It’s a funny thing about living here in Spokane, as I’m sure anywhere else for that matter. There is always this element in society who want to make it big by using any means possible including illegal means to justify their endgame.
Apparently this was the case and recently, the media revealed a group, gang, syndicate in this area who made their living in stolen property.
They were quite slick about it too, stealing coin machines, catalytic converters, tools, and credit cards. But like in the movies one of those arrested ratted out on the rest of the gang and now they’re all in jail awaiting their day in court.
I often wondered about the abandoned cars I spotted from time to time along the route I normally take to work. It’s a familiar road because it eventually goes pass the casino I work at. It always started out innocently as I spotted a car that was left along side the road, thinking the person had a mechanical problem, or the vehicle ran out of gas.
But then something funny started happening as eventually tires and wheels were removed, a side window was smashed in, the hood was raised and eventually, it looked as if it belonged in a wrecking yard for final dismemberment. That was when someone finally called the Spokane County sheriff and it was impounded and removed from the road.
All last autumn and winter this occurred to at least five vehicles along the same patch of road. It seemed clear to me what was actually going on. I don’t know if law enforcement caught on. Here’s what I think most likely happened. Our guests go to our casino and enjoy the evening. Some time during their time there, the car they drove in either gets stolen, or maybe someone punched a hole in the gas tank and it ends up at the bottom of the hill.
In any case, they have to leave their car, or the thieves leave the car and then someone else, over the course of several evenings have their fun, stealing what they can and destroying the car so the owner is left with nothing.
Since that time, in May to be precise when this theft ring was discovered, there has been an increased amount of county deputies patrolling that road and no abandoned cars alongside that route. I’m thinking justice might have finally prevailed
Jerry Schellhammer 