Wood Stolen! &#!%

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gman1001

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Jan 9, 2006
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So I got nabbed last week. 1.5 cords of handsplit cherry taken, every stick. I didnt notice until Sat. morning when I went out to putter and organize.

This was the beginning my stash for next season so now I'm a bit uneasy starting again. (even though I have a gas powered splitter)

Any ideas on how to slow down thrwart the thieves? My pile can only be close to the road unfortunatly. I live on a very small lot and there is no room for wood anywhere else.

I'm thinking a garden fence, motion detector light (8 billion candlepower), maybe a stockade fence... other than that I'm not sure how to stop the bastards.

Wierd helpless feeling... Of course non of the nieghbors saw anything.
 
gman1001 said:
So I got nabbed last week. 1.5 cords of handsplit cherry taken, every stick. I didnt notice until Sat. morning when I went out to putter and organize.

This was the beginning my stash for next season so now I'm a bit uneasy starting again. (even though I have a gas powered splitter)

Any ideas on how to slow down thrwart the thieves? My pile can only be close to the road unfortunatly. I live on a very small lot and there is no room for wood anywhere else.

I'm thinking a garden fence, motion detector light (8 billion candlepower), maybe a stockade fence... other than that I'm not sure how to stop the bastards.

Wierd helpless feeling... Of course non of the nieghbors saw anything.
Click to expand...

My friend in the catskills told me of an old story of a guy who was stealing firewood from his neighbors...Well, his neighbors caught him in the act but instead of reporting it to authorities and knowing that he'd most likely be back for more took it upon themselves to take some firewood, drill out a core and stuff it with gunpowder and carefully marking it so that they wouldn't burn it and replaced it back in the woodpile. I guess you can imagine what happened next when the neighbor went to actually burn the stolen wood..... Needlesstosay, I think the neighbors had a blast that night. :)

..and before you think this is an urban myth (sure as hell sounds like one), my friend who told me about this was the fire chief and has lived there for 50 years....

Jay
 
That's pretty bold, given how long (or how many people) it would take to load that much wood. Not to mention how noisy. Hard to believe someone could pull that off with nobody seeing or hearing a thing. You'll find some older threads on the topic, mostly involving fantasies of placing gunpowder or dynamite inside hollow logs, etc. I'd suggest filing a police report (depending on your state and the going price for wood, that could be felony theft), then build the fence. As they say, "good fences make it harder for your bad neighbors to steal your wood", or something like that. The fence also makes it harder for some scumbag to claim (once caught) that he thought it was out by the road because you were giving it away.
 
Sorry to hear about the theft. You can try either a motion sensor light, or go to the Cabelas catalogue and order one of those remote cameras they use for deer hunting. It has a motion sensor on it, and takes digital photographs which you can download. You strap it around a tree with an included velcro belt. In the meantime, be on the lookout for this criminal:
 

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Saw a clever solution. A friend's neighbor was having problems with his wood disappearing. He bought a large fully enclosed dog run made of chainlink fence. He had three or four posts horizontally on the bottom (put his wood on pallets on the poles). When he assembled the run, he tack welded all the poles and caps and the fence straps. You'd have to really want to get in to the pile. He then ran a hot wire for livestock. Strong enough to get your attention. In front of the gates he has a wireless infra red driveway alarm that sounds inside, and activates a HID light. Had a few trips right after installing, but nothing since. His box is 8 X 12 X 8, I think. Claims he has over three cords stored. Special bonus is in the winter he throw plywood on the top and has no snow problems. During the summer he uses a poly tarp to control heat and air movement. He thought about putting the decorative slats up, but thought it would inhibit the drying.
 
I like the last idea...my dad has these motion sensors on his driveway - about 1/4 mile from his house - that sounds a buzzer when something moves in front of it. The sensor is battery operated and the receiver plugs in the house, so it's really easy to rig up. You might also consider a pit bull chained to the pile.
 
Some good ideas posted. I don't have anything to
add but I'm sorry to hear this happened to you and
I hate thieves so I hope you catch the bastards!
 
exactly, good responses - tx all.

I'm in Rowayton CT... I'm the only one in the town that burns wood I think, so I'm really scratching my head on who could have done this.
 
gman1001 said:
I'm in Rowayton CT... I'm the only one in the town that burns wood I think, so I'm really scratching my head on who could have done this.
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ROWAYTON??? Who the hell steals ANYTHING in Rowayton?!?!?! Normally, I'd blame it on those bastards over in Greenwich, but in this case I think you should check over at the Rowayton Yacht Club... its a little chilly this time of year and they find it best to drink their Scotch whilst the fireplace is raging. Idle minds make for sticky hands...

-- Mike

PS - Hmmmm.... now that you say Rowayton, maybe it was a beaver... Hmmmmm......
 
Does "burning issues" mean anything to you?? I bet that's who stole your wood! Gunpowder inside isn't going to help at all!

Mike Wilson said:
gman1001 said:
I'm in Rowayton CT... I'm the only one in the town that burns wood I think, so I'm really scratching my head on who could have done this.
Click to expand...

ROWAYTON??? Who the hell steals ANYTHING in Rowayton?!?!?! Normally, I'd blame it on those bastards over in Greenwich, but in this case I think you should check over at the Rowayton Yacht Club... its a little chilly this time of year and they find it best to drink their Scotch whilst the fireplace is raging. Idle minds make for sticky hands...

-- Mike

PS - Hmmmm.... now that you say Rowayton, maybe it was a beaver... Hmmmmm......
Click to expand...
 
gman1001 said:
exactly, good responses - tx all.

I'm in Rowayton CT... I'm the only one in the town that burns wood I think, so I'm really scratching my head on who could have done this.
Click to expand...

Well, cherry smoke is easy to dinstinguish, so drive around with your window open and sniff out the culprits! :cheese:
 
gman1001 said:
exactly, good responses - tx all.

I'm in Rowayton CT... I'm the only one in the town that burns wood I think, so I'm really scratching my head on who could have done this.
Click to expand...

Any BI folks in that neighborhood? Maybe they're going for "direct action' :lol:

Seriously, I think the "game camera" is probably the lowest cost / effort approach, though it will depend on how much help your local gestapo types are willing to be. Short of that, fencing is the next best thing.

Gooserider
 
Problem with most game cameras is they flash....and can be stolen. More expensive than the wood. They have come out with some decent IR cameras now but very expensive. Also, some are junk. If you get one, get a digital. Taking film to get developed and finding nothing on the pictures can get very expensive. With digital, you can use a flash card and get the pics on your computer right away.

Around here plenty of folks have them (me too) and plenty are getting stolen. Last year they came out with a good video trail cam. The neighbor bought one...and it was stolen. I try to not set mine in the open and also do not have them out all the time. For instance, coyote hunters in the winter and turkey hunters this spring and some can have sticky fingers. You simply can not watch all your land all of the time. Sad, but that is the way the world is.

Whatever you do, we do hope you catch the thieves.
 
Yup Rowayton, if its not locked up chained down around here its gone in a matter of hours... Lawn mowers, bikes etc... Hard to fathom in a 'hood' where avg house price is way over 1 mill. (not bragging, moved here many moons ago)

I'm warming to the fence idea, I think I have to just slow them down, make it a bit more difficult and they'll go away.

(I belong to the Rowayton club - were strickly a bud crew - in cans of course! You must be thinking of the other collar required clubs around here! :)
 
I know this is not probably a solution But I find it ,to thought of being a little crazy helpfull. I have been known to walk my property with a double barrell 10 gage resting on my shoulder.

I would like to think it gives would be theives a little pause or hesitation before venturing on my property.
 
So sorry gman, I know the feeling, it happened to me this season too. The way I'm going to deal with it is to have three wood storage areas instead of one, two of which will not be visible from the road or driveway. It'll be a little more work but I think it will be enough to stop them from taking it. One big pile with three nice-looking cords split and seasoned, easily visible from a passing vehicle, was just too enticing. Now they'll only get to see one. I dare them to take my log stacks. I purposely cross-stack them 7+ feet high - most of the locals are shrimps! (relatively speaking, of course...) :)
 
Could switch to a pellet stove and that would elimate the future problems of wood stealing, You can put the pellets in your basement! Just kidding, I would probably fence in my yard.
 
Alright scroungers, speak up! Who took the wood? ha! :)
 
I cannot tell a lie...I chopped down his cherry tree...then dragged it away and burned it....
 
pgmr said:
I cannot tell a lie...I chopped down his cherry tree...then dragged it away and burned it....
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A cord and a half in a weekend? Sure.... using the three OWB's on max pollution? You da man (note all lower case).
 
What a bummer, my sympathies to you. I worry about that happening to us, as our woodpiles are numerous and quite visible from the road. But really there is nothing much we could do to protect them. We are not dog people (hubby is allergic, and honestly I am not that keen on barking creatures that drool and jump on people and sniff one's crotch and butt - I am a cat person.) A fence is more work than getting more wood! So I'll just hope for the best. We are home a lot, that is our best protection. We were away for 3 weeks in January, and I was relieved to pull in our driveway and see the wood was still all here.
 
We don't know your lot layout, or proximity of the pile to the house/garage. A motion sensor light might be enough (did you say it was at night?). Did they pull a truck up to the pile? Do you have kids or dogs around? If not, what about a spiked 2x4 buried in the ground with the nails sticking up? Puncture some expensive tires and that should get the point across. I'd even be tempted to bait them again with some fresh splits!

MarkG
 
It sucks that you have to worry about someone making off with your hard earned heat :zip:

I would recommend the remote sensors that are designed for a driveway. They ring a remote sensor in the house when something breaks the beam. I think you can get them at China Freight fairly inexpensively. Set them up by the wood pile, bait with a few fresh splits and wait with the shotgun. They won't hear the chime go off in the house and won't know you're coming. Sneak up close and rack a round into the chamber. I guarantee that sound will stop the loading process dead in its tracks. If it's not a pump shotgun, just let one rip into the air. That'll get the same result. Like Elk said, sometimes being known as the crazy guy in the neighborhood buys you some peace and security.

Good luck and I hope you catch those bastards.
 
gman1001 said:
Any ideas on how to slow down thrwart the thieves?
Click to expand...

Buy yourself a box of 100 #209 shotgun primers. Drill a DEEP hole into the end grain of one of your logs. Dump the primers into the hole. Drive a dowel with glue into the hole and allow to dry. Cut off the end of the log so the plug doesn't show. DO NOT BURN THIS LOG! After it gets stolen, watch the local newspapers for reports of unexplained house fires.
 
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