Chain saw stolen!

[oakiemac]

Not my new one that I just got from the Forum photo contest. Matter of fact it wasn't mine at all but it was the instuctors Husky 575XP while we were at the GOL training class.
We had all just went to lunch and Ken said he would stay behind and watch the saws. Well some low life, despicable, flea of a human being drove up and grapped Ken's saw off his trucks tailgate and took off before ken could run the 30 yards. He got the license plate # and called the cops but the best they could do for him was to tell him to check out a local swap market where his saw would most likely show up in a few weeks.
This kind of thing just piths me off to no end. It reconfirms why I hate big citys and in particular Detroit. The city is full of theiving low life scum bags. Thefts happen in rural areas as well but not in broad day light and within throwing distance.
That scum is awfull lucky that Ken didn't have his throwing ax handy! I saw ken throw it and I know he wouldn't miss his target.
If anyone sees a 575xp for sale real cheap-let me know it might be Ken's.

[chet]

Curious as to why no follow up on the licence number by the cops.   :(    Dats Sad  >:(

[Jeff]

No kidding. License plate number and not even an attempt to run it down?  Pretty sad on all points.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, something don't add up. S'pose the cops nephew stole it? Maybe he'd like to donate a couple week's salary for a new one.  >:(

[oakiemac]

Cops couldn't have cared less. I think there is a minimum of 3 people being shot before the cops in Detroit will even put their donuts down.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, that doesn't seem right. The saw should have been recovered with the license number information and witness. Maybe take the complaint to the State Police for action.

[VA-Sawyer]

When I worked for an airline in Detroit, I needed to 'lock everything all the time, including my zipper!' Was glad to get away from that city.

Maybe Ken needs to carry a gun while guarding the saws.  Wonder if 'he had a lethal weapon (chainsaw) in his hands!' would work as a defense.

VA-Sawyer

[isawlogs]

 After reading this , I am ....   well lets just say I wont put down here what I feel . I had saws taken from me that where locked up in my shop , I have no use for people like that , actualy there is but that would require a hole or some kind of depretion in the ground . Backfill . Thats all there good for .  >:(

[Skytramp]

     Once we had a mill set about a quarter mile back in the woods, had to go thru a guys barn lot to get to it.  someone walked in from another way and stole two chainsaws a 5000 watt Colman generator and a air compressor.  You could see the wheel tracks where they pulled the compressor.
     The Mill owners son had a pickup that had simular tire tracks ( we found where they loaded)  a foot print about that size and a drug habit, the law didn't do anything about that one either. 
     I would send that liscense #  To the local newspaper.
SkyTramp

[isassi]

There is only 1 (one) thing I admire about Muslim justice. In Saudi Arabia. for example, A thief is despised by teachings, and if caught, (as most are I understand) they are led to the public square and The right hand is severed by a sword. No jail time, no lawyers, and I would bet, no more inclination to steal. I believe strongly in our American system, but....Awhile back, I noticed that every time we parked gas fueled equipment and our dump trucks on the lot where I store my construction equipment, they were always out of gas when we next used them. One truck I was not using any longer (for conversion to a gooseneck dump) was parked and I filled the tank with brackish water from a barrel and then put just enough gas in to keep the smell good. Lo and behold, a worthless non working type (welfare case/druggie) living a block away had car trouble...I drove by and he was taking the gas tank out from under his beater truck...giving me a dirty look all the while I was grinning broadly.  :D 8)

[james]

old farmer i use to work for had problems with gas being stole from his two ton so he obligingly left a couple near empty 5 gal cans there for the thief the next morn the gastank was empty and the 2 gas cans were missing 20 gallons of gas from the truck 1 gal eacc from the two cans .....

1 cup sugar each from the 2 cans ;D ;D ;D ;D
james

[leweee]

Those plates were probably stolen too. : A bold New frontier in that part of the country(best be packen)

[isawlogs]

 I had the same happen here a few years ago , some lowlife was picking up my five gallon can full of gas , he was very kiind about his takings as he would bring the can back a few days later. But would leave with a full one  >:( , this was going on for  a few weeks , off and on he took three cans .. the fourth one , I sort of rigged it . Fill it with fuel figuring that he would leave it alone   :  Well he took it too  ;D  And that put a stop to the lowlife coming here for gas .  

[crtreedude]

Many years ago in Missouri when I was knee-high to a grasshopper my parents had a problem with someone stealing gas. My dad was off at college during the day and mom was alone, so the skunk figured he was safe. A demonstration was in order.

My dad invited him over to shoot - you know, the ole male bonding stuff. They put a clorox bottle out a couple hundred yards a commenced to fill it with holes. Mom came walking out the house with refreshments and Dad said, "Do you want to shoot some honey?" My mom said sure (and the skunk smirked) and so Dad handed her the rifle loaded, ready to shoot. Mom looks at the target and said "I think I'll take the top of the clorox bottle - and proceeded to do so with one shot at 200 yards.

Then my dear, saintly mom turned to the skunk and said,  "Someone has been stealing gas from us and one of these times I am going to see him and I suspect he is a lot bigger than that clorox top..."

The skunk didn't have a stripe any more - because he had turned completely white! 

The funny thing is - my mom doesn't know how to load a gun :D but she is a better shot than any of us!

[ARKANSAWYER]

 

  My guess would be that had I seen them take my saw like that when I got to the truck I would have pulled my pistol from under the seat and put some holes in someone.   Lots of hunting accidents in this country.

  Logger friend of mine was loosing logs at night from the loading deck in the woods.   They were taking butt cuts so the logger went to all local mills and asked about any one selling them.  Of course no one knew any thing.   So the next day the logger pulle some nice logs up and put a bunch of 16d nails in the butts and left for the day.  Next morning the butts were missing.  Day after he heard the mill in Snow busted a blade on a bunch of nails in a log.   He lost no more logs from that site.  ;D

[Frank_Pender]

That was a cool idea, Arky.  As to the licence plate I would find someone to run the plate for me and get the sucker myself.  I am sure their hands would never pick up another saw. >:(

[Flyboy]

 >:(  If it had been my saw, I would have just reached in the cab and >:( the SOB wouldn't made it 31 yards. >:( >:(

[Don_Papenburg]

One of our neigbors  had a problem with gas walking at night .  His hired man told him to go to the house one evening and not come out till he got there in the morning.  The next morning when the hired man arrives he asked him what he did  cause there was a hell of a racket during the night .  His hired man had wired up the gas pump to the line voltage  so any place you touched you got the real zap.  Never had a problem after that.

[oakiemac]

One of the guys in our class has a CWL and had his .357 on him but he was at lunch with the rest of us. Too bad that theif didn't come just a little sooner. He would of ended up with a few extra holes in him.

[Lenny_M]

 Once had this guy stealing cordwood, Finally we caught him. 8)
He was forced at gunpiont to compleatly strip of his clothing.
Then told to run out she skidder trail and not to come back this way.
A few shots into the stump pile before he went out of sight,(that guy could run really fast ,barefoot in the woods :D)
His truck was then driven down the road while the contents of his wallet glovebox and clothes were scattered over 10 miles.
His truck was then parked sideways in the road,Doors locked and engine running.
Still wonder how he got home, as he lived about 30 miles away :D :D

Havn`t had a problem sence then.

[sprucebunny]

Lenny, I sure hope it was blackfly season :D :D

[Texas Ranger]

Send me the license number, and state, and I'll try to run it for you.  Email so no public record.

[MSU_Keith]

oakiemac - where were you cutting exactly?  I took the GOL course last spring and Ken is a great instructor - couldn't have happened to nicer guy.

Both my wife and I and our parents (and some grandparents) grew up in and near the city of Detroit.  It's such a shame to see whats become of the place.  The stories of the 'old' days of nice neighborhoods with strong friendships based on good ethics and morales are long gone.  It's no wonder the place is emptying out.  Moved twice in the last 12 years - every time further away.

Texas Ranger: I'd be happy to check it out here localy if you come up with actual info on the scumbag.

[isassi]

You guys probably already know, but stuff that is stolen sometimes ands up in pawn shaops and something that gets my attention is paint...sprayed or overspray...and while detracting from the tool's appearance, makes ID easy. I believe I will remove the chain covers on my saws and do a little JD green...it would be impossible to clean up. If something is engraved, it is usually harder to spot. Juat a thought.  ???

[Cedarman]

We had a rather new skid steer stolen from our grinding site the first week of Nov.  Aaron had dropped it off so we could cut some cedars in a few days. Left it locked.  The site is an oil well pumping site where Aaron knows the crew.  Supposed to have the gate locked at the road.  Anyways, Aaron comes back to use the loader and it is gone. Crew foreman said he saw tracks a few days ago going down the road east, thought we had a close by site we were working on.  Four inches of rain kinda washed the tracks, but they were still markings because the wheeled loader had steel tracks. Aaron called the sheriff and since there was no evidence at the site, there wasn't much need to come out. Aaron called the insurance company and they said it probably headed west where stolen machines usually went. Well Aaron decided to check for tracks and maybe it was local and he could easily see where it would turn into a driveway.  So he started following the tracks.  Went about a mile and a half and they disappeared. He figured this is where they loaded it up.  He is keeping me informed as the morning progresses.Needless to say, I ain't too happy.  He calls back and says he found more tracks down the road, they had switched sides. He calls the sheriff and he sends a couple of deputies who are impressed with Aarons ability to see marks that they cant see.  After tracking for 5 1/2 miles they find where it was pulled into a field and hid behind some big round bales for a few days.  They could see where it had come back out onto the road and went in the direction they had come from.  Again they thought it had been loaded up and moved.  But Aaron thought, hmmm, maybe they went that way to get the mud off and turned around. Sure enough he found a scrape mark on a bridge crossing and a few hundred yards down the road could see where it pulled in a driveway.  The deputies said,this is where some known thieves live.  They got permission to search from an old lady living at the home. Found it in the back end of the place.  They left a guard and went and got all the paperwork they needed and did CSI thing with fingerprints, boot print plaster casts and the whole nine yards.  Aaron was able to take the loader home that evening. A day later they got a warrant to seach the house and found the boots that matched the bootprints.  They got the guy, but I don't know how it is going as far as jail time.

Glad Aaron and I spent some time in the woods tracking deer.

[shopteacher]

All I know is it's a sickening feeling to have your possessions taken.  Justice will prevail at some point in some way. >:(

[Tom]

It is a sickening feeling.  I've had things taken and have even had my house burglarized.   I was so mad that I would have pistol whipped the guy(s) if I found him.   Over time you get over it somewhat.    It's been a couple of years since the last burglary and I'm still stinging.  I had one in 1984 and am just about over it.  It still hurts that they got a pistol I was proud of and my camera equipment, lenses and all, along with the other stuff.

From this side, it really hurts. I just don't know how someone can stand to be on the other side.  I couldn't sleep or have any peace knowing that I had taken someone's heirlooms or hard-earned valuables.   It makes one wonder why we are so concerned with giving "good time", short sentences or probation to those who haven't the conscience that allows their seeing the hurt they are causing.

[oakiemac]

I really feel for Ken the instructor whose saw it was. For it to be stolen in such a casual manner right in front of him piths me off even more.
I don't have the license number but ken has it. I'll try to find his email address and see if he can send it.

[Lenny_M]

 Not blackfly season, but it sure was cold. ;D

[sprucebunny]

Good enough :D :D  ;)

[bottlefed89]

I don't post a lot here, but this is one subject that gets me going...  In the last year I have had the following happen..

1.  Someone broke a window out of my chip truck(I own a tree service) and stole about $1700 worth of climbing and rigging gear.  This happened in an industrial park where I park my trucks.  Neighbors have it on tape, though it's pretty rough.  Cops came, got my name and number and such and said they'd let me know if anything turned up -  BEFORE they looked at the truck, or took a list of what was stolen.....  I rudely asked if he had something better he needed to be doing, but told him that I didn't because ALL of my work related equipment was gone.  He went through the motions of taking all the info.  but he didn't care at all.  It was obvious.

2 . 4 days later my bobcat was taken from the same parking lot.  I followd the tracks and it was in a waehouse that was under construction a few buildings down.  Cops wouldn't come because I found it and "it was probably just some kids"...... B/S

3.  Last October, I was at a local auto parts store getting some brakes.  I left my F350 idling as I'd just be a minute.  Well, I hear a turbo spool up and look out to see my baby being driven off.  I happen to know a few people at the parts store and we all took off after the idiot in my truck.  3 cars manage to get it pulled over safely.  I had already called the cops, but they weren't there yet.  I run up to the truck and yank out the driver, ready to beat a lifetime full of anger towards thieves out of them..  Get the idiot pulled out of the truck , and to my suprise - a 17 year old young lady.  No beating took place, but it was VERY hard to keep myself from it.  9 cops showed up shortly there after, she was arrested, and I got the truck back.   Worst part of all... she smoked a cigarette in MY truck, the nerve of some people...  Aside from the smell, everything was fine.

[slowzuki]

Was just watching some videos of baitcars rigged with cameras and ignition shutdowns used in British Columbia.  They have a huge stolen vehicle problem there.

It was funny to see the kids busted that were stealing them.  The attitudes were sickening though, they talked as if they owned the vehicle because they stole it.
Ken

[SwampDonkey]

When I lived in Prince Rupert, I met a few folks that were leaving the cities and going to work in the remote areas like Prince Rupert. By the time I left there alot of theft was coming there to. It's probably getting worse up there because shipping is so high for parts. Right across from the office some kids were trying to steel my hubcaps off my pickup for spares on their own. Caught them and they said they was just looking at them because they looked like the ones on their own pickup. Could a theft in progress be any more obvious ?  To top that off, one of the guys in the office said he wouldn't say anything if he saw them steel the hubs. Nice bunch. :

[KGNC]

I have a lot of road frontage on my place, almost a mile. Last year I was headed out before light one morning and a good size black locust had blown down across the road. I went back to the house, got the saw and cut up the portion in the road, threw it over the bank with the intention of cutting it all up the following Saturday. When I got home most of the tree was gone! I stopped and looked, some one had tied a chain to the trunk and had skidded it down the road!
Wasn't hard to follow, there was bark and scapes in the road for about 4 miles. The guy had had a hard time too, you could see were it had rolled off the road twice on the curves and must of gotten hung up on a culvert once.  At the end of the line the log was still in one piece , about 20 ft. long beside the guys firewood pile. I went to the door but no one was home. I just happen to have a 16d nails in the truck. I left him a note to stop stealing my timber and a reference to some nails I had added to the log. I then nailed the note to the log making sure I sunk the nail deep in to the wood. I didn't put any other nails in the log. Thought it would be more fun having him look for them then risk someone getting hurt over some firewood. 

[jon12345]

In NY it used to be  that the value of timber stolen could easily exceed the fine for stealing it, (10$/Tree). As of Oct. 2003 the fine is $250 or 3x market value. 

[sawguy21]

bottlefed89, we had a similar incident last night. The victim cruised the neighbourhood looking for his truck and spotted it. He gave chase and called the police. It turned into a high speed pursuit and after the cops backed off due to the risk involved, he continued until the thieves, two juvenile girls with records, wrecked it.
The police were somewhat upset with him. Had they killed themselves or someone else, he could have been held at least partially liable. I understand his anger and yours but are material goods worth taking that kind of risk. I have been a theft victim and I was DanG mad. That was my hard earned property and my personal space was violated. I too wanted to kick serious a**and take names later.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Meth is getting bad here.  Now in a place where homes are left open and keys in cars every thing not nailed down or growing is coming up missing.   Everyweek more people are being busted for meth and stealing and is about all the paper is full of any more.  Ole boy down the road comes home in his old beat up truck  when a 2006 Chevy truck comes flying out of the barn.  They head down the drive way with not a hint of stopping to talk.  So rude!  The ole boy backs up just in time for the back bumper of his truck to clip the side of the new chevy and caused it to take out 60 feet of barbed wire fence.   Goes up to the house and calls the Sheriff then goes to fix the fence before the cattle get out.  The next day they catch the kids at school with the banged up truck.   Kid's Daddy (these not local people) wants the Ole Boy charged with wreckless driving for backing into the new Chevy truck.   They were just being kids and stealing gas from an old tractor so they could run around in a $27,000 truck and have some fun.
  I think a good caneing is in order starting with the Dad.

  I pulled some stunts when a kid but when caught we fessed up and took our licking and more often then not worked and paid back twice the damage done.
  Good thing it was the Ole Boy down the road as I would have not been so friendly when I got a hold of them.

[Cedarman]

I disagree that it is only money that they steal when taking things from you. You can only buy things with the money you have over after paying for food shelter and clothing.  Those tools, cameras, TVs etc were paid by you using your time to earn that money.  You can never ever get that time back. The bad people have stolen it from you.  That is why I think theft of a working persons property should be dealt with severly.  So you say insurance covers it.  You paid hard earned money for the insurance.  Take theirs away by long jail sentences.  Robbing should become an extremely dangerous occupation.

One time we were doing some work in a house on an adjacent property.  We left and came back a few hours later to get a jacket and radio that we had left.  Found a car setting there with a mom, her son and daughter.  They said they heard the place was for rent (which it was).  I talked to them while my wife went to get the things. She came back and said she couldn't find them.  I looked on the floor in back and there our things were. She said she had to go.  I picked up a 20 pound rock, put it over my head and said "You move the car, this goes through the windshield".  Give me the keys.  Sent wife after sheriff. Neighbor came by, asked what was going on. Told him. He gave me a little weapon to make holding them easier.  "All they could say was they were sorry.  Started crying etc.  I said yes you're sorry. Sorry you got caught.  Deputies came. I filed charges and they did jail time. Kids were of age. All over $70.00.  I don't care whether whether it is $7.00, $70.00 or $70,000. You steal, you should pay.  There is a time for mercy, but it is after jail time.

One time at the mill a rough looking bunch pulled in looking for someone in the area that I had never heard of.  They left.  I told my employees that I was setting at the mill that night with a gun ready for them to come back. And if they did I wouldn't hesitate to shoot if provoked at all.  I did that for 2 reasons. One, in case they came back.  Two, so that my employees would think that I was half crazy. Employees come, employees go. When they leave for good, I want them to think that I am not a safe place to hit. My mill sets wide open on a country road.  I may get hit one of these days.  My job is to do my best to keep the odds in my favor.

[pigman]

so that my employees would think that I was half crazy.

I have never been "hit" yet. I think the reason is that everyone  thinks that  I am half crazy. They are wrong,  I am completely crazy when it comes to protecting my junk valuable property. ;D

[Tom]

I agree that theft doesn't just deal with "things".

This last burglary of our house was heartbreaking. There was a 22 rifle taken.  It had a scope on it.  I don't know what it was worth in dollars, but it  wasn't your general run of the mill rifle.  Folks can say, "It's just stuff, go buy another one".  Well, you can't.   That rifle was given to my wife by her father when she was sixteen years old.  She has hardly fired a shot through it in all these years.  But, she would never have sold it. She was Daddy's little girl and he died in 1979.  So, you see, that rifle was a "one of a kind" and priceless.

My 22 was right next to it and taken too.  But mine was just a thing.

What else was taken that was not just "stuff".  Jewelry.  Rings I had bought for her as gifts when the money could have better been used for food and clothes.  Broaches that belonged to her mother and her grandmother were taken.  Even our marriage license.  Now, What would someone want with a marriage license?.

They took china and Christmas ornaments too.  Can you believe that they opened a big box, removed the top layer, stole what was below and replaced the top layer?   We've not figured out why they went to that trouble.  Yes, it still hurts.  Many of those ornaments were made by her and her brothers when they were young.  Many were expensive crystal that she bought as an adult.  Can they be replaced?  How do you replace limited editions and home crafted wares?

The tools and equipment taken from the barn were purchased with funds that took years to earn.  I haven't enough years left to replace some of it, especially in like quality.

I get so angry when I think of it that I can hardly talk.  They don't just steal "things".  They steal your life.

Even jail time doesn't compensate.   

[SwampDonkey]

Gee Tom, the way you describe the theft almost leads me to believe the thieves had your stash all 'scoped out' before the robbery.  :

My uncle is always parading people through the house to look at his expensive dishes and antiques. He's got some pieces to a set of dishes no longer made that we looked up on the internet and found out they was worth over $3500 US, and he paid $100 CDN back in 1970's working for $20 a day yarding pulp behind a horse and having to walk 10 miles each way to work with it.  : Alot of them 'guests/tourists' are strangers he don't even know. Sometime he's gonna come home and find that he's been sacked.

[Tom]

It could be someone who new what we had, though I find it difficult to believe that they new where stuff was.  The problem with living in the sticks is that they have all day to pick through your stuff.  It's not hard to dismantle alarms and cameras if you know where they are.   These folks were, apparently here for a long time, a lot longer than the police.  It took about 15 minutes investigate the burglury, finger printing and all.   I think it was more show than sincerity.

Anyway!  The point I was trying to make is that other people, especially those who have never been burglarized, will minimize the stress you are experiencing by saying stuff like, "It's just stuff".    Well, it isn't "just stuff".  It's a person's life.

[SwampDonkey]

Anyway!  The point I was trying to make is that other people, especially those who have never been burglarized, will minimize the stress you are experiencing by saying stuff like, "It's just stuff".    Well, it isn't "just stuff".  It's a person's life.

Yup, I understood ya the first time. ;D ;) But, if it helps ya can screech it to the top of your lungs again and again. ;) I always worry about all my tools and motorized machines in my work shop. It's locked with a wooden door. But, if someone wanted the stuff they'd could get it with some dismantling involved since some of the machines are mounted on benches and tables wider than can fit through the door. Funny thing is, the neighbor with the spying binoculars probably wouldn't see that.  :

I've had stuff stolen out of my truck in college and some of the guys in the residence would make fun as if they stole the stuff themselves. Nice bunch of boneheads. I soon moved out after a year of their 'tom-foolery'. Pardon the expression.  :-\

[highpockets]

I hate a thief and so does my puppy.

[Cedarman]

I love it when people say "I was here yesterday and your dog wouldn't even let me on the porch. Does he bite?"  I love my one white eyed, well seeing German shephard looking dog, that barks at people. 

[isassi]

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I have, ever since my Grandfather pointed this out: Hard working people tend to be honest, lazy people tend to steal. I don't know how I would feel if I wre Tom and had my possesions stolen, let alone my own home invaded. We also keep a German Shephard who has very little sense of humor and always will. And, I follow the Jeff Foxworthy idea of home security. We don't have a well manicured lawn and flowers and rose bushes...we look like an equipment yard and the grass gets tall at times...so they just know, A GUN LIVES HERE!  ;D Oh yeah, my wife caries a gun in here duties and has a state car outside, she is a probation and parole officer and I hear about all the scum in our area....

[SwampDonkey]

Well keep all the scum down there will ya? ;D :D

[isassi]

Oklahoma is number 2 in the nation for locking them up, nearly 5% of the state's population is in prison, on parole, or probation. Texas is number 1. I think everyone has an ample suply of scum, getting tough to find honest people anywhere. At least on this forum, the best I have found, we all have the same mindset.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

I had a Jonsered 6000+ bandsaw mill stolen >:( in 2000 it was left on a job over christmas holiday . It was locked up in a yard with a 10 ' cyclone fence theycut the fence and draged it about 120 yards but they only got the head rig  :D and Ive still got the major parts still in the shed . It realy ticks me of that lazy ppl think they have the rite to take something thats not theres .

luckly I had 2 spare mills sitting at Home  ;D . 8) and got going again without to mutch trobble .

Chris McMahon 

[Warbird]

1 cup sugar each from the 2 cans ;D ;D ;D ;D
james

Hey James...  sugar in the gas tank sadly does not work.

[Don_Papenburg]

To all ,  If you ever get a jury summons ,do your duty happily .  I know that is a tough pill to swallow . 
But think of the change you can make .  Convince the other jurrors that theft is the same as attemted murder,   YEP the creeps have stollen a part of your life a part that you will never get back Never.  Therfor the theif has killed part of that life.
Any judge that lets a thief go with a slap on the hand should be run out of office a the least and or hung from the neerest horizontal support at the most.