Solution to wood theft

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gman1001

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Jan 9, 2006
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I'm building a pretty simple system now...

Because I would prefere NOT to supply local wood thiefs, and the plugged black powder solutions scare me.

I'm building out the following solution.

Battery powered (marine deep cell) ambulance siren wired to a weather proof microswitch which will sit under a stable split within my most tasty looking wood pile.

When one of those scummy thieves lifts that split they'll be met with ear piercing blasts from an old ambulance siren.

I'll keep the deep cell charged with a cheap and reliabole solar trickle charger that I used to use on my boat.

Thoughts on this guys?
 
I like it! But knowing Murphy they will take it all from another pile, or that will be the split they dont touch!
 
Alfio,

Ugly but effective.
 
yeah, a fence is the best way - but thats a ton of work... Plus with my 'new' system it gives me a chance to catch someone!
 
Hope you catch them too.
 
someone really having wood theft?? Huh, never really thought about it much
 
Sounds like a great idea to me Gman;any chance you could rig that deep cycle battery to send them a good jolt if they stick around after the siren goes off?Keep us posted.
 
Thief deterrent Parker 10 gage
 

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Titan said:
Sounds like a great idea to me Gman;any chance you could rig that deep cycle battery to send them a good jolt if they stick around after the siren goes off?Keep us posted.
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there, could be legal implication with that . If the person thats steeling the wood has a hearth attack from the jolt . Now I know what your all thinking serves him right , and i agree with you on that , but the law is on the thief's side .
 
I like it Elk but there is but one sound that is known universally as a deterrent.......... the pump action shotgun. A shell being chambered into the barrel, in the dark, will send shivers down the spine of anyone.
 

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The Shooter in Phone Booth said:
Now doesn't that just torque your jaws? I love that. You know like in the movies just as the good guy is about to kill the bad guy, he cocks his gun. Now why didn't he have it cocked? Because that sound is scary.
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I say wire up an ignition transformer from an old oil burner! Now, that'll get some attention!
 
if you really wanna get tekky, there is a motion detection camera that people use for game scouting..It is a really sweet deal, it will activate infra-red and take a flash-free pic, and then automatically email you the pic or send it straight to your cell phone (as long as you get cell service)...then, bang, you got em cought in the act..
 
Great comments....

Adirondak - love the webcam idea.... two problems... my overactive retriever and all the cats in my hood.

Problem with my dog is he sits out by the street all day begging strangers to come in our yard and throw a ball or pet him.

I swear he'd show the crooks where we hide the valuables!


I plan on loading a snap caps in my Remington 1100. Chambering a breakaction shotgun is not as scary as the sliding bolt on an 1100. My whole problem was knowing when the scumbags are out there... If the loud siren is too much for my neighbors I might setup an alarm in my house... Then say hello to my little friend!

Project update: I have an old pressure sensitive 4x3 mat from a project I worked on. Its a 'switch mat' same thing that activate the automatic doors at a grocery store. I'm thinking laying it into a pile 1/3 the way down, when the weight is removed it trips the circuit.

Still a work in progress.
 
A few years back I used to live down in Baton Rouge, LA, and there was a bike shop there that I used to shop at occasionally. It was not in the best part of town, and they used to have problems with people coming over the fence at night and scarfing parts... The problem stopped when they put empty 12 guage hulls on strings tied every few feet along the fence - sort of like scarecrows for people.... :bug:

Gooserider
 
bodeen said:
I say wire up an ignition transformer from an old oil burner! Now, that'll get some attention!
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....Naaghh. 12V ignition coil is much more simple....and effective...especially used with a "deep cell" (portable) lol :)

....Could also rig up an "exploding dye pack" (like the banks use) lol :)

..."Yup just look for the guy covered from head to toe in red dye"....lol :)

Got trees close by? Could rig up something a little more nasty...if you have dogs that you have to clean up after...lol :)
 
What about neon spray paint? There is little that one can do to cover it up. If you see some bright wood pieces then there you go. After reading this the other day, I had a dream that one came along and stole my wood pile. I currently have about 6 cords split and stacked. I was one pissed off person. Actually pissed me off more than anything due to the work involved with the pile. Then I woke up and whew it was only a dream. It was scary. Some people just don't care, luckily we have good neighbors. And maybe some smoke bombs could be hidden, so when a chimney puts out different colored smoke there caught.
 
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