Discrepancy in the Kerstetter case re-enactment? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

justins5256 · 05-05-2006, 09:49 PM

Just an observation: all the print media that I've read about the case indicated that the perpetrator used a chainsaw to extract the platinum, yet he's using a handsaw in the re-enactment.

I can't help but think Kerstetter was involved somehow. The fact that the masked man knew exactly where to go to find the valuable platinum and the tools etc. just makes it seem as though the theft was a well planned and orchestrated inside job.

Kerstetter was having money problems; He was in a lot of debt. Did anyone else get the impression his kids even believe in his guilt? I can't help but wonder with the son's "he'll come back after the statute of limitations is up, and they won't be able to touch him" and the daughter's "did he get away with it?" comments.

greatgarrett2 · 05-05-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Did anyone else get the impression his kids even believe in his guilt? I can't help but wonder with the son's "he'll come back after the statute of limitations is up, and they won't be able to touch him" and the daughter's "did he get away with it?" comments.

Exactly. And, his Mothers statement, "If he did do it, he's out of his mind."

But, what I don't get about the case is Dale looking up into the camera as he left the building (apparently with the thief). Was he just saying, "Hey, look at me....I'm ripping you off and you can't do a thing about it" Or, "Help me!"

Wasn't one of his superiors at the plant suspicious right from the start as well?

If I remember correctly?

Just my thoughts.

justins5256 · 05-05-2006, 10:12 PM

You are correct, the plant manager did suspect Kerstetter was involved. He even made a point to comment on the fact that it most likely would not be out of character for Kerstetter to do something as outlandish as commiting his crime in front of the cameras, well aware that they were present.

I always wondered why we were presented with a re-enactment of the surveillance footage rather than the actual footage itself. Perhaps there were some securty issues with releasing the real footage, but it would have been interesting to see the real Dale Kerstetter's body language during those crucial moments.

crystaldawn · 05-05-2006, 10:59 PM

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't think Kerstetter was involved. He had a lot of family around and it just doesn't seem worth it to leave everyone he loved just to get enough money to get him out of debt. I truly believe that the thief was someone Dale knew and used to or at the time of the robbery still did work at the plant. I believe he threatened Dale into helping and probably knew he had a large family and maybe even told Dale he would hurt them. Also if Dale were to have been involved I think he would have been anxious to get the platinum and quickly leave and not to take the time to stop and stare directly into the surveillance camera. I think that was a cry for help.

Awsi Dooger · 05-06-2006, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't think Kerstetter was involved. He had a lot of family around and it just doesn't seem worth it to leave everyone he loved just to get enough money to get him out of debt. I truly believe that the thief was someone Dale knew and used to or at the time of the robbery still did work at the plant. I believe he threatened Dale into helping and probably knew he had a large family and maybe even told Dale he would hurt them. Also if Dale were to have been involved I think he would have been anxious to get the platinum and quickly leave and not to take the time to stop and stare directly into the surveillance camera. I think that was a cry for help.

I'm in that ballpark. Dale Kerstetter wasn't smart enough or diabolocal enough to be a ringleader in a theft like that. He was a simple guy who toted a simple meal. He might have blurted out something about the platinum and someone else decided to take advantage of the info. Or they initiated the topic, knowing Kerstetter was the most vulnerable and gullible guy at the plant.

Dale Kerstetter couldn't hide for this long from me, even if I weren't looking for him. A dead victim.

DarkDante · 05-06-2006, 12:25 AM

The son's comment is very very suspicious. I'm glad someone caught onto that - its one of those little things you'd miss if you weren't listening but yeah I think Kerstetter was involved in the removal of the platinum and not only that but his family knew exactly what became of him. Dale's son just couldn't keep his mouth shut about it, thats all

SP4CE INV4DERZ · 05-06-2006, 02:46 AM

Usually when I watch cases like this one I get a "gut" feeling if someone is innocent or not. However with this one I am 50/50. From watching it I'd almost say he had something to do with the thief but I would also think he'd resurface by now... I'm really not sure about Dale Kerstetter, it's definately a facsinating case.

crystaldawn · 05-06-2006, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkDante

The son's comment is very very suspicious. I'm glad someone caught onto that - its one of those little things you'd miss if you weren't listening but yeah I think Kerstetter was involved in the removal of the platinum and not only that but his family knew exactly what became of him. Dale's son just couldn't keep his mouth shut about it, thats all

Its funny how people can come to totally different conclusions when viewing the same thing. I did think the comments Dale's son made were strange but it was almost sad because I think he was in denial that there was a good chance his father was dead. So in his mind to shield himself from that possibility he's imagined an elaborate platinum heist that his father was in on and convinced himself he's on the run instead of possibly murdered. Anyone else buy into that theory?

siamesemeg · 05-06-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Its funny how people can come to totally different conclusions when viewing the same thing. I did think the comments Dale's son made were strange but it was almost sad because I think he was in denial that there was a good chance his father was dead. So in his mind to shield himself from that possibility he's imagined an elaborate platinum heist that his father was in on and convinced himself he's on the run instead of possibly murdered. Anyone else buy into that theory?

Crystaldawn, this is exactly how I felt after viewing the segment last night. I thought the family was very distraught, and I really felt sorry for them. It seemed as though the son, however, was almost defiant in his need to believe that his father is alive. That's certainly a common enough coping mechanism. It just seems like if the son's take on the mystery were the case, that Dale certainly would have "surfaced" by now.

Poor guy. I really think he's a most unfortunate victim. My two cents...

Kane · 05-06-2006, 12:29 PM

The more time passes, the less likely it seems that Dale is still alive. However, I think Dale had some degree of involvement. Maybe he didn't orchestrate the theft himself, but he could have been indirectly involved.

But even if I'm wrong about Dale, I am convinced of at least one thing: whoever the masked intruder was, he had no trouble finding the platinum. When it was suggested in the segment that the intruder was "extremely familiar" with the layout of the plant, this led me to speculate that the theft was an inside job.

wiseguy182 · 05-06-2006, 05:41 PM

Originally I was 50/50 on this one, but as time passes, I have leaned more towards Dale being an innocent victim. It had said in the clip that he had worked for the plant for something like 27 or 28 years, and that he once saved a half dozen workers and alot of equipment on one occasion. I don't think somebody would build up a reputation like that for 27 years and then throw it all away in a matter of minutes. I believe it also said he had lived in the area all of his life.

peachysquirt21 · 05-08-2006, 01:02 AM

I am 50/50 on this as well. Just not sure what to think. wiseguy you make good points, however it was also mention that he had got a pay cut that he was not happy about. Now that might not mean anything but would give motive to pull this off & given he had alot of debt. Then I think he had no invlovement by the way his family talked. Altho I do find it interesting the comment the son made. I wish we could have seen the actual footage as well. We will probably never know what happened & that's really too bad cause this particular case has always intrigued me.

Awsi Dooger · 05-08-2006, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Its funny how people can come to totally different conclusions when viewing the same thing. I did think the comments Dale's son made were strange but it was almost sad because I think he was in denial that there was a good chance his father was dead. So in his mind to shield himself from that possibility he's imagined an elaborate platinum heist that his father was in on and convinced himself he's on the run instead of possibly murdered. Anyone else buy into that theory?

That's exactly the way I took that comment, denial. Many similar examples in UM segments, family members embracing the version that keeps their family member alive, and/or innocent.

RightOnDude · 05-08-2006, 01:19 PM

I think the fact that he left his pack of smokes behind lends SOME doubt about his involvement. I smoke, and believe me, if you're going to rip off your place of employment for millions of dollars, you carry your smokes with you.

But then again, maybe that was all a part of Dale's diabolical master plan ... hmmmmmmmm....

05-05-2006, 09:49 PM	#1
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Discrepancy in the Kerstetter case re-enactment? Just an observation: all the print media that I've read about the case indicated that the perpetrator used a chainsaw to extract the platinum, yet he's using a handsaw in the re-enactment. I can't help but think Kerstetter was involved somehow. The fact that the masked man knew exactly where to go to find the valuable platinum and the tools etc. just makes it seem as though the theft was a well planned and orchestrated inside job. Kerstetter was having money problems; He was in a lot of debt. Did anyone else get the impression his kids even believe in his guilt? I can't help but wonder with the son's "he'll come back after the statute of limitations is up, and they won't be able to touch him" and the daughter's "did he get away with it?" comments.

05-05-2006, 10:12 PM	#3
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	You are correct, the plant manager did suspect Kerstetter was involved. He even made a point to comment on the fact that it most likely would not be out of character for Kerstetter to do something as outlandish as commiting his crime in front of the cameras, well aware that they were present. I always wondered why we were presented with a re-enactment of the surveillance footage rather than the actual footage itself. Perhaps there were some securty issues with releasing the real footage, but it would have been interesting to see the real Dale Kerstetter's body language during those crucial moments.

05-05-2006, 10:59 PM	#4
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't think Kerstetter was involved. He had a lot of family around and it just doesn't seem worth it to leave everyone he loved just to get enough money to get him out of debt. I truly believe that the thief was someone Dale knew and used to or at the time of the robbery still did work at the plant. I believe he threatened Dale into helping and probably knew he had a large family and maybe even told Dale he would hurt them. Also if Dale were to have been involved I think he would have been anxious to get the platinum and quickly leave and not to take the time to stop and stare directly into the surveillance camera. I think that was a cry for help.

05-06-2006, 12:25 AM	#6
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	The son's comment is very very suspicious. I'm glad someone caught onto that - its one of those little things you'd miss if you weren't listening but yeah I think Kerstetter was involved in the removal of the platinum and not only that but his family knew exactly what became of him. Dale's son just couldn't keep his mouth shut about it, thats all

05-06-2006, 02:46 AM	#7
SP4CE INV4DERZ 40-0 0WN3D Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 06, 2004 Posts: 630	Usually when I watch cases like this one I get a "gut" feeling if someone is innocent or not. However with this one I am 50/50. From watching it I'd almost say he had something to do with the thief but I would also think he'd resurface by now... I'm really not sure about Dale Kerstetter, it's definately a facsinating case.

05-06-2006, 12:29 PM	#10
Kane Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 07, 2001 Location: MA, United States Posts: 3,367	The more time passes, the less likely it seems that Dale is still alive. However, I think Dale had some degree of involvement. Maybe he didn't orchestrate the theft himself, but he could have been indirectly involved. But even if I'm wrong about Dale, I am convinced of at least one thing: whoever the masked intruder was, he had no trouble finding the platinum. When it was suggested in the segment that the intruder was "extremely familiar" with the layout of the plant, this led me to speculate that the theft was an inside job.

05-06-2006, 05:41 PM	#11
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	Originally I was 50/50 on this one, but as time passes, I have leaned more towards Dale being an innocent victim. It had said in the clip that he had worked for the plant for something like 27 or 28 years, and that he once saved a half dozen workers and alot of equipment on one occasion. I don't think somebody would build up a reputation like that for 27 years and then throw it all away in a matter of minutes. I believe it also said he had lived in the area all of his life.

05-08-2006, 01:02 AM	#12
peachysquirt21 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 27, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 462	I am 50/50 on this as well. Just not sure what to think. wiseguy you make good points, however it was also mention that he had got a pay cut that he was not happy about. Now that might not mean anything but would give motive to pull this off & given he had alot of debt. Then I think he had no invlovement by the way his family talked. Altho I do find it interesting the comment the son made. I wish we could have seen the actual footage as well. We will probably never know what happened & that's really too bad cause this particular case has always intrigued me.

05-08-2006, 01:19 PM	#14
RightOnDude Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 12, 2005 Posts: 266	I think the fact that he left his pack of smokes behind lends SOME doubt about his involvement. I smoke, and believe me, if you're going to rip off your place of employment for millions of dollars, you carry your smokes with you. But then again, maybe that was all a part of Dale's diabolical master plan ... hmmmmmmmm....