equipment theft

[nurseb]

well I just had my stihl 044 (love that ole saw) disappear :-[ along with my tool and chain box and I'm pretty sure they were taken. was wondering how you guy and gals secure your equipment? is anyone using job boxes? thanx for the help.

[SwampDonkey]

Like this? With a forwarded shoved up against the tool shed. ;)

[maple flats]

I have no security and have had no problems yet, maybe I should start locking things up. I guess I'm of the belief that locks only keep honest people out, and I need not be concerned with honest people taking anything. 8) 8) ???

[OLD_ JD]

just put up a "stiker" on ure truck back window as what ure a proud "WWF"menber ;D.....o well sorry for what happ to u,hope u can find who did it and punish them good >:(

[Tom]

I hate a thief.  One that will steal another person's tools is the worse kind of all.

My truck is pilfered regularly.  I have started keeping only "inexpensive" tools in the tool boxes.  I lock my good stuff up inside of the cab.  I can get quite a bit in there under and behind the seat.  I also have a soft carry bag that I keep some of my better wrenches, meters, etc. in.   I've been real lucky, so far, with my chainsaw.

I'll help you be mad.  Man! that's irritating.

[Frank_Pender]

My reputation prevents such issues here on this farm.   If I catch them around here without permission, there is one of two ways to leave. ;D  By the by, where is Poverty Flats?

[logger]

Well how would you like to be the logger by my place.  He was out cutting timber by us and had the skidder and a dropping saw out in the woods and his truck was sitting by the road.  While he was out somebody swiped his six saws out of his truck.  Huskys and Stihls.  Each saw $600.00 worth and up, stolen.  He come back went to grab a saw an had no saws.  He had to go buy all new ones.

[nurseb]

Frank, Poverty Flats is on Cabbage Hill East of Pendlton up in the Blue Mountains.  Been working the ground there for nearly thirty years and have nearly nothing to show for it other than great memories and joys of  beeing in the woods!!!  I feel for that logger who lost his saws. 

[Tom]

Sunshine Land Design out of Stuart Florida was cleaning up hurricane debris last summer and had a Morbark 1300 tub grinder and a Peterbilt 99 tractor stolen from the worksite after hours.  They even chartered an airplane to look for it with no luck.

They are now working in Vero Beach with a new, track mounted Morbark 6600 that they had to purchase to replace the stolen machine.  Those dollars are hard to come up with.

[Ron Wenrich]

We had someone come into the log yard and took a walking floor trailer.  Insured, but the insurance company said since no tractor was in front of it, it was not insured.   >:(  We figure it was one of those garbage haulers out of NJ.

We also lost a loader truck in NJ woods.  It was left there for several months and when they went to the job site, it was gone.  Not a big loss, but still a loss.

[Hoop]

The only theft I've ever had took place when an equipment trailer was broken into at night.  3 of my chainsaws were taken.  1 was only a month old.

The equipment trailer was 1/2 mile into the woods along a logging road.  The location was a very rural area.

The very next day we were to have completed the job and moved on.

I didn't think so at first, but after time has settled in, I'm more convinced than ever that one of the co-workers did the thievery.  A few years after this occured and Person X was no longer employed with this company, Person X was staying at the same motel and approached my boss at the time, hoping to sell him some items (processor bars, misc equipment) that he acquired in a "dispute" with yet another employer.  Person X claims he was owed money and took the items for recompense.  Person X's employer claims the guy was a thief.

I say......once a thief......always a thief.

[SwampDonkey]

Hoop, I agree with ya on the thief scenario because they are almost always repeat offenders and will be caught when they get careless. ;)

If I ever caught anyone steeling my stuff, they better get away from me as fast as they can because their pickup will be full of dents and busted windows when I get through.

[Frank_Pender]

Gotcha, Nurseb.  I remember seeing the sign when I have traveled that area.  A belated welcome, tot he Forum. :-[

[sawguy21]

This is a serious issue. I sell a lot of replacement equipment, mainly saws and generators, and having been victimiized myself, I feel their anger frustration and finally resignation. Unfortunately, we can only protect ourselves to a point. We can discourage the grab and run but the serious lowlife will get what he wants and do a lot of damage while at it.
One of my customers lost a brand new Vermeer chipper, had it 3 days, and the truck from in front of a customers house.
A local helicopter operator caught the kids that stole his ATV's. He tied one of the little buggers to a tree and took the other one for a helicopter ride with the door removed. Convinced the kid the return to Mother Earth would be a lot more pleasant if  he returned the machines ;D.  The pilot got in a heap of trouble with the police, some nonsense about forcible confinement, and Transport Canada. Almost got his operating licence suspended.

[WH_Conley]

Sounds like the pilot had the right idea, my kids would rather have him throw em out as to bring em home to me.

[Cedarman]

Frank, I believe reputation goes a long way.  One day I had a guy pull in and turn around and leave.  As most of my employees were nearby, I said, "Wonder what that guy wanted  I'll be down here tonight with my lead gate".  Lets the help know I take theft seriously.  I have had several things stolen over the years.  Feel most were inside jobs. I caught one employee stealing lumber, made a deal with him.  He lost all wages owed, for me not prosecuting.  Cops made it hard on him.

The company that had the grinder stolen got the tracked machine and it turns out that they made lemonade out of the lemon.  Their efficiency went way up.  My son said he read about it in Southern Lumberman.

[MemphisLogger]

I had a bad kid (20 something but still lives with mom) a couple blocks over steal my first tandem axle trailer for crack.  >:(

My cousin had actually caught him attempting to cut the 70 grade chain a few nights earlier and had roughed 'em up a bit and admonished them that I was armed.  :

They came back a couple nights later and I woke up when the ball "rang" home. Before they could even get back in their truck, I was out the door wearing boxers and my Blackhawk! 

They made the mistake of turning left at the corner since I knew the house at the end of that street was vacant  ;)

I put one shot through his backend low-center hoping to get the motor or his leg (he was in a van) but he got away.  :(

Next day, we see his van in front of his mama's house, complete with custom ventilation. That afternoon, my cousin postively identified the guy as being the one he'd caught the first time and I gave him the to pursue the matter.

Austin walked right up to the guy with his hands in his pockets and demanded that he give back the trailer. I guess the thief thought he was a tough guy since he had 2 of his buddies with him and starts to take up a fighting posture like he's gonna swing at Austin. That's all Austin needed. Like lightning, his hands are out of his pockets and the guy is laying on the ground. When the guy tries to stand up but falls right back over, his buddies backed up quick  ;D

Austin gets back in the truck and tosses a 3/4" sparkplug socket on the dashboard  ;D ;D

The next day, the boys mother (who had enthusiastically supported my candidacy for County Commission a year earlier) calls and apologizes and says she hopes her son's broken jaw teaches him a lesson 

Of course, we didn't get the trailer back (the thief had already smoked it) but we did get a good reputation in the neighborhood. Nobodies messed with any of my stuff since.  ;)                     

[rebocardo]

I empty my saws of gas, they go into a well locked cabinet inside the house.

In the truck they are either secured in the cab with 5/16 grade 43+ chain or in the bed with transport chain or 12 mm cable and a cyl. lock. They pretty much never leave my sight because I work in urban areas. I chain my gas can to my truck too.

[Ironwood]

I fortunately have had nothing major stolen, that I know of. The "reputation in the area" does go a long way. I have chased down several tresspassers and one fire chief checking out our burn pit, he didn't stop to identify himself and I had to aggressively pull him over a few miles up the road. We also had one guy get, well a little confused when he was drunk or high or something. He drove off the end of a dead end street went airborn landing in a ravine that our drive is in. Not knowing where he was, he "drove" all around up here and through all the neighbors places before finally heading back out the only drive back out to the street. I had it blocked with a car. Fortunately he stopped ( i don't know what I was thinking). His first wordss from the completely smashed and oil leaking radiator overheating, late model Thunderbird, " did I kill anyone?" I didn't find out until the next morning that he had gone airborn for probably 50-60' feet and fell the 20-25' into the ravine. He's lucky he wasn't killed and I'm lucky he stopped for my "roadblock". Point is if folks think you are a little "wired" they may think twice about trying to take advantage. Unless of course they are totally insane in which case I yeild, unless my family is threatened. :-\

[tnlogger]

 I have never had anything walk off at home or on the job. ;D
But i seam to have what is called a rep by the would be pillfers. Back when we first moved
to Tn. the law came by and was telling me about all the theft in the valley and to be on guard.
Now i told him not to worry because any one caught on my land would be shot and draged in the house. I would then call and have them bring the meat wagon and remove said bodys.
word travels fast and no one has bothered me.  :D
My dad had trouble in the early 60s with gas stealing. His remidy was a model A magneto
hooked to 110 volts wired to the truck.  ;D ;D never lost a drop of gas after that.

[Doc]

I can't remember if I heard this in a movie or if I was told this by some girls dad when I was a kid. "I  have 50 acres and a shovel......don't forget it."

I would treat a theif the same as someone who woudl hurt my kids. Nobody messes with my stuff or my family and gets away with it. I may go down, but not without some more fight.

Theives......the worst sort of low life.

Doc

[Rockn H]

A few years ago a friend of mine was doing some field line work on a septic system.  One mourning low and behold his backhoe was out of gas, yes gas, we're poor.  Any way next door is a grandmother with a house full of 20 year old grandsons with cars and no jobs.  So at the end of the day we decided to turn off the fuel and sweeten the gas.  It was almost worth the frustration they caused watching them siphon gas out of one car into the next as they quite running.  Through the course of a week they went through four cars.  We finally went by then and quite publicly took the gas tank off and washed it out before we loaded and left.
As for my equipment ,  I try and keep everything locked and out of site.  I find a lock not only keeps an honest man honest but also keeps a lazy crook lazy.  And keeping it out of site, cuts down on those spur of the moment thefts.  How many times would you not have thought about BUYING a pack of gum at the check out register if it was not there for you to see , and think about, and think about , while you are waiting to check out? ;)
The right reputation for no nonsense never hurts either. ;D

[Faron]

Just a word of caution:  A neighbor fired on and hit a car fleeing his property.  Turned out to be a couple of lovers looking for some privicy.  It cost him some tens of thousands  of dollars to get the thing settled. 

[Doc]

I don't own a gun, but I do own a shovel..........

If I catch em stealing from me.....well......hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Doc

[Murf]

Some years back a misguided youth decided he wanted my ATV more than I did.

When I spotted it heading down the lane with him on it, I opened the door and ask him to please bring it back.

Somehow my 85 lb. Black Lab misunderstood what I said, she thought I said "Go gettem' girl".  :

The young lad decided he would give it back, but he left it at the end of the lane and ran home.  ;D

The police found him a little while later.

He was easy to spot, he was laying flat on his stomach in the ER gettin' his backside stitched closed.  :D

That was the last thing that tried to leave home without me.  8)