Wood pile robbed

[precaud]

Someone made off with a chunk of my wood pile last night. Looks like about 1/3 to 1/2 cord is gone. Yes, of course, I'm pissed. But the greater concern is, if it happens again, I won't have enough to get thru the winter. Any suggestions on how to combat this? I can't think when I'm so angry.

 

[jabush]

Sorry to hear that man. Thieves SUCK
Can you see your piles from the house? If so, set up a camcorder.

Just a thought...

 

[DriftWood]

Get a police report if it all goes put in a home insurence claim.

This thread has a lot of ideas.

I was having a good day until…..

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/4514/

 

[bruce56bb]

sorry to hear that precaud.
i would talk to someone with the police/sheriff. not an official police report but put a bug in their ear. you never know what they might have seen.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

first, file a report with the police. That way they can build a case against this guy. Im sure you not the only place he has hit. Second, maybe store the rest in the garage, and move the cars out. A web cam is not a bad idea, and then you can send it to the police if it happens again.

You can also put those fake cameras (we sell tons of those!) with signs saying that the property is being wathced, its a bluff ofcourse.. but it works.

 

[hardwood715]

12 guage Ithica, or Mossburg, Remington, You get my drift! Thats just downright low, steal my car, I'm pissed, steal my money I'm real pissed, steal my hard worked, money saving, house heating wood, thats just as low as you can get! Yeah that link to the earlier thread, read it, it really was full of ideas. Catch them! Thats a real shame, and I feel for you!

 

[MrGriz]

Land Mines?

Seriously, I would start with a police report. That way if something else does happen and the guy gets pinched there's a record of the previous time. Would also help if you do end up filing an insurance claim.

Maybe a little detective work and talking to the neighbors to see if anyone saw or heard anything. Of course if it is one of them, the questioning may also put an end to it.

 

[sailor61]

there's a spray that some highway departments use to stop people from swiping evergreens from the roadside at Christmas time. No odor outside but once it warms to room temp - major skunk stink. Think about using it on the end of the pile that is easiest for them to get at- and that you won't be using this year - won't stop them coming for a 2nd load but odds are they won't be back for a third........

 

[precaud]

I'm waiting for the police to show up. Hopefully they'll make it today (this is the land of manana). Meanwhile, there's footprints to be tracked. I don't expect the cops will bother with doing that.

 

[kevinmoelk]

Sucks precaud, I'm sorry. It's sad no one can ask for things anymore. Chances are if the thief would have asked you, you'd give him a few splits. Maybe not 1/2 or 1/3 of a cord, but a little. If the thief would kindly ask more folks, he could probably get all the wood he needed. Or maybe trade some work for the wood.

Hopefully it was just a one time thing. Kids going camping and wanting a fire or something. Good luck sorting it all out.

-Kevin

 

[Rhone]

Yeah, file it with the police don't file it with your insurance company you don't know what they'll do. My friend had a pipe burst and only inquired with his insurance company about it. You know those things, before you even start with them "What's your name, what's your policy #, how can I help you". He asked about the burst pipe, and decided he wouldn't file. He was sent a letter from his insurance company mailed that same day they were dropping him as a policy holder without stating a cause. He called them of course yelling at them he was only inquiring about it, he wasn't taking action and they stuck to the "We can drop any holder without stating reason sir, is there anything else we can help you with?".

I feel for you, I too think it most likely some college kids or high school probably having a keg party and wanted a big fire and impress their friends. It's unlikely they'll be back. They're about the only ones who are dumb enough to risk being arrested for something so stupid. It's unlikely an adult would take that risk, or would only do it if they were in absolute dire straights and felt desperate times calls for desperate measures and stealing a half a cord was worth the risk of being arrested to stay warm. In that case, if it's someone trying to keep their family warm and they're desperate hey, have at it with my wood pile life's too short to be cold & miserable... but I'd still prefer to be asked. Best of luck to ya!

 

[Jay H]

Maybe one of those explosive paint bags the banks use in their vaults.... Put that in a split and at the end of the woodpile and wait...

Jay

 

[Gunner]

You need an angry dog chained to the woodpile.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Not to make light of your plight, pre, but I work with somebody who once had a dog who would go over to the neighbor's house on a regular basis and come home with a chunk of firewood from their pile. That's almost as good as another dog, owned by a friend, who runs ahead of you when you're skiing in deep snow and breaks the trail.

Seriously, they'll probably be back for more.

 

[wahoowad]

Are your piles remotely close to your house? If so, and if you suspect they might be back, maybe tie some fishing line to a split and run the line along the ground to your house where you tie a bell or something to it. Keep the bell inside so you know when they show up.

I used to be in the infantry. We had these tripwire things that would make a heck of a bang. I kept some (shhhh) but they have all gone bad and won't blow up. Something like this would scare the poop out of them but not injure anybody. maybe there is some other kind of booby trap you can implement that won't get you in trouble if it goes off.

 

[Rick]

Some people really stink. That is also a lot of work to do for only 90 or 100 dollars worth of wood. I feel for you.

 

[mtarbert]

There is an inexspensive Driveway warning device sold by Northern tool. It sends a wireless signal up to three hundren feet when something breaks an invisible beam. I think it is around 30 dollars

 

[MrGriz]

Follow those tracks, it's almost a sure bet the cops won't. See where they lead and then you can make a better decision on which way to go with this. It just may make a bit of self imposed justice easier.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Are your piles remotely close to your house? If so, and if you suspect they might be back, maybe tie some fishing line to a split and run the line along the ground to your house where you tie a bell or something to it. Keep the bell inside so you know when they show up.

I used to be in the infantry. We had these tripwire things that would make a heck of a bang. I kept some (shhhh) but they have all gone bad and won't blow up. Something like this would scare the poop out of them but not injure anybody. maybe there is some other kind of booby trap you can implement that won't get you in trouble if it goes off.

actually , i know of a neat little trip flare setup you can do with some fishing line , some straight pins , and old flash cubes (see em in dollar stores all the time)get 4 flashes per cube, simply locate and pull back the little wire loop on the base and slide in the straight pin, then tie off to fish line , when pin is pulled out the flash bulb goes off. we used to set em around our perimeter in korea during team spirit, its cheap, and easy and the perp will likely think he just got his picture taken (added incentive to stay away)

 

[glassmanjpf]

That wood is hard earned and real sweat equity. How about putting a baby monitor out there if the pile is pretty close to the house. Then at night you may here the bastards! You'll know what to do then.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

That bites. I'd try to follow the tracks. I don't know what I would do if they led to a house, but at least I'd know. It would take a lot of trips to take 1/2 to 1/3 of a cord. They must have made a lot of trips.

 

[jldunn]

I've heard of people backing a truck up, loading out of someone's wood pile, and then driving around a different neighborhood looking for someone to sell it to.

 

[rdrcr56]

Go to the cabelas site and check out the game cameras

 

[PacificGuyInCNY]

I like the Northern Tool outdoor monitor idea, in fact I have a similar model from Chinese Frei ... rrrrrr, I mean, Harbor Freight that I picked up for 20 bux. Load the Mossberg with rock salt and set it by the door, then sit by the fire with your feet up and wait.

 

[restorer]

If they came up the driveway, get the infra-red drive way bell. Park you biggest, or oldest rig outside next to the drive. When the alarm goes off, call the cops and go out and block the drive. Don't confront the thieves, let the cops do that. Tell them when you call there is a vehicle and persons trespassing on your property and you are afraid it may be a home invasion.

Option two: If they drove to your pile and you can clearly see the path, be dirty. If they are pulling up to the pile and directly loading, make sure you don't need to go in the area with your vehicles. Then take as many 2 X 12 boards as necessary and drive the biggest spikes you can get through them. That's right, homemade tire strips. You'll likely hear the tires go, in any even the commotion as a result will give you the opportunity to call the calvary. If you're particularly evil, include some razor wire, chew them tires up good. They are not likely to have their lights on driving in to steal, so you don't have to be too carefully about burying them.

When I first got my shop, I had a lot of stuff taken from outside the shop. Nothing important, nothing valuable, but it bothered me that someone would wait for me to go to lunch and rip me off. So, I put two really nice machine bases out by the overhead door, laid three rows of 2 X 12's spiked three feet apart in front of the stands, and covered them with the autumn leaves. Drove to lunch. Came back an hour later and drove by a pick up with a flat and a jack under a wheel already removed. It didn't dawn on me until I was back at the shop that one was the front and one the rear. Got him good. Eight years now, and I haven't had another problem with stuff disappearing.