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NOW RECOVERED. GMC Bolster Truck from W&P


mick.wilson

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I posted this to the Keep Them Rolling email list and on their forum, thus another couple of 100 people made aware.

 

I hope they catch the bastards. :mad:

 

Any chance that we can have a stolen items section in the Community service area of the site (for sale, ebay, wanted and storage and transportation)? Good chance that this has been talked about before, it may even be on the site somewhere.

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That is awful news, makes my blood boil :mad:. The people concerned need a good beating IMHO.

 

If it has been taken abroad then there will in all likelihood be CCTV footage of it at the ports or Tunnel. Suggest write to the vehicle mags and MVT, the more publicity about this the better.

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Really sorry to hear this guys.

 

I left the Hop farm on Tuesday about 1430hrs.

 

I saw the trailer by the halftracks but there was no truck with the other kit.

 

I remember because I collected Gordon's Cat and Halftrack so I knew the kit but didn't recognise the trailer.

 

I remember seeing the truck parked with the halftracks on Sunday evening but not after that if it helps to narrow the time of the theft.

 

I'm sure it will turn up as lots of people will have heard about the theft and eyes will be peeled.

 

markheliops

Edited by Markheliops
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Thats the trouble with vehicles of this age. They are so easy to "Ring". As for it being seen travelling to the docks,then that wont happen. It will be "knocked down" and containerised so all that will enter the docks will be a container amongst 1000,s of others.

 

The only bonus about this theft is the vehicle is very distinctive,and this is a very tight community. So i am sure something will surface some where. I do hope the owner is re-united with it.

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sorry to hear the bad news, how come it was left there ?...........

 

Many threads over the 6+ years that I have been on HMVF have got me reaching for my keyboard to put my penneth in, but I think this one really takes the biscuit...........!

 

The comment above concerning how or why it was left there is, in my opinion, somewhat irrelevant to the matter in hand as the bare bones of this is that some 'naffing a-hole' within our wonderful hobbie deems it acceptable to rob, pilfer and pinch an array of hardware including a complete GMC 6x6 truck!

 

The theft of a canvas bucket, an ohio aerial mast, a jerrycan or an M1 carbine from the rifle holder of a Willys Jeep is a bad enough pill to swallow, but to be brazen enough to physically remove a 6x6 truck from a showground and disappear into the ether is something else.

 

Experience tells me that the tin work on those bolster trucks is typically in excellent condition, as the trucks (due to their very nature) have not seen the degree of service/work that a standard cargo truck will have been subject to. In fact, I was contemplating just a few years ago buying one solely to rob all the front end tin work for a cargo truck I was building up. So it will be worth keeping an eye out for any panels of this nature that come onto the market over subsequent months.

 

But the sad fact of the matter is probably along the lines of what has already been said...............that the truck will be dismantled and containerised and never be seen again as it is in the pictures on the Red Ball Diorama.

 

But I still can't believe that a GMC bolster truck has just vanished into thin air - Although it has made me realise that my naive trust in human nature at MV shows in this country, is totally misplaced and misguided.

 

How sad is that?

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sorry to hear the bad news, how come it was left there ?...........

 

As said in my first post..

 

They realise their mistake in leaving their vehicles unattended in the public carpark so there is no need to go into that here.
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From Mick Wilson on the WW2 Forum

 

Thanks Glen. It was seen being loaded onto a green flat bed truck at about 9am on Tuesday, it was a modern truck and was painted green with a us star on the side. We have told the Docks but it was probably out of the UK 3 hours later icon_sad.gif

 

Mick

 

Also anyone in Medway Field may have some photos/info on this.. (Also from WW2 Forum)

 

There was a green truck as described above parked in the "Medway Camping Field" opposite us.

 

Can't remember when it turned up but it was there Sunday morning parked out of context opposite the land army display.

 

I will ask my mob if they have any photos of it?

 

MIKE.

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Just a thought would it be outside the realms that the wrong truck was picked up? It will be a green 6x6 army truck with a star on the bonnet in the car park. If stolen there were a few Halftracks next to it I know which one I would take.

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Just a thought would it be outside the realms that the wrong truck was picked up? It will be a green 6x6 army truck with a star on the bonnet in the car park. If stolen there were a few Halftracks next to it I know which one I would take.

 

It WAS stolen & the Halftracks next to it were cherry picked for parts/weapons etc..

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Saw the modern truck it brought a half track into the show. Not sure but I think it was on English plates. It was parked infront of the "Benham camp" on the saturday and sunday
That truck belongs to a friend of ours who has a Halftrack and who also transported the Bolster Truck to the show as he lives near the owner. Is it possible that whoever saw this being 'loaded' was in fact remembering seeing it being 'unloaded' the week before?

 

I carried out the mechanical rebuild of this Bolster Truck prior to W&P last year and I know every component and every nut and bolt on it. It is indescribably sad for me to see what has happened. If anyone comes across any parts which they suspect may be from this truck, contact me asap and I will do what I can to help identify them.

 

- MG

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If stolen there were a few Halftracks next to it I know which one I would take.
I would have taken then one that that would be the easiest to load quickly, would be the quiestest, would attract the least attention, would be the easiest to fence etc. In other words, the GMC. >:(

 

- MG

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Cannot believe this theft by a complete @@@@@@@@ - surely there must be some CCTV on one of the routes away from Hop Farm on a motorway or other road junctions etc. It must have been captured on at least one camera but the problem is will authorities spend resources/time etc scanning past 24-36 hours looking for it?

 

Hope it is found but every hour passed lessens hope and good fortune, our thoughts are with the owners of the stolen items

 

gary

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Just a thought every body seems to think it was stolen because it was a rareish ww11 vehicle hows about it been stolen for what it it was worth as scrap eg some brazen chancer who saw 5x £200 i think local gipsy camps scrap yard more likley place to look.

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Just a thought every body seems to think it was stolen because it was a rareish ww11 vehicle hows about it been stolen for what it it was worth as scrap eg some brazen chancer who saw 5x £200 i think local gipsy camps scrap yard more likley place to look.

 

The fact that they knew exactly what they wanted off the Halftracks rules that one out I would think.. if travellers then the halftracks would of been emptied of the kit stored in them..

Edited by Marmite!!
typo
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Just a thought every body seems to think it was stolen because it was a rareish ww11 vehicle hows about it been stolen for what it it was worth as scrap eg some brazen chancer who saw 5x £200 i think local gipsy camps scrap yard more likley place to look.

 

I don't think it was stolen based upon its rarity because the bolster truck is not actually most people's cup of tea - I have owned over a dozen GMC's since my first which I purchased when I was 17 and have never felt that a bolster truck was a very practical unit or a variant I really desired as you can't camp/sleep in them or take all your friends out. It is also a significantly more difficult vehicle to hide/disguise if stolen, based upon the low numbers of such vehicles on the show circuit in direct comparison to a standard open cab CCKW 353 cargo truck.

 

I think it was more a theft of chance opportunity than anything else.

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Whatever has happened to it its still a sad state of affairs in our hobby. I remember seeing it at the show(parked next to it one night watching Kellys Heroes) and thinking it was a very different truck(not the same as all the others)

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For what it's worth, I have just passed these details on to our local UK Border Agency rep (as was Customs) he will pass it on to his colleague who he informs me specialises in the export/import of all things military & ex military including de-acs.

 

You never know...hope it helps.

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Has not been listed here yet http://www.mvt.org.uk/theft_register.html

MVT Theft Register This register is for the use of MVT and Imps members only.

May be the owner is not a member of the MVT or IMPS. Think it should be open to non members too to list stolen items as that would protect their members too.

 

Essex MVT listed my stolen Webley but it didn't appear on the theft register.

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Well maybe as this forum is a VERY active forum we could have a stolen thread which can only be added to by mods once the victim has given the correct details ect :cool2:

 

I think it's a good idea, I've put it to the Team to discuss..

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Here's an update from Gordon of the kit stolen off the two Halftracks

2 x gas firing 50cals

1 x gas firing 30cal

2 x 50cal covers

1 x axe

2 x Bogie Wheels

4 x mines

1 x M3 Cover

1 x 50cal pintle, box & ammo

2 x WW2 dated jerry cans

Also 4 x headlights loose but not taken.

 

You can see the work Roy put into the Bolster

http://514th.co.uk/english/site.php?use=Forum&act=viewtopic&t=849

Edited by mick.wilson
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It really is rotten to hear of this theft...what makes me really sick is that this truck and the gear will have been stolen by, on on behalf of someone... 'within our community'

.....I know it sounds simple but.....if no one would even think of touching anything even slightly iffy within the 'preservation' hobby.... then there would be no point in anyone stealing so much as even a spare wheel...the reality is that someone out there is ready to buy this truck and the kit.....

..lets face it...who on earth is going to be really interested in owning a .50cal machine gun ( let alone an entire old army lorry ) apart from someone such as ourselves involved in this hobby?.....OK...a very idealistic view I guess but I'm sure you know what I mean..

......It really does make me feel sick to know there are thieves even amongst our own 'family'....:undecided:

PS: If they are caught I do hope that somehow or other, names and locations can somehow be 'accidentally' released to the rest of us..I say 'accidentally' because of course... if such a thing was done intentionally....you /we / this website would probably be charged with contravening their 'human rights'.. :(

Edited by RattlesnakeBob
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