I live out in the country + this used to be a relatively crime free area, but not anymore. The guy next door who bought my son's 5 acres put in a chain link fence for storage of RVs, boats, etc. Yesterday, I noticed that somebody came onto my property + cut his fence with the intention of stealing something. I called owner + he called the SO, so we shall see. While they were up here, they went by my shop where my son has one of his trailers with a job box on it, broke in + stole some tools. They haven't broken into my shop, yet, knock on wood, but it's probably just a matter of time. Some of you might remember that about 4 years ago, someone came on my property + stole my jeep. Found totaled in Bastrop, + the insurance wouldn't pay anything because I only had liability; I figured why pay full coverage for a year when I only use it during hunting season. I've learned better now + make sure I have a theft clause on my vehicles. The real pisser was that the towing company in Bastrop wanted to charge me $750.00 for the towed totaled vehicle. I just told them to keep it. Add to that, the judge only gave the car thief "unauthorized use of a vehicle" + let him go. I'm out 10K + he just walks, something definitely wrong with this picture. I live on the property + have a dog, but you can't be everywhere at once all the time. I'm well off the road, but that doesn't stop them. Heaven help me if I caught them at it + shot them with the way the law is today. I do hate thieves!

I heard car theft is a growing problem recently in that part of Texas, and in the rural areas no less.

I had two cars stolen in the early 70s. Thieves should be dealt with harshly, otherwise they will never have a reason to change.

Our society has become too permissive.

Agreed, way too permissive in all the wrong areas. The deck seems to be stacked against the honest citizen. I won't even get started on the new series of squatters rights, et/al. I'm sure everyone has heard some horror stories on that count. But as for vehicle theft, I think that just a slap on the wrist is definitely sending a wrong message to potential car thieves. What ever happened to Grand Theft Auto? Is there a dollar amount to designate the severity of the crime? In my case, it was a value of 10K, I would think that should be a sufficient amount to convict on. More than likely, the judge cut him a deal if he rolled over on his drug buddies. That's all well + good, but what about the victim? Add to that, when the insurance company failed to give me any recompense, they also, since the car was stolen, refused to pay anything to the other 2 drivers who got their vehicles totaled by the car thief in the accident. But at the same time, had I not kept my insurance current on my car, then I would have been responsible for his actions. Anybody see any sense in that?

Randy such shit sure is disgusting. Gotta have insurance no matter what.

I had a perfect for me GMC with only liability. Caught fire headed for a 4 days camping trip. Cost me ten grand. Since then I just pay the rate for full coverage even on older rides.

April 2 years ago my 95 Ram was stolen full of tools. Ins paid off about $400 more than I had in it the whole 9 years I had it.

Other night two 14y/o girls in here of my house keeper took both my hearing aids. I'm deaf as a damned rock without them. $8000. Made a police report but who is going to pay for new ones?

You sure as hell don't dare shoot them. A friend did & killed one fully on his place. He got 40 years for it. If interested:
Look up: Dennis Pratt killing/Pueblo, Co.

George

George: For God's sake who steals a man's hearing aids?!!

Some folks will steal ANYTHING! I've even had shovels stolen. Hell, you can't do anything with them but work!

No shit Bill!

I was alone all day, took them out about 5 and got on here. Laid them right beside a book you sent.

HK's dau & friend came in about 8. "can I use your phone to call mom?" Go ahead.

They left just before one. A bit later I shut down for bed.

They were gone. No one else had been in here all day. Dau said she never saw them or the other girl with them when cops asked.

Prove it!

George

Hide an Apple AirTag in your car.

You can then track it.

If you are using other phone, get a suitable tag.

They are available on Amazon.

We have GPS trackers on all our fleet.

Cost about $100 per vehicle per year.

Live GPS location, and play back of the last 3 months of the vehicle’s movements.

quote:

Hide an Apple AirTag in your car.

Good Advice.

Thanks Saeed, that's good to know. Might be like locking the barn after the horse is stolen, but is good advice for the future. I talked with the owner next door today, seems like they came back, re-cut the fence + now stole a car + a tractor last night. He says he's going to install lights all over the 5 acres, but I asked him to please make them motion sensor lights instead of ones that are on constantly. I know he needs the security, but I do like having darkness at night; kinda part of living out in the country. I know we have to take the good with the bad, but we never had these issues before all these new people moved into the area. Damned sign of the times. And you're right, George; shooting someone would really open a can of worms these days. The criminals seem to have more rights than we do.

A friend got his car stolen.

The thief walked through the back door into the kitchen and took the keys off the table.

Car was recovered a few days later, and the thief was arrested.

Turns out he was the son of a neighbor!!??

My friend was asked to go to the police station to give a statement.

He was worried what might happen to him if he pressed charges.

Told him to ask the police to drop all charges, and hand me the thief for one day.

I promise he will never do it again.

Turned out the police officer he saw was a friend of mine.

He laughed and told my friend the thief would definitely prefer being sent to jail than handed to me.

I did get the chance to use my friendly persuasive powers.

A few years ago I caught a punk coming out of my tool shed one night. He had a couple chainsaws. I grabbed him and slammed him against the shed wall. When he said he had someone to pick him up down at the road, I broke his right elbow and his left wrist. He walked off sobbing. No problems since.
I figured having someone having to wipe his ass for him for a few weeks might cure his ways.

simple device on amazon for less than $20 finds hidden cams, airtags,, the smarter thief finds it, deletes it, still gets away..

As a teen working a ranch. We had a game warden that kept checking the freezer soon after we left.

Rancher got some of those pull type blasting caps and set one under the lid.
It had been blown, he never came back.

Randy, living in the country you might talk to the powder seller there and claim to be blowing a couple small stumps. Might need to guy a stick or two of powder.
Just a cap or three going off without harm would likely end that bullshit. Years ago Dad rented pasture & wanted to blow a seep to see if it could make water flow. I have no idea the hassles you might need to go thru for a permit. You might even know someone that blasts things. Ask for a few. Then just tie 'em across where they travel.

George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
As a teen working a ranch. We had a game warden that kept checking the freezer soon after we left.

Rancher got some of those pull type blasting caps and set one under the lid.
It had been blown, he never came back.

Randy, living in the country you might talk to the powder seller there and claim to be blowing a couple small stumps. Might need to guy a stick or two of powder.
Just a cap or three going off without harm would likely end that bullshit. Years ago Dad rented pasture & wanted to blow a seep to see if it could make water flow. I have no idea the hassles you might need to go thru for a permit. You might even know someone that blasts things. Ask for a few. Then just tie 'em across where they travel.

George

Blasting caps aren't harmless. I had a shooter on a seismic crew tell me how they'd put an electric one in a handful of hamburger to deal with problem bears in camp. Bear picks up hamburger, detonate, one less problem.

Rural crime is rampant.

When the judiciary soft pedal crime you see the results, just look at Portland etc.

But when the government sets the example for theft all bets are off!

The U.S Government is the biggest crime organization in the United States!!!

Hip

My son had a burglary issue last week when he was out of town for a business conference. He has an apartment in a gated community in a pretty nice part of town, but this is the 2nd time this has happened. The first time was when they broke into his garage + stole several guns. He had several of mine at the time. Nothing was done, of course. This time, they broke into his apartment, left guns + everything else, but stole his floor safe. He deals in old classic cars on the side, so he usually has ready cash on hand. This time they got $34,000.00 in cash. APD said they would send somebody by in about 12 days, but they would call first + if there is no answer, they will just drop it from their roster. Good luck on any cash being recovered, though. I did tell him to at least contact Cochran's lock + key, the largest lock establishment in the area, + tell them to be on the lookout for anyone needing a safe opened. I don't have much hope, though.

Damn, that's a pile of cash. Amazing this was done in a gated place. Maybe the gatekeepers?

With the loot they've gotten from him, twice; I would suspect they may visit him again at some point. Sounds like they can easily gain access, and exit.

It's got to be somebody that lives there. I've told him before that if he wants to keep cash, he can keep it in my safe. I have an old bank safe made in 1909 that weighs over a ton with a 4-hour fire rating (the walls are over 8" thick, + back when they could still use asbestos) plus it still has the cyanide ampules that will hit them in the face if they try to drill it. Back in the day when people figured that a thief deserves what they get.