Stolen wood stories

[westkywood]

I have about 7 cords of wood stacked about 20 feet from the road. I live on a country rd right off a highway so I'm not out in the middle of no where. I've thought of putting up a fence between the road and the wood rows but would rather not. Also thought about putting up a security light. I've never had any of my wood stolen, but I am a bit concerned it could happen.
Anyone had their wood dipped into? If so, what did you do to prevent it from happening again?

 

[xman23]

I had 5 large tress taken down that were hanging over the house. The deal was get them down, what ever size. I had long lengths all over the driveway. When we were away on the weekend I had a small stack of rounds near the street disappear. Since we don't burn at our house I could imagine a wood burner thought he was doing us a favor getting rid of the wood. It took all summer and fall to get all this wood split and hauled to PA. I put up a sign that said "Don't take the wood" It didn't happen again.

 

[Village Idiot]

Last year during construction on my house, my builder called me to let me know that people were asking him if they could take all the wood that was C/S/S at the back of the yard. Not sure if I lost any, but my wife made some laminated signs with hot pink paper and staple gunned them to the stacks.

We put a lot of work into clearing the trees ourselves and preparing the wood. It was a lot of fun though. Since we were tearing down the existing house I dropped on of the trees on it just cuz I could. The house fared surprisingly well. My kids with hammers did more damage to the walls actually.

 

[BobUrban]

Funny how much value a stack of wood has to those who put it there. I think about it but where I live on the end of a 3/4 mile of a dead end I do not think many even know I am there - let alone my wood stack. The only wood snatchers I have to worry about are the neighbors thinking I have enough to help them a bit when they are having a bon fire. If they ask I would let them have some as I feel paying it forward with neighbors is good practice, especially when you live in the sticks. I would just direct them to the longs, bents and gnarlys and away from the good stuff. It would be such a bummer to find a cord missing!!

 

[ironpony]

I have stacks I can not give away
I do not burn wood, I do cut and stack though
someday I wish I would come home and find them all gone

 

[cptoneleg]

I have about 2 cords stacked out by the road in the country, can not see from my house, had to put a sign on it, not for sale so folks would stop coming to the house trying to buy it. Never had any stolen.

 

[westkywood]

Funny how much value a stack of wood has to those who put it there. I think about it but where I live on the end of a 3/4 mile of a dead end I do not think many even know I am there - let alone my wood stack. The only wood snatchers I have to worry about are the neighbors thinking I have enough to help them a bit when they are having a bon fire. If they ask I would let them have some as I feel paying it forward with neighbors is good practice, especially when you live in the sticks. I would just direct them to the longs, bents and gnarlys and away from the good stuff. It would be such a bummer to find a cord missing!!

My brother burns 24-7 like I do. He had friends ask for a truck load. They would say " Look , you've got plenty". People that don't burn 24-7 dont understand we have to keep ahead of the game so we always have seasoned wood.
My daughter asked me for some firewood to take camping. Like you did, I gave her some of the worst stuff. I couldn't sleep at night knowing my good firewood was being wasted in a bon fire.

 

[westkywood]

I have about 2 cords stacked out by the road in the country, can not see from my house, had to put a sign on it, not for sale so folks would stop coming to the house trying to buy it. Never had any stolen.

I've had people ask to buy some also. My neighbor the other day told me his wife had asked what I was going to do with all that wood. He said " I guess he's gonna sell it". All though my rows are 20 feet from the road, my house is about 20 yards away. But it wouldn't take long for someone to pull up on the road and quietly fill up the truck late at night. My thought is since it is so visible, anyone that has been in the area and seen all my rows would probably remember them if they were ever desperate for wood like if the economy gets worst.

 

[RORY12553]

I have stacks I can not give away
I do not burn wood, I do cut and stack though
someday I wish I would come home and find them all gone

Put up a sign or put an ad on craigslist i'm sure it will go.

Anything that is curbside that doesn't have a sign on it I feel they are putting out for garbage!

 

[Armaton]

Hi guys,

Started my wood storage area in my field adjacent to my yard, mowed a 60' x 60' area about 200' off the road and 200' from my house, last fall. Started bringing wood home from my cutting area in January preparing for my boiler this year. First load was all 14" to 16" red oak rounds that I hadn't had time to split, about a face and a half, second was the same with half of the load beech. The next day when I came out of my house it looked like my pile was smaller, it was, someone had helped themselves to about half a "face cord". Figured they needed it more than me so didn't get too upset. Couple days later I brought home another load of ash in the round and started splitting it all, the pile of oak splits was up to my chest, the beech pile was about waist high. Didn't get to splittin the ash though. Next day the oak pile was at the same level as the beech, and I could see different tire treads in the snow of my drive. I use a tractor and trailer to bring the wood over so regular tread is easy to tell. That day I stacked the oak and beech, then split the ash and left it in a pile, just after dark went to my pole barn and took an 8' length of 1.25" treated lumber and drove 30 penny ring shank pole barn spikes every 2 to 3 inches, took it out and put it in the field drive area and covered it with long grass and snow. Next day my pile of ash was about half gone. Walked out to look at the board, and could tell that I got at least 2 tires by where the tracks went across it. Haven't lost any wood since! I don't even have my boiler yet, so if someone had knocked and needed wood, I would have let them have it, "But I hate a thief"!

Brandon

 

[Dune]

Hi guys,

Started my wood storage area in my field adjacent to my yard, mowed a 60' x 60' area about 200' off the road and 200' from my house, last fall. Started bringing wood home from my cutting area in January preparing for my boiler this year. First load was all 14" to 16" red oak rounds that I hadn't had time to split, about a face and a half, second was the same with half of the load beech. The next day when I came out of my house it looked like my pile was smaller, it was, someone had helped themselves to about half a "face cord". Figured they needed it more than me so didn't get too upset. Couple days later I brought home another load of ash in the round and started splitting it all, the pile of oak splits was up to my chest, the beech pile was about waist high. Didn't get to splittin the ash though. Next day the oak pile was at the same level as the beech, and I could see different tire treads in the snow of my drive. I use a tractor and trailer to bring the wood over so regular tread is easy to tell. That day I stacked the oak and beech, then split the ash and left it in a pile, just after dark went to my pole barn and took an 8' length of 1.25" treated lumber and drove 30 penny ring shank pole barn spikes every 2 to 3 inches, took it out and put it in the field drive area and covered it with long grass and snow. Next day my pile of ash was about half gone. Walked out to look at the board, and could tell that I got at least 2 tires by where the tracks went across it. Haven't lost any wood since! I don't even have my boiler yet, so if someone had knocked and needed wood, I would have let them have it, "But I hate a thief"!

Brandon

Glad you stopped your thief, but please be aware that you "booby trapped" your property. In addition to being illegal, if someone had been injured you would be liable, even if they were trespassing and/or stealing. If a child had been injured or killed you would deserve your punishment.

 

[westkywood]

Hi guys,

Started my wood storage area in my field adjacent to my yard, mowed a 60' x 60' area about 200' off the road and 200' from my house, last fall. Started bringing wood home from my cutting area in January preparing for my boiler this year. First load was all 14" to 16" red oak rounds that I hadn't had time to split, about a face and a half, second was the same with half of the load beech. The next day when I came out of my house it looked like my pile was smaller, it was, someone had helped themselves to about half a "face cord". Figured they needed it more than me so didn't get too upset. Couple days later I brought home another load of ash in the round and started splitting it all, the pile of oak splits was up to my chest, the beech pile was about waist high. Didn't get to splittin the ash though. Next day the oak pile was at the same level as the beech, and I could see different tire treads in the snow of my drive. I use a tractor and trailer to bring the wood over so regular tread is easy to tell. That day I stacked the oak and beech, then split the ash and left it in a pile, just after dark went to my pole barn and took an 8' length of 1.25" treated lumber and drove 30 penny ring shank pole barn spikes every 2 to 3 inches, took it out and put it in the field drive area and covered it with long grass and snow. Next day my pile of ash was about half gone. Walked out to look at the board, and could tell that I got at least 2 tires by where the tracks went across it. Haven't lost any wood since! I don't even have my boiler yet, so if someone had knocked and needed wood, I would have let them have it, "But I hate a thief"!

Brandon

A friend of mine who also burns wood said to me one day " Agh, no on will steal your wood". I disagreed. I know someone that it happened to. In high school I knew 2 brothers (twins) that would sell a rick to someone, go steal it, then re-sell it.
If someone is willing to take wood 200 feet inside your property , I'm sure there are people out there that would take it 20 feet from the road ( like mine is ). I feel I should do something to deter it...

 

[firefighterjake]

The Town dropped an old dead elm tree that was in their right of way (after the neighbor called as she was concerned it would drop into the road). I started cutting up the wood and then had to stop for a few days. When I came back most of the wood was gone . . . fortunately the same concerned neighbor was able to tell me who took the wood. It was a misunderstanding on his part as he was told to go up and clean up the woodpile. I exercised a little bit of Solomon's wisdom and gave him half as he did cut up quite a bit of the wood and hauled it to his house . . . and I took back half.

As for actual wood being stolen . . . no . . . and I don't worry about my neighbors. Most heat with wood and understand that my woodpiles represent dollar bills and they would not take any without asking. As for strangers . . . it could happen . . . which is why I try to reduce the temptation by stacking my wood further away from the road and mostly out of sight.

 

[mywaynow]

I always put a sign on a wood pile that says "do not take". I usually take a picture of the wood if I have to leave it for a while too. Right now the desire to take/burn is not so bad because the winter was mild and is nearly over. If oil stays high and temps come down the stuff will have to be watched more closely.

 

[Armaton]

Hi guys,

Started my wood storage area in my field adjacent to my yard, mowed a 60' x 60' area about 200' off the road and 200' from my house, last fall. Started bringing wood home from my cutting area in January preparing for my boiler this year. First load was all 14" to 16" red oak rounds that I hadn't had time to split, about a face and a half, second was the same with half of the load beech. The next day when I came out of my house it looked like my pile was smaller, it was, someone had helped themselves to about half a "face cord". Figured they needed it more than me so didn't get too upset. Couple days later I brought home another load of ash in the round and started splitting it all, the pile of oak splits was up to my chest, the beech pile was about waist high. Didn't get to splittin the ash though. Next day the oak pile was at the same level as the beech, and I could see different tire treads in the snow of my drive. I use a tractor and trailer to bring the wood over so regular tread is easy to tell. That day I stacked the oak and beech, then split the ash and left it in a pile, just after dark went to my pole barn and took an 8' length of 1.25" treated lumber and drove 30 penny ring shank pole barn spikes every 2 to 3 inches, took it out and put it in the field drive area and covered it with long grass and snow. Next day my pile of ash was about half gone. Walked out to look at the board, and could tell that I got at least 2 tires by where the tracks went across it. Haven't lost any wood since! I don't even have my boiler yet, so if someone had knocked and needed wood, I would have let them have it, "But I hate a thief"!

Brandon

Glad you stopped your thief, but please be aware that you "booby trapped" your property. In addition to being illegal, if someone had been injured you would be liable, even if they were trespassing and/or stealing. If a child had been injured or killed you would deserve your punishment.

Yeah I know,
Just like if my wood stack falls on em because it has a lean while they're stealing it. I'm responsible and could get sued! That's the problem today. My yard is right across from a fairly busy stop sign, several times a year some drunk runs the stop and tears up my yard, I was gonna put up a fence or a row of 2' diameter stones, until I was told if someone ran the stop and got injured I could be liable! What a crock! Or the jerk who has twice cut my corner and driven through my yard and took out my $200 trees with his Polaris Ranger, I'm liable for that too if he would get hurt! Because I put a tree in my yard where he should't be.

Sorry, sore subject!
Brandon

 

[ironpony]

ya..........
is not America great

 

[TradEddie]

Last fall our utility company took down an oak and a cherry by the roadside on our property, and obviously I asked them to leave the rounds. I was slowly moving the wood away from the road, but wasn't in any rush. After about a week, my neighbor tells me that someone had pulled up in broad daylight and started to load up the bed of their truck. When my neighbor confronted him, this guy just says "its township wood, right?", so my neighbor told him that unless he worked for the township he'd better start unloading that wood. I still owe my neighbor a bottle of something nice for that, I can't say that I'd have done the same for him.

If that would-be thief is on this forum, you owe my neighbor a bottle too, because I was home 5 minutes later, and I'd have called the cops before even going out to talk with you.

The irony of it all is that after a huge storm five years ago, I had more wood than I could store and use, so I left almost a cord of oak split in the same spot hoping that someone would take it away, and I don't think a single split was taken in more than a year.

TE

 

[eclecticcottage]

Hi guys,

Started my wood storage area in my field adjacent to my yard, mowed a 60' x 60' area about 200' off the road and 200' from my house, last fall. Started bringing wood home from my cutting area in January preparing for my boiler this year. First load was all 14" to 16" red oak rounds that I hadn't had time to split, about a face and a half, second was the same with half of the load beech. The next day when I came out of my house it looked like my pile was smaller, it was, someone had helped themselves to about half a "face cord". Figured they needed it more than me so didn't get too upset. Couple days later I brought home another load of ash in the round and started splitting it all, the pile of oak splits was up to my chest, the beech pile was about waist high. Didn't get to splittin the ash though. Next day the oak pile was at the same level as the beech, and I could see different tire treads in the snow of my drive. I use a tractor and trailer to bring the wood over so regular tread is easy to tell. That day I stacked the oak and beech, then split the ash and left it in a pile, just after dark went to my pole barn and took an 8' length of 1.25" treated lumber and drove 30 penny ring shank pole barn spikes every 2 to 3 inches, took it out and put it in the field drive area and covered it with long grass and snow. Next day my pile of ash was about half gone. Walked out to look at the board, and could tell that I got at least 2 tires by where the tracks went across it. Haven't lost any wood since! I don't even have my boiler yet, so if someone had knocked and needed wood, I would have let them have it, "But I hate a thief"!

Brandon

Glad you stopped your thief, but please be aware that you "booby trapped" your property. In addition to being illegal, if someone had been injured you would be liable, even if they were trespassing and/or stealing. If a child had been injured or killed you would deserve your punishment.

Yeah I know,
Just like if my wood stack falls on em because it has a lean while they're stealing it. I'm responsible and could get sued! That's the problem today. My yard is right across from a fairly busy stop sign, several times a year some drunk runs the stop and tears up my yard, I was gonna put up a fence or a row of 2' diameter stones, until I was told if someone ran the stop and got injured I could be liable! What a crock! Or the jerk who has twice cut my corner and driven through my yard and took out my $200 trees with his Polaris Ranger, I'm liable for that too if he would get hurt! Because I put a tree in my yard where he should't be.

Sorry, sore subject!
Brandon

Brandon I so agree with you. That's one law that needs to be reversed-if you are where you aren't supposed to be and something happens to you then YOU are responsible because YOU chose to be there.

 

[Thistle]

What I think of thieves -

I keep one large stack about 6 ft tall & 13ft long at NE corner of property line,against my north fence with one neighbor & my east fence with another neighbor.The south end of stack butts up against a big walnut tree.In Aug 2009,a Saturday morning I was in back looking for some lumber underneath a tarp on an extra picnic table,near that stack.I noticed a big space missing along the north end,about 3 ft square infact.I had a good idea where it went,which I’ll explain further.
My then neighbors on the east - a younger couple had only lived there a few months - she worked for the DNR in some capacity - he did nothing that I could see,since he was always home when I got home from work in late afternoon.And in summer he would sit in the backyard until 3-4 AM around this chimnea outside burner,burning wood & drinking beer all night.After noticing that huge hole in my woodpile,I started to smell smoldering wood from over the fence - looked over & lo & behold,there was some of MY wood still sticking up in that firepit. My parents happened to be visiting at the time,they were in my house at the time.I was furious,I immediately jumped fence to the north,then back over it in their backyard.I run up to their porch,practically ripped the screen door off the hinges,pounded on the door & started screaming “GET OUT HERE YOU F-ING THIEF OR I’ll DRAG YOUR ASS OUT†Turns out others heard me 2 blocks over,I was ballistic.Meanwhile my parents heard the commotion & went out back to see what was going on. I said “Here’s my phone,call the cops NOW!â€

The woman came to the door,she had no idea what was happening so I explained calmly & pointed to their firepit.She said ‘he’s inside asleep’ (This was almost 10AM) I said “Tell him to come out,I want to talk about something…†He finally showed up,he could barely stand & you could tell he was higher than Charlie Sheen lol.I kept telling him what happened,he said ‘uhmmm it was our roommate,he’s been staying here for a couple weeks,he sits outside all night blah blah…†I replied “I dont care who it is,they’re a goddamn thief!!†She was literally begging “pleease dont call the cops..we’ll do anything,replace the wood,we have our own wood why would we steal from you blah blah…†I showed him the firepit with my pieces of Honey Locust still smoldering in it.Soon 2 cops showed up & 1 said “Is this where I can get free firewood? ;-) †I told the cop, “If you look at that burning piece,I can prove its mine because it was ripped with my saw,I can match the kerf marks from my saw teeth.†The cop said “please calm down,we’re here to sort this out,if possible…â€

Long story short - they took all our names,I agreed not to file any formal complaint but I had 1 yr to follow up on this if any future incidents occured.Immediately after the cops left,the couple went back inside their house,opened ALL the windows & outside doors,put several fans in them to ‘air them out’ for whatever reason…..

I think they got my message ;-) I hadnt seen either one for several months outside once Spring arrived. My neighbor to the north told me last July,“Oh,they moved away in June,she apparantly got a job with the DNR in Washington State & took the deadbeat boyfriend with her…â€


Like I said.... I detest thieves. I'd confront them again if it ever happens in the future. If they'll steal 2 wheelbarrows worth of wood outside,what's to keep them from taking anything else that's not locked up or bolted down?

 

[mfglickman]

We moved into this area in the Fall, got the stove in February, and have been stashing wood in the meadow next to our house (our property) on a fairly well traveled road. Lately I've been meeting people and when I tell them where I live, they often say "Oh the house with the nice wood stacks out in the field..." - makes me a little nervous about just how visible they are.

Up the road a person had a huge tree taken down in their front yard, again on this well traveled road, I noticed all the logs in a pile one day up near the road, then a couple of days later I saw that it was down to just one HUGE chunk of trunk (maybe 4 feet in diameter and 8 feet long) with a big NO TRESPASSING sign on it - I hope no one stole their pile of stove length logs but the sign made me wonder.

 

[Gary_602z]

The biggest problem I have is with people who do not stack wood close to the road! How are us scroungers going to survive? Gotta go and get a couple of tires fixed because somebody left some nails in their drive.

Gary :lol:

 

[dorkweed]

Y'all need some signs................"This Wood Pile Protected By Smith and Wesson 3 Times a Week"
"You Guess Which 3 Days"

 

[westkywood]

I'm going to do something to make it harder for anyone to get to my wood stacks. Its not a matter of IF it's going to happen, but WHEN it will happen. If I go out there and see wood missing, I'm going to be very angry. I work too hard trying stay ahead on my wood so its well seasoned. I place it where it is for MY convenience, not a thief's convenience.

 

[seeyal8r]

I hate thieves.

My HOA, which is not strict about anything, has a part that says you can't run a commercial business out of your home or property in the neighborhood. After moving in and quickly accumulating 6 cord of stacked firewood the HOA president came to give me a lecture assuming I was selling the firewood. I told her it was all to heat my house. She didn't believe me. I moved the stacks where they don't look so readily available to sell and haven't heard anything else about it.

I did have a chainsaw stolen out of the back of my truck. Early 90s model stihl 039. Probably one of the maddest moments of my life. My dad had bought the saw new and we had cut 6 cord a year for many years while i was a kid growing up. It was a familiar sound, smell, and feeling every time I held that saw since my dad had let me borrow it for the weekend. On my way into town bringing back the saw my mom called and wanted to meet me for lunch. I forgot about the saw in the back of the truck until after my meal. When I realized it was missing I walked the parking lot looking in windows and such. I'm glad I didn't see a stihl in someones back seat because I would have demolished their car. I filed a police report and called all the local pawn shops and saw shops letting them know it was stolen. I never heard anything from anybody. I try to think maybe the guy that took it needed it to heat his house and keep his family warm but I know some A-hole sold it to somebody for drug money.