Project Krotch Rocket has landed and
its target has been sent to jail.
A man who stole motorcycles in
Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer, Alberta, and later sold them has
been sentenced to five years in prison. Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel Hunter Smith’s
sentence was then reduced by 15 months for his guilty plea on 33
counts of possessing stolen property and two counts of theft.
Smith was involved in the theft of at least 33 motorcycles, plus some boats and trailers and a truck, according to the
Edmonton Journal.
Smith and others stole many of the
bikes from underground garages in Edmonton. He ground off the stolen bikes’ serial numbers and applied new numbers with
a punch before selling them. According to the Toronto Sun, he targetted sport bikes.
The judge who sentenced him said he had
hurt people who had bought motorcycles from him and later lost them
to police seizure. Smith was said to be part of a large and well-organized crime ring, and had been sentenced about a year earlier for similar crimes.
Project Krotch Rocket was a two-year investigation into stolen motorcycles by RCMP and other police forces.
“It burns me that the police investigation went on for two years to make sure they had a case.”
Remember, this is Canada – our justice system is set up to preserve the rights of the criminal, not the victim. Two years was probably required to ensure the police had all the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted so that the case could not be thrown out on some overlooked little bullshite technicality.
All motorcycle thieves should be given the electric chair , period !! I say bring back capital punishment just for them ! We put our heart and soul into our beloved pride and joy ….only to be ruined by some low life scum sucker ! I am lucky so far …someone did try to stel my brand new 1990 Kawa ZX-7 from the racetrack parking lot at Sanair …but only managed to damage my ignition assembly with a cordless drill …….
I hope that that lovely gentleman is made into someones girlfriend whist serving his 5 years in the can !! Hey , just my 2 cents worth…..
Fingers crossed for you, Joe.
I understand exactly what you are all saying. I was one of the misfortunate that had my bike stolen about a month ago and never recovered. To top it off my insurance company messed up and I had no coverage. I lost a bike valued at $27000.
Not a very good day. With any luck my bike might be one of the recovered bikes. :sigh
Humph…
In the communist province of Ontario, it could cost you that much for getting a little carried away (10-15kms over the ‘flow’) on the 400 series highways…
Or a wheelie coming away from a stop…
And why only 5 years ? It doesn’t seem nearly enough given the level of larceny…?
+1 Dean
It burns me that the police investigation went on for two years to make sure they had a case. So 33 unsuspectng buyers find out that the used bike they bought was stolen property and therefore confiscated. Meanwhile the true owner of the bike suffers the loss of his/her bike and how many had theft insurance on their ride? All the while, the police have their binoculars on this activity and just let it go on. Shouldn’t there be some form of compensation for being a Guinea Pig?
A two year project by the RCMP; he was sentenced a year earlier for similar crimes (same project? time served? Parole?) and now he’s discounted 15 months for doing the same crimes but clearing paperwork on 33 files.
Got to love it.