To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU!

[Dan D.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

My opinion - when/if these gas cap thieves get caught, my guess is they will get off with just a slap on the wrist. Problem - people have too much freedom in this country. It is too good to bad people. -Dan-

[Dick W.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Years ago, at an NCRS National Convention in Windsor Canada someone took all the valve stem caps from my 1970.

At a Bloomington Gold event, when it was back at the McLean County Fairgrounds -- so that was a very long time ago, someone cleaned the rust and dirt from the stamp in my master cylinder. I would have told them what the stamp was, had they asked -- but at least there was no permanent damage in that case.

I don't know if this trend is escalating or the thieves are getting bolder, but it has changed only in degree. The abuse of cars on display has gone on for some time. Thanks to Lance for having the courage to bring it to light.

I like the idea of "bait cars." A television show features would-be car thieves on video trying to steal a baited car. The police can stop the engine and lock the doors from a remote. Gotchya!

Probably most people here do not remember taking a Ford Model T timer and wiring it to the exterior of your car. They would "light your fire" . Sadly it would not work on a fiberglass car

[Gary R.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Lance
I'm very distrubed to hear of this, very sad indeed some of the people we have in our world.
It makes sense now too why I had so much interest in a locking gas cap I had on my table for sale. That was something I always brought home with me year after year, but Sat afternoon I had 10 inquires for it.
I would have rather sold it because it was a nice old piece then why it was now needed.
I hope you catch them. I can't help to think about all the parts left in all the spots overnight,mine included.
Gary R.

[Jim W.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

This is the reason I always drive my DD to the event. But more important is the very nature of this 'Petty Thefts' this represents and our society. Today a single person or group who would enter a fairground and openly commit a wholesale theft of something like gas caps, a minor part but in these thieves minds it was a blast. The amount of dishonor it has means NOTHING to this individual or group. They are and will always be petty thieves, the lowest form of a criminal. They most likely go to a store and try to steal a shirt or pair of pants just to see if they can do it.

Most likely they have money, this gas caps deal is just that, a game of great fun to them. They do this to see how much damage they can do to an otherwise beautiful day filled with nice people who have a great interest on something. They do it because they have no such interest. Perhaps it's all the vidio games they've played where the goal is to steal or rob or perhaps kill the opponent. To this kind of vidio junky stealing has very little meaning and that is because in their own would there is no honor, there is no value. The whole reason is to cause some degree of pain or upset to innocent victims.

And to that end, our posting of our upset most likely will never be seen by the thieves who stole the gas caps. The caps themselves are most likely sitting on the ground in a paper bag as they represent very little other than a statement made over a Joint or other drug taken to highlight their little day of thefts and the amount of discouragement they were able to inflict upon their 'Victims'. And since they look like most everyone else at an event like Corvettes at Carlisle, the chances of them ever being caught is slim to nonexistant.

So on the off chance they even bother to look at this website, I have one statement to them, You, and you and your friends have stolen very little, a minor insult at our collective senses other than to represent the minor hood and thief you see everytime you look in a mirror. And if and when you do look at the face you see in the mirror, ask him or her, what are you ? What do you stand for? are you an addict, or perhaps something less, far less. You don't even have the courage to steal something where there was a chance of being caught, singularly promoting you to nothing more than a thief and a coward. You can go back to stealing from your family or your mothers purse. Thank you for demonstrating what a socially disfunctional individual you have evolved into.

[Dick W.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Unfortunately dealing with theft is part of the cost of doing business at swap meets. Almost every event we did when we had the parts business we got hit for a few dollars worth to five midyear fuel doors at one meet. At a real good meet you would be so busy that you could not watch every thing. Many people saw the nickel Model 1911 under my sales counter. I hope that deterred a few potential rogues.

[Clem Z.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Probably most people here do not remember taking a Ford Model T timer and wiring it to the exterior of your car. They would "light your fire" . Sadly it would not work on a fiberglass car

you have to be on dirt for that to work.

[Dave B.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

I have installed the following reproduction items on my 1966 L-79 except for judging events...
Gas Cap, Oil Filler Cap, Air Cleaner Wing Nut, Overflow Tank Cap. I probably should do the same with my PB master cylinder caps.

Seems I recall that there were some mid-year gas caps swiped at Carlisle in 2007 and 2008 also. A friend of mine who bought cars there both years found them missing when he got the cars home.

[Kenneth L.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Lance,
I sent you a PM. I'm a security professional (32 yrs) and a Corvette owner (35 yrs). So it tears me up to hear about things like this - especially when a Corvette owner is the victim.
Ken

[Bryan M.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

The sad part is that I believe the thieves know exactly what they are stealing. So, that makes them very close to the corvette hobby.

[Lance M.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Lance,
I sent you a PM. I'm a security professional (32 yrs) and a Corvette owner (35 yrs). So it tears me up to hear about things like this - especially when a Corvette owner is the victim.
Ken

Ken-

Thank you, I sent you an email. I appreciate your help!

Lance

[Lance M.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

The sad part is that I believe the thieves know exactly what they are stealing. So, that makes them very close to the corvette hobby.

They know exactly what they are stealing, that's the sad part! They are one of us - just no morals!

Life is good,

Lance

[Steve L.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

One of the problems in this hobby is that the general public believes that if you own a Corvette you must be absolutely wealthy...so what's a gas cap.... it's joke compared to all of your wealth.

I know from our own club ( and probably applies to this forum as well) that most of us have worked hard to get one of these cars. So a gas cap is non trivial item and a pain to replace.

Anybody know if gas caps are stolen in the other meets during the yr. If they are, then it might be the locals.

[Mike G.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

i try to warn all my friends to remove the original cap while the car is at a show. any show. i put on my correct gas cap right before the judges look at it and take it back off when they are finished. i have seen them stolen at all the shows. kissimmee, blooming gold, ncrs nationals... my friend had his original 57 cap stolen at a local show in atlanta. these are not street thugs stealing these caps, it is corvette people in the hobby that know what they are worth. sad but true.

when i had my 57 at bloomington a couple of yeard ago i was sitting in the shade about 100 yards from my car. i bet i saw 10 different people open the gas door and look at the cap. the real one was in my pocket. i warned the car next to me to remove his cap. he did not and someone got it. its too easy to steal and on a c1 its right at pocket level.

[Bill S.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

Here's the dealio as they say. If all the caps that were stolen were Original Correct Caps then the thief is knowledgeable of the hobby and knows what to look for. May even be a vendor. If there were a mix of Original and Reproductions stolen then the thief was an amatuer out to ruin someones day.

[Mike G.]

Re: To the thief stealing gas caps during Corvettes at Carlisle- THIS MESSAGE IS FOR

My opinion - when/if these gas cap thieves get caught, my guess is they will get off with just a slap on the wrist. Problem - people have too much freedom in this country. It is too good to bad people. -Dan-

not if i catch them stealing mine... there will be nothing anyone can do for them. good old southern boy ass kicking will be the punishment.