Disgrace in CYYJ

[BigMac]

Here's a new one to me. I fly a private Cessna 340 out of Alberta. On my way out of Tofino I had an engine problem and diverted to Victoria. I parked at the Shell on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct 24th. On Monday the 26th, the aircraft was towed to Victoria Air Maintenance. Upon finishing repairs, I returned to the airplane on Oct 31st. to find my Bose X headset had been removed from the airplane.

Yes, the airplane was left unlocked.

I have always assumed there was some modicum of trust left in this industry. To whomever took it, shame on you. A police report was filed. I ask you to return it, no questions asked, to the Aerocentre.. if not, throw it in the Georgia Straight because if I do find out who you are, and you still have it, I will do my best to bring out your name to the rest of the aviation community. Entering an aircraft you don't have an affiliation with is a crime, not to mention the associated theft.

Both Victoria Air Maintenance and the Shell Aerocentre have been notified about this incident. I am both ashamed and appaled at this act. I am not rich and this headset took a long time to save up for.

I ask fellow pilots, ground crew, and the like, to perhaps take a look at the new Bose headset someone may be wearing and see if there are the small initials 'TM' engraved in the side. PM me; I'm posting a $400 bounty on its rightful return.

Good luck to whoever took it, and better luck to whoever finds out who did.

[canpilot]

I've always found 99.9% of aviators to be VERY good with returning lost property/ not breaking into a fellow airman's airplane to steal a nice headset.

Thats really sad! I hope you find it..

[ywgflyboy]

This world is a disgusting place at times.

Do any of the hangers have airport security cams?

[Changes in Latitudes]

I'd keep an eye open on websites like Kijiji , craigslist and ebay. I have a tough time believing that it was a pilot that stole this from you with the intention of using it for flying. Keep the faith, I doubt that anyone involved in some form professional aviation stole this from you.

[flying4dollars]

I agree with CIL, however, I still wouldn't totally count it out. These things will get the best of anyone, professional or not, and the temptation to steal such posessions, such as a nice headset or an aircraft journey log is something that that anyone is capable of being guilty of.

Good luck! Really hope you find the headset and the scum who took it.

[Doc]

I have never locked an airplane. I've left them in northern communities, overnight. Caught a guy sleeping in one once, but nobody has ever screwed with a bird. Not once. I always find that amazing!
This type of thing is, thankfully really rare. Is your headset covered by insurance in any way?
That's low.

[AMM]

Maybe it was this guy.


Good thing he didn't steel your plane too.

[Changes in Latitudes]

and the temptation to steal such posessions, such as a nice headset or an aircraft journey log is something that that anyone is capable of being guilty of.

I disagree, I don't know a single person in my profession that is guilty of this, and I have 14 years of knowing people in this profession, so I think your "anyone" hypothesis is completely incorrect. You'd have to have something seriously lacking in your head and in your life to consider such a thing. If it is one of our own, I want the name posted right up here.

[Airtids]

WOW! Really sorry (and surprised) to hear this. As a local, you can be sure I'll be looking. Call the Flying Club, and make them aware of it as well, in case someone posts a notice.

I've seen this once before. A 214 got broken into one night in CZNL, and a bunch of rap gear and headsets were stolen (along with my beloved Rocky Mountain Stratus). Would have been an ugly sight had the perps been caught...

[paydaymayday]

I have never locked an airplane. I've left them in northern communities, overnight. Caught a guy sleeping in one once, but nobody has ever screwed with a bird. Not once. I always find that amazing!

I don't know, in the north, the kids like to break in and steal all the commissary food. And I've seen rocks in our intakes before.

[sky's the limit]

I feel your pain.

I had a co-pilot who stole mine once - really. I knew he did it, he knew I knew he did it, but there was no proof... At that stage in my career the DC 13.4 was ALL the money I had too....

Best of luck in getting it back.

stl

[double-j]

That is truly a cruel and cowardly thing to do to another professional. I hope someone has the decency to return this item back to its rightful owner and reflect.

BIGMAC, I have an H10 13.4 in my basement somewhere that you are free to use until you find a replacement of someone has the guts to return your own one.

I live in calgary, pm me if you want it.

john

[xsbank]

Somebody swiped my buddy's helmet out of his Tracker at the Victoria Airshow while we were all standing around. No idea if it was a pilot, though.

How can you feel secure when the number one industry in BC is growing dope?

[Lurch]

I hope you find the bugger and string them up.

I had an employers plane in for maintenance and we had a Garmin 496 stolen in YBW, they even took the time to untie and unravel the antenna. We were grounded for a day because I had to get the backup GPS programmed with our survey lines.

Lurch

[flying4dollars]

and the temptation to steal such posessions, such as a nice headset or an aircraft journey log is something that that anyone is capable of being guilty of.

I disagree, I don't know a single person in my profession that is guilty of this, and I have 14 years of knowing people in this profession, so I think your "anyone" hypothesis is completely incorrect. You'd have to have something seriously lacking in your head and in your life to consider such a thing. If it is one of our own, I want the name posted right up here.

I dont think you can say completely incorrect. The point I was trying to make is that anyone is capable of falling to the mercy of a temptation under the right circumstance. Greed, lust, gluttony etc is something everyone has been guilty of in their lifetime.

Would I feel safe leaving my $1200 headset in an airplane for a while? Yes, probably not overnight, but if I forgot it there I wouldn't fret about it. But people are capable of these things, even in our own profession. Rare? Yes, impossible? No.

[atpilot]

I've always found 99.9% of aviators to be VERY good with returning lost property/ not breaking into a fellow airman's airplane to steal a nice headset.

Thats really sad! I hope you find it..

I guess there's always that .1%

[macbainz1]

I also find it hard to believe that a fellow pilot would take your headset, you sure there aren't any like casual workers/cleaners about in there. yeah check ebay and gumtree etc and type in the postal/zip code near where the headset was taken and have a look....

[FlaplessDork]

I know someone who had his pair of Bose headsets stolen twice in the course of a month. Soon as he replaced one pair, the replacements were stolen.

[black hole]

I too: think that its pretty damn low; for a professional to to steal from another. But unfortunate; I think I know a few of that .1%. No names here because I am lacking proof. There are a few who work or used to work in Red Deer.
BH

[shannon]

To suggest that a pilot wouldn't steal his headset but a cleaner would is pretty incredible. First who is more motivated, second why would you suggest a cleaner. As if pilots were a higher class of individual, pilots will quickly stab one another in the back, and whore themselves out to get a position on the flightline yet you don't think they would steal.

[sky's the limit]

To suggest that a pilot wouldn't steal his headset but a cleaner would is pretty incredible. First who is more motivated, second why would you suggest a cleaner. As if pilots were a higher class of individual, pilots will quickly stab one another in the back, and whore themselves out to get a position on the flightline yet you don't think they would steal.

So true, and to quote myself:

I had a co-pilot who stole mine once - really.

stl

[moocow]

Sue the company. They got insurance and probably they got theft coverage. May count as customer goods in their possession. Just don't trust anyone. When I was in Victoria during the day, I removed all the headset from the plane and left only the life jackets and survival kit and worry they may get stolen since the rental 175 have no door locks.

[Flybabe]

Unfortunately, not very isolated. That really sucks.

I know someone who had equipment stolen off of an ag plane.. obviously someone that know something about it. We also had someone "break in" to one of our tankers this year - made off with a couple new Garmins, plus personal stuff of value. When you consider that we live out of our machines, you can imagine that we carry a bunch of stuff.

Nothing is safe, anywhere.

[Invertago]

I'm just thinking back to all the times I've left my 296 tucked under the seat in an un-lockable C172... going to be more careful, I've kinda taken the whole safe behind the airport fence bit for granted.

[Youngback]

DeHavilland Out of Production conference Victoria in 2002, my employer was selling his 206 Amphib with a 296 in it. We were outside the whole time and didn't notice anyone suspicious even attempting to remove the unit and all the cables. There is lots of scum out there. This industry is no different than any other