How they steal tractors in my place

[EuroYanmar]

Pecan stealing: Years ago my dad came up on a couple of local teenage boys (brothers) picking up our pecans. They already had 2-3 feed sacks full in the trunk of their car. My dad said something like, Boys put those sacks in the back of my pickup then go home and have your daddy call me. Those boys had an honest but tough and mean daddy. The boys came by later to apologize but I heard they did it standing up. :laughing:

In my place it is possible to grow pecans trees but no way to eat pecan nuts unless you buy imported nuts from US.
The thiefs are the crows who eat all the crops......

Phil

 

[Jim Nelson]

When we moved from our previous home to our current home my wife had a SL 450 Mercedes and a 914 Porsche that she was restoring. In the turmoil of moving we didn't have any convenient place to put them here so we locked them in a 25'x30' steel building we had. When we went to pick them up about a week later the Porsche was gone and the Mercedes had been tampered with including trying to drill out the ignition switch. The thing that saved it was that it had a factory switch in the trunk that the thieves didn't find so they finally gave up.
We called the police and they filed a report but said not to expect much.Eventually the insurance co. paid off but only about 1/4 of what she had in it. So in this case the hidden switch worked.She still has the old 450.

 

[EuroYanmar]

When we moved from our previous home to our current home my wife had a SL 450 Mercedes and a 914 Porsche that she was restoring. In the turmoil of moving we didn't have any convenient place to put them here so we locked them in a 25'x30' steel building we had. When we went to pick them up about a week later the Porsche was gone and the Mercedes had been tampered with including trying to drill out the ignition switch. The thing that saved it was that it had a factory switch in the trunk that the thieves didn't find so they finally gave up.
We called the police and they filed a report but said not to expect much.Eventually the insurance co. paid off but only about 1/4 of what she had in it. So in this case the hidden switch worked.She still has the old 450.

Hi Jim,

I see you are in Fallbrook. Nice place with great climate.
I have been there with my family during our tour in US.
I picked 2 small avocadoes trees in a specialized nursery there (Atkins).
I remember the land in the surroundings of the nursery was pretty hilly.
What kind of tractors do people use in your place ?

Phil

 

[Hay Dude]

Some are brave enough steal tractor etc. off dealer lot even being recorded. :thumbdown:

Theres little consequences to theft anymore. Think of it from the thiefs perspective. He or she is a loser or a junkie, unwilling to work for a living, so he goes and steals a tractor. Worst case scenario is he gets caught. He goes to jail where he can have 3 meals a day, an indoor living environment and like-minded people around him/her. Not a bad gig compared to being on the outside, broke and hungry. Also a decent chance of being released early by changes in government.
Hearing now that some states have amended laws to reduce theft of anything less than $900 to essentially a traffic ticket. No jail time.

I stopped using anything more than half hearted security techniques for my equipment. I lock doors, but thats about it. So much energy and effort to chain equipment to posts, remove batteries, etc. I have to be honest, theres so little theft in my area, Ive left tractors in fields for 30 years and never had a problem. What I usually do is park near a neighboring house where they can see.
Watch now Ill probably get robbed tonight LOL

 

[Reb954]

If a person gets a loan from a bank theyæ±*e stuck for 30 years. If they rob a bank theyæ±*e free in 10 years.

 

[Deere Dude]

We moved to our place 7 years ago, and if a robber breaks into my shop he better be rested up. Everything is heaaavy.
Fortunately my stand alone barn is 700' from the road and a large open lawn in front and a house across the street. But crooks are brave at night and can steal anything if they want it.

 

[Ken]

Theres little consequences to theft anymore. Think of it from the thiefs perspective. He or she is a loser or a junkie, unwilling to work for a living, so he goes and steals a tractor. Worst case scenario is he gets caught. He goes to jail where he can have 3 meals a day, an indoor living environment and like-minded people around him/her. Not a bad gig compared to being on the outside, broke and hungry. Also a decent chance of being released early by changes in government.
Hearing now that some states have amended laws to reduce theft of anything less than $900 to essentially a traffic ticket. No jail time.

I stopped using anything more than half hearted security techniques for my equipment. I lock doors, but thats about it. So much energy and effort to chain equipment to posts, remove batteries, etc. I have to be honest, theres so little theft in my area, Ive left tractors in fields for 30 years and never had a problem. What I usually do is park near a neighboring house where they can see.
Watch now Ill probably get robbed tonight LOL

Used to work in Southern N.Mexico and had several rancher friends. the stories they told of theft was common. one was of before electricity for the water pumps and the windmill were not keeping the tanks filled.
He purchased a new Wisconsin 4 cylinder engine and attached it to the pump then float switch so should water be low. it would fill and the engine shut off when full.
One day going to look at the tank someone had stolen the engine. He reordered the engine. then went to the county courthouse also seeing the sheriff and end of the long hallway. Yelled to him. "Sherriff someone has stolen by pump engine but don.t waste your time looking. I'm setting a stick of dynamite under the pad and if moved will go off. The thief will be here, there, Yonder. Telling you so you know what happened." Never had another stolen.
ken

 

[Buggs67]

Hay Dude is correct. I worked for 20 years in a community of about 25,000 people. We had Frequent Fliers who regularly committed burglaries and thefts. Most didn't serve any real jail time until the third time being caught. And much of the theft was the easy pickings and quickly sold. They go thru open cars at night and steal anything. Much of the crime was by the junkies.

But contrary to what some have said here our DB attempted to solve each crime even something as small as a stolen trailer hitch when they had video.

Many of the thefts/burglaries were inside jobs.

 

[Jim Nelson]

Hi Jim,

I see you are in Fallbrook. Nice place with great climate.
I have been there with my family during our tour in US.
I picked 2 small avocadoes trees in a specialized nursery there (Atkins).
I remember the land in the surroundings of the nursery was pretty hilly.
What kind of tractors do people use in your place ?

Phil

Hi Phil, Yes Fallbrook is a great place to live, just don't tell anyone or we will be over run. As far as tractors, many of the groves are planted on terrain too steep for tractors so most of the work os done by hand labor, thus the high immigrant population. The larger groves have what are called grove roads for harvesting that are built by small dozers such as John Deere 450's etc.
Sadly, due to the price of water and importation from the South the avocado industry here is dwindling and many groves are being cut down. There are still some tenacious farmers trying to develop less water dependent strains but they are having limited success. Many are trying other crops like pomegranates and grapes as well as other exotic crops.
Our property is only 6 acres and the previous owners let the avocados go too long for us to bring back any but a few for personal use. I use a Kubota B7800 for weed control and fire protection.

 

[3Ts]

My folks lived in Fallbrook for 20 years until mid 90's. Their neighbor had avocadoes and hired workers to pick them. Turned out to cost more to have them picked than what they brought in. That was the end of his neighbor's farming, after that is was just personal use.