Page 12 - GBC Winter 2024 English

ONTARIO’S POWER CART THEFT SAGA CONTINUES
Over the past few years, a startling number of Ontario golf courses have had multiple power carts stolen from their property. This disturbing trend has continued this summer, much to the chagrin of owners / operators across the province. Over 200 golf carts (worth approx. $2 million) have been stolen from 20+ Ontario golf courses since 2021, with the majority stolen in 2022 and 2024. Most of these incidents have been in the Niagara and Greater Toronto Area regions. The number of thefts and the level of organization required to effectively do this has many owners / operators convinced the incidents are linked, and the work of professionals.
Back in November 2022, just as the golf course was closing for the season, 44 power carts were stolen overnight from Niagara’s Rockway Vineyards Golf Course, worth over $300,000. Police believe that all the carts were driven 2 km across the course from the storage area. Then the suspects cut a hole in a fence and drove the carts onto a vineyard service road and onto transport vehicles, where they were loaded up and quickly moved out.
“It is a terrible feeling anytime something is stolen from you,” said Donny Churchill, PGA of Canada Executive Professional & Director of Golf Operations at Rockway Vineyards Golf Club. “I was not totally surprised because the NGCOA Canada, Golf Ontario, and PGA of Ontario had warned that cart theft had been happening throughout the province. Unfortunately, we had been in discussions with our ownership about putting a better security plan in place, but it obviously didn’t happen in time. Trust me, it can happen to you! Get a proper security system in place. Cameras are not enough!”
In the early hours of April 19th, 2024, thieves loaded 11 power carts onto a trailer attached
to a heavy-duty pickup truck, then drove away from Settlers’ Ghost Golf Club about 20 kilometres northeast of Barrie, Ont. The carts were located in a parking lot with bright lights and the keys were locked up, away from the carts. “I showed up to work early in the morning and realized some of the carts were missing,” said David Graham, the club’s general manager to CTV Barrie. “I was quite shocked.”
The incident was caught on camera, however. The security camera on top of the pro shop revealed that eleven golf carts were stolen by two suspects. “They [possibly] used a screwdriver, jammed it into the lock, and then broke the ignition lock,” added Graham. “That allowed them to start one cart and then push a second cart in neutral.”2
In late May 2024, a dozen power carts were stolen from Wolf Run Golf Club in Janetville, ON, about 40 kilometres from Peterborough. “We had exper- ienced cart thefts the previous winter, and when police were informed, it became apparent to us that there wasn’t much that they could do to catch the
12
Golf Business Canada