Gear Theft at Ginnie Springs

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

I'm posting this from E-Diver's, another site i'm a member on, and saw this, and thought I would copy and paste the thread, and If anyone see's or hear's anything they can email me or the link's in the thread, and i will pass any info onto the owner's:

Gear Theft at Ginnie Springs
Posted by: "tomeauburn@aol.com" tomeauburn@aol.com tomhauburn
Tue Jul 4, 2006 8:47 am (PST)
Folks I am cross posting this so you can keep your eyes open if you see any
of this gear.I know quite a few of you own dive shops or boats and it might
turn up one day but more than likely it will end up in a pawn shop or on
e-bay or craigs list. I lost gear about two years ago but nothing like this
fellow lost.
Tom Hundley

>If some of you were at Ginne this afternoon and can remember anything
strange I’m hoping >you can help me.

Today in the parking lot at the Devil’s system at approximately 1:30 this
afternoon I had to following stolen out of the bed of my truck:

-A pair of double OMS LP 112’s with an OMS Manifold. Grey in color. The
initials JJB are written on the top of the tanks in marker. Last Hydro was 03/02.
VIP Stickers from Tampa Adventure Sports.

-Mk16 (SN 0106674132)/G250 (SN0104602029) combo
-Mk16 (SN 0104574036)/S550 (SN 0104785143) combo
-Mk20/S550 combo (SN unknown--bought it used) stage regulator with gauges
-Mk10/R380 combo (SN unknown—bought it used) stage regulator with gauge
-2 Sequest Ventura Masks (1 clear with blue frame 1 all black)
-A pair of Mares Plana Avanti fins with spring heels-bright yellow
-2 Delrin Safety spool
-1 Safety reels
-1 Dive Rite composite backplate
-1 Dive Rite Classic wing with dump valve replaced with elbow
-Black Stahlsac mesh dive bag

I was in the bathhouse taking a shower and was only gone for 10 minutes
tops.

The only thing I can figure is that someone pulled up next to my truck,
threw my dive bag and cylinders into the back of their truck and drove off within
a minute or so. They had to be in a hurry because they left my deco bottle,
which I think would be much easier to move than a set of 112’s. My dive
buddies were taking tanks out of the water and would have only been away from my
truck for couple of minutes.

I’d like to think that it wasn’t a fellow cave diver, as I can’t believe
that another diver would stoop that low. I think the more likely scenario was
it was some drunk POS redneck that thought he could make a few bucks by
selling stolen gear.

Connie and the staff at Ginne were exceptionally helpful once I brought this
to their attention. They stopped vehicles leaving the park and checked them
for my equipment as well as searched the grounds for my gear. Unfortunately I
think the thieves probably hightailed it out of there before I could bring
this to their attention.

That being said I’d like to ask all of you, especially you dive shop owners
and tank fillers, to please keep an eye out for someone trying to use this
equipment, sell this equipment, or get a fill with these tanks.

I wish I could give you more detail like serial numbers on the tanks etc.
but I was not diligent in marking down those things. Mea culpa.

If you know anything about this please send me an email at
_Jason@bubblecheck.com_ (mailto:Jason@bubblecheck.com) .

Thanks
Jason Brauhn

 

[SparticleBrane]

Grrr that kinda crap makes me angry!

 

[adrisen]

It really is a shame. It would be nice if some of this gear makes it back home to the rightful owner.

 

[Jason B]

There was also an SS scooter and a stage bottle stolen 2 days earlier at Little River.

I hope karma comes looking these guys!

 

[SmileMon]

I'm sorry to hear that, but being as paranoid as I was, I thought it might be more safe to leave everything in the truck, so what if my truck smelled for two days... so what if I still didn't clean out all the sand in the truck...

Like they say in Israel, may it go to their medicines.

 

[1amphibian]

I hope it's one of us that finds these low life sons of *******. Please oh please resist.. ...it would be worth the paperwork, even off duty.

Chris

 

[Captndan]

we need to find a way to clean up some of the "trash" that hangs out at ginnie. maybe charge a $50 entrance fee for non divers? i went there about two weeks ago and the only peaceful time i had was when i was underwater, away from the drunken rednecks and four wheelers.

 

[SparticleBrane]

This is when my idea for an electrically charged car would come in handy.
Someone trying to steal your scuba gear? *ZAP!*

 

[1amphibian]

We also need to be looking out for each other while we are there. I'm sure this would have looked suspicious to any of us that would have seen it.

Ginnie makes too much of their money on those campers. I have read that in other articles here on the board. They are the cash cow, not us. Were just easier to deal with and don't leave the place trashed.

Chris

 

[karstdvr]

I've been diving Ginnie and Little River for over 12 years,and it takes some caution and common sense to avoid gear theft,but theft can be avoided if opportunity is eliminated.
At Ginnie I generally use the Little Devil's steps which keeps you close to your gear,and I never go to the bath house, if I have gear in the water,unless a buddy is around to watch. Typically I will ferry gear up to the platform where I can keep an eye on it,and if I plan to go to the shop,all my gear gets locked up in the vehicle.

At Little River we use the free diving "one up,one down rule". If I am carrying a tank down to the water from the parking lot,my buddy is by the vehicles,and when he needs to take his tank down I am by the vehicles;therefore somebody is always near the gear.

Telford-if you don't have to take it out there,then leave it at one of the local dive shops. I will go out there with the gear pre-set up and just enough to complete the dive with,everything else gets left behind.

Other places like Manatee,JB etc,just because you don't hear about problems doesn't mean let your guard down. I personally have a lot invested in gear to let somebody get a fraction of that sum at a pawn shop