Sharp-eyed photo expertise needed

[Maine_Train]

They hit us again

After midnight, Thursday morning. I think it was the same truck and people, but no side views of the truck this time. The rear plate is a little more visible (nothing that looks like trailer hitches in front of it), but no more readable than before, at least with my limited ability to enhance the JPGs. The reflections from the taillights seem more symmetrical than in the last batch of photos, so either the left one got fixed, or it wasn't broken to begin with.

If I catch 'em, I wonder if I can have the truck seized and forfeited. Then we'll part it out . . .

 

[Greg]

Or you could keep it and hang out on the forum for a bit longer

Sucks on another theft, hope you can get at least a partial license plate off of the truck, because that with the type of vehicle will get you pretty damn close to the actual vehicle being used to steal from ya.

 

[Maine_Train]

Or you could keep it and hang out on the forum for a bit longer

Yeah, and make a wicked cool custom out of it. With the expertise here, that could be fun.

Sucks on another theft, hope you can get at least a partial license plate off of the truck, because that with the type of vehicle will get you pretty damn close to the actual vehicle being used to steal from ya.

I don't know how much data DMV would need to do a search, and not knowing the actual color of it is making things worse.
I haven't seen many trucks driving around that could be a match for it, but every time I see something close to it, it sure makes me take a second look.

 

[Greg]

detective services and the DMV can create a list of possible suspects using partial license plate data and possible vehicle descriptions.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I know I am late to the party, but after reading all this and studying the pics I agree with that it is a RCSB 4x4 with possibly painted fender flares (you can make out the outline of the rear one just behind lard butts butt) it has a blind spot mirror, bed caps, and a trailer hitch.

Have you contacted local scrap yards and asked about the stuff that was stolen. Since it is a federal offense to steal from a railroad, and most states require a scrap yard to get a drivers license and signature ( here in NC they have to take your pic as well) they should have all the information you need.

I got to watch two idiots being "cuffed and stuffed" at the scrap yard recently. They stole $200 worth of wire. Stupid thing was it wasn't even real copper - it was copper coated. So not only were they thieves they were incompetent thieves.

 

[mjleg]

It sucks that it is for your job, and not your property. Takes the fun out of it. I hope you guys catch them. If there is one thing that I can't stand its dishonesty.

Also, funny about the "copper" thieves ^^

 

[Maine_Train]

detective services and the DMV can create a list of possible suspects using partial license plate data and possible vehicle descriptions.

And the info garnered here and on PlowSite about things like the bed rails/caps will help "rule in/rule out" any candidates. Somebody on a law enforcement site I use has already found a couple of possible matches, one of them from the same county as where those thefts are taking place. He said they're Chevy pickups, but didn't give me any more data than that.

I haven't had too much luck with the search function here, but maybe "VIN" has too few characters. I know I saw a reference to a VIN decoder somewhere, so I'll go look for that. What I really wanted to know was, how much info about the color scheme is in the VIN? What I'm looking for is anything that might indicate a two-tone or three-tone paint job. I think the registration info from DMV only gives the "primary" color, but if something in a VIN says a particular truck is red or blue and silver or white, that's gonna be the first one I want to go look at in daylight. Likewise with distinctive stuff like cab style, bed length, 4WD vs. RWD, etc.

You must be registered for see images attach

Thanks.

 

[Maine_Train]

I know I am late to the party, but after reading all this and studying the pics I agree with that it is a RCSB 4x4 with possibly painted fender flares (you can make out the outline of the rear one just behind lard butts butt) it has a blind spot mirror, bed caps, and a trailer hitch.

Thanks; that's a good summary of "spotting features" for that truck.

Have you contacted local scrap yards and asked about the stuff that was stolen. Since it is a federal offense to steal from a railroad, and most states require a scrap yard to get a drivers license and signature ( here in NC they have to take your pic as well) they should have all the information you need.

Yeah, the places we've contacted so far mostly said they haven't seen any RR materials, and one said they won't accept such things without a letter. State law says they can't take manhole covers or anything with a town name or company name/initials on it, and all payments are supposed to be by check. The seller also has to sign a statement that the stuff is theirs to sell. We think there could be some smaller recyclers who might not be as attentive to such things, but we haven't proved it yet.

I got to watch two idiots being "cuffed and stuffed" at the scrap yard recently. They stole $200 worth of wire. Stupid thing was it wasn't even real copper - it was copper coated. So not only were they thieves they were incompetent thieves.

We have some of that along the right-of-way, the old telegraph wires. It's referred to as "clad," copper-clad steel wire. A couple of years ago, a guy was cutting some down in the same town where the heavier materials are disappearing, and a cop chased him. I think the thief got caught after he fell down while trying to run away. I fell once when running on the RR, not even on the track, and it ain't no fun. Insult, injury, all that stuff.
I don't know what the scrap price of steel wire is, but the materials we've been losing are worth just over 19¢/lb. right now, and that's one of the more lucrative grades of steel RR scrap. They must need a $4itload of that wire to make any money on it. One would almost think a real job would pay better, and involve a lot less stumbling around in the dark.

 

[Maine_Train]

Narrowing down the year

I spent some time this afternoon rereading Greg's History thread, and was wondering about some things that might narrow down the year of the suspects' truck. One item would be the metal CHEVROLET plate on the tailgate. That would make it a '97 or earlier, right? (Assuming it's not an aftermarket item.)
I know the number of wheel bolts (5 vs. 6) can differentiate ½-ton from ¾-ton and 4x2 from 4x4, but wasn't there a change to invisible (covered) lugs as of a certain model year?

I found the Comp Nine VIN decoder thread, and looked at various lists of RPO codes. Now all I need is some VINs to plug into it, and rule out or rule in some possibilities that turned up from partial license plate searches.
While I was in that (scene of the crime) town yesterday, I talked to the officer who's been helping me with the investigation, and he said he was able to rule out a couple of trucks because they have different tires than the thieves' truck has.

 

[1badgmc]

I spent some time this afternoon rereading Greg's History thread, and was wondering about some things that might narrow down the year of the suspects' truck. One item would be the metal CHEVROLET plate on the tailgate. That would make it a '97 or earlier, right? (Assuming it's not an aftermarket item.)

Correct. '98 was the only year that didn't have the big Chevrolet banner.

I know the number of wheel bolts (5 vs. 6) can differentiate ½-ton from ¾-ton and 4x2 from 4x4, but wasn't there a change to invisible (covered) lugs as of a certain model year?

Yes. '95 and older had fake lugs in the caps. The "lugs" are purely decoration and are a part of the cap. They serve no purpose aside from looks and don't actually have anything to do with holding the wheels on. '96-'98 had smooth caps. That is, assuming the truck is all stock. Swapping center caps is very easy. I've seen newer trucks with the older caps, although usually it's the older trucks that end up swapping to smooth caps.