It was an opportunity Graham says others could now miss out on. "We can go to one game and damage a wheel easily, and if you don't have a spare to replace it with, you're just out of luck for weeks on end," said Graham.
"They're sports chairs, they're angled different," said Coach Johna Sutton. "They're set up different."
The stolen chairs made up a reserve the team or new players could use. "If you have any heart at all, please just return the chairs," said Sutton. "You know where you got 'em from, you know what time the park closes 'cause that's when you came. Just return the chairs."
Graham says the team can't afford to replace all the gear. That means anyone interested in joining the team could be missing out on the exercise and the experience that goes with it. "It's giving someone else the positive outlook that may not have had it with dealing all of the issues of a new injury, and it's very disheartening to think we can't provide that," said Graham.
You can learn more about Rolling Thunder by clicking here. If anyone has any information about this incident or knows the identity of the suspects they are asked to call, text or email their anonymous tip to Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
Posted: Oct 07, 2010 3:04 AM EDT Updated: Oct 07, 2010 9:31 AM EDT
GASTON, NC (WIS) - Police in Gaston, NC have recovered a trailer that was stolen from a park on Boney Road in Blythewood over the weekend.
The trailer contained wheelchair equipment used by a group of athletes that use the chairs to exercise at the park.
Authorities received an anonymous tip through Crimestoppers that lead them to a home in the Gaston area. Terry Allen Tucker was arrested and is charged with receiving stolen goods.
The wheelchairs were recovered inside the trailer. Right now RCSD doesn't know when the trailer will be returned.
WACO- After spending thousands on a trailer they bought online, more and more Central Texans are finding out why they got such a good deal, their purchase was actually stolen property.
It is two part problem, the down economy is a major factor and the simple fact that trailers are easy for thieves to steal.
People are buying utility or cargo trailers on web sites like Craigslist and E-bay at a good price.
But when they go to get a title, they can't because they're in possession of stolen property.
"If they bought it from an individual, it means they may have lost the money they spent, if they already paid for it," Joey Canady, Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force, said.
Trailer retailers have also lost thousands from crooks looting their property.
"They actually ripped the fence down and pulled a 20 foot trailer forward enough to get three others trailers out," Donny Stanley, of Phil's Trailer Sales, said.
The task force believes the down economy has thieves looking to make some quick cash.
"People looking for a quick buck, looking for things to sell, steal a trailer, sell it for cash, cheap cash on the Internet, and they're easy to get rid of," Canady said.
And on top of that, trailers are easy targets, all you need is a trailer hitch.
"They hook up to the truck, and the next thing you know? They're gone," Stanley added.
If you're buying a trailer, the auto theft task force says to check out the decals, vin numbers, title, and overall look to make it's a legit buy.
Stanley said for owners a trailer to make it difficult for crooks to steal by chaining up their trailer at the axles.
Online trailers can often be disguised as homemade trailers which do not need vin numbers or titles, but if it looks new, it likely could be stolen.
Latta High School band members are starting their musical season off on a sour note. This week, thieves made off with the band's utility trailer.
Wednesday, the Latta High School band members practiced for their first performance which is coming up in two weeks. They're pretty excited about how they sound, but Tuesday the musicians got the bad news that someone stole their utility trailer.
Tyler Hutto is the band's director. "Just kind of stuck out that it wasn't there. We looked around... couldn't find it."
They soon realized someone drove off with it - and the five foot tall drum major stand inside.
Replacing it won't be easy.
"You can't travel to a band contest or football game with 60 kids with instruments, props and flags and not have someplace to put them," said the school's principal, George Liebenrood.
A parent bought the trailer for the band in the late 1990's for around $1,800. Officials say buying it today could cost twice as much, and with budget cuts that's easier said than done.
So, they're keeping their fingers crossed that police will recover the stolen goods so they can keep the music playing.
Police are looking at surveillance video from cameras around the school to develop leads on a suspect. In the meantime, the band director says they're looking into whether insurance will pay for the stolen items.
Created: 12/14/2010 12:12:22 PM 
Please go to www.dangerou
What is going on is these companies use cheap vin number tags. They are being stolen and the old vin number is simply ripped off.
Then they call our Crazy DMV and tell them they have a "Home Made" trailer then they send someone out who has idea what a "Home Made " trailer is and issues a NEW VIN NUMBER.
What the police should do is for the next few weeks monitor all new applications for "Home Made" trailers getting new Vin numbers and you will find the stolen trailer.
When DMV issues a new vin number the crooks then sell them on Craigs list or on EBAy....don't believe me...look for your self...go here In one county in Illinois they had 4,000 registered 'Home Made Trailers" but guess what?
3,990 were stolen!!!!
Stolen Utility Trailers have gotten so bad the police are now using them a Decoys...go here..
http://newsok.com/father-son-arrested-in-bait-trailer-theft/article/3485889
DMV is encouraging people to keep stealing Utility Trailers because it is very easy to get a new VIN Number.
Google " how to Register A Homemade Trailer" Open your eyes!!!
http://www.dangerou
Sheriff's Detective Barry Boutwell said the department has handled reports of four trailers being stolen in the past 12 days
Police estimate of the roughly 4,000 registered homemade trailers in Boone and Winnebago Counties, only about ten of them really are. They think the rest are commercially made and stolen.