A golf cart went missing from Granger’s Knollwood Country Club on Saturday, the latest theft in an unusual trend.

In the past two months, 10 golf carts have been reported stolen by the St. Joseph County police department, almost all of them disappearing without a trace.

Sgt. Bill Redman, St. Joseph County police spokesman, said the thefts have occurred at residences and from golf courses, but it’s not known why carts are being targeted or what’s happening to them.

The most brazen golf cart theft came in May, when five carts were stolen from the Bowler’s Country Club, west of South Bend. The carts were all stolen the same night, leading police to believe they were targeted.

The other thefts came primarily from residences, Redman said, and aren’t confined to a particular area.

Even with the high number of thefts, Redman said investigators have not had many leads and don’t know where the carts are headed — whether they’re being resold, or scrapped for parts.

Only one of the carts has been recovered, Redman said, after it was reported stolen from the Universal Forest Products factory in Granger last week.

Redman said police found the cart parked behind a nearby school, and it’s believed the cart was most likely taken by juveniles looking for a joyride.

Because golf carts are considered motor vehicles, however, Redman said police are hopeful that the carts will be identified through the national stolen vehicle registry.

“As long as they have serial numbers, we can track them,” Redman said, “but so far nothing’s come back.”

Staff writer Dave Stephens:
dstephens@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6209