Bill Quinlan
Your HainesCity Herald
Golf Column #13, Story#11-69
Published May 14, 2011
A crow described as about 14 inches tall with a yellow beak and black shiny feathers is at large after an aborted burglary in HainesCity on April 26. The crow may have as much as $465 in its possession.
Later that day, several people reported spotting a crow in HainesCitythat fit that description. None of them could say whether the crow was carrying any cash.
George Eifert, Tony Johnson and Dave Carrington, all of Haines City, were putting on the fourth green at Southern Dunes Golf Course in Haines City about nine o’clock the morning of April 26 when Carrington spotted the crow sitting shotgun in Eifert’s golf cart.
“Hey George, I think he’s taking your money,” Carrington called out just as the crow poked its beak into the open glove compartment.
Sure enough, the crow pulled out of the glove compartment with its beak full with a thick wad of bills and at least one shiny silver credit card wrapped in a rubber band. It took two hops and then headed southwest in full flight.
Johnson ran after the crow, which hid itself in a tree some 75 yards from the green.
Not to be fooled by a crow perhaps no smarter than himself, Johnson, security chief for the Southern Dunes Homeowners Association, by then winded and too tired to climb the tree, spotted the crow about 20 to 30 feet overhead.
“Drop it,” Johnson called out in an authoritative manner.
Johnson swears the crow’s wings were raised in an unmistakable gesture of surrender as the thick wad of bills and credits cards dropped to the ground.
Eifert claimed there had been $1,000 in cash along with several credit cards in the wad when he left it in the golf cart. After inspecting his property, Eifert said all the credit cards were still there but only $535 in cash. The rubber band was undisturbed, according to Carrington and Johnson.
Eifert said he wouldn’t discount the possibility that he would file a claim with his insurance agent, whom he declined to name.
Eifert added that he once lost $1,000 in cash that he had put into a baggie for safekeeping and later accidently tossed into a nearby refuse can at Disney World. He said he filed a report with Disney but never got a response.
Johnson asked Eifert on April 26for a reward but got no response.
“He’s a cheapskate,” said Johnson.
Eifert said he’s pressing charges.
“This is really nothing to crow about, “said Haines City Police Chief Richard Sloan.
The Chief declined to prosecute the crow but offered to investigate Johnson and Carrington if Eifert wishes.
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File:Stories.Herald.GolfColumnb#13.Story#11-69
Bill Quinlan is a freelance writer living in Southern Dunes
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