Caught thief on game cam-What now?

   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #1  

tallyho8

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
4,998
Location
Who Dat Nation west of Westwego east of Ama south
Tractor
Kubota L4400, Kubota ZD326
I had my weedeater stolen out of my garage so I checked my gamecam that I have set up in there. Unfortunately, I had it set to wait 1 minute before taking a second photo instead of taking photos every 5 seconds.

The photos showed 2 people entering my garage during the time period that the weedeater went missing. One was a handyman who lives in the neighborhood who I frequently have doing jobs for me and he had done a job for me during this time period and I know he would go in the garage to get a bottle of water now and then because I said he could. The other person on film was a man who was installing a carport top in front of my garage. The garage door was open while he was working but I don't know why he went in the garage.

Since the gamecam was set for 1 minute between shots it only showed them entering the garage and not leaving so I have no photo of someone walking out with my weedeater though I know it was one of them.

Now my gamecam is set for every 5 seconds.

What would you do?
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #2  
Use police tactics. They don't know you don't have a pic of them leaving, so wave the camera around a bit with pic you do have and tell them to return the weedeater.
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #3  
You title is misleading you "caught" nothing. You have no proof eighter one of them stole something from you. It would be unwise of you to accuse them, as you only have proven opportunity.
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #4  
Somehow you have to bluff them, without being offensive. Can you "drop in" at their place or look at their place to see if they are using it?
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #5  
I agree with Dave 1949, you have no proof only suspicion. They may have or may not have taken your property, however, the chances of them colluding to steal a string trimmer seem sort of unrealistic. Why would the 2 of them risk their reputations and livelihood for a string trimmer and nothing else? Chalk this up to experience and get over it. Confrontation will only create animus and will accomplish nothing even if they did take it. Why would they admit if they did take it, it was a crime of opportunity if they did.
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #6  
Since a crime has been committed, I would report it to the police. You have some inconclusive evidence, so I would also provide that to the police. After that, I think it's legally out of your hands. Maybe there has been a string of thefts in the area. This information might help in a bigger picture. It could certainly be a waste of time, but I guess I'm a "by the book" sort of guy.

If the carport guy is a company employee, I think his employer deserves to know. Emphasize that you don't know that he took it, but let them know what happened. Maybe this isn't the first time stuff has disappeared on his jobs?

In our small office, we have soft drinks in the refrigerator for 50 cents on the honor system. We had the pop fund money in the kitchen for ten years and never had a problem. A couple of days after the new cleaning lady starts, it disappears. There's no evidence to legally charge her, but it's not good for her employment.
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #7  
With the evidence you have it's best to not say anything to anybody. If you do it leaves you open for a civil suit!

:)

Chances are what you have stated so far implicating either of two people would also be a no no.:)
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #8  
With the evidence you have it's best to not say anything to anybody. If you do it leaves you open for a civil suit! :)

Not if he reports it to the police, and gives the police the evidence that he has.

Chances are what you have stated so far implicating either of two people would also be a no no.:)

You don't want to implicate them, you want to report it to the police, and give them all of the evidence that he has. Explain the situation, and that the one individual had permission to be in the garage while the other did not. Let the cops take it from there.
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #9  
You title is misleading you "caught" nothing. You have no proof eighter one of them stole something from you. It would be unwise of you to accuse them, as you only have proven opportunity.

Any prosecutor would agree
 
   / Caught thief on game cam-What now? #10  
I would:

a) Report to police

b) Let both guys know...and just ask if they saw anything suspicious, and also just mention your camera.
 
 
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