Fingerprint leads to arrest

Topics:  Bull Valley Ford

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
March 22, 2013

Remember back in October when Bull Valley Ford (in Woodstock) reported the theft of 26 diesel particulate filters (DPF) from trucks on its lot on Route 47?

Repeated in today's article about the arrest was an assertion at the time by police that "Disconnecting the items requires significant time and the use of power tools." At the time of the theft the dealer said each filter weighs about 100 pounds and that the value of stolen filters was approximately $100,000.

At the time I wondered just how long it takes to remove one and how much noise is generated by "power tools" used to loosen bolts or cut them out. Let's assume it took hours.

William Czarnecki, of Milwaukee, was arrested in Wisconsin this week, and extradition procedures are underway.

Should be interesting to learn where Czarnecki's fingerprint was found if, indeed, it was his fingerprint. Could it have been someone else's, but it led to him? Was it found on recovered parts or on one of the trucks on the Bull Valley Ford lot?

Think patrol procedures in Woodstock have changed since October? Do officers now drive through the dealers' lots late at night and on week-end evenings? Or do they get out and walk the lots at night?

Cities generate tens of thousands of dollars in sales tax from auto dealerships. Dealers could receive a little "special" attention late at night when the cop business is on the slow side.