Box of Boy Scout patches stolen from Lodi man's porch

When 820 Boy Scouts gather next weekend at a Sonoma County camping event, one thing will be missing: specially designed patches that were supposed to be the scouts' next badge of honor.

The patches were delivered to Mike Von der Porten's Lodi home Thursday and then apparently stolen off the front porch.

Von der Porten has a feeling the thief likely took one look at the contents of the 16-pound box and dumped it. But the patches actually cost $800, and would mean much more to countless Boy Scouts.

"They're all going to be expecting these patches, and they won't be there," he said.

Von der Porten formerly lived in Sonoma County, where he was involved in the Boy Scouts. His two children are now in college and Von der Porten has since moved to Lodi, but he remains involved in the organization.

For the past 10 years, he has helped coordinate the design, payment and shipping process for patches to be given out at the Pomo District Camporee at Lake Sonoma.

"It's always worked pretty smoothly but this time it didn't," Von der Porten said.

The package was apparently delivered by FedEx to his South Pleasant Avenue home at 11:32 a.m. Thursday. When Von der Porten got home from work that evening, the box was nowhere to be seen.

Boy Scout Leader Mike Von der Porten shows how the FexEx delivery person might have left a box filled with 820 event patches on his porch. The box of patches, valued at $800, was delivered — and stolen — from the porch on South Pleasant Avenue on Thursday. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

He contacted FedEx and even talked to the driver, who said the box had been delivered. Then Von der Porten called police on Friday. They took a report and gave him a case number, but it doesn't get the patches to the boys.

Von der Porten hopes someone merely dumped the box full of patches, each bearing an image of a cannon, and that they turn up.

Anyone with information may call Von der Porten at 351-4385, or Lodi police at 333-6727.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

dogbark wrote on Apr 27, 2007 1:45 PM:

" ten years ago Lodi had a Camporee at the lake "Rendezvous of '97" with event themed to 1897. The knot tying center was Huck's Raft (Twain was on world tour in 1897) the flagpole lashing event was Trooper's Challenge (Blackjack Pershing rode with the Buffalo Soldiers in 1897) and so on. The idea is to remove the familiar and add a challenge to the events. This builds competence and quick reactions in an emergency. "

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R. Kotowski wrote on Apr 25, 2007 5:19 PM:

" Mike Glad to here you got them back/ have a good one ! I'll be over at the OA W3A this weekend. Hope you got invited to the GYC Jamborall May 4-6 former Lodi train doctor/an Eagle scout too "

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Leonard wrote on Apr 23, 2007 9:00 PM:

" I myself was a Boy Scout back in the early 80s. We didn't have any Spanish American War themed Camporees back then. It must have been part of that whole Vietnam hangover thing that the nation was going through. We did get to shoot guns up at Camp 49ner though, which I thought was pretty cool. "

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Leonard wrote on Apr 23, 2007 8:58 PM:

" That's cool, its just that America's bloodiest war seems like an odd theme for a Camporee. Perhaps you could have a battlefield amputation without anesthetic or sterile surgical instruments first aid event. Just a suggestion. "

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MikeVdP wrote on Apr 23, 2007 8:44 AM:

" Leonard, Camporees often have a theme. The events / competitions can be tied into them. For example, this one could have a first aid event challenge related to "treat someone who has been kicked by a horse," while a Camporee around a space theme would have a different challenge. "

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leonard wrote on Apr 22, 2007 10:45 AM:

" Yeah... but what is the reference to the Civil War? Is there some sort of reenactment or something? "

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MikeVdP wrote on Apr 21, 2007 10:08 PM:

" The question posted is "what are the badges for?" The answer is that they are presented to Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Explorer Scouts who attend the Camporee. A camporee is a camping event involving many packs and troops. The volunteers also get a patch. At this event, there are a series of competitions that involve activities such as first aid, map & compass and an obstacle course. "

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Hector Suarez wrote on Apr 21, 2007 5:52 PM:

" If an adult took them, bad news, if a kid took them PARENTS CLEAN OUT YOUR KID'S ROOM !!. if you dont find the patches you might find something better. "

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leonard wrote on Apr 21, 2007 11:37 AM:

" What were the badges for? "

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dogbark wrote on Apr 21, 2007 11:28 AM:

" Boy Scout patches are highly collectable. Get the word out to the collectors, somebody will try to sell these. Buy a couple so you can track down the thief. "

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Mark wrote on Apr 21, 2007 9:59 AM:

" STOP THE PRESSES!! "

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T & C wrote on Apr 21, 2007 8:10 AM:

" They can go to the Galt flea market Tuesday and buy them back from one of the vendors. "

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