Man Jailed for Stealing $50,000 in Golf Gear

It started small enough, with only an armful of stolen golf clothing.

But by the time police had finished their investigation last Friday, a bold 64-year-old Newport Beach man was in jail, and a roomful of golf shirts, clubs, bags, sweaters, shorts and hats had been recovered--an estimated $50,000 worth of new equipment including many of the most expensive brands.

“I don’t think anybody ever envisioned it growing this large,” said Sgt. Andy Gonis of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Police have arrested Wallace Joseph Canatsey on suspicion of commercial burglary and possession of stolen property. They believe he took the goods to operate a clandestine golf shop.

Police got their first clue to uncovering the golfers’ mother lode at 9 a.m. Friday when the Big Canyon Country Club golf shop phoned, Gonis said. The club professional, Robert Lovejoy, was holding a man who had allegedly strolled out of the club without paying for the clothing.

“He said he was on his way to get a checkbook,” said Cheryl Clipper of the swank 22-year-old club near Newport Center. “But we had seen him before. This was not his first visit to our club.”

Police arrested Canatsey, who also goes by Joe Kelley, and later followed him secretly to his apartment to see if he had more equipment. There, they watched in amazement, Gonis said, as Canatsey allegedly “started unloading golf equipment. He was going from his car to his apartment with the stuff.”

After obtaining a search warrant, they found the apartment full of golf equipment, as was a Newport Boulevard business suite and three Costa Mesa storage units, all of which were in his name, police said. Most of the equipment is new, with price tags still attached, police said.

Police believe Canatsey has been stockpiling the golfing goods for what appeared to be “an underground golf store” in his business suite at 3700 Newport Boulevard, Gonis said. Among the seized property are 15 Callaway “Big Bertha” metal drivers--valued at about $250 each--and full sets of clubs, including top-name brands like Ping, Ben Hogan, Lynx and Tommy Armour.

“This doesn’t appear to be personal stuff. We think all of it was taken from golf clubs or stores,” Gonis said.