Wednesday, November 7, 2001
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Wednesday, November 7, 2001 |
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Cart thieves on the warpath in PTC By JOHN MUNFORD
Another recent set of golf cart thefts has Peachtree City Police seeking assistance from the public. Two carts have been stolen in the past several weeks, renewing a concern for golf cart owners to use more caution to protect their property. Last year, 56 carts were reported stolen; so far this year, 42 have been reported, according to Maj. Mike DuPree of the Peachtree City Police Department. Offenders who are caught could receive a felony conviction in court, DuPree said. Most offenders are either juveniles or young adults who steal the carts briefly to get from one point in town to another, he added. "They're not keeping them," he said. "They just dump them somewhere." In the past, police have successfully used a variety of surveillance techniques to catch golf cart thieves, DuPree said. In addition to the department's bike patrol, officers have also used roller blades in operations to stem the tide of golf cart thefts, DuPree said. A rash of cart thefts this summer was halted by arrests which came from using a variety of surveillance techniques, including at times the use of personnel on roller blades, he added. "We are aggressively patrolling the cart path trails, especially when it's nice outside," DuPree said, adding that patrolmen also are equipped to ride in inclement weather. "But for a lot of it we depend on citizens to help us out." In a significant string of cart thefts this past summer, the offenders would use the inclement weather protective covering on a cart to obscure its registration decal, DuPree said. Members of the public are encouraged to park their carts in visible areas, particularly in shopping centers where carts can be vulnerable to theft, DuPree said. It also helps to make sure the carts are properly registered so they may be traced back to their proper owners, DuPree added. Citizens also are encouraged to pay close attention to the types of carts driven in the neighborhood so they can report any unusual activity, DuPree said. Many times, the matter can be resolved with a quick check of a cart's registration, DuPree added.
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