Theft at Golf Course

[wubears71]

Well, in all the years playing golf, I've never had to deal with theft at the course. Today it happened. I was playing my usual place - Gateway National - and I was fumbling getting my bag out of the truck bed. I must have unlocked the truck doors.

Well, I teed off at 11:05 AM and then received a fraud alert from the CC company at 12:36 PM followed by another one for my other CC at 12:49 PM. The 1st one was no big deal but the 2nd one made me suspicious. I finished my round and as expected, my truck had been gone through. They only took the cash, the debit card and my two credit cards. They left everything else in the wallet including my business CC, which I'm guessing they knew would get flagged immediately. Little did they know that my other CC was a business one too, that got flagged as soon as they tried to use it at Nordstrom.

The police were called and said that they have an issue with gangs sitting in stolen cars in parking lots like the golf course and blend in waiting for an opportunity like mine to come along. They probably saw me fumbling so they check the doors. I keep my wallet out of site in the door pocket, so as soon as they opened it, they grabbed what they wanted out of it. They also grabbed my airpods. This has been the first time it's happened at the course in years - it also looks like the cameras are going back up.

Unfortunately, I'm out $120 in cash and Airpods. They were able to get away with $2,700+ at apple and $710 at Nordstrom before they were flagged for fraud. The additional $4000+ transaction at the Apple store was finally flagged for fraud.

So in a matter of 90 minutes, my stuff was stolen and was used at the mall 30 minutes away from the course. The good news is that the police have the exact times of the transactions and exact locations so they can pull video. They have the full intention of going after them due to the large amounts involved - $3400+ successfully and another $9k declined.

Sorry for the long story.

Has anyone else had any theft occur at the course?

 

[Snickerdog]

Glad the CC company will take care of it though. That just sucks.

 

[jdtox]

Wow that is crazy! How do they spend that kind of money so fast? Glad the CC company and authorities are on top of it

 

[BuckNasty]

Wow that is crazy! How do they spend that kind of money so fast? Glad the CC company and authorities are on top of it

Costs rack up pretty quick at Apple and Nordstrom haha, they hit the right places for big ticket items.

 

[jdtox]

Costs rack up pretty quick at Apple and Nordstrom haha, they hit the right places for big ticket items.

True but how does Apple just let purchases like that go without checking ID? Mind boggling

 

[baylrballa]

haven;t had it happen, but definitely keep wallet with me in bag.

 

[BuckNasty]

True but how does Apple just let purchases like that go without checking ID? Mind boggling

They obviously don't have a bunch of geniuses working the genius bar

 

[robrandalgz]

The only experience that I've had at the GC (not personally) was a couple of years ago someone was targeting bags that had Callaway Epic head covers on their drivers/woods. It was the common denominator for 4 thefts (and they never took the bags, just the club). I had just bought my Epic driver about a week before they started disappearing. I promptly put an old TM Superfast head cover on my bag for about two weeks (I figured no one would steal that piece of sh!t).

 

[LLIB]

That sucks. Hopefully they catch the bastard’s. I had somebody snatch my pair of Oakley’s out of my golf cart while I ran in to get something to drink last year. I was ready to whoop someone’s ass over that

 

[DataDude]

I accidentally left my truck unlocked in my parking garage downtown during work and it got rifled through. They took $40 cash out of my glove box. The car smelled like smoke for a day or 2 though.

 

[wubears71]

True but how does Apple just let purchases like that go without checking ID? Mind boggling

This really bothered me too. The $2700 one went through and then they tried making a bigger purchase which was immediately declined. It was also immediately declined with another CC of mine. Same thing happened at Nordstrom. The first $710 transaction was declined and they then used my debit card and it went through. Yet in either instance, the store didn't think anything was suspicious or bothered to check an ID???

 

[BigDill]

Hopefully it all works out in the end for you. Never a good feeling to have something stolen, but all in all, not as bad as it could have been.

 

[robrandalgz]

True but how does Apple just let purchases like that go without checking ID? Mind boggling

Because they aren't on the hook for anyhting. They don't give a f*** if the card is stolen or not, they get paid whether it's a fraudulent or legit purchase. If they had to start re-imbursing the CC companies for not checking IDs on high purchases like that , there would be a whole hell of a lot less POS fraud purchases (and I mean that for all merchants, not just Apple).

 

[donny475]

not out of a vehicle, but back in 2005 was playing at a muni here in the DFW area and my partner and I went into the clubhouse at the turn to get some beer and dogs. ( i know, some are saying but you don't drink. well i quit drinking beer in2011) we came back out and i went rot put my wallet back in my bag and there was no bag. His was still there but i had a staff bag, with 690 MBs, Cameron Putter, all Titleist wedges and TM woods. Never to be seen again...
So Sorry it happened to you

 

[GraniteRoost]

That's discouraging. Yesterday morning the police we casing a house 100 yards from my daughters elementary school at 7:45am during dropoff. Later found out someone was trying to steal a canoe out of someone's backyard in the dead of winter, likely for drug money. Not cool.

 

[TM_Bobby723]

Never to me, but I heard Pat Perez telling a story last night on his Sirius XM radio show. Some member at the course that hosts the Sony Open last week got caught with his personal locker FULL of things stolen from the lockers the pros were using that week.

 

[aljaklaw]

True but how does Apple just let purchases like that go without checking ID? Mind boggling

it's actually part of Merchant Rules, it's weird but the "idea" is to cut down on ID Theft

 

[Just_Hacking]

I sure hate to hear this. A few years ago some went through my golf bag while it was still on the cart. Stole a wedge, my Bushnell laser rangefinder (that was a gift), a dozen balls, a cell phone charger and a few other things that were in my bag. It still stings even today. I hope that they catch the waste if skin that did this to you.

 

[BigDill]

This thread is a good reminder as to why I love the MOD pouch on the Ogio bags. Not to derail this thread or turn it into a PSA, but whenever I leave my cart, I take my MOD pouch with me which has my wallet, keys, watch, phone, etc. Won't stop someone from stealing my bag or electronics on the cart, but at least I will be able to call the police, but a beer, and drive home.

 

[lukemartin93]

Jeez that sucks man. I'm glad to hear that it's looking like it'll get taken care of. Thought the golf course was a pretty safe place. I guess i probably need to be a bit more careful

 

[wubears71]

Because they aren't on the hook for anyhting. They don't give a f*** if the card is stolen or not, they get paid whether it's a fraudulent or legit purchase. If they had to start re-imbursing the CC companies for not checking IDs on high purchases like that , there would be a whole hell of a lot less POS fraud purchases (and I mean that for all merchants, not just Apple).

Actually the retailer is responsible for the loss due to "a breach caused by poor security." It's especially bad for small businesses. I have a friend that owns a Festool dealership (High end tools). He accepted a stolen CC by accident and the person charged over $10k in tools. This was not unusual due to it being high end tools. But, since he didn't check ID or verify the card was signed, the company demanded reimbursement from him. It was the last time he made that mistake.

In the case of Apple, Target, Nordstrom, etc. they just write it off and move on - theft/shrinkage accounts for approximately 1.3% to 1.5% of all retail. Unfortunately, it's just another number on the income statement.

I'm sure when the police contact the stores asking for the footage, someone will get their hand slapped but no more than that.

 

[Carolina Dundee]

That't terrible and I'm sorry they got the debit card as well because that's an extra layer of hassle.

 

[redneckwop]

Dude that sucks. Hope they catch them.

 

[wubears71]

That't terrible and I'm sorry they got the debit card as well because that's an extra layer of hassle.

US Bank reversed the $710 transaction immediately after contacting them. It was the one I was most worried about too. I cancelled the card before any serious damage could be done.

 

[robrandalgz]

Jeez that sucks man. I'm glad to hear that it's looking like it'll get taken care of. Thought the golf course was a pretty safe place. I guess i probably need to be a bit more careful

Golf courses are associated (correctly or incorrectly) with people that have money. That's why scumbags like that will target such areas. Fricken low lifes.