# Wood thief



## fishki (Feb 14, 2017)

Yep, someone stole half of an oak tree I had down and stashed. I had taken alot of the limbs out already from the top, but when I drove by there today everything was gone except for most of the trunk. Not even a brush pile left so I am thinking they just loaded all they could and got the hell out of there to cut it up elsewhere. 

First thing in morning I'm taking the trailer and winching on the trunk and bringing it home.


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## bholler (Feb 14, 2017)

is it on your land?  I have had that happen when cutting on state land a couple times and while it is annoying there is nothing saying someone cant take the wood if they have a permit to.


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## Tar12 (Feb 15, 2017)

They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do


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## bholler (Feb 15, 2017)

Tar12 said:


> They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do


But if it isnt your land it isnt your wood till it is on your truck.  I agree it is rude and ignorant but not illegal at all.


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## fishki (Feb 15, 2017)

It was on private land, I'm just guessing someone might have seen it out hunting and then thought they would go grab it later.
Its gone now, I went and picked up what was left.

It is now cut




split



and stacked


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## Tar12 (Feb 15, 2017)

Tar12 said:


> They got me once...never again. What ever I cut comes home with me period. If they want wood they are going to work for it...just like I do


It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry


bholler said:


> But if it isnt your land it isnt your wood till it is on your truck.  I agree it is rude and ignorant but not illegal at all.


It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry @#$%^&. They hooked up a log chain and destroyed the gate in the process. This wood was out of sight. They had to of trespassed in the first place to know it was there. They wanted it pretty bad...good thing I didn't catch them in the act...there would of been hell to pay I assure you..


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## bholler (Feb 15, 2017)

Tar12 said:


> It was my land with a padlocked gate. Didn't stop the sorry @#$%^&. They hooked up a log chain and destroyed the gate in the process. This wood was out of sight. They had to of trespassed in the first place to know it was there. They wanted it pretty bad...good thing I didn't catch them in the act...there would of been hell to pay I assure you..


Well that is a totally different story


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## Tar12 (Feb 15, 2017)

bholler said:


> Well that is a totally different story


This was back before I owned a hydraulic splitter and split everything by hand. They stole several hours of hard labor...I was livid...after all these years it still fires me up! lol


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## moresnow (Feb 16, 2017)

Thinking. Game camera. Wife and I are contemplating a full cam based security system. We have a good reason to put one in. Another story. And a scary one! Anyway I want a system I can remotely access from my smarty pants phone. Something that records activity.


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## Woody5506 (Feb 16, 2017)

I just bought my house a few months ago in what I know is a safe, quiet neighborhood because I grew up nearby. Every door at my house has a camera from the last homeowners, not sure if they were paranoid or what. But I've been too lazy to turn them on. There's really no need to, and if I did I'd probably just keep them pointed at my wood stacks lol


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## Destructor (Feb 17, 2017)

My neighbor next door who has been in the neighborhood for 60 years sees me splitting wood, he told me that years ago someone was going around and stealing firewood, just enough to have a fireplace fire. Another neighbor drilled holes in his wood and filled easily accessible pieces with fireworks. The theft ceased soon afterwards.


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## firefighterjake (Feb 17, 2017)

Destructor said:


> My neighbor next door who has been in the neighborhood for 60 years sees me splitting wood, he told me that years ago someone was going around and stealing firewood, just enough to have a fireplace fire. Another neighbor drilled holes in his wood and filled easily accessible pieces with fireworks. The theft ceased soon afterwards.



I've heard and read these types of stories . . . filled with black powder, fireworks, etc. . . . I always wonder if this is just one of those urban legends told by folks.


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## bfitz3 (Feb 18, 2017)

Just guessing... stealing a few splits feels like petty theft, but setting out explosive booby traps is likely a felony and a great way to get sued by the person that stole from you.


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## kennyp2339 (Feb 18, 2017)

For stacks if stolen goods becomes a problem, I recommend installing a video recording system, the camera's now at days record 1080p and are relatively inexpensive.
I would never suggest doing any booby traps, consider this, a thief slips on your steps, he can sue you for his injuries. Imagine the negligence if you willfully did something to a wood split that caused harm or injury.


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## fishki (Feb 18, 2017)

Even though that makes a great story, I would never booby trap my wood. I wouldn't want to be held liable for some idiot stealing wood, having a log explode and possibly burning down his house, injuring/killing any one inside.
I cant stand a thief and have a security camera system at my house, I have only had 1 incident so far where a kid went to jail for trying to steal from me.

The funny part of the whole thing is, they took off with 99% of the brush, maybe they wanted to help clean it up, so all they were really getting would be  a bunch of small rounds and a pile of brush of there own.


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## bfitz3 (Feb 18, 2017)

fishki said:


> Even though that makes a great story, I would never booby trap my wood. I wouldn't want to be held liable for some idiot stealing wood, having a log explode and possibly burning down his house, injuring/killing any one inside.
> I cant stand a thief and have a security camera system at my house, I have only had 1 incident so far where a kid went to jail for trying to steal from me.
> 
> The funny part of the whole thing is, they took off with 99% of the brush, maybe they wanted to help clean it up, so all they were really getting would be  a bunch of small rounds and a pile of brush of there own.


You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.


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## fishki (Feb 18, 2017)

bfitz3 said:


> You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.



Prosecuted for stealing tools out of the back of my pickup....... not brush.


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## bfitz3 (Feb 18, 2017)

fishki said:


> Prosecuted for stealing tools out of the back of my pickup....... not brush.



That makes a lot more sense... Order has now returned to the universe!


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## bholler (Feb 18, 2017)

I honestly don't think you could be held liable for putting things in your own wood if something happened because someone stole it.  Yes I am sure they could take you to court and that would be a pita but I don't see how they could win.

That being said I still would not do it I would not want that on my conscience if something bad did happen over some wood..


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## Oldman47 (Feb 19, 2017)

bfitz3 said:


> You PROSECUTED a KID for stealing brush? Really? One has to wonder who the bigger problem is.


Even though he has corrected your misconception I would say yes. The fact that brush is virtually worthless does not matter. I would rather have the kid charged with a petty crime and serve whatever sentence that imposes than have him stealing a splitter a few years later because some bleeding heart let him get away with minor crimes. Consistency matters when you are trying to teach something.


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## Woody5506 (Feb 19, 2017)

I'm just gonna throw it out there that if my wood stacks started getting picked at and stolen here and there, then I'd have literally no problem booby trapping anything. Knowing someone is on your property and stealing or messing with your stuff is a pretty degrading feeling. Thieves must be "corrected"


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 19, 2017)

bholler said:


> I honestly don't think you could be held liable for putting things in your own wood if something happened because someone stole it.  Yes I am sure they could take you to court and that would be a pita but I don't see how they could win.
> 
> That being said I still would not do it I would not want that on my conscience if something bad did happen over some wood..



Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.


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## kennyp2339 (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.


IDK... he's from PA, there was a sign on the Delaware bridge a while ago when leaving NJ, it said "Welcome to PA, America starts here".. its so true on so many different levels.


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## Woody5506 (Feb 19, 2017)

Hypothetically if you did the firecracker or gun powder trap and someone blew up their stove or fireplace how exactly would they sue you? They would have to say they stole it from your property and you'd also have to admit you booby trapped it.

As far as I'm concerned, "that's not my wood and I have no knowledge of anyone stealing from me"


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## bholler (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> Sorry bholler, legal precedent completely contradicts your opinion on this one.


What legal precedent is there showing that one party can successfully sue another after they hurt themselves with property stolen from the other party


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 19, 2017)

kennyp2339 said:


> IDK... he's from PA, there was a sign on the Delaware bridge a while ago when leaving NJ, it said "Welcome to PA, America starts here".. its so true on so many different levels.


Ha! I don't know what you mean by this, but I'm guessing it is meant to be some sort of slight, Kenny. And, I guess you think that everyone in PA has the same opinions and values. It even presumes that I am from PA, and haven't just moved here. Well, I suppose that you are just trying to express who you are.

 I'm not intending to offer my opinion as to whether I think it's OK to set a boobytrap.  I am just relaying that the either by legal statute or legal precedent, you'd be the one in trouble if you set such a boobytrap and the thief or anyone else was hurt.  Don't blame me for the law.

Now, since you asked, here's my opinion: I think that anyone who set such a boobytrap would probably forget in time that it was there, and put it into their own fire, or perhaps their wife, kid, or friend would unknowingly grab it and throw it into a fire. Which is at least part of why it is illegal.

And, I am always amused by people who walk around with their chest puffed out talking about defending themselves and their property with lethal force. If you think that you win when you kill or maim someone, regardless of the circumstances, it just means that you either haven't done it, or you need to look in the mirror a little more carefully.


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## kennyp2339 (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> but I'm guessing it is meant to be some sort of slight, Kenny


Actually the other way around lol, I'm saying from my nanny state perspective that everything gets tied back to the owner of the property whether they are responsible or not. Lawyers will argue tooth and nail that there poor innocent burglars are the victims in NJ.


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 19, 2017)

bholler said:


> What legal precedent is there showing that one party can successfully sue another after they hurt themselves with property stolen from the other party


Setting booby traps is illegal in most, if not all states. Even if not to protect the thief, then to protect you, if you forget, or other unintended victims, say your kids.


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## bholler (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> Now, since you asked, here's my opinion: I think that anyone who set such a boobytrap would probably forget in time that it was there, and put it into their own fire, or perhaps their wife, kid, or friend would unknowingly grab it and throw it into a fire. Which is at least part of why it is illegal.


Very true.  I was not able to find anything saying it was illegal as long as the materials you were using were legal but I agree it is a bad idea.




ED 3000 said:


> And, I am always amused by people who walk around with their chest puffed out talking about defending themselves and their property with lethal force. If you think that you win when you kill or maim someone, regardless of the circumstances, it just means that you either haven't done it, or you need to look in the mirror a little more carefully.


I wholeheartedly agree.  Protecting my property is not worth someones life.  My family yes but some wood or some other replaceable property no way.


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## bholler (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> Setting booby traps is illegal in most, if not all states. Even if not to protect the thief, then to protect you, if you forget, or other unintended victims, say your kids.


I agree it is a bad idea but I could not find any legal precedent.    But I absolutely could be wrong


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 19, 2017)

kennyp2339 said:


> Actually the other way around lol, I'm saying from my nanny state perspective that everything gets tied back to the owner of the property whether they are responsible or not. Lawyers will argue tooth and nail that there poor innocent burglars are the victims in NJ.


There's egg on my face! I'm going to go have another cup of coffee, I clearly need it, and go enjoy this beautiful February day. Maybe even work on the wood stash a little bit...


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## bholler (Feb 19, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> Maybe even work on the wood stash a little bit...


That is my plan today


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## fishki (Feb 19, 2017)

I recently read a news article where a legal marijuana farm had set a booby trap, sheet of ply wood with a couple hundred 3" screws in it, when a break in occurred the only person caught was a police officer who jumped a gate and impaled his foot on the screws, I believe they stated their is no law/statute in which to charge the owner since booby traps were defined as spring loaded devices etc. (cant remember all the details).

But back to booby trapping firewood, I would think loading a piece with firecrackers or gunpowder would no longer become a booby trap once it left your property. You have basically built a bomb that you have allowed someone to walk off with.

And looking at this a different way. If I were a thief and had a piece of firewood explode in my stove, catching my house on fire, even maybe injuring a family member. Yep, I'm admitting to stealing the wood and telling the police where I stole it from. They would be asking questions anyway once an investigation was done into the cause of the fire. The police will surely pay you a visit and you might just have your own crime to answer for.


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 19, 2017)

fishki said:


> I recently read a news article where a legal marijuana farm had set a booby trap, sheet of ply wood with a couple hundred 3" screws in it, when a break in occurred the only person caught was a police officer who jumped a gate and impaled his foot on the screws, I believe they stated their is no law/statute in which to charge the owner since booby traps were defined as spring loaded devices etc. (cant remember all the details).
> 
> But back to booby trapping firewood, I would think loading a piece with firecrackers or gunpowder would no longer become a booby trap once it left your property. You have basically built a bomb that you have allowed someone to walk off with.
> 
> And looking at this a different way. If I were a thief and had a piece of firewood explode in my stove, catching my house on fire, even maybe injuring a family member. Yep, I'm admitting to stealing the wood and telling the police where I stole it from. They would be asking questions anyway once an investigation was done into the cause of the fire. The police will surely pay you a visit and you might just have your own crime to answer for.


Interesting analysis, I like it. These are most certainly not the days to be messing around with anything that could be considered a bomb.


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## Woody5506 (Feb 19, 2017)

So then the thief has the burden of proof that the real owner of the wood intentionally made a "bomb" in a piece of firewood that was then stolen by said thief who is now somehow a victim. A thief who's word would have to be taken that HE didn't intentionally do that himself because, I don't know, let's say there'd be a nice insurance payout? A guy desperate enough to steal firewood wouldn't be desperate enough to do something that stupid for insurance reasons, right???

Let's also not forget there is such a thing called the "Clean Hands Doctrine" essentially meaning that you can't seek the court system's help if you have engaged in fraudulent dealings regarding the case. Other examples besides stealing a rigged piece of firewood would be people getting ripped off for drugs or drug money, etc. Someone who gets robbed for $20 while trying to buy drugs has no legal foot to stand on to get that back.


I see that lawsuit being destroyed by any decent defense lawyer. I'm not saying it's worth it over some firewood, but I'm saying I totally disagree with everyone saying you will be out everything to your name. It's an interesting topic anyway, I've really never thought about it until now.


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## blades (Feb 19, 2017)

Yep that's the way it goes now days, If a victim stands up for one's self all of a sudden he/she magically becomes the perp.  I have an extremely difficult time wrapping my mind around that.  I have an acquaintance in that scenario right now. He has a court appointed atty- who doesn't give a rats xxx. Now he did waste the perp ( I'm not condoning that) -  last resort, 3 -45acp rounds will do that at close range, so the whole book plus is being tossed at him. He does have a witness- retired LEO who was with him at the time. He thinks he is going to beat it ( optimism on his part) I think he will end up a ward of the state for what time he has left ( his age 66 - original perp 1/2 that with a nice rap sheet). Of course at this point the original perp is a golden angel per usual. This went down in front of a police station daylight hours- made the news nationally, conflicting and twisted news stories as is the norm. I do not know all the details but more than the news services. I do know the atmosphere of the municipality involved hence my statement above concerning out come in the courts.  Catch 22


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## bfitz3 (Feb 19, 2017)

Thief steals $10 in wood. Small fine. Maybe some days in the clink.

Homeowner blows up the persons stove, burns down their house, maybe kills a kid or the thief's gramma next door who just couldn't afford to heat her house. Major time, if convicted. Regardless, the homeowner is going to hell, for sure.

The homeowner is civilly liable, just as the thief is. All parties will be made whole by the courts. All parties will do time. The homeowner will lose much more. 

A system of vigilante justice is not a system that will work for a civil society. Maybe the vigilante gets the right guy. Sadly, given enough chances, innocents will become victims at the hands of vigilantes and pretty soon, we're talking Hatfield-McCoy stupidity. Is that a world that anyone wants? Can we stop acting all macho here and just admit that losing wood to a thief sucks, but the prospect of booby trapping stuff is twisted, amoral, and just flat out wrong? 

Anyway, here's a case to ponder. Also, if you look up the definition of a booby trap, anything explosive in a piece of firewood fits the bill. 

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/dec/19/news/mn-45474

Before anyone gets on the liberals of California, please note this is a case from Wisconsin.


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## bholler (Feb 19, 2017)

bfitz3 said:


> Can we stop acting all macho here and just admit that losing wood to a thief sucks, but the prospect of booby trapping stuff is twisted, amoral, and just flat out wrong?


I agree completly


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## Woody5506 (Feb 20, 2017)

Would I booby trap my wood? No...I'd definitely set up cameras and go from there.

The point I'm making is how heavy that burden of proof would be. How do you prove the wood came from the other guys pile and that he rigged it as an explosive? Is it illegal to stuff wood with firecrackers and blow it up in your own back yard for your own amusement (ok that's far fetched). Can anyone prove it was stolen from your pile of wood and not someone else's? What's the difference between that and trespassing on someone's land and getting attacked by their dog? 

Again, don't booby trap your wood pile, it's hardly worth it. But it's pretty sad that people think standing up for yourself means being macho. Especially when it comes to thieves.


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## sportbikerider78 (Feb 20, 2017)

I stack wood out of site of the main road.  Quite a bit out of site.

Put up one of these. Shoot it for good measure.


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## Jason845845 (Feb 23, 2017)

I've put a little thought into what I would do if I caught someone stealing from my meager wood stacks, and came to the conclusion that I would most likely help them load up and send them on their way. 

If you are stealing firewood, you are clearly way down on your luck and don't need to be beaten down any more. 

I'm far from being a liberal commie, most would consider me a right wing nut job, but this is how I feel on this subject.


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## glennm (Feb 23, 2017)

A guy that was getting his firewood ripped off put up a sign that said there is one split in the pile that was filled with explosives. He came home from work to find a new sign,_ Now there are two splits _


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## blades (Feb 23, 2017)

asking  and giving verifiable information I will help out. Just plain helping your self in the dead of night or when ever - world of hurt coming your way legally or the old fashioned way, the first is preferable the second, well your choice there. Around here unless I can hand everything on a golden platter to the authorities nothing will be done ( have the T shirt)  Since the late 60's I have had to deal with internal theft, embezzlement, about a dozen breakins( various locations) shop and home, And those that pilfer 24/7.  I do not have a lot of tolerance left in me at this point- ( that's 50 years worth) and more than a couple 100 thousand dollars worth. In the last 6 days my shop phone line was messed with, and my sole credit card was also attacked ( business card) . The good humor man is now pissed off- and that ain't pretty. By the way AT&T fraud system is useless, if you can even manage to contact a real person - and if you do it is always( according to them) the wrong dept. Credit card is less of a hassle but that is providing you can talk to someone that actually speaks and understands english and is located stateside.  It's been a bad week. sorry for the rant.


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## fishki (Feb 23, 2017)

Depending on the situation, if they were in need of heat and had no other means of heating, yes I would help out, asking would be best though. 
If they were stealing a truckload to resell to buy drugs or such, nope, they are going to jail. 
If they are just stealing a few splits for the hell of it, they can possibly have the choice of replacing it and doing some free work for me to pay me back for the trouble of hunting them down or I call the police and let them handle it.

I tend to be a very nice person, especially to those down on their luck. But if someone starts rummaging through my stuff like its theirs and helping them selves, that's where the line is drawn. Luckily the small town I'm in just has a bunch of well known petty thieves that like to tell on each other when they get caught.


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## kennyp2339 (Feb 23, 2017)

Remember the Halloween Blizzard of 2012 in the Northeast? Large parts of my town was out of power for almost 10 day, my friend and fellow firefighter was at the fire house working (members opened it at a warming shelter, charging center, place to get a hot meal) while he was doing community work (volunteer) someone in his neighborhood jacked about 1 cord of his firewood pile.
People will do stupid things out of desperation or there perceived emergency.


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## JRHAWK9 (Feb 23, 2017)

blades said:


> asking  and giving verifiable information I will help out. Just plain helping your self in the dead of night or when ever - world of hurt coming your way legally or the old fashioned way, the first is preferable the second, well your choice there. Around here unless I can hand everything on a golden platter to the authorities nothing will be done ( have the T shirt)  Since the late 60's I have had to deal with internal theft, embezzlement, about a dozen breakins( various locations) shop and home, And those that pilfer 24/7.  I do not have a lot of tolerance left in me at this point- ( that's 50 years worth) and more than a couple 100 thousand dollars worth. In the last 6 days my shop phone line was messed with, and my sole credit card was also attacked ( business card) . The good humor man is now pissed off- and that ain't pretty. By the way AT&T fraud system is useless, if you can even manage to contact a real person - and if you do it is always( according to them) the wrong dept. Credit card is less of a hassle but that is providing you can talk to someone that actually speaks and understands english and is located stateside.  It's been a bad week. sorry for the rant.



Sounds like you need to move out of Milwaukee.  I lived in various locations in that city during the 4 years I attended UWM in the mid 90's, with the worst being around 64th & Congress where my buddies car got stolen TWICE, a girl got r*ped across the street and one night we came home to a guy walking down the alley with our gas grill.


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## blades (Feb 24, 2017)

Have been in and out of the metro area for years-  with some stints in other locals as well- When i was much younger it was farm life- people problems were dealt with on the spot. Repeats seldom happened. The ills of society have gotten worse over the years re-enforced by the govt hand out programs. I am well aware of the area you mentioned as well as many others. Short story- 61st and Main St Milw. Feb in the 70's,  sub zero temps,Brace of Brittany spaniels ( big ones 55 # ea) 2 am  dogs agitated let them out the back door, front door bell rings , Neighbor telling me my snowblower is out in the alley- he was just coming home from his LEO job.  He asks where are pups said I just let them out.  He said I will call it in and ask for a bus as well.  Yes the dogs got the perps  couple blocks away. Female came back bloody- not hers,  male a short bit after her with a bloody pants leg as a trophy. He was quite proud of it. So the local leo's show up,   salt and pepper team, Give them the what and why-  They went and collected perps ( blood trail made it easy) which were in a world of hurt.  Sometimes things work so nicley.   Lived in Beloit early 70's for a few years shop and home and car jacked down there. home was right next to police station. no success there. Downtown Milw. mid 90's shop jacked 3 times in six weeks- along with a ton of other establishments in the area.  That one they finally caught up with about 3 months later. Late 60's guy broke into my car, 64 ford Galaxy  2 door about 9:30 pm Brookfield Sq, Parking lot, Broke both his legs when I body slammed the door on him. He was part of a group that had been breaking in to cars there for several months. He sold out his buddies. That door was about 4ft long and in the 150 # class back when cars  were actually were made of steel and not tin. I was never sued for whatever. That is a relativley new problem compounding things- again a society thing.


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## sportbikerider78 (Feb 24, 2017)

You guys remind me why I live in the country.  

These are my trespassers.   Shady group.  Not sure if they are legal.


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## CincyBurner (Feb 25, 2017)

sportbikerider78 said:


> Not sure if they are legal


When in season.


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## blades (Feb 25, 2017)

tasty.


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## georgepds (Feb 27, 2017)

My back wood stack was slowly disappearing. The house next door is family vacation spot, and I suspect some of the 2nd generation were taking it. I asked the matriarch of the family if she knew anyone doing it, and if she did could she ask them to please stop taking wood

Problem solved

I suspect nobody thought anyone tracked the height of a wood stack. To me it was as obvious as sawing off the top of the roof o the car little by little


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## HisTreeNut (Feb 27, 2017)

If someone was pilfering my stacks, I would call the police or try to help them out, depending on the situation.  Nice guys may finish last, but they always finish.  Setting traps and whatnot is more trouble than what it is worth because the criminal will be portrayed a s a victim and the victim will be portrayed as someone doing wrong...and it is just kind of dumb anyway.  No telling who or what could get hurt.
Suffice to say however, we live in a much different time than what we lived in growing up.  Used to be a 5 minute conversation, a handshake, & your word was enough to get most anything done.  Folks that needed help would ask and other folks were more than willing to help out.  Now you have to deal with lawsuits, people looking out for only themselves, and the logic behind most decisions is how the "ends justify the means."  Me, I kind of long for a simpler time...not just for me but for all my kiddos.  Somehow we have messed things up quite a bit.  Anyhoo...just some quick random thoughts on the topic at hand.


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## fishki (Feb 27, 2017)

HisTreeNut said:


> Suffice to say however, we live in a much different time than what we lived in growing up.  Used to be a 5 minute conversation, a handshake, & your word was enough to get most anything done.  Folks that needed help would ask and other folks were more than willing to help out.  Now you have to deal with lawsuits, people looking out for only themselves, and the logic behind most decisions is how the "ends justify the means."  Me, I kind of long for a simpler time...not just for me but for all my kiddos.  Somehow we have messed things up quite a bit.  Anyhoo...just some quick random thoughts on the topic at hand.



100% agree. I was born and raised on a farm and I remember when I was a kid we didn't even lock the house during the day when parents were at work and I was at school. They always said if someone broke down they would be able to use the phone to call for help. All the neighbors just kind of checked in and we all took care of each other and we never had an issue with thieves back then.

Now you have to lock everything down tight and hope its all still there when you get back,  hell half the time you cant even trust some of the neighbors.
I guess I just don't understand the mindset of those that think it's perfectly fine to take someone else's property.


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## bholler (Feb 27, 2017)

fishki said:


> Now you have to lock everything down tight and hope its all still there when you get back, hell half the time you cant even trust some of the neighbors.
> I guess I just don't understand the mindset of those that think it's perfectly fine to take someone else's property.


That depends where you live.  I don't even know where the keys are to my house the doors haven't been locked in at least 10 years.  Yes we have crime in this area but we live in a small town where we look out for each other.  Also the lock isn't going to keep out anyone who wants to get in anyway so I say why bother.


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## bholler (Feb 27, 2017)

I also let the keys in my truck so my neighbors can borrow it if they need to


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## georgepds (Feb 28, 2017)

fishki said:


> ...
> 
> Now you have to lock everything down tight and hope its all still there when you get back,  hell half the time you cant even trust some of the neighbors.....




Depends... I usually leave the door open. One night my wife woke me up and said someone was in the kitchen. Turns out the neighbor behind me, who was descending into Alzheimer's. was cooking up eggs. ( he used to be a chef).Since it was about 4 in the morning I convinced him it was time for bed, and led him to his own house. Next morning I told his wife, so that she could keep track of him.

For week afterwards people on the island, that I did not know, would come up to me and ask "how's them eggs". You may think you're isolated , but the local community knows more than you expect.

Myself, I have a vertigo disease called Meniere's. Last summer, just as I was about to launch a kayak into the basin I had a drop attack. ( you fall to the ground, cant walk straight for about an hour while the world spins about you). Only thing to do was lay in he sun and wait it out. A neighbor nearby bought me water (hot summer sun). When I could finally stand and walk a crooked line, she walked me home.

I can trust my neighbors, even the ones I don't know. They can trust me

FWIIW, I do lock up when I go away on vacation, but my neighbors have keys.


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## sportbikerider78 (Feb 28, 2017)

I think one of the most significant things that has changed is that everyone moves.  No one has roots.  If your average person sells their home 5-7 times in a lifetime, who really has neighbors?  

The longest I've stayed anywhere is 6-7 years.  I'm as guilty as anyone else for moving, but I do reach out to neighbors whenever I can.  Even if they don't know me.


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## Tom123 (Feb 28, 2017)

bholler said:


> What legal precedent is there showing that one party can successfully sue another after they hurt themselves with property stolen from the other party


I'm sure one of the liberal lawyers here in Connecticut would be willing to take that case.


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## bholler (Feb 28, 2017)

Tom123 said:


> I'm sure one of the liberal lawyers here in Connecticut would be willing to take that case.


just because a lawyer will take the case does not mean they will win it.  And by the way it has nothing to do with politics there are plenty of lawyers who regardless of politics will take stupid cases like that


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## firefighterjake (Feb 28, 2017)

sportbikerider78 said:


> I think one of the most significant things that has changed is that everyone moves.  No one has roots.  If your average person sells their home 5-7 times in a lifetime, who really has neighbors?
> 
> The longest I've stayed anywhere is 6-7 years.  I'm as guilty as anyone else for moving, but I do reach out to neighbors whenever I can.  Even if they don't know me.



Not me . . .

Grew up all my life in the same town . . . went to the same school Kindergarten through high school (different wings for the elementary, junior high and high school.)

Went to the deep South for four years of college (Henniker, New Hampshire) before returning home. After a few years I married my wife and we moved one town over.

I've been in the same home now since 1995 . . . sometimes my wife and I talk about building a new home . . . but only if we can buy the property next door or perhaps a lot one town over.

As for neighbors . . .

Retired school teacher across from me notices everything . . . she's better than having a burglar alarm. If someone has been to the house she usually knows who it was . . . or has a description of the vehicle (not that we need worry.)

Neighbor to one side was great. We would chat together in a Tim Allen/Wilson type of relationship (minus the fence . . . mostly it consisted of him yelling over to me and me saying "What? What?" until I finally just crossed over on to his lot and we chatted. He had a stroke though and now the house is up for sale as he moved in with his son.

Neighbor to the other side died . . . and when he did . . . his relatives who were living close by just kind of packed up one day and moved out leaving their ramshackle-built home with all of its stuff intact. It's falling down now.

My other neighbor is Amish . . . we get along great. Occasionally I'll give him or his family rides when they need transportation. In turn he has given me produce, eggs and let me borrow a book.


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## fishki (Feb 28, 2017)

I'm jealous now.  I have 1 neighbor I can trust, 1 neighbor I can maybe trust, and 1 other that no one can trust, the little old lady that owned the house passed away, her kids don't live here so they rent it out  to whoever throws them some cash. No background check, nothing. That house will go thru 2 or 3 tenants a year, kids running around the street screaming, parents always fighting, yelling whatever, and the police are over there constantly it seems. And this house is the closest to me, which is still a good block away. The house itself is now in such disrepair, no one fixes anything, tenants have basically destroyed the property. I have offered to buy it so I can tear it down but they refuse to sell.


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## Oldman47 (Feb 28, 2017)

HisTreeNut said:


> Suffice to say however, we live in a much different time than what we lived in growing up.  Used to be a 5 minute conversation, a handshake, & your word was enough to get most anything done.



It is not so bad everywhere.  I still do a lot of business with a handshake, and not just on cheap stuff. I asked my local motorcycle dealer to special order a $22,000 bike for me on just my say-so. When it came in he got paid but there was not a bit of paper involved until we went to register it with the state. When I want a farm field sprayed with herbicide, I use the phone and it happens. I get the bill in the mail about a month later. When I wanted my new home site excavated for a poured concrete foundation I walked it down with the guy running the dozer and it happened. Then I called the concrete contractor and gave him a set of my house plans for that foundation. Again it just happened. Where I am living now, not where I am building, I called in a tree service to remove a large, 30"+/- dbh, ash that was hanging over my roof and my neighbor's roof. We agreed to a price and he removed that tree before any money changed hands and before any contract was signed. It is just the way things are done around here. This is the before picture.



and after


On the other hand, I was robbed of a lousy 3/8" drill motor. When I called in the local cops they told me who probably did it but they could not arrest the guy without better evidence than they could find on my site. I replaced that drill motor for about $50 but the mere fact it had happened really got my goat.


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 28, 2017)

georgepds said:


> Depends... I usually leave the door open. One night my wife woke me up and said someone was in the kitchen. Turns out the neighbor behind me, who was descending into Alzheimer's. was cooking up eggs. ( he used to be a chef).Since it was about 4 in the morning I convinced him it was time for bed, and led him to his own house. Next morning I told his wife, so that she could keep track of him.
> 
> For week afterwards people on the island, that I did not know, would come up to me and ask "how's them eggs". You may think you're isolated , but the local community knows more than you expect.
> 
> ...


How was he cooking the eggs? I'm a fan of scrambled, over-easy, Benedict, and most omlets, but if he tried to put spinach in it, I'd have shown him the door right quick.


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Feb 28, 2017)

bholler said:


> That depends where you live.  I don't even know where the keys are to my house the doors haven't been locked in at least 10 years.  Yes we have crime in this area but we live in a small town where we look out for each other.  Also the lock isn't going to keep out anyone who wants to get in anyway so I say why bother.


I feel the same way. I have the old school locks that have the key that looks like a skeleton key, and only one key. Can you even get copies made?

That said, one neighbor has an autistic son who is fascinated by the old house, and he used to let himself in when he thought we weren't around. I knew it was happening, figured no harm, so I didn't say anything. 

Finally, one day, he locked the house up when he was leaving (the one and only key was hanging right next to the front door, inside on a hook), climbed out a window, and left the key on the kitchen table by mistake.  When I got home, I was locked out. So, I went over to the neighbor and asked if I could have the key.

 The neighbor acted like I was out of line, her son didn't go into the house when we weren't home, and he didn't have the key. I explained that it was the one and only key we had, and departed.

About 15 minutes later, she stopped over and told me that the key was inside, and which window was unlocked.  He couldn't stand that we left the house unlocked, and finally gave in to his urge to lock it up.  He was worried that someone was going to get inside.

He hasn't been back inside since.


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## bholler (Feb 28, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> I feel the same way. I have the old school locks that have the key that looks like a skeleton key, and only one key. Can you even get copies made?


Most of our locks are old ones like that to.  But I did put modern deadbolts on all of the exterior door to make our first insurance company happy.  But I dont even know where that key is.  

Our dogs would discorage most anyone who doesnt know them from coming in though one is a 55 lb pit mix who is a sweet heart and the other is a 95lb American bulldog that is a big baby who is scared of his own shadow.  But if you come to the door and see that big guy on the other side of the door barking most people wont go in to find out


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## georgepds (Mar 1, 2017)

ED 3000 said:


> How was he cooking the eggs? I'm a fan of scrambled, over-easy, Benedict, and most omlets, but if he tried to put spinach in it, I'd have shown him the door right quick.




In a frying pan... looked like he was halfway through an omlet

No spinach.. but I still did not eat it.. at the time I preferred cereal


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