What methods does everyone use to prevent lumber, windows, tools, trailers from being stolen?
Blocking Road access with dirt or large steel beams?
Heavy Chains?
Camping out until sealed up?
Dogs on a chain?
Expensive Dewalt system?
Etc…..
All creative suggestions to prevent wood from walking are welcome!
Thanks
Replies
The guys putting down pre-finished hardwood floors had a neat system. There were posters and stickers on the hardwood boxes announcing the material was protected by a GPS tracking system. Anyone found in possession of this material (AND YOU WILL BE FOUND!etc...etc... worldwide federal monitoring system..etc etc) It was very eye catching, flashing led's, nice graphics, very professional.
I have no idea if it worked or not, I was tempted to kick one of the boxes to see if an alarm went off.
A glass company I deal with mounted some phoney video cameras, and video surveillance posters in areas prone to vandalism. It worked.
I have been wondering about that... While shopping in stores they have those white plastic stickers on some pricey things that would set off the alarms. Some you would spot them and others would be hiding somewhere and when they "scann" them it would shut it off but still there somewhere going home with you. One guy asked me if I wanted to buy a hot laptop.. I thought about those GPS might be installed in them and if I did make the buy I would be caught. (Why be a fool doing it?)
I read a tip somewhere (might have been here!) to prevent sheet goods from walking...
Nail the top sheets down to the stack. Helper can pull the nails in the morning.
If using those TimberTech screws, you could probably do dimensional lumber as well...
-TJ
"Nail the top sheets down to the stack."
Keeps the wind from stealing them too.
I've got some good ones, mostly for tools.
The bigger (longer) the job, the higher the chance of a premeditated break in, as "locals" get to know not only what you've brought in, but when you come and go. If you absolutely have to leave valuables on the job, consider what factors would deter a thief; noise and light are probably at the top of the list.
-Ladders make great alarms. Put large tools and materials behind your ladders, then lock everything with long, heavy chains. even if they posess a bolt cutter, make it so chains will have to be pulled through several rungs to remove the goods. Don't underestimate the "hassle factor".
-Install some security lights. They're cheap, and can be put up in minutes.
-Don't be a creature of habit. Predictability of any kind can work against you.
- Be clever. Sometimes, on a remote jobsite, no amount of locks will stop a determined criminal. I've seen lock boxes "can opened" or stolen outright. Hiding things in a floor or behind a wall works well, as long as no one sees you do it. A lot of tools can fit into an oven, or even a fridge. push the door against a wall, and cover the appliance with plastic sheeting. Unless they're trying to steal appliances, they probably won't go there.
-If your tools were a pot of gold, EXTENSION CORDS are the rainbow to thieves- don't go to lunch with your pretty cords visible to passers by.
-watch out for job seekers. There's nothing wrong with someone asking for work, but this should be done from a respectable distance. Anyone who walks on or around the site should be treated with extreme predjudice - think of it as your house, if they're not invited in, they're not welcome.
-A quiet site means nobody's there. If you have to run to the store, or leave thikngs unattended for a couple of minutes, leave your radio on. Thieves like to be sure they're alone, and this tells them someone's probably around.
-Think like a thief. When I lived in a bad neighborhood, I figured my shop would eventually be hit by a "can collector" (these guys might be honest, but let's face it- they've got an excuse, and a shopping cart.) You know those pretty blue boxes that hold your power tools? I filled a couple of those with car parts, and left them nearest the door. Sure enough, eventually they got grabbed. All the thief got was some old brake shoes, a doorknob, and a polaroid of a pistol with a note that said, "NOW I KNOW WHO YOU ARE"
-One word - SCREWS. I did a two month job on Haight st. in San Francisco, and security was a nightly concern. Before the storefront had a front window, we had to close it with sheets of plywood. The one we removed each day for light and ventilation was high up, and secured with numerous screws. To save time, all but a few were dummies. This trick works well with the "under floor" trick, or behind a wall for tools. Even better, use a torx drive or some other uncommon screw.
-Here's one I just thought of - for a stack of plywood, drive a long finish head screw at a slight angle through the top of the stack, in each corner. If the first five or six sheets are stuck together, the stack is probably safe.
Remember, thieves like to work fast. Anything you can do to confuse, slow down, divert or annoy them can greatly reduce losses. saul
Other than leaving your big ugly junk yard dawg tethered to the entryway, how about this...
...cut some 1 1/4" dowells about 8" long, wrap each tightly in tan paper tape and then use duct tape to wrap about 6 of these together. Tape this bundle to a pice of scrap plywood and attach next to it an old alarm clock and a circuit board that does nothing but make an LED blink off and on and perhaps emit a soft beep-beep-beep... then randomly run a bunch of wires between these things and set atop a stack of plywood with a sign next to it that says "CAUTION: HIGH EXPLOSIVES" "ANY motion or movement may detonate"
But with my luck, the robbers would treat it the way my brother's crows treat his scarecrow...they perch on it!
BruceM
I like the idea of booby traps. Obviously set up in such a way as to only get a thief.....like inside a locked tool box, or under the second sheet of plywood in a stack.
Was camping once and someone was getting his firewood pilfered. He split one bit open, made a wee hollow and filled it with black powder and glued the thing back together. The thefts stopped after that. :-)
I reckon the best deterrant in the world would be the body of a previous thief strung up out front as a warning to others, but sadly we cant do that.
Places I used to go hunting would periodically get hit by thieves targetting cars. This would go on for a while until they got caught one day by someone coming back out of the bush. They usually got the father of all beatings and the attacks would stop. Until some other genius decided to have a try.
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
Ill give the commercial view point.
The super stays on the job site in a travel trailer . JUst about everyone allows a job site trailer , but normally the "living " isnt mentioned and remains a grey area. As a building inspector I had a lot bigger fish to fry than worry about it since I knew it was temporary. I had the system in place in a poultry production outfit that we let a hand stay in one free with utilities paid. If you read up on parks systems they are using retired people to manage parks on free living . All they get is a place to park and hook up that is free . I would assume these people would jump at that deal.
Ill post back a site if I can find it, of a forum.
Tim Mooney
I think that I am going to have to sleep there for awhile. I can't afford to be ripped off. I think I am going to be bring a camper. What fun this will be. Around here many guys sleep in the back of pick ups just to protect the materials. When you step back to think about....this is a royal pain.
Ive done it .
DW and I went to look at a house tonight thats 30 miles away in another town. I never mentioned this thread . She said after we looked it over that if I bought it I would have to bring the camper to geter done with all the work that was there. I grinned and thought about this thread.
You wouldnt believe the amount of work you will get done stayin on the job site. Get somthin to eat and lay down for a nap . End up goin out and working a couple three more hours before a shower and bed.
Tim
Cut a bunch of fire blocking, and set it standing on end like rows of dominoes. ;-)
-- J.S.
I remember in New York City a fellow kept havng theft problems.
He installed video cameras, they stole them
He put in guard dogs, they stole them.
Finally gave up and put in full time guards.
Speaking of which, someone I know went to a garage to park their car.
He decided to go to the car and get an umbrella after dinner, before a movie.
Found 2 guys stealing his car engine.
The guard was sitting nearby watching TV.
You can't win.
Good luck, jeff
Locally we had a school principal get busted for stealing building materials from a jobsite near his home. Lost his job over that one! Sometimes there is a little justice in this world.
Iwas working on a residential highrise in S.F. and the project manager went for a night time walk through.
He found the night watchman with a hacksaw, cutting up copper into short pieces to fit in his backpack.
A delivery truck only holds enough to keep the crew busy for one day. A new delivery every morning and there's nothing to steal but a few scraps. A good supplier schedules the deliveries as material is needed. The salesman stops by at coffee break to check what we need. Try not to leave expensive items like plywood over night or over a weekend. I would not leave a trailer on site. It's like leaving a treasure chest out there and will attract the pirates. Had one house where they took out the installed windows and doors. Never had a foundation stolen, though.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
THANKS A WHOLE LOT FOR STARTING THIS THREAD!!!
%#$&*^@
Now you got me thinking about my tools sitting out there alone and the little tugging starts on my navel. Keep it up and I'll have to go shid!
If you've ever been ripped off it is not a good feeling.
God help the poor soul I catch stealing from me.
I will not drive out there tonight.I will not drive out there tonight.I will not drive out there tonight.I will not...
sobriety is the root cause of dementia.
Tonight is the night to take a drive. about 2am
Reminds me of an old joke.
To prevent theft, a watermelon grower left a sign next to his field that read.
"1 of these watermelons is poisoned"
The next week, somebody crossed out the "1" and wrote "2" instead
make sure that your means of defense doesn't come back to bite you!
2-4" x 8' strips of plywood with 8d nails laid point up, on a V in the dirt 1/2 way up the driveway leading to the job site covered over with dirt. Sign at the entry saying "No Trespassing, If You Come Here At Night, Your Cold, Dead Body Will Be Found In The Morning" Seems to work so far!!!
The nails in plywood sticking up are a good idea. You have done this before?
Yep and I plan on doing it at the new house, driveway is 650' long thru the woods, but you need to post plenty of No Trespassing & warning signs, in case they walk in and step on a nail!!!!
Ya, back in the 80s my brother did that one night after discovering someone had stole some roofing stored outside.
Next morning I overhear that the windowman was going out to measure windows that day.
I run out there and see the guy's wagon parked up by the house.
Thinking I was too late I walk up to the buried tire sticker 2x and see that the guys tire prints showed he had driven between the nails. The sides of the nails would had to have brushed the tires.
I removed the nail board and said not a word except a tonguelashing to my bro.
Tis a good idea tho' if caution is used.
be tired and feathered
sobriety is the root cause of dementia.
Edited 4/16/2005 12:43 pm ET by the razzman
I've never been ripped off on a job. But the wife and I are building a summer home, we recently caught some kids attempting to steal our wall tent and break into my utility trailer. The utility trailer now has a can of bear spray set up to discharge if the door is opened. I wanted to set up a shotgun but the wife reminded me how forgetful I am so I thought the spray might be safer if I forget to disarm before opening the door.
Yea I would have done that too, but with those wild lawyers out there thinking of another way to get back at you over that.....
Not all theft need be a bad thing: I once did a job where there were many leftover cut sheets of plywood, various sizes and all under 4'x4'. HO didn't want to pay to haul, so she put them in a pile on the curb with a sign that said, "free". Days later she was surprised there were no takers, she thought someonewould surely want the wood for something. I told her it was all about the presentation; you have to make people think they want it. I pulled all the wood back to the side of the house, stacked it neatly, and made a new sign, "wood for sale - $20". Two nights later, she had some takers. Someone took it.
try this .. I have two big ugly trash cans on the job, 1 for garabage, the other for tools. I put all my portable tools in the garbage can and throw in an assortment of "clean" garbage on top, works real good, although I can't find one of my battery chargers .. I think I put it in the wrong can .. at least I did it to myself ..
Three and a lhalf years and counting and I have yet to lose a single board or piece of cooper.
Black walnut cherry fiddleback maple they are all out there sitting in the driveway, not missing a single board.
so the answer seems to be, work where there is no theft problem..
What was that street address again? <G>PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
> What was that street address again? <G>
Ah, that's the trick. He's in the middle of nowhere. He doesn't have a street address. He might not even have a latitude and longitude. We know from previous threads that he doesn't show up in photographs..... Maybe you need a psychic or a ghost buster as an accomplice? ;-)
-- J.S.
John
I'd tell you but you'd probably freeze to death when you come here.. for sure the timbers would be under 5 feet of snow and frozen onto the driveway solid..
Besides I have this 145 pound Black New Fundland who can stand on his hind legs and look down at you.. Rumor has it he tends tends to intimidate people.. (at least that's what the police keep telling me)... ;-)
arengements can be made...
GUNNER!!!
ya busy...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Cherry heist? I'm in. View Image
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after low pricing is forgotten!
what if frenchy has a weapon?
we'll sign him up as security...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
not if it's his cherry wood you won't!
it's his cherry... not the wood...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
You miss the point...If we hire him to watch our backs for us, then what's he going to say ?Catch-22 for him, and lotsa goodies for us...
A person with no sense of humor about themselves, has no sense at all.
Either way, he won't fall for it.
you'll never know untill ya try..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Heck, at the last Frenchy fest I helped one guy load a bunch of black walnut and Tamarack after I showed his wife what a wonderful looking wood it was.. Come-on by, you never know what you'll leave with..
PS.
I've been posting over at Fine Wood Working for years about having someone come by for some of my surplus wood.
Maybe that's the trick, try to get someone to come by and take some,... (reverse psychology)
want me to bring some paint and the neighbor's dog as a diversion...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Well, where are ya then? I can always use walnut.
i was lucky enough to be robbed of all my tools. the day o brought home my new trailer all my tools were still in the van. they broke into my van and stole it all. lucky my neighbour heard them and there ended up being a high speed chase and they caught the jerks. good ol laws let them out before i got my tools back form the cops. 5 weeks later they came back and drove the whole van and new trailer away. since then i have installed a powerbolt on the side door of the trailer and modified the back latch so no bolt cutter can get the lock or the latch. the trailer cannot be broken into without power tools and i doubt they will bother with that. then i bought a truck with on star. 24hr peace of mind. they take it they will be caught.
for the job site i had a crew bring 2 huge job boxes on site without tools in it then loaded all there stuff into them. chained together there too heavy to move. load rocks or cases of nails to make them heavy.
if you only have a small job box, then lag it to the floor from the inside. and buy a huge lock and chain.
the best thing i learned form this whole experience was make your tools organized so there easier to load out each day. dont trust ANYONE with your livelyhood, and vehicle or canopy windows save NOTHING.
good luckTmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
We have used wireless security systems and monitoring. Many false alarms and then our job box was broken into anyway. Company changed rules to not cover personal tools under company insurance. This requires that everybody packs up each and everyday.
Owen Roberts Group
10634 East Riverside Drive # 100
Bothell, WA 98011
Office (425) 483-0234
Fax (425) 481-0299
Cell (425) 273-6624
http://www.owenrobertsgroup.com