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Aaron
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 09:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Press release from Traxxion Dynamics, concerning a Badweb member:

This guy came to our shop yesterday with an '04 R6 to have a shock mounted on his bike, and to have his forks built, and then to have the chassis setup before he went to the track. He hands me a Penske Triple Adjustable Piggyback that looked brand new. It had a Traxxion Titanium Spring, a Traxxion Fingertip High Speed Adjuster, and a Hyperco Hydraulic Spring Perch, all of which are products that are only available from Traxxion Dynamics. I thought, man this shock has everything we can throw at it to make it trick. He said he had bought it on the WERA Classified Board, and along with it, had purchased a Power Commander III, a Dynojet Quick Shifter, a Graves Titanium Pipe, and a set of Vortex Rearsets.

After the shock was mounted up, I went to set it up, and low and behold, the ride height was already set exactly where I would set it for Pirellis. Then I started setting the clickers, and they were set exactly how I would set them. Then it sorta hit, me and I asked the customer for the name of the guy on the WERA Board. He said "Joe Perry, I have the receipts out in the car".

I looked on our computers, we had never sold any of this to a Joe Perry. I went back to look at the bike again, I look down at the rearsets, and sure enough, there were notches in the tips of the footpegs that I had PERSONALLY filed into the pegs to add a little extra grip in the rain.

I knew then, that these were parts off of the racebike stolen from Jason Smith's raceshop last November. Smith owns Smith Brother's Harley Davidson, and his shop was broken into, and a complete R6 was stolen, a CBR1000RR that belonged to a local police officer (and racer, Jason Lewis), and several dressed out Harley road bikes. Total estimated loss was well over $100,000.

The customer of Traxxion who has agreed to cooperate with police, had receipts of the entire transaction, as well as the email trail, and the paypal account addressed to "Joe Perry." Oddly enough, to make sure he wasn't buying stolen parts, this innocent victim had asked for a VIN number on the receipt for the bike the parts were removed from. Perry is apparently so stupid, he put Jason Smith's complete actual VIN number off of the stolen bike and changed the last three digits. A check with Yamaha has confirmed that the VIN number supplied by Perry was invalid, and no such bike exists.

I was intimately familiar with all of the parts, since I personally handbuilt them, and served as Jason's suspension tuner in the FUSA Series during 2004. I called him up and told him I had found his stolen racebike parts, and knew the name of the guy who stole them. He said "NO WAY! WHO WAS IT?" I told him Joe Perry, and he nearly dropped the phone, and then asked me to tell him I was kidding. It turns out this Perry guy was a long time personal friend, and they had given him thousand and thousands of dollars worth of parts to help his drag racing effort. He even had a key to the Smith Brother's race shop! They allowed him to use all of their facilities to sponsor his drag bikes.

Anyway, Officer (and victim) Jason Lewis and a crew of other police got to raid Perry's shop and arrest him and throw his a$$ in jail! Sweet! They found the rest of Jason's bike dismantled and organized for sale, as well as tons of Harley parts from the Smith Brother's shop, and piles of Jason's take off tires nobody could figure out that kept disappearing. They filled a 7X16 trailer from front to back and from floor to the ceiling with stolen parts.

To top it off, they found a fully automatic UZI with the serial numbers milled off. This brought in the ATF, and the Feds came and put their hammer down on the guy this morning. According to Smith, who also buys and sells firearms, that one illegal weapon carries a felony conviction and minimum 10 years in prison.

Max McAllister, President
Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.

******************

Statement from Clay Wilwert, Wilwert's HD, one of Joe's sponsors:

Yesterday 2/24/2005 I received a phone call from Smith Brothers H-D in Johnson City, TN and the police department. I was informed that Joe Perry was arrested for posession of thousands of dollars in stolen motorcycles, parts and equipment. I could not believe this as we treated Joe like family and put a lot of trust in Joe as did Smith Brothers H-D. It is hard for me to describe my feelings as my day to day values on life (Integrity, Loyalty and Family) have been violated by someone who became a very close friend. Joe Perry/Acme Racing are no longer affiliated with Wilwert's Inc. Wilwert's Inc had no idea and was no part of this side of Joe. This is hard to take. If you have purchased something from Joe and feel it may have been stolen please contact Smith Brothers H-D at 423-323-9796. I will see you all in Gainesville. If you have a side like Joe please don't sucker the rest of us into being your friend, don't even come to an AHDRA event. Many of us can not tolerate this type of situation again.

Sincerely
Clay Wilwert

***********

My comments:

I have watched for some time as this guy, who wrote me a bad check for a set of heads, has posted here, biting my tongue the whole time. So I'm not shedding any tears over this.

I'm not going to bite my tongue about thieves who show up here anymore. People have a right to know.
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Bigeasy
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 09:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Wow! Sorry to hear that, it must have really hurt those guys to find out it was a close friend.(so called) Good work though Aaron! Glad to see your friends got their stuff back. As to often that is not the case.


art
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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I don't think Aaron "did the work" as such, it seems that Max McAllister did.

Still though, thanks for the heads up Aaron.

This Joe Perry guy... the name seems familiar... Who did he post as?
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Aaron
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Username "1320"

A cursory search shows that he sold things in the classifieds. Anyone who bought something from him should take note.

My only interaction with him was that he bought a set of XB heads from us back in '03. The check bounced. He never made good on it. I heard through the grapevine he was claiming he had a problem with them, but he never told me and he never returned them.

I can relate to what Jason and Clay must be feeling. I too had a good friend, someone I trusted completely, someone I helped out on more than one occassion to the tune of thousands of dollars, and then I found out he had been stealing thousands of dollars from me in cash and parts over a long period of time. He had done this while I was simultaneously helping him out big time.

You just can't imagine how it feels to discover something like that. The feeling of betrayal is unbelievable.

My tolerance for this stuff is wearing thin. Thieves should be exposed.
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Aaron
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I saw this press release on another web site. I called TD and confirmed it before I posted.
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Buelliedan
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:54 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

He sold a lot of stuff here in the classifieds. I wonder how much of it was stolen? Sounds like even more was put on e-bay. I really hate to hear things like this about a fellow badwebber. I hope he goes to jail for a long time!!
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Chris_mackay
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 11:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Bummer! Sure hope my Airtech bodywork makes it here.
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Vegasbueller
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 12:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Here is a link to his site:
http://www.acme-racing.com/large2.html

The guy has a young son! I hope he didnt get him all tangled up in this crap! What a fargin loser.
Nick
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Oddbawl
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 12:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Link worked for me.
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Kevyn
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 01:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

...thieving motorcycle parts is a bad deal. The Uzi is two magnitudes greater; non negotiable. All of his computers, phone records, financial records, personal phone books, sticky notes on the fridge are now in federal custody. I would expect the IRS to get involved next; bank statements, account information, etc.. Very ugly situation at the home front. His ebay account will be searched with the possibility that everyone he sold parts to being contacted...

Joe--if that's even his real name, is in one humongous heap of really smelly doo-doo...
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Awprior
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 01:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Wilwert's is in the town I'm living in currently, they have a pretty good reputation here. I've been by their shop and have seen all of his race bikes, and was wondering about all the parts he had been moving from Iowa and this area inparticular.

Hope it doesn't hurt anyone's business.
Alex
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Lake_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 06:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Aaron...thanks for the posting. I've almost bought a few things from him. Must have been that gut feeling that made me change my mind.
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Thansesxb9rs
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 08:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I hate to hear things like this. A few years ago I had a few bikes stolen from me, I have never felt so violated. Glad to hear that the cops got him before he could do anymore damage to his friends. The feeling I had with my loss can't even be close to finding out one of your friends is the thief.
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Gschuette
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 08:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That's odd. Smith Brothers is the local dealership back home in Tennessee. That is where my Dad buys all his motorcycles. Interesting to see it posted here and it sucks for all the people who got ripped off. Seems like Smith Brothers has had some rough times lately. An employee/owner of the shop was recently killed in a car crash. This all sucks.
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Timbo
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 09:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Wow,
I've seen lot's of his posts here. I would have never known to NOT trust him.

Thanks for the heads-up Aaron, and I'm sorry to hear you got burned by him. Sounds like others got hit even harder, both financially and emotionally.

People with no conscience suck!
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Aaron
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

So where do we draw the line?

Should I, knowing he stole from me and quite capable of proving it, have said something here? In the hopes of preventing someone else from falling victim? Which may well have happened, if he sold stolen parts here.

I'm asking this in all seriousness. This is a call I may have to make again soon. I'm definitely leaning towards "yes".
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Buelliedan
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

my vote is 100% yes. if somebody would screw you, a highly respected member of this board, I can only imagine what they would do to a newcomer here.
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Awprior
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 10:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Aaron,
I'd say yes, 100% as well. In my opinion, we're a big family here, it needs to be treated as such. Trust is of the utmost importance.

As I did the fundraising for the Ride Across America, I made sure to track each and every penny that was donated to the American Cancer Society, so everyone was certain where that money went.

We put faith in everyone here in whatever deals we are making, doing charity rides, benefits for riders who have crashed, selling parts, making calendars or doing charitable evnets

Small things that tear our Buell community apart affect us all, we should all be aware if there are bad things going on. Owning a business (and I may be way wrong on this, Aaron) and being cheated, you may have some repercussions on whoever may have cheated you. Trading or buying parts here, I'd say you don't have any protection, and could set yourself for a world of hurt.
Alex
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Nedwreck
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 11:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Possession of an automatic weapon without the requisite transfer tax stamp is one thing. Milling off the serial numbers is a whole 'nother matter.
The Feds aren't gonna be satisfied with giving him ten years, uh-UH. It doesn't even have to be fully automatic, he's got BIG time for obliterating serial numbers on ANY firearm. Looks like he's gonna be some hard timers main squeeze for quite a while.

People should also realize that the only reason he was a member here was to prey on us like he did on other forums, lest they get the wrong idea.
I haven't been here long but I know BadWeb is chock full of good people who want nothing better than to share good times, good stories, good will and their love of a specific brand of motorcycle. This man was nothing more than a lamprey, out for nothing other than personal advancement. I'm sorry he ever drew a breath.

Bob
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Hutch
Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 11:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I have race this guy in the AHRDA, pretty much a loud mouth, Aaron he told me about the heads he got from you and all he could do was bitch about them. He race in many classes and help out with JR dragbikes, and getting air time on speed TV for drag racing.He broke one of my biggest rules I life , you don't steal.
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Chris_mackay
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 01:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Aaron,

Yes, it would have been good to know about a "questionable" individual. Silly me trusted that he would come through and now, $500.00 down, I'll be putting the little flyscreen back on the X1. OUCH!
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Peter
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 03:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)


quote:

I'm asking this in all seriousness. This is a call I may have to make again soon. I'm definitely leaning towards "yes".



Yes.
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Steveshakeshaft
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 03:21 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The answeer to Aaron's question is a real dilemna. Let's say that you said that "XYZ" was theiving from you or somebody else and you were 100% sure. Then, let's say the authorities investigated and you were wrong. What then?

Steve
steve_s@ukbeg.com
www.ukbeg.com
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Blake
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 05:44 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

<sigh> The only proper approach is the one that Jason Lewis took. Call the cops and have the thief prosecuted. Or at a minimum pursue it via civil court where the onus for proof is less rigorous.

Aaron,
I know of your situation and your frustrations with it; it ain't anywhere near to being in the same realm as what Mr. Lewis experienced. You are free to post as you wish on the subject, but if you have any sense, you'll move on with your life, count your blessings and avoid sullying yourself among such accusations and the likely counterattack, even possible legal action. Cause rest assured if you publicly accuse someone of criminal actions, but have not pursued it in court or with the authorities, you are asking to be hit with a libel suit.

You may think it will help your situation and/or punish the object of your frustration, but it won't. Cause there are always two sides to the story and the whole thing would likely devolve into an unfortunate your word against theirs hatefest. And no one likes that, especially prospective customers.

Sometimes forgiveness is the most rewarding and productive path in such matters.

You ever forgive anyone?

Are you in a bind and low on funds? Tell us; no shame in that at all; we'll chip in and help. It's the least we can do.
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Blake
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 06:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

To be clear, if I thought for one second that the focus of your relentless ire was a person who was at all likely to pray upon and defraud fellow BadWeBrs as Mr. Perry has done, I too would vote "yes" and join you in your condemnations/warnings. But he isn't, and so I cannot.
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Blake
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 06:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Imagine for one minute if some of the people you might have wronged saw fit to air their grievances publicly. They might all be convinced that they are 100% accurate in their complaints.

I really am being a good friend to you here; you may not see it that way, but that is God's honest truth. And you know how I feel about God. : )
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Blake
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 06:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

As far as your case with Mr. Perry, I'd ask that you definitely raise the subject with him publicly. A statement like, "Hey Joe (1320), your check bounced, when can I expect you to make good?" Kinda like what Al did with a customer recently. Be diplomatic. Best case, he relents under such public pressure. Worst case he vacates the board never to return to victimize any BadWeBrs.
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Ingemar
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 07:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I must agree with Blake.

It's probably not what I would do though, as I act very much on impulses, and not on common sense.

But in your case I would think you have much more to worry about than a personal issue with the guy in question. After all, you're running your own business with a solid reputation and a good base of customers. Think about it.
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Pammy
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 07:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Hey, well if it's a free for all....
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Aaron
Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 08:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Wouldn't say anything I didn't know to be fact, and wasn't ready, willing, and able to prove.
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