Wood thief

[fishki]

Yep, someone stole half of an oak tree I had down and stashed. I had taken alot of the limbs out already from the top, but when I drove by there today everything was gone except for most of the trunk. Not even a brush pile left so I am thinking they just loaded all they could and got the hell out of there to cut it up elsewhere.

First thing in morning I'm taking the trailer and winching on the trunk and bringing it home.

 

[bholler]

is it on your land? I have had that happen when cutting on state land a couple times and while it is annoying there is nothing saying someone cant take the wood if they have a permit to.

 

[Tar12]

They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do

 

[bholler]

They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do

But if it isnt your land it isnt your wood till it is on your truck. I agree it is rude and ignorant but not illegal at all.

 

[fishki]

It was on private land, I'm just guessing someone might have seen it out hunting and then thought they would go grab it later.
Its gone now, I went and picked up what was left.

It is now cut


split


and stacked

 

[Tar12]

They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do

It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry

But if it isnt your land it isnt your wood till it is on your truck. I agree it is rude and ignorant but not illegal at all.

It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry @#$%^&. They hooked up a log chain and destroyed the gate in the process. This wood was out of sight. They had to of trespassed in the first place to know it was there. They wanted it pretty bad...good thing I didn't catch them in the act...there would of been hell to pay I assure you..

 

[bholler]

It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry @#$%^&. They hooked up a log chain and destroyed the gate in the process. This wood was out of sight. They had to of trespassed in the first place to know it was there. They wanted it pretty bad...good thing I didn't catch them in the act...there would of been hell to pay I assure you..

Well that is a totally different story

 

[Tar12]

Well that is a totally different story

This was back before I owned a hydraulic splitter and split everything by hand. They stole several hours of hard labor...I was livid...after all these years it still fires me up! lol

 

[moresnow]

Thinking. Game camera. Wife and I are contemplating a full cam based security system. We have a good reason to put one in. Another story. And a scary one! Anyway I want a system I can remotely access from my smarty pants phone. Something that records activity.

 

[Woody5506]

I just bought my house a few months ago in what I know is a safe, quiet neighborhood because I grew up nearby. Every door at my house has a camera from the last homeowners, not sure if they were paranoid or what. But I've been too lazy to turn them on. There's really no need to, and if I did I'd probably just keep them pointed at my wood stacks lol

 

[Destructor]

My neighbor next door who has been in the neighborhood for 60 years sees me splitting wood, he told me that years ago someone was going around and stealing firewood, just enough to have a fireplace fire. Another neighbor drilled holes in his wood and filled easily accessible pieces with fireworks. The theft ceased soon afterwards.

 

[firefighterjake]

My neighbor next door who has been in the neighborhood for 60 years sees me splitting wood, he told me that years ago someone was going around and stealing firewood, just enough to have a fireplace fire. Another neighbor drilled holes in his wood and filled easily accessible pieces with fireworks. The theft ceased soon afterwards.

I've heard and read these types of stories . . . filled with black powder, fireworks, etc. . . . I always wonder if this is just one of those urban legends told by folks.

 

[bfitz3]

Just guessing... stealing a few splits feels like petty theft, but setting out explosive booby traps is likely a felony and a great way to get sued by the person that stole from you.

 

[kennyp2339]

For stacks if stolen goods becomes a problem, I recommend installing a video recording system, the camera's now at days record 1080p and are relatively inexpensive.
I would never suggest doing any booby traps, consider this, a thief slips on your steps, he can sue you for his injuries. Imagine the negligence if you willfully did something to a wood split that caused harm or injury.

 

[fishki]

Even though that makes a great story, I would never booby trap my wood. I wouldn't want to be held liable for some idiot stealing wood, having a log explode and possibly burning down his house, injuring/killing any one inside.
I cant stand a thief and have a security camera system at my house, I have only had 1 incident so far where a kid went to jail for trying to steal from me.

The funny part of the whole thing is, they took off with 99% of the brush, maybe they wanted to help clean it up, so all they were really getting would be a bunch of small rounds and a pile of brush of there own.

 

[bfitz3]

Even though that makes a great story, I would never booby trap my wood. I wouldn't want to be held liable for some idiot stealing wood, having a log explode and possibly burning down his house, injuring/killing any one inside.
I cant stand a thief and have a security camera system at my house, I have only had 1 incident so far where a kid went to jail for trying to steal from me.

The funny part of the whole thing is, they took off with 99% of the brush, maybe they wanted to help clean it up, so all they were really getting would be a bunch of small rounds and a pile of brush of there own.

You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.

 

[fishki]

You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.

Prosecuted for stealing tools out of the back of my pickup....... not brush.

 

[bfitz3]

Prosecuted for stealing tools out of the back of my pickup....... not brush.

That makes a lot more sense... Order has now returned to the universe!

 

[bholler]

I honestly don't think you could be held liable for putting things in your own wood if something happened because someone stole it. Yes I am sure they could take you to court and that would be a pita but I don't see how they could win.

That being said I still would not do it I would not want that on my conscience if something bad did happen over some wood..

 

[Oldman47]

You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.

Even though he has corrected your misconception I would say yes. The fact that brush is virtually worthless does not matter. I would rather have the kid charged with a petty crime and serve whatever sentence that imposes than have him stealing a splitter a few years later because some bleeding heart let him get away with minor crimes. Consistency matters when you are trying to teach something.

 

[Woody5506]

I'm just gonna throw it out there that if my wood stacks started getting picked at and stolen here and there, then I'd have literally no problem booby trapping anything. Knowing someone is on your property and stealing or messing with your stuff is a pretty degrading feeling. Thieves must be "corrected"

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I honestly don't think you could be held liable for putting things in your own wood if something happened because someone stole it. Yes I am sure they could take you to court and that would be a pita but I don't see how they could win.

That being said I still would not do it I would not want that on my conscience if something bad did happen over some wood..

Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.

 

[kennyp2339]

Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.

IDK... he's from PA, there was a sign on the Delaware bridge a while ago when leaving NJ, it said "Welcome to PA, America starts here".. its so true on so many different levels.

 

[Woody5506]

Hypothetically if you did the firecracker or gun powder trap and someone blew up their stove or fireplace how exactly would they sue you? They would have to say they stole it from your property and you'd also have to admit you booby trapped it.

As far as I'm concerned, "that's not my wood and I have no knowledge of anyone stealing from me"

 

[bholler]

Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.

What legal precedent is there showing that one party can successfully sue another after they hurt themselves with property stolen from the other party