The crooks broke into my shipping container

   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #21  
<font color="blue">( Another thing with criminals is that they are lazy )</font>

Jim, in general, I'd agree; however, I've seen many cases in which criminals worked hard for many hours and got a lot less than they'd have made working for minimum wage. The funniest ones I ever arrested were 3 guys who drove from Dallas to Monroe, LA, broke into a business there (don't know how much work that took), stole a safe, loaded it into the trunk of their car, had to tie the trunk lid down because it lacked about 3" closing, drove back to Dallas, carried the safe upstairs to a second floor apartment, then spent several hours chopping a hole in the bottom of the safe. That safe only contained approximately $30 worth of small change and the titles to the company's fleet of trucks. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif That safe was also so heavy that I could not imagine how the 3 of them got it up a flight of stairs. One of them told me that "when you're scared, you're stronger." /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Now of course I'm assuming that several of the recommendations made in this thread were made "tongue in cheek". As much as we'd like to see the thieves get what they deserve, "booby traps" are illegal, at least in Texas, because they might get the wrong person; i.e., a curious child, police officer, fire and rescue personnel, etc. who might be called to the scene.
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #22  
Ken, that's good advice. The only way you can stop thieves from taking something is to not have it. I also agree with Freds that having things in the open is a much better solution than putting them out of sight. We've had several vandalism events in my area, but they always occur to someone's property that's out of sight from the road. My stuff is in clear view and I've not had any problems... knock on wood. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #23  
Quite true, Jim. We had a number of burglaries, thefts, and vandalisms in my area when we lived in the country, and every one I knew of happened to places that were out of sight of the road and were not occupied; i.e., folks who lived in town, but had farms out in the county. A couple of my neighbors had big shop buildings that were simply 3-sided sheds, open to the front, with lots of expensive tools where anyone could see what was in there, and they said they'd never had a problem.
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #24  
Sorry about the inconvienience suffered due to the vandalism. It could have been much worse, hard as this is to swallow.
Inside the locked container is a prize. It has a value to you and a value to those who imagine what is inside. For insurance to be effective you must take reasonable measures to protect against thieves and vandalism and be able to provide documentation when the inevitable occurs. Remote sites carry an inherent risk. Definitely good advice posted previously above. Insure it and be prepared to endure some inconvienience and a deductible.
There is nothing wrong, by the way, of being paranoid and mistrustful of strangers, my dad's attitude is that everyone is a potential a$$hole until they prove themselves otherwise. The concealed weapon is your personal choice and unholstered in a situation is only useful if discharged, some use fire against fire so be sure of your resolve before you brandish it. That said, booby traps are not a good idea. If you maim someone they will now have you as a target and may end up driving your car, living in your home and spending your money. If you kill some one who has not demonstrably threatened your life you may be dancing with men for the next 14 or so years, not a pleasant image in my opinion.
For curiosity's sake there is the possibility of getting some pic's of whomever or whatever approaches your container. A discreet motion detector coupled with a 12v battery, cheap pinhole cameras and a cell phone to send the images to your server can be set-up, IR illuminators cannot be detected by the human eye, no flash is needed. These items are readily available to those who engage in clandestine activities (check the web) and not expensive.
In the end, anything contrived by man can be circumvented by man and there is no practicle way to keep strangers from putting their hand in your pocket. The thing I learned in high school was that just as soon as you have something nice somebody else wants it, women included.
Just get the cheap lock and insurance and keep mum about this recent episode.
My tractor is at a remote site right now and I'm not sleeping well.
Best of luck in the future,
Martin
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #25  
Security is a measure of convenience. The only way to make something "more" secure is to make it more inconvenient for the legitimate users to access.

I think the best advice was the insurance. Get good insurance and a good insurance agent and maybe you will get lucky and get some new equipment. Save all your old receipts and take lots of pictures of everything.

Since I suspect your long term goals are to move out and live on this land then you may want to invest in some of the better motion activated night photography equipment and at least find out who is prowling your property. The time you invest in identifying who is coming on your property and when they are coming on the property will be golden for properly catching them later. Keep records and if you can establish a pattern then get the police to help you. They should be willing to help you if you present your case and research for them in a way that makes it easy for them to do their job.

You want to put a stop to this problem as soon as possible if you are going to be leaving your wife and kids alone out there in the future.

Make sure you have your property clearly posted for no tresspassing and no hunting too. You want to be able to have these people charged with every possible violation you can.

Make them your prey and enjoy the hunt. Make sure the killing takes place in the courts and do what you can to use the system to your advantage. If you have gone to the courts and done everything by the book then IF they still come back your butt will be covered when you use gun in self defense.

Just my opinion not a legal recommendation. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container
  • Thread Starter
#26  
Thanks for the great advice folks. I returned to the property yesterday thanks to soundguy's input to put a few things in order.

-I installed 2 new no hunting/trespassing type signs with my name and phone number. The old ones had faded but were still functional.

-I replaced 3 of the four possible locks with the rotary style locks that I and they know are hard work to remove.

-I removed the battery and took it home. Replaced the panel so it isn't obvious that the battery is missing.

-I put the unlabeled powershift lever in reverse which locks out the starter. A small deterent to the ignorant.

-I removed the grill and set in down in front of the dozer to make it look more broken.

-I locked the vandalism cover down over the gauge panel. It is a factory sheet metal shroud that snaps down over the dash with a place for a lock.

-I took the seat home. Sure would stink to do much anything in there without a seat.

I decided against ditching it in the woods since the tracks would lead you there and I believe the risk was greater.

I plan to sell this dozer in the next month or so. I suppose I could purchase insurance for it but for only a month? I know, I know, a month is the same as ten years since it can only be stolen once.

I know better than to booby trap the dozer with a device that can injure or kill. The electric fence might be a neat idea but not so hot that it would injure. I carry my pistol with a license for several reasons including a confrontation with an armed crook.

For every 100 crooks that are willing to steal a generator to pawn for dope, there may be one with the cajones to steal a bulldozer. It takes some major truck and trailer and someone needs to know how to drive it.

I will call my insurance agent today. I am sure he can give me a short term policy. I will report back.
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #28  
I love the trunk monkey, they're so useful for many things. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #29  
Trunk-Monkey /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif that was hilarious....I wonder if the <font color="blue"> booty </font>trap [nice typo catch RedRocker!] could work the same way [bet she wouldn't need to club him....at least not until right before disposal!]

Actually, my booby trap post was intended to humor "most" around here. Highbeam, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your prevention measures, but if theives are lurking, I really hope they not only read about booby trap plans, but think you're crazy enough to do it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

On the trunk monkey though....perhaps you could plant a remote tracking device in it. The costs are probably prohibative [probably worse than insurance].....but "locks only help keep honest men honest."
 
   / The crooks broke into my shipping container #30  
I'm still laughing!!! That's hilarious. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
 
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