Light-up McIntosh December 15
Light-up McIntosh will begin at the Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. The event will host Santa Clause and an area choir from six local churches will sing.
09.03.06 -- REPORT -- Resident reports airboat stolen from home in historical district
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Resident reports airboat stolen from home in historical district
By CHER PHILLIPS
McINTOSH -- An airboat was stolen from a McIntosh residence Saturday night.
Fred DelRusso, of McIntosh, reported to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department Sunday that his 1996 six cylinder airboat with an aircraft motor is missing.
DelRusso said he has no idea what happened to it and fears the boat is hidden somewhere or has been stripped.
“The cops are looking everywhere,” DelRusso said. “But you and I know they [whoever took it] would not just go ride in it.”
DelRusso said the boat was stolen Saturday between noon and Sunday morning from his home on the corner of Avenue H and 5th Street. The airboat, on a trailer, was parked on 5th Street.
He said he recently purchased the boat in the last two weeks. Airboats range in price from $6,000 - $11,000 depending on the size, style and type of motor.
DelRusso would like McIntosh residents to be aware his boat has been stolen so they can take precautions with their own property.
Whomever stole the boat had to hook up the hitch to a vehicle large enough to tow the boat's trailer and drive it through the small town. McIntosh is a small, tight-knit community in which very little goes unnoticed.
DelRusso would also appreciate hearing from anyone with information about his boat who might have seen something Saturday night.
He can be reached at 352-591-4835.
posted by Cher @ 10:13 PM,
11 Comments:
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At September 09, 2006 7:53 AM ,
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This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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At September 09, 2006 7:59 AM ,
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I want to thank everyone who has been so careing about this whole mess and especially Sean Dowie who has hunted to extream with me this week. And if you want to learn this area just ask Sean for a tour he knows everthing around this area. Thank you all for the back support that I needed this week to find this piece of cray theif and have him locked up.
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At September 09, 2006 9:56 AM ,
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Well I took this entire week off to look for the airboat and try to figure out who,how and where. Well my efforts paid off. In fact my efforts helped others in more need of their property. Wow as I finally figured out what had happened to my airboat I realized that there are much more important things people have stolen from them that my loss was no big deal. All week I drove everywhere around orange lake every dirt road every private driveway I haven't sleep all week you see I've been doing this hunt day and night this week so yes last night I had some much needed rest. Yes I found my airboat it has been partially taken apart but everything is there so it will be on the lake soon, But much more important I also found a stolen handicap van that is much needed to the handicap person who owns it WOW this has turned out to be a worthwhile adventure. The piece of crap that stole my airboat also stole a handicap van and the detective on the case said they are looking into the rest of the stuff at this guys house you see there was a lot of cars,trucks,boats and more at this guys house. My leads were some people around the area that said hey you need to check out this guy he is a thief well I remembered the guy they were talking about had tried to sell me a airboat in the past so I found his phone number and did a background check on him to find out that he is on probation for grand theft so I went to his house doing some snooping and sure enough there were a tone of things that did not look legit. Then I called the detective to let him know that I want him to check this guy out. Well the detective went to the guys house and the guys wife would not let the cops look around so they called in a helicopter, the helicopter spotted the Indian paintings on the rudders of my airboat so then they all went in with probable cause. and wow from there they found the stolen handicap van and much more. I finally had a good nights sleep and a sign of relief. It shows YOU PLAY AND YOU PAY. Anyway the piece of crap is going to jail for a long long time. Justice is served. Your neibor,
Fred DelRusso -
At September 09, 2006 10:07 AM ,
Cher said...
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I'm so happy that Fred was able to fins his airboat, among other stolen items. I want to note that I deleted his comment and reposted it with one edit -- I pulled out the suspect's name. I have never done this in the blog before. This is just a little legal news thing. The guy who had Fred's airboat and the handicapped van is a suspect until a judge gets ahold of him -- in newsland anyway. I personally guarantee that the rest of Fred's comment is stands wholey as he wrote it. Again, what a great story and thanks to Fred for sharing it with everyone. Congratulations to him for getting his boat back and for helping others recover their property!
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At September 09, 2006 10:52 AM ,
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I heard that Bill Glass went to Casey's and asked her if anyone that lives down there stole Fred's airboat!!!!!
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At September 09, 2006 11:10 AM ,
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Shoot, the must be why he's been driving around Sportsman's Cove a lot lately. He was looking for Fred's boat? But what was he looking for before the airboat went missing?
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At September 09, 2006 4:15 PM ,
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The suspect is a neighbor to all of us. He has a wife and three children. Those children will be left without financial means when this man goes to jail. Don't get me wrong, I think he should go to jail. Still, I am saddened by this news, not that he was caught, but that he did it at all. I believe substance abuse is at the root of this issue. I think that substance abuse is the cause of most of the crime in this world.
K. Deaderick
fisherwife -
At September 10, 2006 8:38 PM ,
Cher said...
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Two comments up is a comment about Bill Glass driving around the Cove a lot lately. I wrote it -- hit anonymous and should have claimed it. I partly tossed it out there because I thought it was funny. I always see that guy driving around my neighborhood. I mean, anybody ever wonder, what IS he looking for?
Not picking on Bill alone for this next point, but it just hit me as so freaking ironic that in McIntosh we have the equivelent of a community watch that spends so much time watching the community, it misses watching out FOR the community. Thanks for reading! -
At September 14, 2006 8:06 AM ,
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I doubt the gentleman who stole the airboat and has 3 children was providing much financial means, I saw the hole the children were living in and the children definately do not reflect the parents they are beautiful kids. Second the gentleman was just released in January from prison on GRAND THEFT so I guess he didn't get it the first time, and last it was financial gain not drugs invoved and he did not do it alone others were involved and those names ARE KNOWN! Great life for children to grow up in.
S. Dowie -
At September 14, 2006 8:14 PM ,
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I agree with you, Sean. I'm just so sad for the whole situation. On further inspection, it looks like the guy is just a criminal. And not a very good one!
I have a hard time believing people are bad without a motive like drug use. I guess money and greed serve just as well.
Katie Deaderick -
At September 14, 2006 11:33 PM ,
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I know Katie it does, I really feel for their children. A rude awakening very sad......
S.Dowie
Editor
Editor and Publisher:
I'm Cher From McIntosh, FL I'm a graduate student at the University of Florida working on a master's degree in Mass Communication. While I was finishing my undergrad degree in journalism last year, I reported on McIntosh, Fla. for an in-depth reporting class. I figured that the reporting and the public record files should go somewhere people can access them. Reporters don't report to keep the information they find to themselves. Some of that reporting is included here in a forum that allows response. McIntosh suffers because with no news coverage, the local government and the rumor mill have too much potential to run rampant over residents. I moved to McIntosh in the fall of 1999. My profile
About This Blog
The primary purpose of this blog is to accurately reflect what happens in town public meetings and dispel rumors. I record the meetings and make them available for download. One of the goals of this blog is to offer residents a place to voice opinions. The comments, views and opinions expressed there are not necessarily those of the editor.
