Protecting your Stacks

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sequoia

Member
Apr 10, 2015
130
Iowa
How do you protect your stacks from theaves? Where I stack, it's a lonely out of the way place but is prone to people helping themselves. Any ideas?
 
I know folks in areas of concern that put a strip of spray paint along the top edge to let them know if any wood is missing by seeing a broken stripe.

If you really want to find out who it is, perhaps hiding a trail cam http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=trail camera and getting pics of them could help, but I know folks who have done this and just wound up losing wood and the trail camera.

No better place to stack?

In general, I have had wood taken from piles that were just heaped up, or unfinished. I've never had someone tap into a finished, neatly stacked pile. (goes and knocks on some wood)

pen
 
[Hearth.com] Protecting your Stacks
 
Effective, but not helpful in the long run.
 
7500 posts...tell us about helpful..

Lots of helpful around here; most often with more than just a picture given.

pen
 
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Motion sensing cameras mounted high enough to not be easy to damage or remove.
Dicks Sporting Goods sells the game cameras. They have memory chips in them like digital cameras.
We always got our summer camp wood stolen until my father got the bright idea to store wood in the garage over winter.
 
[Hearth.com] Protecting your Stacks
 
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Trail cams are useful after the fact and may be a deterrent if thieves know they're there. I'm presuming the OP wishes to act rather than react. Keep 'em from pilfering wood to begin with.

Any potentially harmful solution to thievery could land one in a heap of legal trouble these days. It's a sad reflection on society but true nonetheless.

Thieves go after low hanging fruit. The harder it is to steal and the higher the likelihood that they'll be caught, the less likely it will be stolen.

My father-in-law sold firewood in the 1930s. Fuel wood was more of a necessity then and like any fuel, was subject to thievery. He'd wrap stacks around top and bottom with a steel cable, draw it tight with a comealong and lock it down. This method wouldn't stop a thief with bolt cutters but few petty wood thieves carry those.

Other proactive methods exist ~ stack wood inside a fenced area, make sure someone is home most of the time. Cars parked out front help, gives the impression that someone is watching. Motion-activated lighting is a good deterrent. A pair of German shepherds inside the fenced area would cause me to think twice. :eek:
 
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Can you keep it away from vehicles? Thieves are lazy, that is why they are thieves...and I can't imagine them carrying wood very far by hand.

If you can block vehicle traffic, I would think you'd be all set.
 
Trail cams are useful after the fact and may be a deterrent if thieves know they're there. I'm presuming the OP wishes to act rather than react. Keep 'em from pilfering wood to begin with.

Any potentially harmful solution to thievery could land one in a heap of legal trouble these days. It's a sad reflection on society but true nonetheless.

Thieves go after low hanging fruit. The harder it is to steal and the higher the likelihood that they'll be caught, the less likely it will be stolen.

My father-in-law sold firewood in the 1930s. Fuel wood was more of a necessity then and like any fuel, was subject to thievery. He'd wrap stacks around top and bottom with a steel cable, draw it tight with a comealong and lock it down. This method wouldn't stop a thief with bolt cutters but few petty wood thieves carry those.

Other proactive methods exist ~ stack wood inside a fenced area, make sure someone is home most of the time. Cars parked out front help, gives the impression that someone is watching. Motion-activated lighting is a good deterrent. A pair of German shepherds inside the fenced area would cause me to think twice. :eek:
Excellent ideas! Thanks.
 
Can you keep it away from vehicles? Thieves are lazy, that is why they are thieves...and I can't imagine them carrying wood very far by hand.

If you can block vehicle traffic, I would think you'd be all set.
Sound reasoning. I'll keep that option open.
 
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