Stolen Trailer

Date 04-11-2007 11:56

That' bad. How about building one of those "Boot" things the law uses. I haven't looked real close at one (thank goodness) but I can't believe it would be difficult to fab some thing similar.

Fortunately I live out in the boonies and between my dogs and my neighbors dogs people think long and hard before they approach our places.

By RANDER

Date 04-11-2007 15:57

You know Ron, I had a beautiful German Shephard that was very close to the family awhile back but had to put her down. Ive been reluctant to "Replace" her but it may be time. The area where i live has had a huge population surge and with that comes a surge in crime. Im headed out to scour the "Hood" now. Hopefully ill have some luck.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-11-2007 16:07

Wishing you luck in the recovery of your trailer.......

By RonG

Date 04-11-2007 18:27

Good luck! I have often thought about planting an explosive charge with a remote detonator in my truck in case it got stolen. Then I could just push the button and go looking for the smoke. Alas, the trucks not worth someone's life or the rest of mine in prison. Entertaining concept thought.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-11-2007 12:30

Man that stinks! Give the police the serial / vin numbers so they can keep an eye out. You never know, sometimes those thieves screw up and get caught. I've seen those locks that go over the hitch, but that wouldn't stop somebody from chaining it up to their bumper (like you said) and driving off with it. Keep your eye out around your neighborhood, somebody has seen that trailer sitting while driving by and came back for it, so the thief may be closer than you realize.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-11-2007 12:43

Rander,

Bad news sorry.

Look for the thing on Ebay..... I know several folks who have gotten their stolen Items back just by alerting the cops to their items for sale.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 04-11-2007 19:32

Hey RANDER,
Don't look at it as a negative thread, just a negative experience. Your getting the word out on the forum may provide many eyes to look into "for sale" listings that may help. My trailer is an enclosed welding rig and I'd hate to think about losing it, but anything can be stolen. Where I park it, in front of my home, is under an all-night flood light, and I have a chain around the axle locked into 2 eye-bolts on the driveway railroad ties. A little additional security, but still susceptible to theft. I really like RonG's suggestion....gonna give that one some serious thought and planning....like a forward propelling IED on the front of the trailer. I'm one who would open the Gates of Hades if I caught them......Denny

By 357max

Date 04-11-2007 20:42

Makes a fellow wonder about the installation of a GPS tracking device for high end equipment.

By CWI555

Date 04-11-2007 20:53

Thats a good point, especially for the welders in the crowd, it could be installed in an unambiguous place or hidden under a thin seal weld in a frame. Somewhere lowlife thieves would not think to look for such a devide.

By RANDER

Date 04-13-2007 17:58

OK, Heres the latest. I jsut got back from the towing yard. Turns out some guy about 3 miles down the road had it already loaded up with a sandrail. VIN sticker and plates removed. No damage at all. The police are investigating this guy and hopefully well have a successful prosecution. Cost me $300+ to get her out of the yard but thats a small price to pay. Happy Day

By chuck meadows (***)

Date 04-13-2007 18:07

Rob,
Congratulations !!! How do you plan on keeping it from happening again? You are one of a few that retrieved stolen property with no damage. How did it end up in the tow yard?

By RANDER

Date 04-13-2007 18:26

Thanks Chuck,
I am happy to have it back so quickly. For the immediate time being I will remove the two tires from one side and put a new hitch lock on it. In the near future I had plans to pour a slab on the side yard so ill probably bury some steel, pour the slab and chain it to a ring or something like Denny mentioned. I had to remove my front fence as I was doing an addition to the house and needed the clearance so that definetely contributed to the ease of theft. New fence going up soon. And as I mentioned to RonG I will get a new 4 legged friend as the family is ready and now seems like a good time. Every little bit of security will help to prevent a reoccurence in the future.
I was going to put in an alarm for the house when the addition was done so I will be very security focused in the coming months. Guess I got my Honey-Do list forced upon me.

I dont know exactly how the police came to be at this guys property but im glad they were aware and able to figure this loser out. I just wish they left the sandrail on the trailer when they gave it back to me ;)

By aevald

Date 04-13-2007 19:13

That would have been just deserves, Rander, problem is, the sandrail was probably stolen too! Glad to hear you got it back. As chuck said, it isn't often that that happens or that it's still in one piece. Regards, aevald

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-13-2007 20:22

I am so happy for you....glad you have your stolen property back.

Amazing how close to home it was...huh?(3 miles)

By Joseph P. Kane (****)

Date 04-13-2007 21:18

I don't understand!?!?!?!? You are the VICTIM of a crime, and the police impound yard wants YOU to pay $300.00$ to get YOUR stolen property back. Does anyone else hate cops the way I do?

By aevald

Date 04-13-2007 21:59

Hello Joe, I completely agree with your frustration over hearing of something like this where an individual is having to pay to get THEIR stolen property back. I'm betting money this is a private towing yard contracted by the cops to hold these items until their disposition is determined. Unfortunately, someone has to pay for the crap that is generated by a theft like this and until the guilty party has had his day in court you don't have the opportunity to recoup on it. If I were rander, I would definitely try to keep up on the case and see about receiving his money back, in some cases there are funds that are set up by states, counties or otherwise that will provide limited monetary relief. Otherwise the judge could impose restitution requirements on the guilty party. Usually these individuals don't have any money so you're right back to square one... and life goes on. Regards, Allan

By JA

Date 04-14-2007 00:43

do what you got to do,,,,,,,,,just don't leave any DNA...............

By RANDER

Date 04-14-2007 14:52

Yes, its like allen says so Ill have to wait for this guy to go to court and try to get the money back. My brothers car was stolen many years ago and the theif had to pay him back as ordered by the court. He got 13-20$ checks every month for a long time. A very long time.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 04-14-2007 15:52

Hey RANDER,
Just a note to you and any others who may be giving second-thought to this happening to them. Did some web searches on tracking devices....seems this company has the most reasonable system to set up: www.RMTracking.com
Another thought is maybe fabricating some really nasty wheel chocks like the police use, "the boot" or something like that. Think I'll try to fabricate something to give an idea to those who would feel better regarding their rig......Denny

By Joseph P. Kane (****)

Date 04-15-2007 17:28

I don't blame the storage fee on the thief. It is the overpaid police. I bet they don't put drugs in a commercial storage facility. I bet they don't put stolen jewelery or cash in a private bank vault. I bet they don't put stolen guns in a commercial vault. It's the police and their "above everyone elss" attitude. I know someone else who had to pay $60.00 for copies of the police report for his stolen SUV. They are paid too much and given too much power and too much access to power above them.

By CWI555

Date 04-15-2007 23:34

Joe,

Not all cops are the same. There are a lot just as you describe, I refer to them as the mafia in blue.
There are good ones and bad ones, unfortunetly, the younger ones are turning out to be more and more
the bad variety, and the older ones are getting to be more and more apethetic.
There are however, still some out there that actually care and try to do a good job.

If you want bad cops, try Nigeria gas fields, S.American oil fields or TJ at night. I've had a problem with legal larceny in all three and more, and it sucks every time.

By aevald

Date 04-16-2007 00:15

Joe, I would have to agree with Gerald here. I have had my fair share of meetings with the boys in blue, mostly when I was much younger, certainly, I ran into both kinds, the ones that were fair and cared about what they were out there to do and those that were on the other end of the scale. I still don't envy trying to do the job that these fellas and gals are out there doing. Likely both you and I make more money than they do,with better benefits than they likely have, and we don't have people that might want to take shots or otherwise at us. We need to look at the rest of the justice system if we're actually looking to change the attitudes of a lot of the beat cops or others in law enforcement who deal directly with the public. They try to put the bad guys in jail and the rest of the system has a way of handily letting them back out with not much more than a slap on the wrist. Just my $.02 Regards, Allan

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 04-16-2007 01:08

Hey Joe,
I didn't want to get off-tangent, but gotta put in a few comments, not to be derogatory, but to agree with Gerald and Allan. I was a police officer and presently my son is a police officer. I walked in those shoes. They are not all bad and they are not all good.....sad but true. A lot of it has to do with the pathetic judicial system, albeit it is all we have, and the leniency shoveled out of the courthouses each day. The rampant disregard for justice will catch up one day....and it will fall to those of us who are armed and will not stand for the injustice laid on our doorsteps. Most officers are honorable and dedicated public servants who put their lives on the line to protect us and they, too, get caught up with the injustice in the judicial system. Being "paid too much" is ones' interpretation of a value of ones' life.....I left the police because my life was worth more than the pay and benefits. I taught my son honor and respect....he is that kind of officer......Denny

By aevald

Date 04-16-2007 01:39

Hello Denny, I have equal respect for law enforcement and our boys and gals in the military, they give so much, so that we can enjoy all of the positive things in our lives. Everything said, I still believe the U.S. is the greatest nation in world. Sorry to everyone else on the forum for taking this off on a side note, felt it needed to be said. Regards, Allan

By RANDER

Date 04-16-2007 04:10 Edited 04-16-2007 04:19

Allan,
I isn't a side note to the thread. It is the thread!
I posted this in a fit of fury. Some scumbag who has no honor and no drive to make an honest buck the way all of us do stole something that he could have worked a little overtime for. (To Denny - I am a 29 going on 30 year old who has a father who raised me the way he was raised in a time where MEN were MEN and your word means EVERYTHING. I do agree that that drive and way of thinking is going by the wayside. In my short but varied career Ive seen all kinds and I too am sad to see a passing of a great generation. Every conversation with my Grandparents who are seeing their final days makes me long for a different time when the almighty dollar didnt rule EVERYTHING in the world and a man was judged by what he did , not what he said)

Thats why I posted in the off topic forum (Thanks, AWS,Ross,Christine)
I love to see the other side of our members not just the professional side. SSBN727, Chuck, Allan, Jon, Jwright, JS55, Stephan,Yorkiepap, and all others who deserve mention, We are in the same game, When I sign on it is like talking to friends who have the same experiences and I know I can count on your experiences to help me when I need it.(Being a younger player in the game) I like to deviate from WPS,WPQR, once in awile, Keep the posts coming.

By the way He did cut my lock,I found the remains this morning. I have removed the wheels from one side and chained the other side. Also added another hitch lock. The dog will take some time as Im looking at a very nice purebred East German Shephard Puppy. Talk later its late and the Vodka is telling me its time to sleep!

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 04-16-2007 16:48 Edited 05-01-2007 02:24

As far as this thread is concerned, I have to agree with all of the posts here so far including RANDER's...
I beg the indulgence of the forum's participants in letting me share one of my few experiences with officers of the law... BTW, They all turned out to be good experiences fortunately!!!

Way back in 1986, I was coming back from working at night in Manhattan... I got off at the "63rd Drive" subway station in Queens, New York City, NY... As I was walking through the upper most level of the stop making my way towards one of the exit stairways of the station, I encountered two very irate, agressive individuals that demanded money from me... I said that I did'nt have any to spare and the next thing I knew, I was hit in the gut so I started to hit back!!! Well, before I could do or say anything more, I was unconscious only to be awoken by the pressure of someone suturing my face back together again in a hospital ER!!!

Why do I mention this? First and foremost because, if it were'nt for the two of New York's finest that broke protocol and put me in the back of their squad car to rush me to the nearest hospital (St. John's on Queens Blvd.) approximately four city blocks away from the subway station, I would NOT be participating in this forum as I do presently... I would've definitely bled to death at the crime scene because, I had lost over four pints of blood when I arrived at the hospital and I was already "flatlined"!!!

Both of these Police officers (a few of my many Guardian Angels) saved my life - no question about it!!!
As did the talented medical personnel in the ER for resuscitating me back to life!!!

However, I owe these two Police Officers my life for actually breaking their own departmental regulations because according to protocol, they were supposed to wait for the EMT's to arrive so that the EMT's would transport me to the nearest ER and they would provide escort so that the ambulance could get to the ER in the most efficient and unimpeded manner.

These fella's could'nt wait for that because as I later found out, they were both Marine Reservists and they just acted on instinct - PERIOD!!! "TO HELL WITH PROTOCOL!!!" was their exact statements to me and my family afterwards. In doing what they did, they were reprimanded upon arriving back to their precinct by their precinct commander!!! Go figure!!! They helped save someone's life and they were being punished for it??? Not if I or my family could help it because as soon as we found out that the police officers were going to be punished for what they did, we told the precinct commander that he'd better have a good explanation to give the media coverage that would ensue if he was to carry out the repremanding of these two Heroes of mine!!! Needless to say - shortly thereafter, these two officers were the recipients of department commendations instead of reprimands appropriately so!!!

There are also BAD cops too however for the most part, they are the minority thank GOD!!!
After my experience, I'm real hesitant to generalize all cops as being BAD, even though I see some of the reported terrible incidents in the news since then, and I wonder how many have'nt been reported that occurr on a daily basis... I still and will always have the utmost respect for these men and women that choose to serve and protect us on a daily basis!!! The BAD ones well, they'll be sorted out and hopefully sooner than later as was in the past.

BTW RANDER! I'm really grateful that you got your trailer back and considering what happened, in as good of a condition as possible!!! I also do hope that you get your money back for impound fees!!!

Respectfully,
Henry

By CWI555

Date 05-01-2007 01:58

Second chances are few and far between. I've had one of those. Hit by a 74 Nova in 83, while on a Honda going the other direction. Cops estimated his speed at 75MPH. Every bone on the left side of my body broken, three compound fracture ribs, compound fractures of my left fibula, tibia, and Femur among others.
Lost 20 percent of my lower legs bone mass to the street. The list goes on and on. The doctors told me I should have been dead, and the officers and EMTS tell me I was dead for a few minutes and could not explain how or why I started breathing again.
The officers on the scene stopped the blood as best they could, the EMT's shortly thereafter pitched in along with a couple of firemen.
When a man stops breathing for a few minutes, it's real easy to give him up for dead.
They didn't have to keep going, but they did. Everyone, EMT's, Officers, Firemen alike.
Eventually made it to the hospital. 13 doctors my family went through before they found one that said he'd try to save my legs.
A year and a half later, 24 surgerys, (bone graphs, plastic surgery and others) I took my first steps of a second life.

How it is that I can walk and talk now.. there is no real medical explaination other than those fine people refused to give up on me.

Two key lessons I learned from that. 1.) Never give up 2.) Never judge any person as they will judge themselves by their words and deeds.
I had forgotten number 2 until I read your post and started thinking about it again. Thanks for the reminder.

Respectfully,
Gerald

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 05-01-2007 02:31

It is'nt our time yet!

According to the one and only, we still got some work or shall we say deeds to complete here!
I knew we had alot in common CWI555... I just could'nt pinpoint it until now!

May the fair winds blow off your back and your journey be bountiful and fullfilling as none before!!!
Thank you for sharing!

Respectfully,
Henry

By Sourdough (****)

Date 05-01-2007 16:50

I have 13 slaughtered pigs tatooed on my skin. They start at my left shoulder and end at my right thigh. The Anchorage police department murdered my older brother in '89. No apologies, just leave with pay.

They don't care about you. They are trained and brainwashed into believing that we are the enemy, and that they are above the "law"...........period

I've met a couple decent cops in my life, but the majority of them should be "ventilated"

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 05-02-2007 05:58 Edited 05-02-2007 06:05

To Each's Own!!! My condolances to your loss!

I know one thing's for sure that's indisputable Sourdough! if some cops help directly in saving your life, you will most definitely "soften-up" your opinion in generalizing or shall I say - stereotyping all cops the way that you presently do!!! I know I did!!! I'm also of the opinion that you just might also...

Especially if you went to some of the many funerals like I did that were held in New York City after the bodies were found of the Cops, Firefighters and EMT's who paid the ultimate price in saving countless thousands of lives on 9-11-01

Respectfully,
Henry

By Sourdough (****)

Date 04-18-2007 00:16

My wife's uncle had his whole rig stolen in Phoenix a couple weeks ago. Miller 50 and all.........HEAVY SIGH FOR YOU MAN!!!!

Hope you get er back!

By makeithot (***)

Date 04-30-2007 22:58

I have a sign posted in my drive way that states. " House gaurded by shotgun three nights per week. You guess which three." So far it has been quit effective.