Dale Kerstetter and the missing platinum - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Kane · 04-29-2002, 02:01 PM

This morning, Lifetime reran a 1989 segment about Dale Kerstetter, who disappeared from his workplace in 1987. He worked as a security guard at a factory in Pennsylvania.

One night in September of 1987, while working the graveyard shift at the factory, he disappeared along with some platinum that was stored there. A masked intruder was involved inthe theft, but whether or not Kerstetter was directly involved remains a mystery.

One of the surveillance camera tapes showed Kerstetter with this masked intruder (though as you'll recall, the segment showed reenactments of the surveillance footage). Kerstetter appeared as though he was being coerced by the intruder, though there is speculation that it may have actually been a ruse. What I find to be puzzling is the fact that Kerstetter looked right at the camera. It's also eerie because one must wonder whether it was a secret call for help, or just a flaunt. But to me, one thing is certain: that gesture was obviously Dale's nonverbal way of saying something.

As of this morning's telecast (April 29), there is still no update on the disappearance. And unfortnately, as time goes on, the chances of Dale Kestetter still being alive become increasingly remote.

Personally, however, I think Dale Kerstetter played a role in the platinum theft. It might have been a small or indirect role, but I believe he was involved to some degree. Plus, according to one of the segment's participants, whoever took the platinum was "extremely familiar" with the plant, and that it occured at a time when there were only a few lights on. This leads me to believe that theft was an inside job.

I would welcome any opinions about this case.

dynoguy88 · 04-30-2002, 10:38 PM

I wish I could give an opinion on this case, but it's one of the few UM cases that I don't remember or might have seen only once.

Hopefully I'll see that one again, soon.

mrtuesdaynight · 05-02-2002, 02:55 AM

Yeah, I remember this case. It was always weird to me that he looked straight into the camera when he was walking with the masked man. I agree that Dale was probably involved because, if you remember correctly, during the segment the supervisor at the plant said that Kerstetter was a marginal employee at best and that he had been in trouble before with the company.

Kane · 05-02-2002, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrtuesdaynight
Yeah, I remember this case. It was always weird to me that he looked straight into the camera when he was walking with the masked man. I agree that Dale was probably involved because, if you remember correctly, during the segment the supervisor at the plant said that Kerstetter was a marginal employee at best and that he had been in trouble before with the company.

In addition, as mentioned in my previous message on the subject, he was in a monetary crisis. However, one of his grown daughters was said to be in a financial position to care for him, and that he had money invested. So, according to the daughter in question, he had too many legal avenues to obtain money.

Nonetheless, as I mentioned earlier, I'm convinced that he played a role in the theft, and that it was probably an inside job. Plus, this might be the real reason why the intruder concealed his identity.

Or So It Seems · 05-07-2002, 07:59 AM

I've watched this segment probably a dozen times over the years and thought about it a lot.

My guess is that Kerstetter told someone about the platinum and it was either this person that did the theft or they gave the information to another person who did the theft.

It doesn't make sense that Kerstetter committed the robbery then disappeared. He had lived his whole life in the community, his entire family was there, all of his social supports. He's going to leave all that and disappear for the rest of his life for the platinum? Yes, he may have been a marginal employee and yes he had financial problems, but how many people fit that profile?

I believe someone he may have known committed the robbery and then killed him because Kerstetter knew their identity.

fivecats · 02-03-2006, 12:02 AM

I did some searching and finally found a Dale Kerstetter thread! This is my choice for most naggingly intriguing unsolved cases and an ongoing joke with my husband. All I have to do is say the name and he rolls his eyes. He's made a bet with me that if they do solve the case, I'll quit watching Unsolved Mysteries.

I'm not sure what happened to ol' Dale. There's part of me that thinks he was involved, because of his inside knowledge of where the platinum was stored. Then again, he could have been strong-armed into the theft by another employee. His family comes off as pretty naive, but that one son seems kinda shady, like he knows something. The story has a distinct pull, because it has a hint of the little guy sticking it to the large corporations; it's hard to get mad at Dale, like it's hard to get mad at that sweet ol' grandmother who scammed her workplace (can't think of the episode).

The problem is, you can't find a darn thing on the web about Dale! This is the case of the century, darn it!

CODIS · 02-03-2006, 01:15 PM

I remember this story as well. It was one of the first stories I believe. What the program failed to mention is 2 things that always interested me. 1) how much pipe was actually taken ( they mentioned a "section" ) but that could mean anything. 2) was the plant paid anything by the insurance company for the platnium pipe. ( I know this is a long shot, but when people are questioned about business partners or spouses deaths, insurance plays a big role )
Also,

anyhow, Platnium is not the least conspicious product to try and carry around and fence. IMHOA

ddelta · 02-03-2006, 01:32 PM

I did not believe Dale was involved because the way his lunch pail was set up with the paper and keys, like he was about to eat. Also, the fact that he left his cigarettes in his truck. Sounds stupid, but i use to be a smoker and if you are going to go anywhere that you know and in a high stress situation you take you cigarettes.

That plant looked like it was quite large so they had to have a number of people working there who would know where the platinum was. No doubt it was an inside job, but i don't think it was Dale who did it. Why put himself there?? Let them do it when another guard was on and reap in teh profits while being able to stay with your family.

I believed he was killed shortly after they left the plant. And i know if i was in that situation and i knew where the cameras were i would look up at one to say "help me". I probably wouldn't if i was involved.

LooksLikeCRicci · 02-03-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddelta

I did not believe Dale was involved because the way his lunch pail was set up with the paper and keys, like he was about to eat. Also, the fact that he left his cigarettes in his truck. Sounds stupid, but i use to be a smoker and if you are going to go anywhere that you know and in a high stress situation you take you cigarettes.

I believed he was killed shortly after they left the plant. And i know if i was in that situation and i knew where the cameras were i would look up at one to say "help me". I probably wouldn't if i was involved.

That's an interesting theory. I had the same inital reaction: If I knew the cameras were in place and was being taken somewhere against my will, I would probably look at the camera, too. That being said... I do see how someone could interpret the staring into the camera as a brazen act.

Nice counterpoint argument, though, DDelta!

UMFanatic · 02-03-2006, 03:39 PM

This is one of my favorite segments of all time. I really don't know which theory I would go with. Both sides have good arguments. Although, I might have to lean more towards the Dale was in on the deal. I've always thought about that camera if you were involved why in the world would you walk in front of the camera unless you were trying to make it look like you had been kidnapped. But the way he looks at the camera makes me think that he was involved in some sort of way.

Allierain · 02-03-2006, 04:15 PM

Maybe someone can help me with this. Wasn't this the case where they recorded a drop in temperature in the molten platinum tank? Didn't someone claim to see a body in it?

Or am I thinking of a case totally different?

SP4CE INV4DERZ · 02-03-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allierain

Maybe someone can help me with this. Wasn't this the case where they recorded a drop in temperature in the molten platinum tank? Didn't someone claim to see a body in it?

Or am I thinking of a case totally different?

You're thinking of the Dave Box (Spelling I am not certain of) case.

As for the Kerstetter case, this is one of those cases I really don't know about. I'm 50/50 on this. I would have thought he would have re-surfaced by now IF he was involved but to my knowledge he hasn't been seen since? That was in 1987..so I would think he wasn't involved and been killed but then I look at the sercurity footage and I think he was.. ARGH I don't know!

Mr.Clairvoyant · 02-16-2006, 05:40 AM

I am not sure about this one.. I am almost certain that Dale Kerstetter was not directly involved willingly but more so a victum that by now has been murdered.. because he knew to much.. or perhaps it could simply be a case of wrong place wrong time

Kane · 02-16-2006, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Clairvoyant

I am not sure about this one.. I am almost certain that Dale Kerstetter was not directly involved willingly but more so a victum that by now has been murdered.. because he knew to much.. or perhaps it could simply be a case of wrong place wrong time

"Not directly involved" is how I speculate it as well. But it's possible that he was indirectly involved. He may not have orchestrated the platinum theft, but I haven't ruled out the possibility that he was something of an unwilling participant.

Just my opinion.

DJ_Foxx · 06-01-2007, 12:51 PM

Dale's son from the segment seemed very suspect to me. I wouldn't be surprised if the son was the masked man in the video!!!

04-29-2002, 02:01 PM	#1
Kane Senior Member Member Join Date: Mar 07, 2001 Location: MA, United States Posts: 2,828	Dale Kerstetter and the missing platinum This morning, Lifetime reran a 1989 segment about Dale Kerstetter, who disappeared from his workplace in 1987. He worked as a security guard at a factory in Pennsylvania. One night in September of 1987, while working the graveyard shift at the factory, he disappeared along with some platinum that was stored there. A masked intruder was involved inthe theft, but whether or not Kerstetter was directly involved remains a mystery. One of the surveillance camera tapes showed Kerstetter with this masked intruder (though as you'll recall, the segment showed reenactments of the surveillance footage). Kerstetter appeared as though he was being coerced by the intruder, though there is speculation that it may have actually been a ruse. What I find to be puzzling is the fact that Kerstetter looked right at the camera. It's also eerie because one must wonder whether it was a secret call for help, or just a flaunt. But to me, one thing is certain: that gesture was obviously Dale's nonverbal way of saying something. As of this morning's telecast (April 29), there is still no update on the disappearance. And unfortnately, as time goes on, the chances of Dale Kestetter still being alive become increasingly remote. Personally, however, I think Dale Kerstetter played a role in the platinum theft. It might have been a small or indirect role, but I believe he was involved to some degree. Plus, according to one of the segment's participants, whoever took the platinum was "extremely familiar" with the plant, and that it occured at a time when there were only a few lights on. This leads me to believe that theft was an inside job. I would welcome any opinions about this case.

04-30-2002, 10:38 PM	#2
dynoguy88 Senior Member Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Dearborn, Michigan, USA Posts: 1,543	reply I wish I could give an opinion on this case, but it's one of the few UM cases that I don't remember or might have seen only once. Hopefully I'll see that one again, soon.

05-07-2002, 07:59 AM	#5
Or So It Seems Frequent Poster Member Join Date: May 06, 2002 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 63	I bet it was an acquaintance of Kerstetter I've watched this segment probably a dozen times over the years and thought about it a lot. My guess is that Kerstetter told someone about the platinum and it was either this person that did the theft or they gave the information to another person who did the theft. It doesn't make sense that Kerstetter committed the robbery then disappeared. He had lived his whole life in the community, his entire family was there, all of his social supports. He's going to leave all that and disappear for the rest of his life for the platinum? Yes, he may have been a marginal employee and yes he had financial problems, but how many people fit that profile? I believe someone he may have known committed the robbery and then killed him because Kerstetter knew their identity.

02-03-2006, 12:02 AM	#6
fivecats Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Feb 02, 2006 Location: Waukegan, IL Posts: 29	Dale, at last! I did some searching and finally found a Dale Kerstetter thread! This is my choice for most naggingly intriguing unsolved cases and an ongoing joke with my husband. All I have to do is say the name and he rolls his eyes. He's made a bet with me that if they do solve the case, I'll quit watching Unsolved Mysteries. I'm not sure what happened to ol' Dale. There's part of me that thinks he was involved, because of his inside knowledge of where the platinum was stored. Then again, he could have been strong-armed into the theft by another employee. His family comes off as pretty naive, but that one son seems kinda shady, like he knows something. The story has a distinct pull, because it has a hint of the little guy sticking it to the large corporations; it's hard to get mad at Dale, like it's hard to get mad at that sweet ol' grandmother who scammed her workplace (can't think of the episode). The problem is, you can't find a darn thing on the web about Dale! This is the case of the century, darn it!

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05-02-2002, 02:55 AM	#3
mrtuesdaynight Occasional Poster Member Join Date: May 02, 2002 Posts: 7	Yeah, I remember this case. It was always weird to me that he looked straight into the camera when he was walking with the masked man. I agree that Dale was probably involved because, if you remember correctly, during the segment the supervisor at the plant said that Kerstetter was a marginal employee at best and that he had been in trouble before with the company.

02-03-2006, 01:15 PM	#7
CODIS Frequent Poster Member Join Date: May 02, 2005 Posts: 58	I remember this story as well. It was one of the first stories I believe. What the program failed to mention is 2 things that always interested me. 1) how much pipe was actually taken ( they mentioned a "section" ) but that could mean anything. 2) was the plant paid anything by the insurance company for the platnium pipe. ( I know this is a long shot, but when people are questioned about business partners or spouses deaths, insurance plays a big role ) Also, anyhow, Platnium is not the least conspicious product to try and carry around and fence. IMHOA

02-03-2006, 01:32 PM	#8
ddelta Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Posts: 203	I did not believe Dale was involved because the way his lunch pail was set up with the paper and keys, like he was about to eat. Also, the fact that he left his cigarettes in his truck. Sounds stupid, but i use to be a smoker and if you are going to go anywhere that you know and in a high stress situation you take you cigarettes. That plant looked like it was quite large so they had to have a number of people working there who would know where the platinum was. No doubt it was an inside job, but i don't think it was Dale who did it. Why put himself there?? Let them do it when another guard was on and reap in teh profits while being able to stay with your family. I believed he was killed shortly after they left the plant. And i know if i was in that situation and i knew where the cameras were i would look up at one to say "help me". I probably wouldn't if i was involved.

02-03-2006, 03:39 PM	#10
UMFanatic Frequent Poster Unsolved Mysteries Join Date: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 41	This is one of my favorite segments of all time. I really don't know which theory I would go with. Both sides have good arguments. Although, I might have to lean more towards the Dale was in on the deal. I've always thought about that camera if you were involved why in the world would you walk in front of the camera unless you were trying to make it look like you had been kidnapped. But the way he looks at the camera makes me think that he was involved in some sort of way.

02-03-2006, 04:15 PM	#11
Allierain Forum Regular Artiste Graphique Join Date: Nov 30, 2002 Location: Somewhere Posts: 293	Maybe someone can help me with this. Wasn't this the case where they recorded a drop in temperature in the molten platinum tank? Didn't someone claim to see a body in it? Or am I thinking of a case totally different?

02-16-2006, 05:40 AM	#13
Mr.Clairvoyant Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 134	I am not sure about this one.. I am almost certain that Dale Kerstetter was not directly involved willingly but more so a victum that by now has been murdered.. because he knew to much.. or perhaps it could simply be a case of wrong place wrong time

06-01-2007, 12:51 PM	#15
DJ_Foxx Frequent Poster Member Join Date: May 08, 2006 Location: Mississippi Posts: 80	Dale's son from the segment seemed very suspect to me. I wouldn't be surprised if the son was the masked man in the video!!!