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Author Topic: Just a little safer runs.  (Read 5493 times)

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JCZ

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Just a little safer runs.
« on: May 12, 2004, 05:55:43 PM »

Well, Sturgis and other runs might be just a little bit safer now (but don't ever let your guard down).........



Motorcycle thief gets maximum sentence
By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writer

STURGIS -- A Pennsylvania man arrested with stolen motorcycles and parts during last year's Sturgis motorcycle rally was sentenced Monday in Meade County to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

David Gebert, 57, of Buffalo Township, Pa., could receive another 10 years in prison and another $10,000 fine when he is sentenced today in Pennington County on related charges.

Gebert and his wife, Linda Gebert, 56, were arrested last Aug. 4 at the Black Hills Harley-Davidson dealership in Rapid City when a man saw David Gebert attempting to ride away on the man's motorcycle.

Police later searched the Geberts' campsite near Sturgis, where they found three more stolen motorcycles and parts reported stolen during the Daytona, Fla., bike rally. The couple's son, 24-year-old Justin Gebert, was charged along with his parents in Meade County.

As part of a plea agreement with local prosecutors, David Gebert pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft in Pennington County, and to one count of grand theft by possession of stolen property and one count of trafficking in stolen vehicles in Meade County. In exchange, additional charges against David Gebert, and all charges against Linda and Justin Gebert, were dropped.

In court Monday before 4th Circuit Judge Warren Johnson, defense attorney Patrick Duffy argued that Gebert should receive a light sentence because he didn't have a criminal record. He also pointed out that Gebert, a former shop teacher who holds a master's degree, has been married to the same woman for 33 years.

"This is a probation case," he said.

Meade County State's Attorney Jesse Sondreal disagreed, saying the court should consider all related evidence, including uncharged prior crimes.

"It's not just the motorcycles that Mr. Gebert has pleaded guilty to (stealing)," he said. "It's all the motorcycles that were found in or near his possession."

When police searched the Geberts' campsite, they found a list of motorcycles that were reported stolen from previous rallies, Sondreal noted.

"I think he's been fooling a lot of people for a long time," Sondreal said. "This isn't just a random case of theft. This is an ongoing criminal enterprise that was shut down by the Rapid City Police Department, the DCI (Division of Criminal Investigation), and the Meade County Sheriff's Office."

The Pennsylvania State Police also is investigating the Gebert family. The Butler (Pa.) Eagle newspaper reported that authorities had served at least six search warrants on the couple's home and business, seizing truckloads of motorcycles, parts, computer records, documents and other items. Charges are pending.

The 4th Circuit Court case was originally assigned to Judge Jerome Eckrich. Judge Johnson replaced Eckrich after an attorney for the Gebert family requested that Eckrich be removed from the case.

Duffy declined to comment after sentencing. His client will be sentenced today in Rapid City by 7th Circuit Judge Thomas L. Trimble.
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starvin

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2004, 06:46:57 PM »

A girl I work with went to Daytona last year with her boyfriend, towed thier bikes, she just got a new custom built softail. The second day there his bike was stolen so they went to the harley shop and got a different seat and passenger pegs on hers so they could ride two up, that night hers was stolen, with no bikes to ride they decided to come back early and go up north snowmobiling. On the way up north her machine fell off the trailer and crashed on the road.  Now thats a bad vacation.
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mr_magoo

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2004, 08:41:25 AM »

JCZ am I wrong or do you get more time for stealing a bike than killing a guy on a bike. South Dakota must be a great state.  [smiley=confused5.gif]
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Road_Hog

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2004, 09:37:14 AM »

Definately sends a message out there.  Having been in the auto theft industry for a while, we have seen some pretty good sentences on bike theives here in So. Cal.  Pretty good out here is anywhere from probation (depending on priors) to over ten years in prison.  Also there's a lot of vin switching going on out here with certain groups as well.

Never seen a CVO stolen out here, they mostly target the custom softails, fatboys, and complete customs.  Our bikes, as of yet, do not fit their profile.   [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
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JCZ

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2004, 10:33:43 AM »

Quote
JCZ am I wrong or do you get more time for stealing a bike than killing a guy on a bike. South Dakota must be a great state.
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JCZ

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2004, 11:25:39 PM »

Alright, he got 10 more years and Pennsylvania is waiting to prosecute him and are investigating his family......

Pa. man gets 10 more years for motorcycle thefts
By Kara Christensen, Journal Staff Writer

RAPID CITY -- The Pennsylvania man convicted of stealing motorcycles and parts during last year's Sturgis motorcycle rally received the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine Tuesday in 7th Circuit Court.

Judge Thomas L. Trimble did not specify whether David Gebert, 57, of Buffalo Township, Pa., would serve the sentence concurrently or consecutively with the 20-year sentence and $20,000 fine he received Monday in Meade County on related offenses. Trimble also ordered Gebert to pay almost $800 in restitution and court costs.

Pennington County deputy state's attorney Kevin Krull said he did not know who determines whether Gebert serves a total of 20 or 30 years in state prison. He said it could be someone at the South Dakota State Penitentiary or the state Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Gebert and his wife, Linda Gebert, 56, were arrested after an attempted theft at the Black Hills Harley-Davidson dealership on Aug. 4, 2003. When law enforcement officers searched the family's campsite near Sturgis, they found three stolen motorcycles and motorcycle parts reported missing from a Daytona, Fla., bike rally.

Charges were filed against Gebert, his wife and their son, Justin Gebert, 24, in Meade County, and against Gebert and his wife in Pennington County.

Rapid City prosecutors agreed to drop all charges against Gebert's wife and son in exchange for Gebert pleading guilty to one count of grand theft in Pennington County, and to one count of grand theft by possession of stolen property and one count of trafficking in stolen vehicles in Meade County.

Arguments from the defense and prosecution Tuesday paralleled Monday's Meade County proceedings. Defense attorney Patrick Duffy pointed out Gebert's lack of a criminal record, but Krull, who prosecuted the case in Pennington County, said Gebert merely hadn't been caught until now.

Duffy told Trimble that motorcycle theft happens all the time and that the Meade County sentence was "enough."

"But for the fact we're in Harley-Davidson country, it's no big deal," Duffy said.

Gebert told Trimble, "I never stole anyone's motorcycle," and that he never intended to. He said he only bought and sold parts.

Krull said he didn't know whether the proximity to the Sturgis rally affected the sentence but that there were enough other factors in the case to warrant the maximum penalty.

Trimble said it appeared Gebert was running a sophisticated criminal enterprise out of his Pennsylvania motorcycle parts shop.

Charges are pending in Pennsylvania, where state police are investigating the Gebert family. Krull said his understanding was that authorities in Pennsylvania were waiting until after Gebert's sentencing in South Dakota to press charges because the maximum penalty increases when someone has a criminal record.
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Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence.  Remember...it's the journey, not the destination!

West Coast GTG   
Reno, NV (04), Reno, NV (05),  Cripple Creek, CO (06)  Hood River, OR (09), Lake Tahoe, CA (11) Carmel, CA (14), Ouray CO (15) Fortuna, Ca. (16)

JCZ

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2004, 10:08:51 AM »

If anybody in Penn. sees anything in the paper, please post it here.
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Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence.  Remember...it's the journey, not the destination!

West Coast GTG   
Reno, NV (04), Reno, NV (05),  Cripple Creek, CO (06)  Hood River, OR (09), Lake Tahoe, CA (11) Carmel, CA (14), Ouray CO (15) Fortuna, Ca. (16)

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Re: Just a little safer runs.
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2004, 04:52:03 PM »

*** Attention -- Biased Opinion ***

These are the kind of scum that give humanity a bad name.
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