Friday, November 9, 2012

[papercreters] Re: Preventing Tool Theft

I find the stories of theft worthwhile, and I encourage anyone wanting to share their theft story to do so. I think reading about these thefts is very educational to anyone considering starting a construction project.

However, a theft story doesn't end with how items got stolen, and the frustration with the authorities.

The story continues.

Spaceman, Kim, and anyone else...

Please give details exactly where were your tools when they were stolen? How were they stored? Were they locked up? If so, please describe how they were locked up and how the thieves defeated the lock.

What have each of you done since you were robbed? What steps have you taken to increase your site security? What recommendations do you make to others that will help them keep their tools secure?

While it is clear that it is extremely unlikely... as in practically impossible... for your tools to be returned to you, I encourage you take this crappy event that has happened to you and make at least a teeny tiny bit of good come from it. Educate the rest of us on Papercreters how we can all protect ourselves from suffering the same fate.


I keep coming back to building a tool shed.

Papercrete walls can be extremely strong and durable. Far more durable than any standard shed construction. That combined with the strongest steel door from a scrap yard and the biggest baddest deadbolt lock can go a long way in creating not just a toolshed, but a tool BUNKER.

I realize that no structure can be 100% secure.

However, we can take steps to make a shed so strong and secure that thieves will have such difficulty that they will decide to look for easier targets down the road.


--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, Garth & Kim Travis <gartht@...> wrote:
>
> Greetings,
> I found my local cops useless as well. When my tractor was stolen, I
> had to fill out the report three times, as they kept filing in the
> circular file. My insurance company couldn't get a copy before they
> chucked it. At the time, we were immigrants, no green cards yet, just
> work permits. We got zero protection from the law.
>
> My theft problems stopped when we brought Miss Dusty home. She is half
> coyote and every scum bucket in the neighborhood is terrified of her.
>
> I did have my pretty pink tools stolen, it didn't help. These days, it
> is rare the farm has no one here, that also helps.
>
> Bright Blessings,
> Garth & Kim Travis
> www.TheRoseColoredForest.com
> Bedias, Texas
>
> On 11/9/2012 11:45 AM, spaceman wrote:
> > When I was burglarized five times in six weeks, the best the county
> > mounties did was take a cell phone photo of a tire track. They reduced
> > my extensive list of $15,000 worth of tools and electronics to a one
> > line - "various tools and appliances" and the detective assigned to the
> > case never contacted me or returned my calls. The fifth time I had them
> > out here a supervisor showed up with the rookies and said he had noticed
> > I had been hit five times and he thought he might should come by.
> > Knowing through the grapevine about which gang it was and even where
> > they live, I tried to get some action and answers for why nothing is
> > done with the common knowledge. These thieves set up at the local flea
> > markets and I have found some of my tools there. After some discussion
> > he started threatening me, saying "right now we are treating you as a
> > victim, but that could change." I invited him and his clowns to gtf off
> > my property and never come back. Someday I'll come home and catch the
> > thieves here, and I will be armed and dangerous. Oh, they stole my
> > security cams, too!
> >
> > My neighbors didn't know I lived here for several years. I don't think I
> > can count on neighborhood watch :(
> >
> >



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