I feel like
.
Truck and trailer in client’s driveway, I’m in and out of the house getting tools as I need them. One trip out&
#160;I notice my compressor’s gone… and my touch-up box which is loaded with everything from burn-in knife to stain pens and markers, fillers, crayons, graining pens and brushes. All kinds of little stuff, but probably $600-$800 to replace it all. Can’t imagine it being pawn worthy or even sellable to most folks. Compressor’s easier to replace.
Appears that they just looked in the back door and took what they could carry, the compressor is not light. I hope they got a hernia.
I suppose I should be grateful that more wasn’t taken, but they had to be ballsy to get into the thing that close to the house, cop thought it might be someone who lives nearby. And get this, she asked me if I wanted to press charges if the thief was caught…uh, no, let’s invite them to dinner…duh!
So tommorrow it’s off to the pawn shops and walk the neighborhood looking in garbage cans and passing out flyers. I have an Artisan Policy attached to my liability that may cover, but I’ve never had need to use it.
There’s just something really violating about having someone take stuff, but taking the tools to make a living should be cause having your hand chopped off…or worse.
So there.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.
Replies
The enablers that buy that stuff from them are just as bad.. or worse!
Good luck.
Mike
After the intial anger it get s worse. The second and third daylost to running around and trying to finf replacement parts, materials, and tools just adds to the cost of the loss.
Insurance doesn't cover that lost time or the production losses.
feels like you're getting it agian as you wait for the insurance co. to cut the check .
I know that feeling well. Sorry to hear about it.
I feel your pain.
I got ripped off 2 years ago this month.
long story short-all my air guns, circ. saws etc.-gone
when i realized what had happened- I thought I was going to hurl-and I felt REALLY bad for the next 3-4 hours
but take heart-- it wasn't so bad!- first off- it wasn't like It was stuff I actually cared about- like old planes, familiar chisels- hand saws from my dad and grand dad
it was just air guns and circ saws and recip. saws etc.- really just lifeless machines and easily replaceable
i called the insurance company-answered a few questions- filed a police rport-and that's that.- bought new stuff- put it on my credit card- and in a few days the check arrived from the insurance company.
but I feel for you- the first few hours- it IS really sickening.
stephen
Sorry to here that. The scary part about this whoever did this didn't even care that you could've walked out an caught him and things could've been real ugly.
its bad because the police dont care about these crimes. Oh just claim it on your insurance. and then you wonder why insurance so high.fist they need to make pawn shop illegal, and the cut the hands off the petty crimes. Oor just let the owner decide the purnishment, maybe 2 second with mike tyson
126731.7 in reply to 126731.6 "its bad because the police dont care about these crimes." That is NOT true. What the police care about is apprehension of the criminal, prosecution for the crime charged and then punishment. Trust me I know. Limited resources and very busy schedules with less and less officers on the force require compromise. Violent crimes are to be dealt with first - you have to make tough decisions about what you investigate and what you let go.It really bothers me that general statements like 'We do not care" become what readers believe. Its unfair. I could easily say that tradesmen are out to gouge the unsuspecting customer and then it becomes reality for readers to this site. I would not di that because it is not founded in fact.Punishment is another thing. As a society we are now so forgiving even if found likely nothing would happen to the criminal(s) because we do nothing to anyone for any crime anymore - how is that for a generalization?Mike
I disagree- when my house was robbed I reported EVERYTHING including serial numbers to the state police. I even went so far as to provide a database listing everything with serial numbers listed. Asked the officer if I could email the excel file. He said no, it had to be hand delivered to his office ?????? WTF?So I do that. MONTHS later, I get a call from Apple. Seems they executed a search warrant and found an iPod. Police gave the SN to apple and asked if they could provide contact info. Apple called me. So we made a full circle. The thing is, the police had the serial number on the database I gave them. "Ooops, we're so sorry sir, that information was never entered." So either they don't care or they are incompetent boobs. Either way they proved next to worthless when my house was robbed. Had they not wasted two weeks running the serial through APPLE and handled it in house with the resources already in place to track serial numbers, my wife's jewelry could have been recovered from the Pawn shop instead of being melted. The two week window in which the police screwed around is when it was melted. And I agree with BrownBagg, the problem will NEVER go away as long as there are pawn shops. The first step to alleviating the problem is to get rid of the quick, easy, and often crooked fence. Without pawnshops, these guys would actually have to sell to a real fence.I feel for you Peter. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt and it bites all the way around.
Edited 11/19/2009 11:01 am ET by frontiercc2
frontiercc2: I have to agree with you. I used to be a auction fan and one of the ones that I went to often was the state police auction of confiscated property.
You wouldn't believe how many pieces of property had a name, address, ssn, or other identifier engraved on it that they sold. You knew right away that they didn't make any attempt to find the rightful owner! Too much trouble, I guess.
"If all else fails, read the directions"
My brother's friend had his car stolen, the police recovered it with some of the thief's stuff in it. It seemed to me they could have cared less about printing it or using it to catch the thief.
I think a lot of these problems are caused by the judicial system that doesn't give out reasonable penalties for the commission of these type of crimes.
A juvenile with multipal charges is usually sent home to mom, they might put an ankle braclet on him if he is really evil!
To a certain extent I can understand the police, they can commit major amounts of time to these crimes to solve them and have the system refuse to proscecute; eventually they say what is the use.
I think we have enough laws protecting the criminal, we need some protecting the victims!
"If all else fails, read the directions"
>> or just let the owner decide the purnishment,<<That's how it should be with all crimes. >>maybe 2 second with mike tyson <<If that ever happened to me, I would want the two seconds with the POS.Joe Carola
Take a look on Craigslist in your area
That sucks.
It is stupid stunts like that which cost us all so much in time and money. Personally I have been fortunate so far but still end up "wasting" hours every week, loading and unloading, locking and unlocking.
What kind of burn in knife and did you loose? Burn-in sticks too?
Dang.
Edited 11/19/2009 11:35 am by migraine
Probably half the stuff in touch-up box including electric burn-in knife was from Mohawk.
Thanks for your thoughts, all. Many phone calls so far today. Insurance will cover, have $500 deductible. Gotta do an inventory of all that little stuff, and pawn shops, and neighborhood canvass.
Not hopeful of recovery, but today's agenda gives me some thought of catching the jerk. The idea of just turning a blind eye and ponying up deductible just doesn't sit well with me. Gotta try for some justice...
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
I am totally against the "cut their hands off" except that it expresses the anger you feel. This is what the Taliban/Islamists did/do as punishment. I am against it, 100%.
Look at it as an opportunity - buy new stuff.
If you ever do find out who did it, yes, prosecute. However, I'd bet it was some STUPID local kid (minor). He doesn't even know what he's done or what he has.
Make some signs and offer a reward for their return.
Bullshirt. Kids know exactly what they're doing, and they know very well that it's wrong. Don't you remember being a kid? Hah.
Kids today also know they have a 98% chance of walking on it. You might wanna ask yourself why. (Hint: read your own post for a start.)
In my youth, they knew that they'd go to jail/reform school if they tried something stupid like that...but only if they survived the whuppin' that their fathers woulda handed out first.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
but only if they survived the whuppin' that their fathers woulda handed out first.
Today's problem child either a: has no active parents, or b: they learned from the parents."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Hard for a father to raise a kid he's only allowed to see four days a month. And yeah, you're right: we're into the second or even third generation of this craap by now. Scary, that is....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
My comment was aimed not at divorced fathers, but at women who sleep around and have 4-5 kids by an equal number of fathers."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Fire sprinkler guy had a big Knaack box chained to a post on one of our jobs. One day it was gone. Filled with nothing but sprinkler fittings, must have weighed a ton. I have no idea how they picked it up.After that work, must have been a shock to see nothing but pipe in there. Wonder what the street value was. Oakland, CA., home of brain dead criminals.John
That sucks.I was real lucky twice my truck was broke into, must have been kids. They only took some change!!!! LolOnce the car in the parking lot next to my truck was stolen.
Not bullshirt.
I understand the anger. Go ahead and rant all you want. Kick the snot out of a local kid who knows who you are and you are looking at jail time. Bullet in the knee cap, you are looking at a LOT of time. You and your family will be a paupers for the rest of your life, too, as the civil suit that is sure to follow will bankrupt you.
I'm sure the kid knew he was stealing but the kid probably does not understand that you earn your living with the tools and that they put food in your belly.
Have you posted a reward poster yet?
Well, yeah, it does make me angry. Why is it that someone thinks they have the right to take what's not theirs. Not right by any moral code I'm familiar with. Theft doesn't make me happy, particularly when it's stuff that's important to my livelyhood.
On the philosophical side, I do think if there were more at risk for the perps, it would eventually lessen crime. I wasn't serious about the hand chopping, but letting it go without doing what I can to stop it seems as good as condoning it. As far as the Taliban reference, that's a reach I have a hard time making...to each their own.
I have a friend that thinks public humiliation should be part of the penal system. You know, the locks in the town square, perhaps with a big THIEF sign above their head. There should be some shame in thievery, don't you think?
Can't agree with the opportunity thing. $500 out of pocket just doesn't feel like it deserves a celebration, if you catch my drift. Oh, I like tools and shopping for them, but being forced to do it really rubs me wrong. I committed this one day to doing what I can to recover the stuff and apprehending the thief or theives.
Tommorrow I move on...
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
About the hand chopping.... all kidding aside I really believe that if we start chopping off hands for those guilty of theft, stealing would eventually decline quite a bit.For a while we would probably have quite a few people running around the country with a hand missing, but eventually I think that even the dumbest people out there would think twice before they decided to take something from someone.Its really all about risk vs. reward. Currently stealing provides too much reward for not enough risk. The thought of losing a hand if you get caught would level the playing field a bit.
Anger, frustration, and poor-taste jokes are one thing, but.."all kidding aside "????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We've had over 5,000 coalition casualties, and over 100,000 overall deaths in an alleged attempt to save us from just what you're talking about.If you want to move to Somalia, and subscribe to a twisted version of Sharia law, go for it.But I don't think you really do.As frustrating as our legal system can be at times, it beats the heck out of most of the alternatives. One of its strong points is the premise that judgment should not be passed in anger, nor should sentences be carried out in anger.So I hate to hear that "all kidding aside" stuff.That said, if I catch the guy myself...AitchKay
I respect that, but I would personally like to see punishments for crimes become severe to a point that people are literally afraid to do wrong. I call it motivation.People should be afraid to commit crimes. I mean afraid in a literal way, as in scared of the consequences.A less extreme example of this would be the way the U.S. handles drunk driving offenses compared to other parts of the world. If I'm not mistaken, other countries (maybe Germany?) have more severe penalties for driving under the influence and they have few offenses as a direct result. The reason we still have drinking and driving is that people do not fear the consequences of getting caught.Just IMHO.
There ya go, guy:"A less extreme example..."I had a feeling you didn't really mean "all kidding aside" about chopping off hands.You're right about fear of punishment affecting behavior in the drunk driving climate -- a LOT has changed there in the last 40 years from the days when cops would just make kids pour out their beers, or have drunks park their cars and climb into the squad car for a ride home.Stricter enforcement and more-certain punishment have made our roads a lot safer, but they're still not safe enough.AitchKay
I have to agree with those who argue that Islamic traditions are not for us. We should honor our own traditions. Around here, the tradition involves a tree and a strong rope ....
Ironically, Muslim countries are rife with theft (press reports notwithstanding). Some other countries, with considerably less dramatic methods, have far less problems. Let's just, for the sake of argument, look to one of our own areas: Crown Heights in New York City.
The area is composed of two disparate groups. Virtually all the crime is committed by one of those groups. Why do you think that is? In a word, "culture." One group extols the virtues of study and industry; the other group accentuates envy, putting something 'over on the man,' getting something for nothing, and an entitlement mentality. This other group also glorifies the criminal lifestyle. Care to guess which group produces the crooks?
Even animals understand right and wrong when it comes to territory. The smallest child knows where he's allowed to go. Inside your tool trailer and taking your tools aren't on that list.
I once dropped a pair of $35 shiny new pliers on the ground outside the local drug house, along the alley no less. 3 hours later the pliers were atill there? Why? Because the folks there had strong reasons to be on their best behaviour right there. The pliers were resting on the dealers' 'turf,' and the dealer had respect for me. This goes to show you that even the most 'desperate' are able to control their impulses - when they want to.
We are all crime victims .... every time we use a key we are a victim. It's those little things that make your life unpleasant. Forget the Middle East; why should I feel the need to triple-lock my door, set the alarm, and check the gun before I retire for the night? An old saying cliams that from tiny acorns mighty oak trees grow; I hold that from tiny nuisances ghettos grow.
That guy who stole your tools was challenging you. He WANTS to be caught. He'll probably stop by daily, in an innocent manner, just to taunt you with his presence. You need to catch him, and earn his respect. Locking him in the crawl space for the rest of the day just might get the point across .... especially if he hears you talking about the spiders and snakes you've found in such spaces. Maybe dropping heavy things on the floor will keep him on edge.
If he comes back, use your nail gun and staple his hands to a telephone pole. Let the cops pry him free. Or, use contact cement/super glue to stick them together. Get the whole neighborhood laughing at him - and you'll have leace on the site.
Also, in reference to carrying out judgements in anger, etc... it has nothing to do with anger. I believe in our justice system, but the sentencing part of things is a little too light handed for me, that's all.I'm not familiar with how things are handled in Somalia or with Sharia law. I always thought there was very little law and order in Somalia, but like I said I don't know much about it.
"it has nothing to do with anger"A lot of the time it does, in a lot of countries. The Iraqis did a p***-poor job of carrying out Saddam's sentence, for instance.We might catch a guy and beat him up -- that's one thing. But once he goes into the system, things have to be fair and reasoned, not angry.AitchKay
Yeah, I'm all for people going through the system, its just that when sentencing is handed down, it should be an eye opener.There should never be an occasion to hear on the news about a guy who just got busted for DUI for the 5th or 6th time, which I do hear about from time to time. Obviously the punishment is not severe enough.
And what happens when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time? You get falsely accused and convicted... and no longer have a means to earn a living. Gotta think it all the way through. If I had ever caught the guys who hit my trailer I'd love the opportunity to work out my differences with them. However, there's a line that can't be crossed in a civilized society. All kidding aside.View Image
Well false accusations and wrongful convictions are a whole other issue. We find that we've imprisoned people mistakenly sometimes, right? That's not good either. But I do see your point.But what is civilized? Imprisonment for the majority of one's life? Death? It's all relative. Surely we've actually fried or injected an innocent person before?
Surely we've actually fried or injected an innocent person before?
This is your argument in favor of corporal punishment? Hey look, I hear you. Not much makes me angrier than liars and thiefs... except maybe child molesters, rapists, and murderers. And in the heat of the moment I too want vengeance over justice when I feel wronged. But you gotta play the whole tape if you want to be better than the rest of the animals. You can't have your 'eye for an eye' and "do unto others' at the same time. Being falsely imprisoned would be horrible. You can't get your time back... but at least you could still have some left. Death is permanent. Disfigurement is permanent. I agree with stiffer penalities... but cutting someone's hand off for stealing is simply barbaric. We're better than that. At least I like to think that most of us are anyway. What if it was your dumb teenage son acting like a dumb teenage son who grabbed a cordless drill off the back of some guy's tailgate? You really think he deserves to have the rest of his life permanently (and tremendously) altered by this?
This all, of course, assumes that you were talking literal terms... and by saying 'all kidding aside' I have to assume that you were/are.
View Image
I do believe in corporal punishment but I know that things are not perfect. Any system will have flaws. Innocent people have surely been killed in the name of justice (I'm assuming on that one as I have no proof), innocent people have been imprisoned, etc. These things are just going to happen, period. What's the alternative? A free for all? You have to do your best, but nothing is perfect.A teenager (who knows right from wrong) who steals a drill shouldn't lose his hand. But if he lost a finger, would he steal again? Maybe a year in jail would be less barbaric, but sufficient to prevent future crimes? Now what if we make him spend a night in juvenile hall? What's to motivate him to not steal again?It's an interesting discussion, but one that is relatively moot. We both know that nothing is changing. DUI drivers will continue to kill our wives and children out on the roads, child molesters will continue to rape babies, we will continue to lose our belongings to theives, etc because the rewards outweigh the risks for the criminals.But maybe I have some odd beliefs about crime and punishment. I am one of those types that believes it is okay for a homeowner to shoot an intruder in his home if he catches him. Maybe that is heavy handed also but I don't think I'd loose any sleep over it.
What's funny is I agree with a lot (maybe even most) of what you say. I just can't sign off on taking someone's hand off for stealing. But I too am a firm believer that shooting a home invader is a no brainer. That's down right primal instinct. If we can't feel safe (and therefore protect vehemently) in our own homes... then what've we got? Not much really. Coming onto the wrong side of my 2x4's uninvited is simply not acceptable.View Image
I had a trailer cleaned out at a job site once, little strip of four houses behind an established neighborhood completely off the beaten track. There had been signs of drinking and offroading for days, but alas, my partner forgot to lock the trailer.
One of the neighbors, a vietnam vet who stopped by and chatted us up daily was pretty sure it was some of the local riff raff. Told me about the time he caught two high school kids trying to steal the stereo from his ride.
His wife came out on the front porch to find him holding his 9mm on them and asked if she should call 911. He said no, he was going to settle with them in the woods.
He proceeded to march them into the trees in the middle of the night where they both let loose their bladders in their blubbering begging of their lives.
He hasn't had a problem since. Wish he had caught my thieves.
Gotta agree with justice versus retaliatiion, would not have wanted anybodies hands cut off.
We live in a society where crooks get paid 80 million dollar bonuses to run our financial institutions into the ground. We borrow money we don't have because our wants are more important than being fiscally responsible, from our neighbor to our government.
Until we as a people decide that being responsible for our own actions and forcing our decision makers to do the same, little Johnie's going to learn to look out for number one no matter the cost to others, whether that's stealing a working man's tools or bilking investors out of their life savings.
You want to talk justice, whats the greater evil, stealing my tools to support a habit or willfully defrauding this nation of her wealth?
You really think he deserves to have the rest of his life permanently (and tremendously) altered by this?yes
I feel when the ACIL made county farms and chain gangs illegal, the legal system went down hillyes I believe a hand for a hand is barbarin but I also know it would never happen, but I can believe
Angry ranting at the crime perpetrated against your property is one thing. Have you guys watched the videos of people's hands being cut off as punishment for thievery? I think you should at least see it on video before claiming it is something you want.
I did like the idea of public humiliation in stocks.
Now, just to spice things up, let me pose this argument -
We have NEVER put anyone to death who was not first found guilty of the crimes they were accused of commiting. That is, all people sentanced to death have been tried and found guilty by a jury of their peers and have been found guilty of the crime for which they were accused. This is the legal standard, the criteria which our civilization has set - a jury trial resulting in a guilty verdict. Perhaps some have been incorrectly convicted but that is NOT the criteria.
"Perhaps some have been incorrectly convicted but that is NOT the criteria."I'm sure you're not trying to say, "So what if they were innocent, at least we convicted them, and that makes it OK."But what point then ARE you trying to make?AitchKay
speaking of the death penalty- i read about this in the paper earlier this week-
a guy in alabama( I think it's alabama)-is on death row and sentenced for executionfor a crime that was NOT a death penalty crime at the time he committed it there is NO doubt he was erroneously sentenced to death-even the alabama supreme court agrees but they are proceeding with the execution anyway-on the grounds that the sentenced man should have pointed out that his sentence was erroneous EARLIER how effed up is THAT?stephen
They should execute his lawyer at the same time. Or off the lawyer and let the guy finish out his sentence."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I believe it was reported that the lawyer- was a childhood friend of the sherrif curious huh! just seems bizzare thatthey are going to execute a guy- that they all admidt now they shouldn't be executing.
stephen
"just seems bizzare thatthey are going to execute a guy- that they all admidt now they shouldn't be executing."Consistency, Dude, consistency.AitchKay
The way you described it, that is pretty messed up. There's ALWAYS more to that type of situation than just what you have described.
I wonder if the OP has posted any reward posters. I wonder if he has contacted some of the local teens, described what happened, told them of th ereward and that he wants his stuff back. Tell the teens he will offer a "finders fee", as well.
Is there any way that ebay or Craigslist protect against the sale of stolen goods?
I think you were trying to reply to Hazlett -- I know nothing about the case.AitchKay
It's hard to make a comment without the actual facts that pertain to this story, do you have a link?
"If all else fails, read the directions"
It was in the New York Times earlier this week
stephen
Well false accusations and wrongful convictions are a whole other issue.
No. No they're not at all. They're simply the other side of the same coin. You can't consider one without considering the other. At least not in the real world. Stealing is rotton. If anyone knows, it's me. But it didn't kill me. It didn't permanently scar me. It didn't give me cancer. It was just another (pretty big) bump in the road of life. The punishment has got to fit the crime. A more fitting punishment to the crime would be to have the guy who stole my trailer full of stuff work for me until it was all paid off. Now that would be something. And something that everyone could live with. Hypothetically of course. View Image
Okay, let's not cut off his hands for stealing...
...the first time. Everybody deserves one effup, I guess.
Insted of chopping off his hands on the first offense, maybe we should just let the victim smack him around a bit--you know, with boxing gloves on so he can't really get hurt too bad, but tie his hands behind his back and put a 6" hobble on his feet so he knows what it feels like to be helpless.
Or stick him in the stocks and hang a 'THIEF' sign around his neck, and make sure there are plenty of rotten eggs and veggies and dog turds available with which the public can express their opinion of his behaviour.
Just a couple of ideas for a first offender.
If he does it a second time, well....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
this sounds bad,but if you have insurance ,go get the replacements and go on. why watse time looking for the stuff,if you find it the only one that comes out ahead is insurance co.
be sure when you give them inventory that you have coverd everything. when i lost my tools, a year later i went to get my tap and die,dang it was gone and i hadn't claimed it.
if your working at the same house still, a nice electric fence charger hooked to the trailer and a nice dewalt tool sitting in the trailer 6' might just bait the dumb az to try again.the older i get ,
the more people tick me off
That really rots.
Seems thieves are more and more brazen these days, maybe it's the economy and desparation, but still..no excuse is good enough to take a mans ( or womans) tools of the trade.
I got nailed when I first moved to KY. I was still moving here actually, and just one night, had forgot to lock the van, I had very few tools in it, a 4' level (cheapo) and a few crosscut saws taped together for handling. But what REALLY smoked my shorts was my Photo Portfolio of years worth of past work...work I could never re-photo and negs lost in my shop fire.
The case was a zippered looseleaf notebook size cloth bag, I guess it resembled a CD stash. I also imagine, who ever snagged it, realized it was "just pictures" and tossed it in the next garbage can...even tho' my name and Ph.# was all over the inside and even newspaper clippings of short articles of my work.
Dumb thief never saw or decided against taking an almost brand new 14 V Dewalt RT. angle drill...
I know your pain.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
PROUD MEMBER OF THE " I ROCKED WITH REZ" CLUB
Very sorry to hear that. But at the same time I'm (relatively) glad it wasn't worse. There have been some horror stories here in the last few years.
All the best, and I hope they get caught.
Scott.
Well, if you can't cut the hands off, maybe a bullet in the kneecap. A good solid limp their whole life is a great deterrent.Or, if it doesn't work for that, it'll make em slower next time they steal something - easier to catch.Had my Grandfather's suburban stolen from my Driveway last October. The day before, I had just put in a new exhaust, fixed the oil cooler and put $100 in gas in it. 1990 with 93K miles.Had bout $500 in misc tools in it too.When the police told me they found it, I asked him hopefully if it looked like whoever was driving it died a slow painful death.Cost me $150 to sign it over to the junkyard where it was stored with no doors, wheels or engine.If the "kids" that stole it are still alive, I hereby curse them to a slow and painful death sometime soon.Or - cut there hands off!JT
I feel for you Peter. I was there myself last February, had my 16' job trailer stolen off my site one weekend to the tune of 30K (not including the trailer itself). I had everything I needed for the seven man crew I was running building a 42K sqft apartment building. I was literally sick for days. And yes, the police didn't even try to hide their apathy. I couldn't even get them to check the traffic cameras at the nearest intersection. By the time they got around to it, the loop had already been erased. I got a phone call from a lady a couple days later complaining about my trailer sitting in her cul-de-sac for three days and could I please move it? She called her local cops and they called me and told me to move it as well. Turns out the original cops hadn't even got around to listed the plates on the trailer as stolen so when the local cops ran them, nothing came up. Infuriating.
Get new stuff, do your due diligence with the insurance co, learn from it, and move on. And if you ever get your hands on the guy who took your stuff, let me know if you'd like a hand dealing with him.
Thought about your deal when this happened. For what it's worth, it helped me to put it in a different light. Whole dang trailer would have been way worse...are you whole now?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Gettin' there... probably 90% now. Just bought new Alum-a-pole gear about a month ago. Still need to pick up a 2nd gas compressor, another SCMS, and a new gang-cutting rig.View Image
Pete, sorry to hear this. but thanks for taking the time to tell everyone. I think you just saved some else from getting ripped off because we'll be careful. and your good deed message will probably get rewarded somehow, some time.
". . . but taking the tools to make a living should be cause having your hand chopped off...or worse."
In some countries that is the norm.
I totally feel your frustration and anger. I've had a few things "walk" away from jobs I've been on.
The one that hurts the most was a JC bucket of tools that I forgot and left on one of the floors of a large commercial-union restoration job I was on about 10 years ago. Nothing really valuable in the bucket by anyone's take that maybe $200 wouldn't buy back. But only I knew that that beautiful little crosscut hand saw with the initials ERC on the handle, which was about 80 years old and cut like a dream, had been given to me proudly by my Grandpa, Edwin Rodgers Chamberlin, when he heard that I decided to be a carpenter.
It taught me a lesson about bringing such tools to a job site.
It still hurts to think of it.
When I was building my own house, I got hit.....
Truck with tools was at the house, most of the tools were in the house...They cleaned out the house AND the truck. Two days after Christmas, 1996. Two days later my son (1st child) was born. Spent ten days in the pedi-icu
Stressfull couple weeks. The baby being born put it all into perspective, tho. Only thing I couldn't replace was the hand tools my Grandfather left me, too. That one still hurts.
Bing
This is why I don't buy used tools on ebay. I have no way of knowing whether they are legitimate or not.
Ditto that. I don't buy off e-bay, or Craigslist, unless it's an obvious going-out-of-business type of listing, and even then I need a warm fuzzy feeling about it.....
I don't buy from guys selling out of a trunk, or the back of a van, either. Have called the cops on a few that came by my jobs, tho. Doubt that it came to anything. I'm amongst those that think that Johnny Law doesn't put much effort into these cases........ Not all cops, mind you, but in general....
I can sympathize with anyone that's taken a loss, tho. I also got cleaned out in broad daylight at the Orange Hellhole, 5:30 in the aft, Columbus day, 99. Cop that came said it was good for 3 a day, that they have one guy follow the mark, while two guys empty the truck....I wanted, badly after that, to have a friend drive me to HD with me riding in the back of the van, lock it up and head inside while I waited for someone to open the door....
But it's all bs fantasy, made up in my own head to help me deal with the violation.
I've said for years tho, and I'll say it again, if I ever come across someone gettin ripped off, and I know it's happening, someone is gonna get the brunt of all the bitterness I have from the two times I've been whacked. I don't dwell on it, I don't let the hate "eat me up", but one day....It's all gonna come out, and it aint gonna be pretty for the guy on the other end.....
Ahhhhh....see? that feels better.....:)
Bing
Yes, I think it is absolutely necvessary to act when you see someone committing a crime. You must get involved. Don't just stand there and watch someone get ripped off.
I used to like the idea of chopping the hand of thieves off, but then the taxpayers would end up supporting the POS thief. A better idea is for "minor" crimes is to establish the Michael Fay Educational Institute. (Fay is the kid who got caned in Singapore). My reasoning is since there are no consequences for minor crimes,that a visit to the caning rack may deter graduating to more major crime & prisons are expensive. Another opinion is, there is no shame anymore why not dye the faces of thieves a bright blue for 3 months so everyone knows there is a thief in their midst.
There are parts of Sharia law that I like and I don't see why we can't pick through the whole thing and choose parts we like then implements into our laws.