Robert Hansen was a certified kleptomaniac, and a well-known practitioner of the five-finger discount. According to the psychiatrist who examined him in conjunction with his theft of a chain saw from a big box store, he couldn’t stop himself. In the years since, he’d extended his range by landing his airplane near remote cabins and stealing the items he fancied .
“There were several cabins broken into,” burglary victim Ward Hulbert told the troopers. “Mine, the doc’s, another guy’s. And every single one of them was broken into by someone in an airplane.”
When the troopers began their search of Hansen’s house, they brought along a list of stolen property reports. Troopers started seizing items right away. It wasn’t a short list. There was five-finger discount stuff in every corner of the Hansen residence. And beyond.
10-27-83: The following case reports and stolen property lists were available at the HANSEN residence during the search for purposes of reference during which time the following evidence was seized in plain view:
VICTIM: JOHN PACE A.S.T. Case 883-5990
Item #104, Remington 552 .22 S/N 1915723 Row 9 Attic.
Item #113, G.E. C.B. Radio model 3-5000 S/N unknown
Garage, behind chair parts, N.W. corner with #114.
Item #114, G.E. Radio model 3-5000 S/N unknown
Garage, behind chair parts, N.W. corner with #113.
Item #118, Sears Battery Charger, S/N unknown
Garage, on work bench, N end.
Item #19, Battery, Pay-N-Pak 12 volt, no S/N
Buick trunk (I83-65858 Buick Search)
Item #119, Black Bear Hide, staple holes in back
Sheep skin, Beaver hide,
Attic, 15′ east of chimney.
Item #110, Radio-Tape Player, Sears, S/N
Top of table, family room.
Item #111, Ted Williams shotgun .20 ga. S/N unknown,
living room closet.
Item #121, McCullough Generator 2kw yellow and black,
shed behind house.
Source: Sequence of Events Leading to Arrest of Robert C. Hansen, 1/31/84, Sgt. Glenn Flothe (“Ruff Copy”)
McCullough Generator example (not photo of actual generator stolen by Hansen)
Purchase Butcher, Baker