Visited by thieves👎🏼👎🏼

[barbender]

Someone came out on the job last night and stole the tools out of my machine's service box. I've been at this for 6 years now and this is the first time I've had anything messed with. It wasn't locked, we lock the cab but not the toolbox. I locked mine for a while, but one of the old hands told me that just makes people think there's something worth tearing the lock off for. What stinks is that it was the original tool kit that came with the new forwarder, and it wasn't even that many tools. But, they were good quality tools that were well tailored for what you need onboard the machine, in a nice tidy box. Idiots even took the tray that slides out for the tool box, which is actually part of the machine. The main problem is the replacement cost is about $750 for the whole kit, so I will have to just assemble my own at the parts store to keep the cost down. I had the Sheriff's department out just to document it in case s they happen on to something. I have a deep dislike of thieves...

[luvmexfood]

I hate a thieve but especially one who steals a mans tools he uses to make a living with. It's like stealing twice. Once his stuff and second the ability to go out and make an income for his family.

[mike_belben]

That stinks, sorry to hear.

[240b]

that stinks.   someone took my choker chains last fall. the cops told me to look on craigs list. i bought a couple game cameras for the landing. 

[kenfrommaine]

Set out some game cameras. They will more then likely be back for diesel or what ever else they can carry off.

[thecfarm]

There is no reason for that to happen.   >:(

[barbender]

Yeah, I'll be looking at trail cameras.

[coxy]

get ones that don't have a light when taking a pic  that was my mistake they took the cams to  :

[goose63]

There is no reason for that to happen.   >:(

Drugs around here thy will steal your dirty socks if thy can get drug money out of them

Thy know better at my place there is a crazy old coot that will shoot at ya if ya get cought

[Gearbox]

Get a sign made and put it in the window of the machine that says . THIS SITE CAMERA PROTECTED . Don't even need the camera .

[Resonator]

X2 on the game cameras, check pawn shops and C-list to see if they try to sell them. That and get a sign like my friend has on his hunting cabin: "WARNING: if you can read this, your in range!" written over a rifle target. 

[Hilltop366]

Put a sign at the trail cam that says "camera #3" or if you think they won't get the hint " Wait!! before taking this camera make sure you can find the first 2"

[Ed_K]

 That stinks  >:( . If my equipment ever go's back out on a job I'll have trail cams also. Climb up on the roof of the skidder and mount high in a tree.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Somebody must have needed a set of metric tools in a bad way. Those big wrenches in the kit can get pricey.

We never locked our tool or machines in the woods, but when I have to leave my personal equipment away from home everything gets locked up (doors, tools, fuel cap, hydraulic cap, radiator, etc).

[Raider Bill]

I've been spray painting things that may walk away with Rustolem Oasis Blue paint. It's pretty close to Logrite blue.
Easy to spot.

[JesseA]

Man thats a shame! I know how it is to have things stolen.  Every stranger becomes suspect  :-[

[Stoneyacrefarm]

Sorry to hear about that Barbender.
One thing to keep in mind.
Carma will get them.
Years ago I had a saw stolen out of my truck.
I was cutting firewood for a friend a few towns over and this guy pulls up in a car.
Gets out and asks me if I want to buy a chainsaw.
I said sure.
Let me call my wife to bring some money over for you.
I really called my neighbor who was a cop in my town.
I knew the saw was mine.
Cop showed up.
We took the cover off the saw and my name and number was etched into it.
The guy handed me the saw and said he was sorry.
Guy left with his tail between his legs.

[tawilson]

I've been spray painting things that may walk away with Rustolem Oasis Blue paint. It's pretty close to Logrite blue.
Easy to spot.

I use florescent pink. Not only does it deter thieves, it also makes them easier to spot if dropped in the woods.

[Gary_C]

I had a similar problem with my Ergo Harvester some years ago while working on a blowdown job in the state forest and next to the res. Someone came down the snowmobile trail on their snowmobile and cleaned out all the tools in the tool box plus opened the battery compartment and took the two big batteries. They did not care about the batteries as they threw them down on the ground and smashed holes in the cases and drained all the acid. The county deputy that came said he had a pretty good idea who did it but they could never catch him in the act. At that time they told me that large scrap batteries were worth $60 each.

Those tools are not easy to replace and yes, very expensive if you buy the factory originals. Makes me mad all over again when I think of the time I lost getting new batteries, paying $10 each for scrap disposal fees because I did not have any batteries to turn in and then the time and cost of finding replacement tools.

My insurance paid some of the cost but by the time they took the deductible and they "depreciated the tools" because they could not find any used market value, it didn't cover much. The claims adjuster and I had a heated discussion about depreciation and he told me he had tools that were ten years old and they were all beat up. I told him I did not treat my tools that was but he did not care. 

[Dave Shepard]

I've always thought a sign that says "If you've made it this far, your photo has already been uploaded to the cloud twice!" might be effective.

[mike_belben]

Meth, heroin, fentanyl and oxy are part of the late stages of a foreign political warfare that started in the late 1950s, that are crippling the country today Read "Red Cocaine."  I will stop there so as not to get in trouble with jeff.


As for thieves, they are lazy and weak opportunistic predators.  You can defeat them with a lot of effort and threat of violence but its not for everyone.  I live where the meth is and my stuff stays put no matter how many nights im gone.  Its not cameras that do the labor, its your fists and your spine.  You have to drive up their driveway or get out of the truck when theyre walking on the side of the road.  Imprint on their little paranoid geeker brains that youll punish them fiercely.

[pineywoods]

I've always thought a sign that says "If you've made it this far, your photo has already been uploaded to the cloud twice!" might be effective.

Don't work here, most of them can't read, or if they can, their brain is so toasted they can' comprehend what the sign says... :

[mike_belben]

Most of em shop at night anyways.  Make it a neon sign and youll be in business.

[Southside]

Sadly Mike is right - it helps if folks thing you are a little bit over the edge - that word spreads and they tend to give you a wide berth.  A number of years back my pickup was stolen.  Found out who did it as the dummies girlfriend left her purse with my checkbook in it at a car wash.  Worst part was I used to plow out the guys grandmothers driveway for free with my loader.  So word got around that we were onto them and that I was going to make them disappear - not sure how that word got around is my official story.  One day I stopped into the grandmothers place to tell her that grandson needed to turn himself in as the police had them dead to rights.  She says he is not there, denied his involvement, the whole nine yards.  When I told her I was the guy she always waved to when plowing her driveway she said - "He's in the back" - we hear a loud bang as he jumped out the back door, off the porch into the briar patch and then ran off into the woods.  An hour or two later he came out onto the road all torn up right in front of a Trooper - it was perfect.  His half brother then fled to an island and called to turn himself in, said he did not want to do it from the mainland.  It did not prevent the truck from being stolen, but at least the dirt bags went to jail and my stuff never got touched after that. 

[dgdrls]

very sorry to hear, I hope you are able to get the tools back

Most low level thieves are opportunist, they go for the easy stuff.  Surveyor I know used to work in the City offices,  drove a reasonable, not great car.  Others similar to his all got the smash and grab or some version of mischief including taking the whole car except his.  I asked him what was the deal with his luck, he replies
"no luck, I use the trap"  He would leave old spring traps
on the steering wheel and on the seats. 

You have to make it too much work or "appear" to be not worth it,   in any manner possible.

Really sad part is even when they get caught, the victim usually get's  no restitution.

D

[lopet]

Southside logger     .... and grandma had to find somebody else to plow her driveway. Sounds like she kinda felt bad put not bad enough. ;)

Too much low life out there, they're just like parasites, can't make it on their own.

[Ljohnsaw]

I was at HD yesterday returning some extra/unused plumbing parts.  One employee came swiftly running by saying two DeWalts went running out the door and he continued out into the parking lot.  My clerk said it happens several times a week   I told her they should have someone outside with a shotgun...

[BargeMonkey]

 Do you have a picture of what the tools / box piece looked like ? brand name ? I'm always looking on Ebay/ CL plus in a bunch of groups on FB, I'm sure if enough people look it will come up eventually.
2yrs ago this spring our shop was trashed, 5 trucks vandalized, in the end the cops couldn't do much. Yrs ago my father and the Deere mechanic changed the engine in the 440B, lacked a few things and didn't top the coolant levels up, finish the next morning, someone came that night, started the machine and stole all 4 tire chains, cooked the brand new engine that was just put in. I have cameras on all my jobs, it's honestly a huge PITA and you've got to have a CLEAR picture for the cops, huge mess to prove sometimes.

[Cub]

I had a theif visit a few weeks back. Fresh snow that day. They parked on the road and drug a stick of green scotch pine pulp and put it in their truck then grabbed a stick of green aspen pulp and put it in their truck. Was only 2 sticks of wood but it's the principle of things.  Nothing I hate worse than a dirty theif!!

[mike_belben]

Where i live people steal standing trees right out of yards.  Theyll lopper the power wires off at the roof and strip the entire panel and meter socket then snip under the crawlspace.  Hatchet the sheetrock and strip the walls, or chain the entire inside panel to a bumper and rip it out the door.  I looked at 8.2 acres with a house and some timber last week for $25k.  It wont sell.  Youd have to kill someone to make the thieving stop. 

County lines are the meth frontier.  Law enforcement is completely impotent that far from their little base.  You see someone in your yard and call the law before you shoot him, they say no proof we need to see it.  Whip out your phone and show the law a camera image they say well we cant arrest him because blah blah blah.  Well then next time hes in my yard im gonna shoot him.  "Thats your right sir, if you feel threatened shoot him."

It takes a network of bold neighbors working together to keep the trash bedded down.  That took me about a year to create when i moved here.  It was this guy didnt like this one and those two didnt like that one.  I just chipped away at it and greased the wheels to get this network sharing information.  If you werent one the meth monkeys you automatically went on my 'howdy friend' list.   The monkeys saw what was going on and cut back to 10% of the former riff raff.  We used to have doors kicked in on this road and car windows smashed every month or two. 

They also all talk and work together to stay high and bum rides for cigarettes etc.  Simple, divide and conquer.  Pick the friendliest loser to chat up like you dont know hes a loser and say hey man, i think i saw that other loser creeping through your bushes 2 nights ago, i dont trust that guy.  Pit them against each other and break up that unit.  When one is a driver/lookout and the other two are the smash team they get a lot of stuff fast.  Break up their camraderie. If theyre busy fighting each other they arent teamed up against you.  Meth heads trust no one.  Not even their mothers, everyone is out to get them.

[Resonator]

I live back in the woods you see, My woman and the kids and the dogs and me.
I got a shotgun a rifle and a four wheel drive, and a country boy can survive.
Country folks can survive. country folks can survive, country folks can survive!

(Hank Williams Jr. recorded 1982)

[Corley5]

Are Ponsee tools marked with the Ponsee name or logo like Craftsman or Snap On ?

[chevytaHOE5674]

The tools we always had weren't marked Ponsse. They are made by some European company and are decent quality I'd have to go out to the truck to see the manufacture. Come in a nice toolbox with blue lid that fits perfectly in on the tray provided...

[John Mc]

Set out some game cameras. They will more then likely be back for diesel or what ever else they can carry off.

Or they'll come back for the game cameras. Someone on here once posted about putting out a cheap game camera that was visible, but took a bit of work to get to. Then he aimed his better game camera (well hidden) at the first one to catch the person stealing that.

[John Mc]

get ones that don't have a light when taking a pic  that was my mistake they took the cams to  :

Oops. Posted my response to this on a different post on this thread by mistake. put up a cheap game camera that is visible, hide a better one aimed at the cheap one to catch them stealing it.

[goose63]

16 years agao when i moved on the old placewas there 6 months when jim and max drove in down by the old hog has been empty for years now there is a crazy old man in his under ware standing on the porch shooting holes in the ground hay dont shoot we are lost.

So I go back to bed bought midnight the phone rings why you shooting at us first don't lie to me you had to call the operater to get my number thy were in a bar when thy called was a Friday night Monday night I knew who thy were 3 days later Icought up with little fat jimmy if any thing leaves my yard and i dont care if it's one of the cat's I'm going to bend you over and shoot you in your fat back side that story got around fast.

For a long time when I went to town people would say dont shoot the drugies know to stay away from my place

[Ken]

So sorry to hear about the theft barbender.  Takes a dirty low life to steal a mans tools.  I've been extremely lucky although did lose some fuel and tools a few months back. 

[barbender]

Thanks for all the insights, fellas. The toolbox is gloss black and I believe it has the Ponsse logo in yellow on it. The tools, when branded, are Wurth. There is a 1/2" socket set in a black metal case with the Ponsse logo in yellow as well.

[Logger RK]

I do the bait camera trick. Also at a gate I put up at a gravel pit,people would occasionally dump stuff off. One time they left a clothes washer. I took a black marker & wrote $5o cash on it. The next day it was gone. Many stories about that gate. It did stop a 20 mile high speed chase. The runner didn't know I strung a 5/8 cable through the cheap gate. It was pretty funny to check the tracks out where the runner got out & ran,and not far down the logging road where the police dog caught up to him. Looked like the officer wasn't in to big a hurry to catch up. If the runner would've made it about 50 more feet I would've had some good pictures.

[JJ]

my trail cam only has pictures of deer and random objects (me); maybe I should move it closer to my stuff...  )

[Southside]

I live back in the woods you see, My woman and the kids and the dogs and me.
I got a shotgun a rifle and a four wheel drive, and a country boy can survive.
Country folks can survive. country folks can survive, country folks can survive!

(Hank Williams Jr. recorded 1982)

And I got me a suppressor or two.  Tink ----- Whump ---- and that's all folks. 

[starmac]

Way too much work, unless you happen to be raising some hogs, or have a backhoe.

[mike_belben]

Romans 12:19

[Gearbox]

Southside why would you use a suppressor . Let the noise scare them . I had a guy years ago when I was building this house and living in a trailer . He drove into the yard sat in the car until the dog settled down then got out and picked up my saw . I was in the house making lunch watching . When he was half way back to his car I let one go with the 12 Ga. and told him to beat it . Never had a problem since . I had a druggee tell me he was told I shoot at people . I said when I shoot at people I hit them .

[thecfarm]

Gearbox,Shoot at one,they tell others.  ;)

[Hilltop366]

I was joking around with a police officer friend and asked if it was ok to shoot someone in the yard, she sighed and took a serious tone an said "make sure they are in the doorway and facing you"  apparently running away across the drive way doesn't count as self defence.

[Resonator]

Psalm 34:7

[Southside]

Gearbox - no sense in disturbing the guinea hens, they never settle back down. 

[mike_belben]

Ive shot near my troublemaker twice, didnt change him. 


Took the door rod off passenger side handle of my truck and gave him a ride one day.  When he realized he wasnt getting out until i let him, i changed characters and made some things clear.  Now we're "pals" and the problem is solved.  Hes like a new person.

[Kwill]

I would like one time to pull in and catch the low life POS's stealing. They might leave with more holes than they came in with

[coxy]

like I said in the beginning you need to get cams that don't flash a light

[barbender]

I think that's the best and simplest idea, coxy.  One thing I have to keep in mind is that theft will always pale in comparison, as far as a dollar value, to vandalism when I have to leave a hall million dollar machine setting in the woods every night. About all they can steal is the tool kit, and a couple hydraulic hoses I leave on the machine. Maybe the stereo and stuff in the cab if they break in. But if someone decided to trash the machine, they could easily do tens of thousands of dollars of damage. So I could give someone a good beating or otherwise put some fear in them, but there's the chance that you could run into that one guy that will come back again and really make a mess of things.

[Skeans1]

Guys out here use to have issues with people filling the fuel tanks and oil tanks full of sand or dirt. One guy we know had his 1010 filled with cement in all the fluid spots other then bogie drives.

[barbender]

This happened in a certain region of MN, that is really the only place we have had a problem with theft and vandalism. This area has a reputation, it's a place where if you're not from "there" you're not welcome. PS it's not an Indian reservation, I'm part native and live on the rez,  we've never had a problem on the rez.

[Skeans1]

We use to have more issues with the eco warriors out here trucks getting burned down, machines getting torched, trees spiked, ect thank God a bunch of that has stopped. Once in a blue we'll hear of some machines having their windows shot out.

[barbender]

I was thinking, I don't think I hold anything in lower regard than a thief. But I had forgotten about eco-warriors👎🏼 There is a story that circulates in Ponsse circles of an grumpy old operator in Finland. A tree hugger came out and chained himself to a tree in the harvest area. When the ol codger came up to him, he just reached up above him with the head and cut the tree off, kind of like we do when there is a deer stand in a tree😂😂😂 Just imagine the feeling of that sawchain vibrating the tree you were chained too!

[Skeans1]

An old faller we know was on a state job removing old growth hazard trees story goes some eco warriors climbed up the fir so he faced it up and yelled up at them saying you have 10 minutes to get out before you look like a bug.

[BargeMonkey]

 I've had the best luck with the Bushnell brand of cameras, alot of times you can find them on Natchez or Amazon on sale. They sell a metal "bear box" built for that series camera, I use the cable locks but also put 1-2 3/8 lagbolts from the inside of the box, good luck stealing the camera without cutting the tree down. it's a shame we have to resort to this type of stuff to protect iron. 👎

[maple flats]

I hate thieves too. In my U-Pick blueberry operation over the years I had the bolted down, locked cash box broken into or the whole thing stolen one time along with the 5' diameter wire spool it was bolted to. After 3 or 4 times over 15-20 years I got fed up and redesigned my security. I made 2 cash boxes (I have 2 entrances) each was made from a 10" ID heavy wall pipe (3/8" thick) and was 18" tall. I welded an old 18" disk blade for a bottom, and made a second one into a top with a latch on one side that was super heavy and a padlock on the other that was recessed, they could see it but could not get at it to twist or cut unless they had a cutting torch. Then I dug a hole, 4' deep, 10" in diameter and flared the bottom for a big lump on the bottom. I then poured it full of concrete, pushed a sonotube 8" diameter down into it. I had 2 threaded rods 5/8" diameter (from an old concrete stave silo) as rebar in each and the rods stuck up enough that I used them to bolt the cash boxes down. My theory was that if they tried to pull it out, I'd find their bumper on the ground the next morning. That has worked since the summer of 2000, not more thefts.
It's just a shame that I had to take about 6-7 hours to make a method to stop the thieves. But I'm glad I did. I never once suspected the customers who picked the blueberries, it was the low life that will do anything to steal something rather than do an honest day's work.
On that the real kicker was that I generally emptied the cash boxes between 15-30 minutes before dark and by then there was either no pickers left or maybe one still picking, so they likely never got very much.
Did I mention, I hate Thieves?

[rank]

Diamond harrows (farmer's drags) laid down with the points facing up.  And a trail camera aimed to catch the fun

[newstick]

That sucks Burt. Where were you at? Did you here that got me too. Stole battery and tool out of my loader. Grease gun, new extension cord too.

[starmac]

My logger lost the electric pump, artic hose and new nozzle out of his diesel tank last week, NOT in the woods.
The pickup was parked here in town right in front of the door of his shop under a street light.

[Kwill]

My logger lost the electric pump, artic hose and new nozzle out of his diesel tank last week, NOT in the woods.
The pickup was parked here in town right in front of the door of his shop under a street light.

did they take the diesel to?

[starmac]

Oh Yea, diesel theft in winter here is a given. In fact I bet who ever stole the pump, did so to use it to steal diesel.

[Southside]

Starmac,

What is an arctic hose?

[starmac]

Starmac,

What is an arctic hose?

The best way to describe it, is expensive.  Actually it is made of different material, blue instead of the usual black and stays soft at extreme temps.  The hose that comes on pumps, or even the normal replacement hoses are useless here in the winter, they will break before unrolling.

We even have our power steering hoses made here to artic specs, the stock hoses on a pickup will generally not last over a winter or two.

[Dave Shepard]

We had a special cold temp hydraulic hose at the ski area that was blue. Any hoses we made for the groomers got blue hose.

[Southside]

Ok. That answers the question I have always had as to the nature of the blue hydraulic hoses in my fellerbuncher.  Now I just wonder why they were installed.

[Skidder Kev]

We had a job 2hrs from home a few years back we would stay at my families cottage all week then come home on weekends.   Well one weekend someone came on site and took all our chokers spare mainline (it was garbage anyways. )  a couple of wedges, file, multi tool for the saw,  fire extinguisher.     Thieves pith me off.   

[barbender]

That sucks Burt. Where were you at? Did you here that got me too. Stole battery and tool out of my loader. Grease gun, new extension cord too.

Yep, Jason, I heard you got hit too👎