Truck Vandalism

[LeeChul]

A few weekends ago I went pig hunting in the Los Padres forrest and hunted Anastasia canyon off Tasajara rd, just inside the forrest. The only place to park is on the side of the road next to a land owners property where the forrest service owns an easement that cuts accross his pasture to access the trail head. Anyway I parked there around noon and when I came back around five or so someone on horse back had scratched my paint to hell with mud, stuck condoms to the windows and bent one of my fold away mirrors all the way back while scratching the mirror with a rock. I know exactly where the person came from, I followed the tracks right up to his property. But I was alone and either way it wouldn't have been smart to approach an angry man. At the same time maybe it was his kids!? Anyways, just wondering if anyone out there had experieced this in the same place.
BTW: It wasn't the owner of the land that I parked next to. What would y'all do? From what I've seen in past forums it seems some would call the police and some would go to thier door with a loaded shotgun.

At first I wasn't too angry but now everytime I see the scratches I become furious.

I was also thinking that someone is trying to monopolize the canyon, I saw horse tracks that go in from the trail head and at the bottom of the canyon there were tire thacks leeding to a locked gate that exits onto G-16 road (Carmel to Greenfield). There was a lot of fresh rooting and track but no pigs, so I'm thinking it may be a hot spot and they keep people away by vandalizing thier vehicles.

Thanks for letting me get out some steam

 

[birdhunter88]

The only logical comment would be to call the police. Never take the law into your own hands. You may pay more dearly if you do.

bird

 

[YH88]

If it was me.. I would call the police.. Let them deal with it.

 

[Hogskin]

Well, yeah, but the problem is that they don't always "deal with it". My truck got hit by some bimbo while it was in a parking lot. I had witnesses, description of her, her car, her plate number, and a part (that fell off when she hit me) of her car that said "FORD" on it. I took all info to the LAPD Devonshire division station and the lazy female officer behind the desk told me to turn it into my insurance. I told her I have a $500 deductible and I'd get hosed for $500. She refused to take a report. I have a friend who is a LAPD detective so I told him and he referred me to the Van Nuys station. When I told them about my experience at Devonshire they were outraged and promised to take care of it and told me to file a complaint against the officer. So they took a report, I filled out a complaint. They did NOTHING with my claim and refused to give me the bimbo's address so I could take her to court myself. A couple weeks later some LAPD bigwig called to verify my story. I'm thinking, "Great! they're finally going to do something." and it turns out he wants to discipline the female officer from the Devonshire division. I asked him why he wasn't spending the time on the case that really mattered (my truck) and he said this was more important. I told him to take his report and stick it up his bum, if he wouldn't help me I didn't give a rat's heiny about his personnel problems and then hung up on him. Now I don't know what I'd do in Lee's situation, but oftentimes relying on the cops to handle things for you will get you squat. My

 

[Marty]

First, attempt to contact the local PD.
Second, document the scene. A disposable camera stored in the glovebox works well.
Third, document the address where the horse tracks led to.
Fourth, with the address of the destination, get the owners name from the County Registrar's office (tax records).
File a report with the PD.
Finally, investigate a legal claim against the party involved.

Just my

 

[Rancho Loco]

One thing to remember - It might not have been the person on horseback who did the deed. They might have come along after someone had obviously worked your truck, and were checking it out.

As for a hot spot, yeah mebbe - I've been there, and I've seen the horse tracks in and out, and I don't want to think about dragging a hog out of that hole if I were to get one.

I was also under the impression that all that pasture land was LPNF, as indicated by this map - http://www.ventanawild.org/news/se03/anastmap.jpg

And were you up around Cahoon spring when you saw the tire tracks?

 

[Maverick]

Hogskin,
My buddy works for LAPD he told me that they don’t do courtesy reports. He said that you need to call CHP out to do them{"were not friggen traffic cops"}…. If the accident happened on a city street then when they are called out they will file a report…

Don’t shoot the messenger

 

[Hogskin]

Well Maverick,

Since this was 5 miles in any direction from a freeway or highway CHP wasn't going to get involved. And LAPD not taking reports - that's not what my detective friend told me, nor the duty sergeant at the VanNuys station, nor the bigwig who was trying to get this gal's ball in a sling. Besides, I went TO the station, all they had to do was put down their donuts and spend 5 minutes taking a report. I was told that this was being turned over to their traffic investigation division and (given all the information I supplied) would be a "slam dunk". This didn't happen on a highway, it happened in a parking lot. When I provided the description of the vehicle and the license plate number and the part of the turn signal that said "Ford" on it the guy that took the report looked it up on his computer (while I stood there) and said, "Yep, that plate belongs to 1998 Ford Explorer (just as I'd said). I asked for the person's name & address and was told, "We can't give that to you, you'll have to let us handle it." I guess the logical conclusion is that unless somebody actually sees me ram into their car and then pulls me out of the car & thumps me, there is no consequence to me because the cops sure as hell aren't going to do anything about it. The attitude that the cops displayed was that this was not an important crime. Well, it was to me because it cost me $500 and a bump in my insurance costs. I wonder where they draw the line.

There are a lot of good LAPD officers, but the behavior of some brings a LOT of contempt on all of them.

 

[spectr17]

I believe cops don't write reports on private land, ie parking lots. You have to be in an accident on the public road.

That's why everyone should carry a camera or camcorder. Get witness names and take lots of pics. LOTS of pics. And keep your mouth shut about what happened. Just give them your contact and insurance info and play deaf and dumb after that.

You'll end up in civil court but with the pics showing the damage, the scene, an unbiased witness hopefully and a defendant who has no defense, you'll prevail.

LAst time I got rear ended I popped out and clicked off two picks right away, the guy's mug and his car license plate. He tried to song and dance me that he lived just around the corner and wanted to go park there and discuss it. He rabbitted but the pics help our company's insurance find his butt.

 

[Hogskin]

Well, again, I was told by everybody (except the female cop) that a report SHOULD have been taken and when I went to the other station a report WAS taken. This was a hit & run thing. My insurance cotold me to pound sand, the total damage was about $800. When I talked to the agent I was told it wasn't worth it for them to go after her. They won't give me the info and neither will the cops. Sucks to be me.

 

[MNHNTR]

For Property damage only, no injury report there is not going to be any type of investigation, the LAPD has different policy when it comes to Traffic accidents. I was involved in an on duty traffic accident in a patrol car in LAPD jurisdiction and it took them an hour to respond. Hogskin I can understand your frustration but don't let a few attitudes sour you on the rest of the boys and girls in blue or tan and green for that matter.... picture (Polaroid) from 1990....120th/Central Ave

 

[spectr17]

From my experience with local PD and the sheriff, they don't write reports on private land. It's been a few years but I beleive it's still a civil matter.

Any gendarmes that can lay the law on us?

 

[spectr17]

MNHNTR,

So you're saying the cops WILL take a property damage report on private land or NOT?

I'm not sure what you meant in your post?

Looks like you balled up that patrol real good. Any time off for that on "I"?

 

[MNHNTR]

When it comes to private property, with no injuries, it is an exchange of information...you can call a cop to referee but you ll be lucky if they show up when no injury is involved.......

Oh YEah did about 2 days off....no pay! Not the first time...oops!

 

[bohunter3]

Hogskin,
If it was a hit & Run they should have taken a report period, It's a crime. If It was a non- injury collision and the other person gave you their info, thats all your probably going to get, depending on the agency. Here in San Diego, thats how it is done. The Officer should have explained that to you.
Give the information to your insurance company, yes, you will have to pay your deductable, but they can go after her insurance to reclaim your deductable. If she did not have insurance your out of luck unless you sue her in civil court.

 

[LeeChul]

Interesting,
Seems like everyone's a lawyer these days. I'm glad I'm not up against you guys.

Rancho: "And were you up around Cahoon Spring when you saw the tire tracks?" -No opposite direction, they came from G 16 up Anastasia Canyon.

As far as the horse rider not being at fault, "Maybe it was someone else," nice way to think about it but I've been around horses many years for one, and Its not hard to tell if a horse stops its walk and someone gets down in fresh mud after a rain. The tracks of the person began where the horse stopped and ends there after they show he walked up to my truck and stoped at each position where I found damage on the truck, also there were no other tracks around, it had rained before I came and all old tracks were gone. God knows I would never want to acuse country folk of such a thing, but the evidence is there. What more proof do you want.

Anyways it seems that the topic has interestingly shifted, and in the spirit of that I'd just like to say that it's pretty messed up that the cops have dropped to such an ugly level.

Cheers

 

[Greenleaf]

You guys are all talking as if this was a traffic accident. In some cases, on private property, the local authority may or may not take a report.

But the incident the original poster is describing is vandalism, not a traffic incident. And in those cases it doesn't matter if it's private property or not. You should have contacted the local police or sheriff. LAPD doesn't have time to take reports on misdemeanors that happened in another jurisdiction. They wouldn't be investigating it so why should they take a report?

Call the local PoPo where it happened and ask if they'll take a phone report.

 

[Shot]

Park your truck there again and wait in the woods to see who will show up. When they do, take pictures and take their sorry a$$ to court. Just an idea.

 

[badcompany]

I would call the game warden first being that you were huting on public land. It seams that I get more response from Foster and Solise than I do from local PD.But Thaey keep a close eye on me anyway,since the CR event.
Good Luck, But I would Keep on this ,so another hunter does not get the same treatment.
Lowell

 

[LeeChul]

Lowell,
I've hunted CR several times, are you the younger fish and game person or the older gentleman I've met? Last time I was there both people were there so I am not sure who you are, but either way both have given me good advice and appreciate it greatly.