20+ Karts Stolen from Orlando Kart Center March 2

Scott Heavin · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:59 am Post subject:

Man, I hope the Police nail these guys or there may be some 50MM axle justice coming their way from the karting community...
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John Matthews · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:02 am Post subject:

Law enforcement has to prosecute all crimes, even those people think are "justified".

I'd hate to see anyone miss their racing season because of an assault and battery conviction Crying or Very sad

Let the system work and contact your insurance agents....

JMHO,
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Heartbeat Power, LLC.

Thom Andresen · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:38 am Post subject:

Hmm, the recently released multiple ex-con miscreant claims that he is just a "kart mechanic" working on the stolen goods, an educational trait he surely learned on the State Penitentiary Sprint Racing Team. Shocked

If he was reprimanded with a 50 mm kart axle during the discovery phase of his arrest and accidentally suffered a fractured ocular orbital during the rearrangement of his face, the perpetrator could just as easily claim that he was a "trained plastic surgeon".... Laughing

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Joe Palmer · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:57 am Post subject:

Andre,

Any idea how these losers knew what was being kept in the containers? Did they "case the joint"? Where they informed by someone about the containers? I hope that 1st you're able to recover what was taken from the OKC property, but it would be great to take down everyone involved.

Chris Livengood · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:20 am Post subject:

Andre,

Why would you post this information? All you have done is shown your hand. Likely, they will catch wind, be spooked, and your stuff will be dumped hastily. I don't understand why making this information public would have any benefit. I can't imagine how devastating this must be to you, but posting the video and the information you have can not be beneficial to your case.

Additionally, I can see why you might be frustrated with the police. Even so, they have a method and it unfortunately is your best method towards justice.
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Andre Martins · Advertiser Joined: 02 Oct 2001 Posts: 509

Chris,

Thank you for your comments.

I have removed it from the post.

This was not done out of frustration. I come from Brazil where sometimes law is taken our of the police and into ones one hands.

I did my job. We found the karts, we found the people involved, I just thought the more people that new about it the better. But I guess I was wrong.

My financial loss is insignificant compared to the emotional loss. I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
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Andre Martins
Orlando Kart Center
www.orlandokartcenter.com

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Tony Kart World Champion - 1986,1987,1989,1991,1992,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2004,2006,2007,2008

Dan Haynes · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:43 pm Post subject:

Andre,
I feel your pain but Chris is right. I spent a few years in law enforcement. The police will play mind games with these perps. If the bad guys know everything the police have against them then these mind games will be less effective. The police are permitted to lie to a suspect to gain the upper hand. It is a tool used often if the perps think the police know much more than they actually so.

That being said, I hope everything is recovered and the dirtballs pay for it.
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Lyle Clark · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject:

Andre, just to be clear, you have found everything?
I want to be able to report back to the other forums.

Thanks,

Lyle
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Kent Metcalf · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:43 pm Post subject:

Any news on what is going on? I posted the story on a forum here in St. Louis Mo. a long time ago and someone posted back today saying they saw two kart for sale in a pawn shop on OBT one was a shifter for 4 grand. The post said he talked to the owner of the track and sent him a photo but never heard back. He is wondering if his help got you what you needed.
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ROBERT RIVERA · Joined: 16 Mar 2012 Posts: 21

I'm assuming since we've not heard back all the stolen goods were recovered.

As for leaving it all up to law enforcement, having fallen victim to this way of thinking twice before, I will NEVER again do so. I will inform law enforcement but rest assured I will do my best and work hard to help myself because the mere fact is that generally the police don't really care about your stuff.

In my personal experience, I had a Motorcycle I had brought in from Japan that i had to pay a special import tax because it was the Japan Spec model (really only color scheme and a few little tidbits) and after just 11 days of enjoying it and having Lo-Jack and 2 insurance agents cancel out on me several times, it was stolen on Superbowl Sunday. I suddenly found myself out $11K.

I followed the proper protocol (my cousin is a police officer - motorcycle ironically) and reported it to the authorities as one is supposed to do. However, since it was the only one in the eastern United States, in that particular scheme, I decided to venture out the following weekend to see if perhaps I would luck out. Wouldn't you know it... the first group of bikes parked on the side of the highway and it was sitting right there with street light shining a spotlight over it perfectly as if to say HERE I AM! in an almost mocking fashion. But instead of simply walking over to it, jumping on and taking off on it, I opted to once again do the right thing and drove on to flag a police officer down and explain the situation and provide the theft report. He had me hop in the back of the car so I can direct him to the location and we were there in 5 minutes from the time I spotted it.

As soon as he put on his light the thief along with 2 other guys, hopped on the bikes and took off. Unlucky for them the highway was such that we had an almost bird's eye view and could see the only 2 options they had after just over a mile of road. The cop called ahead for backup on both exits and the bikes were all stopped. They radio'd in that they were indeed holding them all but wanted to confirm which of the bikes was the suspected stolen one. All being completely different, a White one, a Kawasaki Green and my ALL BLACK on BLACK (polished and matt finish), I immediately told them the ALL BLACK ONE.

And wouldn't you know that by the time we got to the scene which took all of 45 seconds, they let the other 2 bikes go... I mean the Kawasaki AND THE BLACK ONE!!!

They strangely kept the white bike which caused me to blow my top and I proceeded to insult the cops until one of them got pissed off and threatened to kick my ass. Seeing all the red in that moment, I invited him to drop his gun and badge and let's get it on and his colleges quickly told him to calm down and the sergeant on the scene told me to shut it before he slapped me with some cockamamie charge. I asked him if it was really that hard to tell black from white? and he answered not at all.

That's when i threw out a random accusation that perhaps they were working with the thieves so they purposely let my bike go. Then the mood completely changed and all but 3 of the officers were noticeably offended and looked like they wanted to unload their firearms on me. LOL

I stared one of them down and he finally gave me a look of yeah so what are you gonna do about it but I still was only about 75% sure they were in on it.

A few weeks later I get a call from a special task force from a neighboring county asking me to please come in to answer questions. I did and that's when they confirmed that the local police in my county were all being surveilled because they were heading up a huge theft and export operation and that they were dangerous, but that the bike they let go was indeed my bike which was in a container by that time. The best I could hope for at that time though was to write it off as a loss in my taxes which is what I did and I received a whopping $400 back. WooHoo!!!

I say screw the system and if you can at all help your own cause, do so because the system is corrupt, BUT, do so with as much caution as possible and above all else...

TRUST NO ONE Mr. Mulder... Trust no one!!!

Andre Martins · Advertiser Joined: 02 Oct 2001 Posts: 509

The story is not over, but this is where we are…

After I hired a private investigator that was extremely expensive, he was able to find out some amazing information. Video surveillance of all the nearby companies, address, phone, automobile and much more.

With the help of another kart shop we were able to locate the robber and at least 2 karts at a local storage place in Orlando. After some very precise planning we got the person of interest to go to the storage where the karts were and we called the police to get him with the karts. Well that did not happen. The police said that they could not come because if the karts were inside the storage there was nothing they could do. So the next day we arranged that the person of interest would go to the karts, start the engine for 3 minutes or more. At that time he was forced to take the karts out of the mini storage and I had to identify the karts, only then the police moved in. I had given the officer the exact serial number of the 2 karts inside the storage. One was a DD2 that SSC had sold and they had the exact chassis number and also the engine number, and the other was a KF-2 kart that was driven last year at supernationals and I had the serial number. The person of interest also had a suspended drivers license and he arrived driving his vehicle. In Florida driving with a suspended license is reason alone to go to prison. The police moved in, they turned off the karts and took the person of interest into the police car. They stayed in the car for approx. 1-½ hours talking. After they come out, the person of interest’s wife arrives gets in the car and drives him away like if nothing had happen. We were looking all this from about 1000 feet away. At that time the officer called me and asked me to come in the storage unit to pick up the karts he had confiscated. At that time I could not understand anything. To make a long story short the person of interest told the officer he was just a kart mechanic, ( he was trying to put a mini-rok carburetor in a KF-2) and that if the officer did not arrest him if he would help him find the names of the thieves. My private detective followed the car of the person of interest and filmed him arriving at home with 3 of his friends laughing as they open the Durango and show engines, and toolbox that the police did not even confiscate. It’s been more than 45 days and the police has not arrested this person or anybody in the case. I have stopped paying my investigator just because it’s too much money. I have not called my police anymore, because my last phone call to him he said basically that he was doing all he could.

I have replaced some of the 15 karts that were stolen and Tony Kart has helped me give some special discounts to some others because there were no insurance at all.

We have found 2 of the 15, and nothing else. The karts, engines, carbs, tools, wheels, etc. are still missing.

I have not lost hope on the law enforcement of the USA, because it is much better that where I come from, but I know for a fact that if the officer was more active on that Friday we could have much more than 2 karts back right now.

Once again I would like to thank all that have called and tried to help during this period. Its been really sad one for me and Orlando Kart Center.

Andre Martins
www.orlandokartcenter.com

Jim Maxson · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:20 am Post subject:

All I can say is Wow.Thanks for the update Andre. Still shaking my head.

ROBERT RIVERA · Joined: 16 Mar 2012 Posts: 21

You see??!?!?!!?!???

I mean what more is there??!?!?!??

We "VICTIMS" literally go out of OUR WAY to do THEIR JOB and even then they find ways to not get involved and wash their hands of these situations because they're allergic to WORK!!!

While they say they're doing everything they can, I find it kind of hard to do so while sitting behind a desk wasting time while on the clock. The update just made me more upset and I personally think you should post pictures and video of these degenerates so we can all know what to keep an eye out for. I am in South Florida and if they're around we will bump into them. There are only 2 major tracks down this way (Homestead and Palm beach) so chances are good we'd run into at least one, if not more of them if they're brave enough to take them racing or even practice.

Feel free to PM me with Serial numbers as well as Pics if you like. I'll do what I can down here to help you recover them.

Kent Metcalf · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject:

is that list everything that was stolen? Im looking into buying an old Margay with a Yamaha pipe and thought of this. Want to make sure Im not buying stolen stuff if I buy it at all.
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Chris Hurst · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:34 pm Post subject:

Unbelievable Andre. The officer should have detained him based on the fact he was working on stolen goods. I'm no lawyer, but wouldn't that make him an accessory to the crime regardless of whether or not he was a "just a mechanic"?

The fact HE KNEW where the stolen goods were is enough to pull him in for interrogation.

Honestly this is unreal. If you can't count on the police and you can't handle things yourself what are you supposed to do? Rolling Eyes

I hope you get a lawyer and pursue this. You have more self restraint than me, I would be calling everyone I knew from the Favelas who needed a paycheck!!!