How I Participated in an Undercover Police Raid...true story
This happened here at the ranch, 4-5 years back.
Some of you know we have a rather unique location for our ranch. It is almost 2 miles past the end of a county road. It is a private road maintained by us property owners. Marked "no trespassing ".
I am the last property except for an unpermitted cabin, unoccupied many years, easiest accessed by going thru my property, across a creek and then up a four by track. It's about 1/2 mile from my house.
Okay, so anyway...one day I see a car parked in front of my gate (already 2 miles into trespassing). I find a man and two women pushing a baby stroller across my property. I confronted them, they claimed to be visiting peeps on top of the hill. Since they were pushing a baby stroller, it was a beautiful day and we do own a lovely piece of forest, I let them continue on their walk. This was, let's say 3:00 p.m.
So, 8:00 at night roles around, it's dark, and the car is still parked in front of the gate. The first thing I realiEd was that there had been no baby covered in the stroller. Too small of a package.
Next I realized that they "must" have gone to the cabin. There is absolutely nothing to keep people occupied for hours behind our property.
I thought about calling the sheriff, telling the story about a little baby being possibly lost in the forest. That would have been fun to watch as the sheriffs clamored thru the forest and finding the jerks in the cabin, but I like to go to bed early, so I passed on getting this "country entertainment" for the evening. Like I say, by this time I knew there was no baby.
So, next morning I called the cabin owner. The car was now gone but I wanted to let the owner know someone had apparently broken into the cabin. I gave him the license number of the car.
Okay, next morning I get a call from someone who identifies himself as a detective from our county sheriffs office.
Him, mr. Bogart, this is a courtesy call to let you know we will shortly be conducting a raid on the cabin behind your property. We don't look like police officers and we don't want to alarm you.
Me....Okay, I will open the back gate so you can go right thru.
Him...no, we don't want to tip our hand
Me...(realizing that telling him no one was back at the cabin, or that I could unlock the gate because the cabin was still hella far behind the gate). Said...okay, I'll have the key to the gate for you when you get here.
We hang up. I call the cabin owner and tell him of the impending raid.
Cabin Owner...yeah, you owe me a big one. The sheriff called about the raid. I tried to give him directions to the cabin, but he said he was looking at the cabin on Google maps. I told him he couldn't see our cabin on Google maps, sure enough, they were going to raid your house, Bud Bogart!
Okay, dodged a huge bullet right there, lol. Would NOT have gone well for old Bud.
Oh yes, the raid. Should be said, Bud loves all people, regardless color of skin or uniform. Everybody has a part in making the world go round.
Two pick ups roll in carrying three long hair, full bearded guys looking like undercover cops looking like meth bikers. I immediately give the gate key to the leader. I tell him that after he has had a chance to survey the area I would be willing to give them a ride across the knee high creek in my utv, their 4X4 were not equipt to go much further. I don't know why I offered other than I would have done it for anyone with a legitimate need to cross the creek. I guaranteed him no one could hear us from the cabin to the creek,
So, they suited up in vests and guns strapped to their knee area?? And hopped in my UTV and off we went. Got them across the creek, quietly gave them my cell number to call after they cleared the cabin and I would climb the hill and give them a ride home.
They cleared the cabin, called me and I went up and brought them all back to their trucks.
They obviously appreciated being treated like human beings. I'm glad I did it.