Someone was in my shop Friday night

[deere755]

I was awakened by my dog barking friday night around 11:30 and he would not shut up. I finally got up and went out to see what he was barking at and thats when I found my shop door open and a small night light on I have near my tool box. I went on out and looked around but found nothing missing. I talked with a deputy and someone else in my area reported the same thing happened to them the same evening around the same time. There was enough stuff on the work bench to make it worth grabbing but they didn't. He said he believes they will be back and that they were just scoping out what was there and what they would need to get it all. I am now locking everything up as much as I hate to and the out side is lit up like a prison. My neighbor got a description of a pickup truck in the area Friday that seemed to be acting suspicious and in the area for several hours so I gave that to the deputy. He also advised me not to try and stop them if I caught them. He also told me that one thing that has happened is that some dogs have been poisoned where they create a threat for the crooks so that scares me more then them stealing me blind.

 

[Matt_Jr]

Killing a man's dog is justification for me to pre-dig a grave or two. That kinda thing really upsets me.

 

[DanD78]

Great. Keep them down in your county. Now and then the network among the country folks gets everyone watching for people and trucks that don't belong in the area. It sounds like you have a dog that might warn you of trouble. Good neighbors that let you now strange vehicles are in the area are good to have.

Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry to hear that you're having to deal with this. Where there's a will, there's a will, there's a way. The best thing to do is to make it a dificult as possible with the hope that he/they will get dicouraged and move on to easier pickings.

Since you've received this warning, it might be a good idea to start looking into security cameras. While it won't stop them, it sure would be nice to be able to catch them if something happens.

Here, I get people driving down my driveway. I walk out to great them and find out why they are tresspassing. I like to make an obvious show of writing down their drivers license before talking to them. And then I ask them why they are on my land. Half the time, the say that a friend told them he lived here and they were looking for him. Nobody lives anywhere close to me, and I'm the first person to ever live on this land. A few times, they tell me about their lost dog. One couple got the breed mixed up when I asked what type of dog they were looking for and didnt' want to give me a phone number to call if it showed up. Mostly they are just nosey and wanting to know what's going on, but when confronted, they go into panic mode and tell an obvious lie. A few times, I'm sure that I was being scoped out. It's been years now, but I still have the date, description and license plate numbers of all of them.

It might be worth your time to keep a pen and notebook in your vehicle. Every time you see a vehicle parked along the side of the road, write down what it is, when you saw it there and it's license plate number. If people are in it, do it too, and make sure they know that you are doing this.

It's the little things that scare off the crooks.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Cat_Driver]

Same thing happened here, and see what happened.

YouTube - Raw Video: 911 Records Homeowner Shooting, Killing Intruder


Proof of why honest citizens need guns.

 

[deere755]

Good for her. I hate she had to go through that but at least she is alive to talk about it. I will probably take the deputies advice and let them steal whatever in the shed but my house is a different story. If they try to come in and I am home I will defend myself and my family. She had every right to shoot him and I am glad she did. There was a story like that here a few monthes back in Danville Il. area where two guys broke into a house and the homeowner shot and killed them. I think he was a retired police officer. It seems as the unemployment rate goes up so does crime.

 

[Sackett2]

Security cameras would be the first line for me, but my onery side would hook up an electric fencer to the door knob of the shop

 

[Western]

My thought would be a game camera that doesn't need a flash, set it looking at your prize tools since they will go for them. Maybe leave a small light on for a little illumination.

In the 1800's you would have gotten away with a "booby trap" of some kind, now day's its a law suit by the criminal..

Hopefully the person(s) saw you come out to investigate and now know you are an "aware" home owner.

 

[firefighter jim]

It's sad that you have to worry about stuff like this but I guess it's a sign of the times and it'll probably get worse. Seems to happen everywhere no matter where one lives. I too worry about people coming on our property some day or night and stealing something. Seems like they always get away with it. I'm constantly locking up everything but wouldn't be surprised if someday someone breaks in and steals something. I don't know the answer, probably isn't one. Jim

 

[NSBound]

....It might be worth your time to keep a pen and notebook in your vehicle. Every time you see a vehicle parked along the side of the road, write down what it is, when you saw it there and it's license plate number. If people are in it, do it too, and make sure they know that you are doing this.

It's the little things that scare off the crooks.

Good luck,
Eddie

That's a great idea, Eddie! I think I'll start doing that. I'm out in a rural area too, and there is the occasional truck or car parked near me, but they're usually down fishing in the river. But one never knows, and I like the noting time and date and licence plate number idea!

One incident I recall when I was a kid, we lived in a typical subdivision. In the middle of one quiet summer night, like arnd 3 am, a neighbour saw two guys with a pickup truck. They were pushing the truck down the street. Remember this is the middle of a warm summer night. These guys were going into people's yards and taking patio furniture, stuff from carports and open garages, and loading it in the back of the pickup, and pushing it down the street so nobody would hear it. Well, the neighbour who was up and saw them called the police, and they responded right away, no lights or sirens. They apparently told the cop their truck just broke down and they were pushing it. Unfortunately, they had some of the cop's own patio furniture in the back of their truck! The cop lived 3 doors down from us and he stopped them right there. Case closed, off they went to jail.