preventing theft and vandalism in the woods

EricR · October 02, 2011, 09:07:58 PM

I cut firewood and usually do so where landowner live on the property and i store my equipment (kubota with farmi winch) close to there house so i dont really worry about it but I am starting to do some work in more remote areas which are distance away from my house and dont have that luxury and worry about theft or vandalism to my machine. Unfortunatly that stuff happens around here. Its prety easy to get it onto a trailer and be gone in a few minutes. I was just curious as to what some of you have done to try to prevent this. All i can come up with is to put it in a shipping container at night but moving it from job to job may not be cost effective because i would have to pay to move it.

shelbycharger400 · October 02, 2011, 09:29:01 PM

i heard bout similar case
someone "lifted" a skidloader, that was boxed in on 3 sides tight with trucks, in a well lit, heavy traffic area
i have heard of cars being taken out of driveways.ect..ect.

break out the heavy log chains, locks, and chain to trees ect. it will slow them down at the least if your goin to leave it their, best to take your equipment home with you , just as the contractors do, because they have been burned in the past.

Bobus2003 · October 03, 2011, 12:14:37 AM

Lock everything up as good as possible, Have Master switches located in hidden locations, and hope for the best.. if the worst happens call the ins. company

woodzy88 · October 03, 2011, 02:38:40 AM

I have run a small red led on equipment . At nite they give the impression that an alarm system is on the machine or building and the require only low amps to run. A red led side marker off a truck works well.

Woodzy

thecfarm · October 03, 2011, 08:07:07 AM

Park the tractor behind or in front of a good size tree,put the winch down and the loader if you have one.Kinda put it in a spot that could not be backed up to with a trailer.Before moving here I kept my tractor in a locked shed. I put a piece of metal over the fuel cap,with a lock and run a piece of small round stock through the loop of the dipstick with a lock. All were keyed a like.I like to keep things out of sight too. But that is good and bad too. No one can see someone around it. What size hp is your Kubato? Could a shipping container be hauled with a car hauler? I have no idea,but they charge $75 to haul a car in this area.

EricR · October 03, 2011, 08:51:10 AM

A 20 foot shipping container weighs about 6000 lbs empty and are 8 feet wide. my trailer isnt that wide. I may pay to have it moved for now and eventually upgrade to a tilt deck trailer so i could move it mself. I like the idea of the container becasue I could store my saws and all my equipment in it and would decrease my set up and clean up time instead of trying to stack it all in my truck

jd540b · October 03, 2011, 11:13:16 AM

....a tent and a .270!......

jueston · October 03, 2011, 07:42:24 PM

in the army we used shipping containers for storage and after you build in some shelfs and brackets for your ropes to hold everything down its like having your garage with you everywhere you go, its pretty handy, depending on how much maintenance you do on the road you can put a little work bench in there so you have someplace to work and you can even cut skylights into them if you're feeling luxurious....

EricR · October 03, 2011, 09:55:08 PM

jueston, Thats exactly what im thinking i,ve even thought to put a small wood stove in one to have a nice place to eat my lunch

jueston · October 03, 2011, 10:11:28 PM

or a loft bed for your mid-day nap? :D

Troublermaker · October 04, 2011, 12:12:31 AM

You know that some people will steal anything if they think they can get away with it. Some years a go I help a friend that live in town move a refrigerator out to the sidewalk for the junk man to pick up. We was too late getting it out for that week pick up so I thought he just have to move it back to the house so it wouldn't be sitting out there all weekend. He put a for sale sign on it for $75.00. Someone stole it the first night he put the sign on it.

jueston · October 04, 2011, 09:22:10 PM

my father in law had a couch sitting out on his curb with a free sign for 5 days, didn't budge, put a sign that said "$20 OBO" and it was gone the next night.

caveman · October 04, 2011, 10:15:17 PM

What about preventing theft and vandalism in the city? I read in the local paper today that a deputy's patrol car was broken into at the station and his radios were stolen.

sparky1 · October 05, 2011, 09:37:06 PM

I was always told locking things up keeps the honest person honest... if someone wants something bad enough, there gonna get it. Which i think is a very true statement, sad but true.. The shipping containers do make good work shop setups. Weve been working outa them for the past 3 years on certin jobsites. They will get very hot, and very cold though (depending on the time of year)!!!

forest.c · October 06, 2011, 07:08:37 AM

A trail cam works wont stop thieves but you will know who did it for the athorities to persue.

HuZzEy · October 06, 2011, 07:13:48 PM

them shipping containers make good apartment buildings also. google it

Taylortractornut · October 06, 2011, 08:03:09 PM

Trail Cams and a master switch are good things. I built a wheel lock one time for a friends tractor. Its just a long steel pipe that goes unde rthe tractor and locks to the wheel.

Woodhog · October 07, 2011, 09:55:47 AM

www.unitracking.com/

You might want to look at this type of stuff, there are a lot of outfits offering this type of tracking service to trucking companies etc. Some use satellites some use cell phones..

Here if they don't steal it they will try to set it on fire or shoot up the tires etc.

You cannot leave anything laying around at all, it is a major concern in a business that is marginal at the best of times.

trooperTdiesel · October 19, 2011, 03:39:56 AM

add a bat cut out switch in a hidden location.
or do something to stop the power to the injection pump or spark plugs.
its hard to take something that is several tons or more, that will not run.

sadly as to smaller stuff this will not work.

you could leave a gas can filled with diesel for them :D
or the other way around....

acco1840 · October 24, 2011, 05:57:47 PM

In my case with my old S7 skidder, I simply take the AeroStart home with me. Detroits don't start without it. :D

captain_crunch · October 27, 2011, 12:50:02 AM

Sad Part half the thiefs are unemployed opperators and know all the tricks mentioned above

bull · October 27, 2011, 09:16:37 AM

Time to start spraying bullets...... Only takes a couple dead theives for others to get the hint !!!
8) 8) You could start with broken arms and legs and the oops he fell routine or better yet drop a tree on them !! >:( >:(

sparky1 · October 28, 2011, 10:20:13 PM

hahaha.. i like Bull's ideas

Coon · October 29, 2011, 02:26:01 AM

I'd like to take some of these thieves and hook a choker cable around one of their legs and head down the longest and roughest skid trail dragging them behind until they are near dead then make em walk home. :D :D Just heard of more damage tonight to someone that I knows equipment. :( >:(

madmari · October 29, 2011, 08:38:30 AM

If you can manage to have the mutts caught, prosecute them by legal means. Stay in touch with the prosecutor and let them know that you wish to be heard at sentencing. Let the judge (and jury) know that the vandalism has taken food from your table due to the mutts disrespect for the property of others. Let them know how hard you've worked for what you have.
You'll feel alot better having had your chance to speak, the mutt will be there while you look him in the eye and you can sleep well knowing that the law isn't looking for you because the mutt reported you for assault- and he will.