I HATE Theives!!

[Keith]

Joanne,

I'm sorry to hear about your tools. I really believe in Karma. This thief will have to pay in one way or another. Things always seem to come back around.

If you are going to engrave your tools the best thing to engrave on them is your drivers license number and state. Any law enforcement officer can easily check the information and find you name and address. By only using the number there is no information that anyone can use for identity theft.

With as many people there are out of work we will be seeing more and more of these crimes of opportunity. We all need to be careful about protecting our property. Make sure that you lock your car doors, don't leave your purse or other items of valuable in view in your car. There are more and more window smash thefts that will be happening.

Keith

[fastED]

A man I worked for long ago, began having trouble with thieves stealing his diesel fuel from his job site. he brought in five drums of diesel, put four on the ground, and placed the fifth on top of them, so the thieves could get at it and siphon it easily into their cans. then he spiked the fuel with sugar, and let the thieves have their way with it. they took it all in one night. You can see where this is going..... The thieves used it, and JUNKED the engines on anything they ran it in. He was even able to figure out just who stole the fuel, by watching who had to jerk the engines out of their heavy equipment. He never lost any more fuel to thieves after that. It all seems pretty fair to me.

[asianflava]

We went to Bendover again and there were tons of threads when we got back. Wow, I guess I missed this thread.

Sorry to hear about your "neighbors". Just think optimisticaly, "Well, they ONLY got those." It's a perfect excuse to get a new one that is better than the old one!

Glad to hear that they didn't come into the house. Have a Merry Christmas!

[Joanne]

Hi all! Thanks for the kind thoughts! I filed a claim with the insurance company and I'll get about 1/2 the replacement cost back after the deductible and depreciation. (Did you know they depreciate tools when filing a claim? I didn't!)

Regardless I am very glad that they didn't take more. They could have gotten a whole lot more if they tried. I'm hoping that there are some good after Christmas sales so I can start getting things replaced. Unfortunately the tools that they got were the ones that get used most often.

Rocky! Merry Christmas my friend. Give Mel a hug for me!! How was Bendover? Win any money? I look forward to our next camping trip together. It's been a couple of years. I take my triangle bell to every camping trip.

Joanne

[asianflava]

Rocky! Merry Christmas my friend. Give Mel a hug for me!! How was Bendover? Win any money? I look forward to our next camping trip together. It's been a couple of years. I take my triangle bell to every camping trip.

Well, I didn't loose all my money. Actually I came back with most of it, even after paying for meals, tips, etc. The dice were hot and cold unlike some people, (hint hint) I know when to walk away from the table.

I knew you'd get more use out of the triangle than I ever would. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[oregonguy]

Hi All,
I work in the Low Voltage: Security/Automation industry...and let me tell ya, this is a very common problem for people with Automatic garage doors... There are a couple of things that we do for our clients to help solve the issue. For those who have a simple security system: you can add a garage door sensor to the system. This way you can't arm the system before bed without the roll up door being shut. Of course this only helps if you remember to arm you system before bed. The other solution we offer our clients is part of a larger automation system. We'll often set up a remote relay controller at the motor. We use two-way communication and a scheduler to make sure the door is closed. We actually program the system to close the door for you if it hasn't already been done before a certain time, (or a certain event) The system we use is called Control4. I'm sure that they have a dealer in your area if you are interested. Control4.com

[exminnesotaboy]

I am paranoid that I will leave the garage door open and asked Santa for one of these - hopefully I will open it tomorrow morning. It is a garage door sensor that I can hook up in our bedroom that gives off a little light indicating if the garage door is open or closed.

http://tinyurl.com/7nlrms

[Roly Nelson]

Joanne, I am so sorry about your loss. Being an old codger that ocasionally forgets to close the workshop/garage door, I am lucky in the respect that we have a roving crime-watch vehicle that checks for stuff like that. They will call anyone who has left their garage door open.....

As a construction superintendent for 45 years, I was always the last one to leave the jobsite, after making a double-check to see if all doors and gates were locked. I can't even count all of the personal items and power tools that I gathered up and threw them under my plan bench before leaving. The following morning, I would ask who was missing some tools, and was astounded by their comments. "What, you actually found some tools and didn't take them home.........no one would have ever known".

With coments like that, I guess I am glad that THEY didn't find my surveyor's transit that I left out on the building pad one night, or the day I left my office unlocked, for anyone to steal whatever they wanted. I do believe what goes around, comes around. So like the guy that says he is going to live forever.........so far, so good.
Roly

[traveler]

Really sorry to hear about your loss. I am soo thankful that I moved out of Los Angeles 37 years ago. I can go to town and leave my front door wide open and come back, and there will be a note saying, you left your door open and it will be closed. We have such great neighbors here. All you have to do is to let them know you are leaving for a while and they all but stand guard in front. I hope that you find the persons involved. Has to be someone that know your comings and goings.
Bruce

[doitright]

I feel your pain. 4 years ago we went on vacation for a week. When we got back everything looked funny. I lost all my work tools from my shed every TV (5) inside the house and a host of everything else. To the total of $29000.00 I do not think I will ever get over it. I worked night and day to build up my tools and had all my profit in my small business heat air plum elec. Insurance was good I think. They paid replacement of everything in the house but outside only 30 percent and did not have to do that because it was work tools.
Got over that and then two years ago they got about $15000.00 from me all my fishing motors and striped the alum from a 1964 vintage Tepee camper.
Oh well now I just move everything to my father-in- laws house before I go on vacation.
Kevin

[traveler]

Kevin, your luck is bad. Think about putting a viedo camera up and you can catch the intruders red handed, either get a dog that will let the theves in but won't let them out. Has been done before and it works.
Bruce

[Joanne]

Joanne, I am so sorry about your loss. Being an old codger that ocasionally forgets to close the workshop/garage door, I am lucky in the respect that we have a roving crime-watch vehicle that checks for stuff like that. They will call anyone who has left their garage door open.....

As a construction superintendent for 45 years, I was always the last one to leave the jobsite, after making a double-check to see if all doors and gates were locked. I can't even count all of the personal items and power tools that I gathered up and threw them under my plan bench before leaving. The following morning, I would ask who was missing some tools, and was astounded by their comments. "What, you actually found some tools and didn't take them home.........no one would have ever known".

With coments like that, I guess I am glad that THEY didn't find my surveyor's transit that I left out on the building pad one night, or the day I left my office unlocked, for anyone to steal whatever they wanted. I do believe what goes around, comes around. So like the guy that says he is going to live forever.........so far, so good.
Roly

Roly,

"What, you actually found some tools and didn't take them home.........no one would have ever known".

Like you, I am amazed when people say things like that! It's stealing whether anyone sees you take it or not! Right and wrong are not determined by whether anyone catches you.

The only tools I've ever "aquired" through the years are a couple of pairs of pliars that were laying in the middle of the road with cars swerving around them. I stopped and picked them up.

Hopefully the folks who took the tools won't stop by for a second helping!

Joanne

[Todah Tear]

Joanne,

Sorry for your loss. What's probably even worse than lossing the tools is the feeling of having your space violated. That too shall pass in time. Keep your chin up lady.

Will your home insurance cover the replacement of your tools?

Todah