Disgusted!! Rant

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johnpma

johnpma

Feeling the Heat
Jan 29, 2014
365
W. Mass
I get to work (own a machine shop) and find out that on Monday night somebody cut all the copper lines off the roof top of my building and purged 1000 gallons of LP that we use to heat the facility into the air. Luckily nobody that works for me was harmed as this could have been a deadly explosion if the gas had dropped through a roof vent. Cops said it's prolly a drug addict looking for quick cash for heroin.
 
That's terrible! Glad no one was hurt
 
Awful... we used to take a hand for theft. Maybe not a bad idea?

Camera systems are cheap these days. A few hundred $ goes a long way. Sad, but it's where we are.
 
Joful said:
Camera systems are cheap these days. A few hundred $ goes a long way. Sad, but it's where we are.
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That's what we are having to look at. But my gut feel is that here in Mass even if caught it would be a slap on the hand. And for the cops..........they really want nothing to do with any of it
 
Joful said:
Awful... we used to take a hand for theft. Maybe not a bad idea?

Camera systems are cheap these days. A few hundred $ goes a long way. Sad, but it's where we are.
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Uh . . . we did? I mean I've heard of thieves having their hands cut off in some Middle Eastern countries, but not the U.S.
 
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The criticism of Massachusetts law enforcement/judicial system not caring if someone destroys property and steals is nonsense.
 
Black or galvwnized iron doesn't have much salvage value.....
 
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firefighterjake said:
Uh . . . we did? I mean I've heard of thieves having their hands cut off in some Middle Eastern countries, but not the U.S.
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Correct... I was referring to our mostly-collective European heritage. However, just now spending a few minutes on Google, I'm finding it may have been less common than I thought! There were several more creative punishments for theft, in middle-aged Europe.
 
This is WMass. Seen this whole judicial thing here in Mass first hand. Somehow (not by my vote) Mass considers drug addiction "mental illness" and we now have state funded programs to help rehabilitate these addicts and get them back on their feet.

I look at it this way. Cop can sit at bridge construction making his/her wage or he can patrol drug sections of the city where addicts think nothing of killing and make the same wage. Pretty sure I know what the choice is......

Just a little Peee'd off with the response of the investigating officer. Really like to know how "you have insurance" plays into "to protect and serve"
 
I'm surprised with all that gas being released, nobody reported a strong gas odor, and possibly catch the person in the act......I know it would draw my attention
 
Guys came into work a 6am and smelled it. That's the part that fries me!!! Junkies need money for drugs is one thing!! Shut the friggin valve off at the tank. Senseless :(
 
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Man, that stinks. Sorry you went through this. I hope somehow you are made whole. Mental illness... :rolleyes:.
 
I recall a front page photo of what was left of a guy that was trying to steal wire that was servicing the pantograph of an electric commuter train. Most of him was still on the wire but his leg was on the ground.
 
Saw my cousin (were not close) in FL on yahoo news for stealing copper from a sub station and knocking power out to like 15000 homes and some major intersections.
I wasn't surprised. .....
 
Retired Guy said:
I recall a front page photo of what was left of a guy that was trying to steal wire that was servicing the pantograph of an electric commuter train. Most of him was still on the wire but his leg was on the ground.
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Some problems solve themselves.
 
what pain in the. luck was with your crew. Brockton has similar problem. Wednesday someone stole the doors off a mausoleum and other brass decorations. about as low as it gets. sad to say that alot of junk yards won't even bat a lick at taking it. sorry to hear of your hit. takes a lot of effort to make up for the $$$$ lost.
 
My son had his brand new A/C compressor stolen from his back yard soon after it was installed. We had to buy a metal cage and surround it. These low lives are getting desperate.
 
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johnpma, sorry to hear of the damage but glad none of your guys were hurt. Even out in the middle of nowhere, we've had our share of losses of tools & job boxes from the locals that are addicted. One of them finally got jailed due to assault on his Gram - lousy deal as she's a great lady.

Had to laugh when they stole the job box, emptied out the tools and left them leaning on the garage door - couple hundred for the job box and a few thousand for the drilling equipment!

There is a degree of mental illness associated with addictions but it does not take away the requirement for restitution and responsibility for their actions.
 
I am in the process of getting cameras at my home. You never need them until after someone steals from you. That issue with the propane is terrible. Code out this way is that a 1000 gallon propane tank needs to be 25' from any "important" structure. I guess this goes to show how that can save lives. That stuff shoots up, then falls and settles in all the spots most likely to create a spark
 
Ask the cop to pay the deductible. We had a couple hundred gallons of heating oil taken from our free standing tank a few years back, with the high deductible you might as well eat it.

Have a camera on the tank now but even if we caught the loser if we don't get him before he leaves and sells the stuff we are still out of pocket, can't get anything from someone who has nothing.
 
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Fsappo said:
I am in the process of getting cameras at my home. You never need them until after someone steals from you. That issue with the propane is terrible. Code out this way is that a 1000 gallon propane tank needs to be 25' from any "important" structure. I guess this goes to show how that can save lives. That stuff shoots up, then falls and settles in all the spots most likely to create a spark
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Yes we too have the tank quite a bit away from the building however all the cutting was was done on the roof top where they could not be seen:(
 
mellow said:
Have a camera on the tank now but even if we caught the loser if we don't get him before he leaves and sells the stuff we are still out of pocket, can't get anything from someone who has nothing.
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So true. The penalties if caught are so minimal in a lot of places that it is hardly a deterrent either, usually most effective to make sure your property is more of a hassle to steal from then your neighbors is. I would pay extra if there was some method to use aluminum for wiring and AC/gas purposes but even then the bastards would still do a lot of damage trying to steal it before realizing its not copper.

On a side note, when a house I was working on got broken into and stripped they left any/all wiring that was in EMT conduit and most of the Greenfield (FMC) that was run through walls. Too much of a hassle to get out I guess.
 
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