By Tim Romano

"In January, 2010, 33-year-old Benjamin Michael Whalen, believed to be a former flyfishing guide, allegedly knocked off a string of specialty flyshops in Colorado. He is charged with multiple misdemeanors and felonies for crimes committed across a number of Colorado County jurisdictions. Whalen’s modus operandi was to enter a shop and discuss a gift for his father and the purchase of high-end rods and reels."

"Once the shop employee was distracted, the suspect would leave the store quickly with the items. The crime spree lasted half a month. At the time, Internet blogs, message boards, and fishing forums lit up. A virtual posse was deputized and dispatched to track the culprit down. There was significant speculation as to who could/would target such small niche businesses—and get away with it for so long. In general, there was outrage. Whalen is currently behind bars in Arapahoe County Jail, awaiting trial and facing up to 8+ years in prison."

Read the rest of the story by my friend and Carp crusader Will Rice over on Drakemag.com…

TR

Comments (8)

from ckRich wrote 1 year 28 weeks ago

Why the drugs? Fly fishing is addictive enough as it is.

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from jakenbake wrote 1 year 28 weeks ago

Heroin makes you do stupid stuff... Like heroin...

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from thebigone wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

what do you think he's holding in his hands in that picture?

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from Clay Cooper wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Coming soon,

Whalen in the Can!

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from fliphuntr14 wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Lol jakenbake.

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from fflutterffly wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Bigone I know that ain't a copy of The little Red Book so we know this idiot is really stupid! And you know he's not that smart if he didn't realize there were camera's in those little specialty shops. And, being that the community is small, it might have been easy to check the list off of who's been where.
I'm looking forward to seeing how much time he gets when actually sentenced.

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from jamesti wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

how in the hell do you go from flyfishing to heroin?! that's like driving a really nice truck around seventy miles per hour and suddenly jumping out of it!

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from cosplay wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

what do you think he's holding in his hands in that picture?

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from jakenbake wrote 1 year 28 weeks ago

Heroin makes you do stupid stuff... Like heroin...

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

how in the hell do you go from flyfishing to heroin?! that's like driving a really nice truck around seventy miles per hour and suddenly jumping out of it!

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from ckRich wrote 1 year 28 weeks ago

Why the drugs? Fly fishing is addictive enough as it is.

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from thebigone wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

what do you think he's holding in his hands in that picture?

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from Clay Cooper wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Coming soon,

Whalen in the Can!

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from fliphuntr14 wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Lol jakenbake.

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from fflutterffly wrote 1 year 27 weeks ago

Bigone I know that ain't a copy of The little Red Book so we know this idiot is really stupid! And you know he's not that smart if he didn't realize there were camera's in those little specialty shops. And, being that the community is small, it might have been easy to check the list off of who's been where.
I'm looking forward to seeing how much time he gets when actually sentenced.

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from cosplay wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

what do you think he's holding in his hands in that picture?

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