Foreign tractors getting stolen

[cityfarma]

This has worried me since I bought my tractor as I don't live on my property. I now have it locked in a garage. If they get the roller door open, they will then find it it chained to the harrow using 10mm HT chain and a good lock. If they happen to be carrying a pair of bolt cutters, they then will not start it unless they have a main fuse to fit. This will at least make the mongrel b...... work for their prize. This slows me down a little when I want to use it but at least I have a chance of the tractor being there when I arrive.

Cityfarma

[bjcsc]

Originally Posted by cityfarma

This has worried me since I bought my tractor as I don't live on my property. I now have it locked in a garage. If they get the roller door open, they will then find it it chained to the harrow using 10mm HT chain and a good lock. If they happen to be carrying a pair of bolt cutters, they then will not start it unless they have a main fuse to fit. This will at least make the mongrel b...... work for their prize. This slows me down a little when I want to use it but at least I have a chance of the tractor being there when I arrive.

Cityfarma

The fuse idea is a good one. The chain is irrelevant. These guys are pros. All the pros carry rechargeable side grinders. They'll cut your 10mm HT chain faster than you can drink a glass of milk...but I like the fuse idea...

[GilaSlim]

Cityfarma has the right idea. Remember, locks are only to keep honest people honest. They won't slow down a determined professional thief by very much. Your only recourse is to make it so difficult to steal that the casual or semi-pro thief will give up and go pick on an easier target. As the police tell us, "Locks, Lights and Lassie slow them down and make noise."

The manufacturers could do a lot to slow them down. For example, the 80's vintage GM trucks and Blazers had a "steal me now" steering column lock. An arthritic 5-year-old with a screwdriver could steal one in about 30 seconds. Two "illegal aliens" got mine just because they wanted to drive across town. I got it back 11 days later when someone reported it as abandoned in their neighborhood. I then added hidden ignition and fuel pump cutouts. A thief would have had to figure out the problem, and be carrying enough wire to bypass my cutouts, and have the knowledge to do it.

But then, if the factory adds such devices, the thieves will soon know where they are, and their utility is lost. Your best bet is to install your own and don't tell anyone.

GS

[MtnViewRanch]

Originally Posted by GilaSlim

Cityfarma has the right idea. Remember, locks are only to keep honest people honest. They won't slow down a determined professional thief by very much. Your only recourse is to make it so difficult to steal that the casual or semi-pro thief will give up and go pick on an easier target. As the police tell us, "Locks, Lights and Lassie slow them down and make noise."

The manufacturers could do a lot to slow them down. For example, the 80's vintage GM trucks and Blazers had a "steal me now" steering column lock. An arthritic 5-year-old with a screwdriver could steal one in about 30 seconds. Two "illegal aliens" got mine just because they wanted to drive across town. I got it back 11 days later when someone reported it as abandoned in their neighborhood. I then added hidden ignition and fuel pump cutouts. A thief would have had to figure out the problem, and be carrying enough wire to bypass my cutouts, and have the knowledge to do it.

But then, if the factory adds such devices, the thieves will soon know where they are, and their utility is lost. Your best bet is to install your own and don't tell anyone.

GS

It's only a secret if nobody knows about it. Safeguard it yourself and nobody will get off with it. Might vandalize it, but won't get off with it.

[Trainer]

For what it is worth, there are many ways to slow down a their but none to stop them. When my tractor was stolen, they winched it up on a trailer and drove away. And it had a plow attached. They took tractor and plow. Fortunately the sheriff's office located the tractor and I got it back. The brilliant thief had it for sale beside the highway in another county. But my point is, with a winch and trailer they are in business.

[groundcover]

Wonder if one of those motion cameras that are hidden to track game would help to track down the thief ?

Cabela's -- Search Simple Product

[horse7]

Or just a dummy sign that says there is video surveillance on the property.

I've been installing the underground coax for video for a while, some cameras are working but most aren't. Been thinking of putting signs on the dummy cams that say: "if you can read this, your puss is already uploaded to Ukraine!"

Some of IR emitters are attached to dummy cams, with the real cams not having IR (and not pinhole either, so those cheapie detectors won't find them) in a hidden spot that can still use the IR illumination.

Long driveway also has Dakota Alert sensors-- very long range, few kilometers to several km depending on terrain [that is, if they detect an event they can transmit the signal up to several KM. The Dakota Alert products really work well if you need the range, but they are quite expensive. If you don't need the range there are a lot of much cheaper products]-- but these are only useful if someone is around.

[woodlandfarms]

I have a rather long post on how we caught someone stealing stuff off our property. Sherriff showed the perp the video, and he handed over the goods.

I have to say guests who know the camera is up feel a bit uncomfortable, and I hate that fact.

Carl

[Matt_Jr]

I was thinking of the comedian George Carlin. Line up all the thieves that are cought in the middle of the football field at halftime on monday night foot ball and shoot them at high velocity using a cannon or catapult right into a BRICK WALL and show the world what will happen when they steal my Kubota. It's not a $100k tractor, but a stolen BX24 would be enough to make steam come out of my ears. Just thinking out loud.......

[DGS]

Hello
I have a friend who is a locksmith and is very good at his trade
His work is usually with the Casinos in and around the area
What he told me was that locks are for honest people,all the rest are thieves!
He showed me how to disable my BX1830 very easily
I was told use commen sense and think like a thief
Called a very savvy friend over to try to start it
He after about 10 mins gave up and asked what I had done
I told him " If I told you I would have to kill you"
It works
Regards
DGS