RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Good Evening Chief Delphi. I have some news that I regret having to report on behalf of my former team.

Team 216, 244, and 288 the RoboDawGs of Grandville Michigan have had one of their trucks and trailers stolen out of the hotel parking lot this afternoon.

The Truck is a 2005 Chevy Silverado crew cab [diesel] that is Red in colour. It has a RoboDawG decal on the back window. The Trailer is black that says "AB Rental" along the bottom. License plates on the truck and trailer are both Michigan License plates.

Inside the Trailer, we have 50 or so kid's worth of luggage, some robot bits and the official drive stations. We were in [Oshawa] Toronto when it got stolen at about 4:30 local time.

The local police have been notified about the Truck and Trailer being stolen, but if anyone in the area could keep an eye out and contact me about any information, that would be wonderful. My Father appreciates it, as well as the teams.

My Email to contact me at would be arwilson@mtu.edu , a personal message on Chief Delphi would work as well, but may not be checked as soon.

On behalf of Grandville's teams, we thank you for being a wonderful community that can have each other's backs in time of need, and look forward to finding the truck and trailer.

~Abby "RoboDawg" Wilson

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

This is just plain awful. I really really really hope it turns up. Were your robots in there too?

-Nick

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

No, our 3 robots were in another trailer on another truck, as well as all 3 pit sets I believe. Its awful that someone would do this, but I hope that making people aware of the situation may lend a hand in finding them.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

This is awful... :(

There are a number of former 188 guys I know in the area, and have let them know to keep an eye open...

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Were there any essential robot parts in the trailer that you need to pass inspection/compete (batteries, bumpers etc)?

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Again, as far as I am aware, no, all of that was in the other trailer. The trailers have some heavy duty locks on them as well, so I hope that that keeps what is in there, in there.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

I just want to send a huge thank you to everybody has helped us, and I would like to relieve you. While the truck and trailer are still not found, I received word just a few minutes ago that a team stepped up and donated everything that we need to compete. Computers, driver stations, parts, tools, etc. Thank you all for your huge support, and what a great showing of gracious professionalism!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

This is just awful! I know this also happened to a team out in CA within the last year. So sorry for your loss.

I suggest you contact the local media (both print and TV) so they can spread the word to be on the lookout for the trailer. I think they might be interested in covering such a story. Worth a try!

Also, when we heard about the theft in CA, our team did 2 things:

-Got a really good hitch lock.

-Bought insurance to cover trailer contents.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

I have passed along the message to everyone i know in the area.

Best of luck getting it back!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Thank you so much. The more eyes looking out the higher the chance of finding it. Another thank you to all the teams and people who are helping out!

Even in the worst times, I get a reminder of just how wonderful my big FIRST family is.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

If some of your team members need some clothes to borrow for the tournament, Team 1325 would be happy to provide some.
If there is anything else you need feel free to ask :).
Best wishes from 1325!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Passed it along to a couple friends at UOIT. I hope you can track it down.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

I know the horse is already out of the barn, but for all teams reading this, there is some good advice about securing trailers to be found here:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=107113

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Unfortunately we rent our trailers, so we cant put easily identifiable logos on the side as we don't own them...

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

You linked to my post so I assume you were commenting on the link I provided there.

The suggestions in that thread go way beyond putting logos on the trailer. There are effective security measures that can be taken with rented trailers.

Again, I realize this is too late to help you, and my blood boils when I think about people stealing trailers they know contain the property of teams of high-schoolers.

But maybe this could help avoid heartbreak for other teams in the future.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Well this is lame, which part of Oshawa was it exactly? I will alert my friends who go to UOIT to keep an eye out for it I'll also post this on my teams facebook page!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

You can put magnets on it. Won't be nearly as big as they have been talking about, but you can get them fairly large.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Yes, and thank you so much for the link! I agree, whomever finds it alright to steal, let alone from a high school robotics team, needs a lesson. As horrible as this all is, we hope to perform our best at one of our favourite competitions.

Also, Suj, I am not sure which part of Oshawa they are in. Thank you so much for forwarding the message!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Absolutely! The RoboDawGs have full support from Team 1325.

Anything that you need to borrow from us is yours and we will happily help out in any way we can.

Good Luck

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Next time you may want to try to put a boot on the trailer.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Thank you so much for any and all help pouring in and messages getting posted about. Its crazy, I never thought such a large organization could feel so small and tight nit. It makes me feel glad that there is such a large family to fall back on when you are in need.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

If you need help with anything, don't hesitate to contact team 610. We're definitely all willing to help you.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Update:

Truck and trailer still have not been found. So many teams have been helping us out here at the event, your support is unknowingly received!

To clarify what happened, our advance group had just arrived at the hotel and entered to check our students in. After checking in, they returned to the car to begin unpacking luggage. At this point the truck and trailer are gone. There was no more than 5 minutes that the truck and trailer went unattended.

I still want to thank this FIRST community for your support to our teams, and we hope that some day we will be able to repay you!

Thank You!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

It may be worth checking to see if the hotel has cameras that monitor the lot.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

That is absolutely awful
We're here to help if you guys need anything, Team 865 will be with our Machine Shop Trailer, so feel free to come to us if you need anything from wrenches to zip ties !

We'll be glad to help you guys :)

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Which hotel was it stolen from?

I grew up in Oshawa, and lived there for many years. My old house was probably under 2km from where the trailer was stolen from?

I have notified my parents and friends that still live in the area to be on the lookout.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Contact your rental company ASAP. It is possible they have GPS tracking devices on their equipment.

What hotel are you staying at? This would be very helpful as I doubt the trailer is far away.

I am located in Whitby and went to school at UOIT. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Please let me know if there is anything else you guys need.

There is an area north of the city full of unassumed roads and abandoned gravel pits that tends to be a dumping ground for stolen cars etc. The police patrol it regularily with their air support units but I'll head out now to take a look.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

For what it's worth, reposted to another active forum I read. (warning, external link, content varies).

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

You all are amazing! I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing to help get our teams back on their feet!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Here's the latest, quoted from an email sent by our head coach just moments ago:

"I am very surprised by the circumstances surrounding the theft of the driver's truck and our trailer. Both were locked, and the truck’s anti-theft system was active. In a window of less than 20 minutes while we were in the hotel, someone broke into the truck, disarmed the alarm system, started the truck and drove off with it and our trailer."

I apologize for my previous statement of 5 minutes unattended, I was later corrected to about an hour. You help is still greatly appreciated!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Where was it stolen from? Location? Hotel?

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

The hotel is the Quality Hotel and Conference Center.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Do any of the belongings have any sort of tracking ability? A smartphone perhaps? Anything of that sort? Even if its not currently on but has the ability to be tracked you could set up a watch for it for when it is inevitably turned on (if the trailer is eventually broken into and the belongings attempted to be sold) With modern technology this is certainly becoming a feature... although I think most of them require prior setup to being stolen. Perhaps ask anyone on the team if their phone was stolen whether they had any such app on their phone?

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

I can totally relate to your situation. Couple of tips beyond the thread Ether linked earlier....

Wheel boots are pretty useless, I have accidentally driven the trailer a short distance with the boot on. It now sits unused in my truck. Instead I run a steel cable through the wheels and padlock the ends together. If you only have one wheel, find a place on the frame to run the cable through. I have proven more than once the trailer will not move when secured this way. This is even good advice for rented trailers.

Homeowners insurance will likely cover the contents of the trailer. Check it out and be repaired to provide a detailed inventory of what was in the trailer.

When something like this happens, immediately prepare a press releaase and get it to the newspapers. We had more than a hundred published articles when our trailer was stolen. Also blitz social media with pictures of the trailer. We ended up with two leads from our Facebook posts.

There is a serious need for something like "where's my droid" for trailers.

If you own the trailer, paint your license number on the roof in large letters, easy to see from a police helicopter.

I recommend NOT decorating the outside of the trailer with graphics. It draws attention to the trailer and makes it more appealing to thieves.

Ask the hotel for security tapes. Ask the local police to check red light cameras in the area.

First priority is to prevent the theft in the first place. Second priority is to quickly locate and recover the trailer. Third priority is to replace what was stolen.

Our trailer was never found although about 6 months later, we got a call from Fontana PD That two transients were found with our license plate on their trailer. We had them arrested, but nothing further came from that event.

Good luck with the recovery of your property.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

As I said yesterday, as far as we know, there are no electronics to be tracked. Both my Father and sister had their phones on them when his truck was stolen.

Fortunately, they both had their passports with them at the time it was taken. My coach emailed the families/team/alumni about what happened. Immediately, we had many mothers, fathers, and some friends and alumni jump up to help.

There were 3 groups when they traveled yesterday. The early group turned around to get stuff. A parent rented another trailer, and the people back home ran about getting as many extra Robodawg gear that they could find. Boxes of shirts from my freshman year to the extras they had laying around town.

This vehicle with the new trailer showed up at 5am. As my friend on Facebook put it, "Day started 22 hours ago, Finally in bed at the hotel"

They certainly invited the idea of resting after a long day.

Despite the large amount both volume wise and money wise, we are thankful to be back to Waterloo. I know I don't just speak for myself when I say this is my favourite competition to go to. We look forward to having fun today!

Oh also, my friend lost his kilt in the trailer, if someone could get him one, even to just wear around the competition, I'm sure he would appreciate it! Just head to one of our pits and ask for Noorman. I'm sure someone can point you in the direction of him!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

If anyone is still interested in this, here is a news article written by our local news, as well as a video of the broadcast aired at the 6 o'clock news tonight!

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local...cs-team-robbed

We just hope we'll be able to find our truck and trailer soon!

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Hello again, I would like to give you all an update!

The truck was found the 13th with no signs of the trailer. The Canadain police have the truck in custody, as well as the man who was driving it at the time they found it. They have him in for questioning. They found it in Brantford, about 130miles [err... about 210km] away from where it was stolen.

We don't have much more information than that, but my father and team would like to thank everyone in FIRST for stepping up and helping, as well as keeping an eye out for the truck and trailer!

We would like to give special thanks to all the teams in the tournament who stepped up to give our teams help when we needed it. The help that poured in was spectacular, and as one of my friends said, nearly overwhelming. It was fantastic to work with everyone, and hope to work with everyone again, but hopefully in better circumstances.

~Abby RoboDawG Wilson~

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Congrats, hope you can find that trailer.

BTW Thanks again for all the help that your team gave us. Turns out turning is a pretty important task.

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

These are words from one with experience with turning now I am guessing? yes, being able to turn will certainly help when trying to drive. ;)

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Well, at least the truck was recovered. Were there signs of how it was stolen?

Re: RoboDawG Truck and Trailer stolen from Toronto Area
 

Sounds as if they ripped off the panel on the inside near the driver's door and hot wired the car.