EFG Gets Hit for 300 Lap tops

Ken Wheeler, president of Equipment Finance Group, Fresno, reported to both the Fresno police and Farmers Insurance Company the theft of 300 laptops.

He says the theft occurred the previous weekend, witnessed by a neighboring company, who thought he was moving.

Some other computers and furniture were taken, but he says his main network computers were left intact, as well as his files.

The laptops were mainly for his independent contractors, who he says he supplies for direct contact with his company.

They were all new in unopened boxes, just delivered, to be sent out the beginning of the week.

At the time of the theft, he also stated a woman in San Jose wrote checks on his business Bank of the West account, which bounced some of his checks. The bank froze the account to prevent other false checks. He said luckily for him on one of the checks the woman's driver's license number was written down. The San Jose Police were able to track her down right away.

Ken Wheeler says he was able to make payroll from his private account, using his “black” American Express for other expenses, until the business bank account was corrected. He says the card has no limit.

Due to the amount being over $500,000 Farmers Insurance still has not processed the payment, although he has provided both the police report, delivery receipts of the laptops and copies of the paid invoices.

He says some funding checks bounced, and he has made them all good, plus is trying to get a handle on things, and with the insurance check, it sure would straighten out the cash flow. To add to his misery, he was cleaning out his aquarium the weekend of the robbery, taking it out empty in his back yard to wash it out, tripped on the hose, and really damaged his knee, that he can hardly walk, has had several MRI's, and needed this like another hole in his head.

He adds the leasing business is not the fun that it used to be.