Need ideas to deter vandalism

[Chuck White]

I believe the camera is the answer.

Pictures are admissible in court.

I've been thinking of getting one to hide near my sawmill when I'm out on mobile saw-jobs.

[Planman1954]

After listening for 2 days to many different great ideas, I plan on going the path of least work for most effect. Number one, I'll consult piney about setting up a webcam. Number two, I plan on using the concrete post idea:
Build back the fence as it was, but add 4 concrete posts ...2 on each side spaced between the old existing posts...to appear as additional support posts. But they will not be attached to the fence. They will basically be obstacles to driving over the fence. I'll dig a hole about 24" deep, and probably about 12" diameter. I'll then set a 4" PVC pipe in the middle of it, and cut the top off the pipe flush with the top of the pickets. I'll then drive 2 of the metal fence posts we use around here for reinforcement down through the middle of the pipe into the bottom of the footing. That will keep the pipe vertical enough to then pour concrete into the hole and then in to the pipe to the top. I'll let it dry for a day, and then paint the PVC pipe the color of the fence and put a little dirt over the top of the concrete footing. The fence will look exactly the same from the road (the pipe will be behind and flush to the pickets) and if the perp does the same thing, he will have an obstacle under his vehicle. Anyway, that's the plan. easy to do...but I think it will be very effective.  Thanks everybody...I'll update probably next week with a new pic.

[Banjo picker]

For us in snow country, there are laws that anything in the ROW can't be too solid. Not that stops everyone from putting out some pretty hefty posts and things to protect their property. 

I'm a long way from snow country, but even in Mississippi we have laws governing what can be on the ROW...Tim

[rbhunter]

Years ago a city worker for a small town in Kansas got tired of replacing a stop sign that someone with a four wheel drive enjoyed running over. He buried a board with nails in front of the sign. The next day the sign was knocked down. He picked up the board and noticed a four wheel drive with four flat tires. He put the sign back up and had no more problems.

[IMERC]

piking come to mind.....

[doctorb]

I know some vandals like to get under the same person's skin by returning over and over again to the same scene of the crime, but not all do.  What makes you think they will be back to torment you again?  Do you have even a glimmer of insight into who they may be?  Is it possible that somehow, somewhere, you ticked off some adolescent personality in your life?  In other words, is this act random or is this act personal?  Any thoughs?  Doctorb

[Randy88]

I know guys who tried the camera idea but unless they get out of the vehicle and can give a positive id of the driver it didn't hold up in court and all you could do was know the vehicle, one even had the driver on camera but it still wasn't enough for a positive id in court due to low lighting and poor weather conditions so it was a high priced idea that was useless for any compensation.   I'm not sure but maybe our legal system works harder to help the vandels and thieves and not the victim but thats just my idea of our legal system.    I'd go for the large rocks behind the fence so the fence obsecured them and coulnd't be seen and if anyone asked in court I'd play dumb and say mother nature put them there and I got tired of looking at them so I put up a fence so I didn't have to see them, instead of making something man made and that theres no doubt you'd be legal for.   Anyway what are the laws pertaining to the fence in your state, around here no criminal is really liable for the damage due to it being public property and only if they get the mailbox is that a legal problem, you don't have the right away ultil it enters your propety line which is further away from the road, you pay taxes to the road but you don't own that property until it gets to your property line and so many feet from the center line of the road, another legal debackle in my opinon but that hasn't done me any good yet and never will argueing with the county and state but I was curious as to where it was in reationship to your property line. 

[Bruce_A]

I would reinforce the posts with either steel post driven below the top of the wood post or screed pins set in upside  down alongside the posts.  Either will have the desired effect.

[Planman1954]

Doctorb: This is IMO a random act of vandalism by local teenagers..Nope, I didn't make anybody mad. I just work hard with my hands and try to improve our place...I'm on a 5 year plan.  The night after this happened, we had 10-12 cars/trucks drive by to go down the road and congregate to party at a bonfire they built next to a gas pumping station (I'm not kidding). It was probably one of them the night before that decided to do a random act to just be mean.
Bruce_A: Read my earlier post...I think I'm about to do exactly what you suggest, except I have some leftover 4" PVC sewer pipe I'm going to use with metal fence posts in the center for reif. and concrete.
Randy88: I own the entire area that we're talking about. In this area, the property lines run through the center of the road. There is not a dedicated ROW that the parish owns.

[Randy88]

If your dealing with teens and alcohol maybe your on a spiral downhill and all your doing is creating a challenge for them to figure out how to destroy, egged on with booze and braindead friends who create stupid ideas to do.   Around here its steling vehicles and totalling them out or wrecking them to the point of the vehicle won't move anymore and go steal another one and do it again, the most stolen vehicles and wrecked in one night without getting caught wins, thats no bull, its whats going on around here, they've even graduated to stealing 18 wheelers and wrecking them at night now.   

I understand its your property and you want to do improvements so it looks nice, which it does, but maybe hold off on the improvements until things cool down or do improvements that are more protected away from the road.   I fully understand your upset and that would be a mild understatment if it were mine but all the work you put in it if they do it again how upset will you be then?    I'd not give up by any means but I'd do something else instead and once these kids get older they'll move onto bigger and better things and hopefully someone elses's stuff to destroy instead of yours.   If your dealing with adults or the kids that never grew up and left home and still meet and have beer parties like they are still in school, then your in for a long wait.   I"d try to figure out who these are that are having parties and how old they are and where they are from and do some homework first before redoing my improvement projects to figure out how dense of poeple your dealing with that are vandalizing your property, its not so important exactly who, more like which crowd or group and go from there.    If your on a five year plan, maybe the timing is more important than the perticular project date, say for example, the same project in two years from now instead of today kind of thing.    Just my opinon though take it for what its worth.   

[Planman1954]

You have some great points Randy...thanks.

[DanG]

If they come back for another bonfire, call the Sheriff.  They take a pretty dim view of underage drinking, especially where vehicles are involved.  It should at least cause them to find a new party site.

[gary]

 


I saw this one a hunting forum that I belong to. I thought it might help some of you who are trying to hide trail cams. He has hiden his trail cam in the bird house.

[Magicman]

Thank you Gary for a wonderful idea.  That and an infrared trail camera will provide the surveillance that I need around my cabin that was broken into.  I was hesitant to install those expensive infrared trail cameras for fear of them being stolen also.

[gary]

All you need to do is put up a few other empty ones and it is hidden.

[Bruce_A]

Doctorb: This is IMO a random act of vandalism by local teenagers..Nope, I didn't make anybody mad. I just work hard with my hands and try to improve our place...I'm on a 5 year plan.  The night after this happened, we had 10-12 cars/trucks drive by to go down the road and congregate to party at a bonfire they built next to a gas pumping station (I'm not kidding). It was probably one of them the night before that decided to do a random act to just be mean.
Bruce_A: Read my earlier post...I think I'm about to do exactly what you suggest, except I have some leftover 4" PVC sewer pipe I'm going to use with metal fence posts in the center for reif. and concrete.
Randy88: I own the entire area that we're talking about. In this area, the property lines run through the center of the road. There is not a dedicated ROW that the parish owns.

What I was suggesting will rip tires up and not cost a fortune while still doing the job.

[Banjo picker]

I saw this one a hunting forum that I belong to. I thought it might help some of you who are trying to hide trail cams. He has hiden his trail cam in the bird house.

If I saw a bird house with two holes in it , I would probably check it out real close like...Tim

[IMERC]

build it as a two story house... or a quadplex...

at night, would you easily spot those two holes...

[gary]

If you put it in with a few other bird houses your average scumbag is not even going to look at it.

[IMERC]

use heavily knotted woods.... make them all look like they have multiple holes...

[DanG]

You could put a CBS News crew out there with a satellite truck and a drunk vandal wouldn't notice it. :

[Buck]

I would definitely build it out of material that could endure the impact.  I have plans to use a piece of r/r track for a mailbox post. My damages are due to truck traffic leading into the papermill next door. I have a neighbor that made a crude homemade spike system due to constant tresspassing issues. He got the subjects and even a sheriff deputy and even stood them all(including the sheriff) off because they had no business on his property. Something like this would work well behind that fence. Im suspicious that your vandals probably have a vehicle that has a good bumper. They cant protect those tires. Dirtbags like that deserves a setup!

[Magicman]

You gotta be careful when/if you build a trap.  Even on your own property, if someone actually gets hurt, you could have to defend your actions.   :-\

[Nate Surveyor]

I like the rocks. I like the tire rim, with big pipe, that tips over, pinning the vehhicle. I like the hidden trail cam. I like the tire spikes. I generally like the idea of stopping vandals.
If you use all the above, well maybe you would wind up with some good pics of the perp, as he/she/it will have to exit the vehicle, to investigate, and try to remove the vehicle.
We all like pics, and success stories. So...... share them if you get them!!



Nate

[Buck]

Those big rocks are a real good idea.