# Lock up your wood.



## guest5234 (Aug 20, 2011)

Fuel prices have rocketed in the UK over the last couple of years and wood stoves are selling like hot cakes over here, unfortunately this has pushed the price of wood up as the demand is getting bigger. We have a new problem in the UK.....wood thieves....police are teling us to lock up our wood and not display it on the front of our yards, you got this problem in the USA and Canada.?


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 20, 2011)

Sorry to hear that Neil. No doubt this will only get worse as the economy falters. Desperate people do desperate things. 

No problem here but have heard of some folks getting small amounts stolen.  Fortunately out wood piles are not in the open for public view.


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## cptoneleg (Aug 20, 2011)

Nope we have the right to


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## NH_Wood (Aug 20, 2011)

I've worried about this - many of my stacks are very near the road, but you'd have to load real quick - vehicles could come around the corner pretty quick and you'd have nowhere to hide. No problems yet - but not sure how that hell I'd lock up my wood. Cheers!


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## guest5234 (Aug 20, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Nope we have the right to





yep. you can steal our wives, drink our berr...but don't yas step on my new wood stack.


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## Ash_403 (Aug 20, 2011)

Mine is in my backyard enclosed in a 6 ft. privacy fence.  Locked gates, and a great, retired, snoopy neighbor, friend of mine that lives by me are also utilized.

Cheers.


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## cptoneleg (Aug 20, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

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Oh no don't drink my beer either I stacked some by the road this yr. and it's probably 100yards up there so will see, by the way this is all wood free on c/l I had fence post but no fence.


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## jimbom (Aug 20, 2011)

Sorry to hear that.  I think I know who did it.  Caliban!
What is playing at the RSC?


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## guest5234 (Aug 20, 2011)

JimboM said:
			
		

> Sorry to hear that.  I think I know who did it.  Caliban!
> What is playing at the RSC?




King Lear...very good.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 20, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

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King Lear is my second favorite work of Shakespeare. In 11th grade English class we had to write a one page report on one of his works. I hadn't read any and asked if I could look up a word in the unabridged dictionary in the room. I looked up King Lear and it gave me an excellent synopsis. Wrote the paper and got a grade of "A". But of course my favorite is The Taming Of The Shrew.


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## Loco Gringo (Aug 20, 2011)

No problem in these woods.


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## fabsroman (Aug 20, 2011)

If the economy tanks, so will fuel prices and most likely heating oil because the demand for oil will decrease significantly. Just like when we had $1.70 gas back in 2009. Gas is already headed downward because of the economic uncertainty. That means more people will be able to afford to heat their homes this winter.

Hopefully, wood theft will not become a problem. I am probably going to have 6+ cords of wood stacked by the time winter gets here, and I would hate to find any of it missing. Not quite ready to put a fence in yet because I need to get the tractor first to do so.


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## andybaker (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi Neil,
No problem here, my stacks are out of sight.  I'm wondering, is England different than here.  Don't you have trees that grow everywhere?  And don't people just go cut them up for their firewood like we do here?  I know something has to be different there, can you fill in on what you think it is.  I'm really curious about this one.  Thanks.


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## weatherguy (Aug 20, 2011)

fabsroman said:
			
		

> If the economy tanks, so will fuel prices and most likely heating oil because the demand for oil will decrease significantly. Just like when we had $1.70 gas back in 2009. Gas is already headed downward because of the economic uncertainty. That means more people will be able to afford to heat their homes this winter.
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> Hopefully, wood theft will not become a problem. I am probably going to have 6+ cords of wood stacked by the time winter gets here, and I would hate to find any of it missing. Not quite ready to put a fence in yet because I need to get the tractor first to do so.



Crude took a dip this week on worries of a recession. Wood's still cheap here so I dont think we'll come to wood thieves just yet.


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## jimbom (Aug 20, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

> .....wood thieves....police are telling us to lock up our wood and not display it on the front of our yards, you got this problem in the USA and Canada.?


I don't think it will become a big problem where I live.  Most theft here is driven by the desire to get money for drugs.  They would have to steal a lot of firewood and then find some place to sell it.  Way to much work.

Dangerous also.  Even my 88 year old mother has a gun and knows how to use it.


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## n3pro (Aug 20, 2011)

I got a small lot so it's tough to hide but hopefully if they try to steal my wood they do it overnight on a new moon; they'd be greeted with all the crap I'm too lazy to pick up and curse at every time I trip over the stuff and I know where it is.  It isn't all my fault I got some tree roots growing up for some reason, every time I trip I say I'm going to get the sawzall and cut them but get sidetracked and don't.


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## Huskyforlife (Aug 21, 2011)

Stealing wood in the United States could be hazardous to your health. I own a Mossberg 12 gauge, loaded w/ 00 buckshot...courtesy of the 2nd Amendment.  Around here, most people who would be heating with wood, also own firearms....


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## fire_man (Aug 21, 2011)

n3pro said:
			
		

> I got a small lot so it's tough to hide but hopefully if they try to steal my wood they do it overnight on a new moon; they'd be greeted with all the crap I'm too lazy to pick up and curse at every time I trip over the stuff and I know where it is.  It isn't all my fault I got some tree roots growing up for some reason, every time I trip I say I'm going to get the sawzall and cut them but get sidetracked and don't.



You better cut those roots - these days if they  steal your wood and hurt themselves in the process, you get sued and still lose your wood....   :-S


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## Thistle (Aug 21, 2011)

Haha a few here know how I reacted when a lowlife POS neighbor behind me stole 2 wheelbarrows worth over my east fence in Aug. 2009.It was still smoldering in his outdoor firepit the next morning.I jumped the fence,run up on his steps then practically ripped the screen door off its hinges, screaming 'GET OUT HERE YOU F-ING THIEF or I'll drag your ass out!  "Others heard me screaming 2 blocks over. I called the cops,his GF finally answered the door, she literally begged me NOT to call the cops.Once he finally woke up & staggered outside he denied it,said "uhmmmuhhh  it was our roommate,he's staying with us a few days,but is leaving tommorow blah blah...." the cops showed up & asked him "Who's wood is this burning illegally inside city limits?  ;-)  " They got a warning,the complaint was to be on file 1 yr from that date.They eventually moved away to Washington State in May 2010,they're someone else's problem now.

I detest thieves,no matter what their stealing.Try that again & you'll probably get a beating or  maybe even worse,depending on my mood that day.


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## fire_man (Aug 21, 2011)

I remember that post. I'm sure he never bothered a pile of wood again that wasn't his. Luckily so far we have good neighbors.


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## guest5234 (Aug 21, 2011)

andybaker said:
			
		

> Hi Neil,
> No problem here, my stacks are out of sight.  I'm wondering, is England different than here.  Don't you have trees that grow everywhere?  And don't people just go cut them up for their firewood like we do here?  I know something has to be different there, can you fill in on what you think it is.  I'm really curious about this one.  Thanks.



You cannot just chop trees down over here, most forests are owned or in trusts, you might get a neighbour who wants a tree down or a friendly tree surgeon who will give you a tree now and again.


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## andybaker (Aug 21, 2011)

Ok, I should clarify a little bit.  I don't mean just go cut any tree down that looks good.  I mean aren't there trees always being cut down and someone has to get them.  Some tree services will split them and sell the firewood but anymore most of the services I've talked to won't put the money in the labor to process the trees.  I've found some places that you can call or just take your trailer and they'll fill it up-free!  Around here it like, what else can you do with all these trees that come down.  A little networking goes a long way.  I wonder if it's the same there.  Or do trees there not die so fast?  Are the trees spoken for already?  Or, is there something else they do with them?  I'm just curious.


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## smokinj (Aug 21, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

> Fuel prices have rocketed in the UK over the last couple of years and wood stoves are selling like hot cakes over here, unfortunately this has pushed the price of wood up as the demand is getting bigger. We have a new problem in the UK.....wood thieves....police are teling us to lock up our wood and not display it on the front of our yards, you got this problem in the USA and Canada.?



Most are still lazy here...... :lol:


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## oldspark (Aug 21, 2011)

MAK 90=dead wood thief!


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## firefighterjake (Aug 22, 2011)

Around here it seems like most of the thiefs are lazy and going for the easy pickings -- pharmacies, unoccupied homes (for the copper -- that's the more enterprising thief), credit unions, gas stations and banks. 

We don't see too much wood being stolen . . . and if it is . . . it will not be until Fall begins and the would-be thief realizes that he has no heating oil or wood to keep warm with all Fall and Winter.


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## Littlespark (Aug 22, 2011)

I wanted to second what someone else mentioned.  There might just be a connection between those that heat with wood and just happen to own firearms! Hmm food for thought. 

 I have been working all spring and summer with my father to down old ash trees.   Because he's older he does the chainsaw operations and I do the splitting and piling into the tractor lift bucket.  At my house I keep 1/2 of the wood in the old pig barn, and the other part piled into an open bay on a larger barn I have.  The open bay is visible from the road, and about two weeks ago someone stopped and asked if I was selling my wood.  I am still sore from splitting it all with by hand so I explained to them that I wasn't selling anything.    I get nervous about people stopping and asking though.   If they noticed it, a would be thief would notice it.  He'd have to be pretty hard up to steal my 4 cords that is in the open bay.  In fact if he can steal it without me noticing it from the house, I almost deserve to be robbed blind.  

Cheer,s

Littlespark


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## Stegman (Aug 22, 2011)

Ash_403 said:
			
		

> Mine is in my backyard enclosed in a 6 ft. privacy fence.  Locked gates, and a great, retired, snoopy neighbor, friend of mine that lives by me are also utilized.
> 
> Cheers.



I have one of those neighbors too. Pain in the ass a lot of the time, but the vigilance is a nice by-product.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 22, 2011)

No wood stolen but a couple nights ago a neighbor left a John Deere lawn mower in the yard. It was gone by morning. Nothing runs like a Deere!


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## woodchip (Aug 22, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

> Fuel prices have rocketed in the UK over the last couple of years and wood stoves are selling like hot cakes over here, unfortunately this has pushed the price of wood up as the demand is getting bigger. We have a new problem in the UK.....wood thieves....police are teling us to lock up our wood and not display it on the front of our yards, you got this problem in the USA and Canada.?



Wood has increased in price as have gas and oil, but no problems round here with people nicking other people's wood.........yet. 

But I do often leave booby traps around the yard, tripwires etc., just so any unwanted visitors make plenty of noise. 

Thieves hate noise  ;-)


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## Cascade Failure (Aug 22, 2011)

Huskyforlife said:
			
		

> Stealing wood in the United States could be hazardous to your health. I own a Mossberg 12 gauge, loaded w/ 00 buckshot...courtesy of the 2nd Amendment.  Around here, most people who would be heating with wood, also own firearms....



Its amazing...we're a pretty liberal state overall but the number of guns here is wonderfully staggering!


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## woodsmaster (Aug 22, 2011)

I leave my wood in plain view and havn't had any problems with theft. Around here wood is easy to come by. If you have a saw it's easy to find free wood to cut. If you don't have a saw it's only $120 - $140 for a full cord of hardwood. Every one around here also owns guns.


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## Bigg_Redd (Aug 22, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Nope we have the right to



x2

AND, I have what we in America call a "drop gun."


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## remkel (Aug 23, 2011)

Not worried about people stealing my wood...

If I see them in the yard, it is the 12 guage
If I see them in the driveway, it is the .38
If I see them at the end of the driveway, it is the .22
If I see them driving down the road, it is the 30 O .06


Yes, there is a theme to my answers.....low life thieves...


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## mywaynow (Aug 23, 2011)

Delivering justice between 1400 and 3300 fps!


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## smoke eater (Aug 23, 2011)

Neil, sorry to hear about that. i think one factor, like you mentioned is the price of oil (gas, heating oil, diesel, etc...) i'm from Norway and still have lots of family over there. so i know the price of gas and heating oil are around three to  four times the amount as here. thats right, they sell it by the liter at gas stations- around $3  a liter. do the math and thats around $12 a gallon. i'm sure england is close to that. Neil, what are the current prices? good luck this winter


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## Jags (Aug 23, 2011)

If they have enough guts to face my dog for a pickup load of firewood, I would sit back an watch the quality entertainment.  Oh - I also get the video rights.  She "probably" won't kill 'em, but I bet they would leave with a sore ass and shredded pants.


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## Adios Pantalones (Aug 23, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> If they have enough guts to face my dog for a pickup load of firewood, I would sit back an watch the quality entertainment.  Oh - I also get the video rights.  She "probably" won't kill 'em, but I bet they would leave with a sore ass and shredded pants.



LOL- Jags told me to send packages to his work because the postman won't deal with his dawg!


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## Jags (Aug 23, 2011)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

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She is a fantastic critter, but the moment I leave the property, it is her domain.  She owns it, with authority.


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## WES999 (Aug 23, 2011)

4 legged burglar alarm, with X-ray vision. ;-)


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## 3fordasho (Aug 23, 2011)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> No wood stolen but a couple nights ago a neighbor left a John Deere lawn mower in the yard. It was gone by morning. Nothing runs like a Deere!





Huh,  I *almost* wish I had that problem....my stuff is all neat and tidy locked in the shed,  but the neighbor likes to leave his mower, newer snowblower, bikes, fishing poles and assorted other crap in the wide open making for an ugly sight from my patio....  I really wish that crap would walk off...    he also doesn't believe in any outdoor lighting so it would be easy pickens....  let me accidently post his address ;-)


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## Thistle (Aug 23, 2011)

mywaynow said:
			
		

> Delivering justice between 1400 and 3300 fps!



+100  :coolgrin:


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## guest5234 (Aug 28, 2011)

Remkel said:
			
		

> Not worried about people stealing my wood...
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> If I see them in the yard, it is the 12 guage
> If I see them in the driveway, it is the .38
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If you are caught in the UK with a handgun it is  10 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.


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## stephiedoll (Aug 29, 2011)

Funny,
Crude oil is down but gas went up $0.20 cents here last week. No trouble with wood thiefs at least. Most of mine is in the back yard, but also have some by the driveway.


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## woodchip (Aug 29, 2011)

Neil said:
			
		

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I think they have it right on their side of the pond, instant justice at about 1850fps  ;-)


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## Bspring (Aug 29, 2011)

I have had some problems but not with my wood. I can leagly shoot them in my house any time or outside if dark but in the daylight I can not use deadly force to protect my property. I know people that have done it and they got into big trouble.


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## RoseRedHoofbeats (Sep 1, 2011)

There is a very simple solution to this problem.






Can't you still have longarms in England?

~Rose


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## woodchip (Sep 1, 2011)

RoseRedHoofbeats said:
			
		

> Can't you still have longarms in England?~Rose



Shotguns are allowed if you have a reason to hold one, ie. a farmer with land etc., but pistols are a no-no.

It's a joke as our Olympic team have to go abroad to practice for our own Olympics next year, but baddies can do as they wish. 

Suppose the trick is to put a secret gps tracker in a bit of wood so you can follow anyone to their home and invite them to return your wood. 

Just make sure it's an irresistable invitation........  ;-)


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## Sisu (Sep 1, 2011)

woodchip said:
			
		

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Didn't handgun crime in the UK go up close to 300% after the hand gun ban?  

Canada's laws are almost getting as bad/assinine.  Although handgun ownership is allowed you have to be a collector or part of a gun-club.  No concealed or open carry is allowed for the general population.  You also have to lock them away at home, making any sort of home defense useless.  Yet the criminals do what they want.


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## Kenster (Sep 1, 2011)

fire_man said:
			
		

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That might happen in the land of Kennedy and Dukakis but it'll never happen in Texas.  Sure, anyone can sue for any reason but there's no jury down here that would ever find for this type of plaintive.  _Maybe_ if you booby trapped it intentionally but even that would be doubtful.  

In my frequent travels I see firewood stacked near the road all the time in the northern states.   I even see boxes and bundles stacked on the side of the road saying "$5 a bundle (or whatever.)  Not sure how that system works.  Do they expect people to come knock on the door and pay them?  Do they have an honor system with a coffee can laying out on the stack?  I'm sure most people would be honest and pay but I always wonder how much gets ripped off.  

In Europe I see huge stacks of split firewood out in the woods along the highways, miles from any houses.


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## Jags (Sep 1, 2011)

Kenster said:
			
		

> Not sure how that system works.  Do they expect people to come knock on the door and pay them?  Do they have an honor system with a coffee can laying out on the stack?



Similar - I have a friend that sells sweet corn from a wagon on a corner.  A steel box bolted to the frame for payment.  Total honor system.  He says that frequently he has over payment.  Somebody(s) paying more (probably due to a "change" issue) instead of cheating the system.  Note: this is a very rural area, not a high population.  That "may" have something to do with it.  I am not trying to offend anyone, but rural living seems to breed a different culture than high population areas, IMHO.


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## Bspring (Sep 1, 2011)

woodchip said:
			
		

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Can you protect your home with a rifle?


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## woodchip (Sep 1, 2011)

Bspring said:
			
		

> Can you protect your home with a rifle?



Regrettably, no.....

However, I do live in an incredibly quiet area where everybody seems totally honest. 

And long may it sontinue....


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## sheepdog000 (Sep 13, 2011)

Huskyforlife said:
			
		

> Stealing wood in the United States could be hazardous to your health. I own a Mossberg 12 gauge, loaded w/ 00 buckshot...courtesy of the 2nd Amendment.  Around here, most people who would be heating with wood, also own firearms....



Well said.


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## jdinspector (Sep 13, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

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Coffee Can!! LOL!  I helped my kid build a small cart that sits in front of our house. He sells split firewood from it on the "honor system" and refills it about once a week in the fall. There is a small can that has a hole in it with the sides screwed on (I'm sure you could take the lid off in about 10 seconds without a screwdriver). He has sold firewood from in front of our house for the last 2 years. Last fall he made about $300.

As far as we can tell, he hasn't been ripped off yet. And yes, we live in a pretty populated area, just north of a big hospital. A pretty fair amount of traffic goes down our street.

People in our neighborhood think it's cool that the honor system still works.


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## woodchip (Sep 13, 2011)

jdinspector said:
			
		

> People in our neighborhood think it's cool that the honor system still works.



Same here, we have our plant stand out every spring, selling veg plants, people always put money in our door. 

Most people like to be trusted, and the theiving types would not grow their own veg anyway..... ;-)


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## Shari (Sep 13, 2011)

We used to can and freeze a lot of vegetables.  A local farmer fills the back of his pickup truck with carrots and has a stash of paper grocery bags and parks the filled truck near a local gas station for the day with a sign "$2 / bag full.  Drop the money in the passenger window."  Every time we went there his truck interior was littered with $1 bills.

No problem with wood theives here - most of our neighbors are too yuppie to burn wood - they just open their wallets to pay the gas bill.

Shari


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## snowleopard (Sep 14, 2011)

During the oil run-up of 08 we had thieves working the oil tanks.  This was before I got a wood stove (one of the reasons I decided to get a wood stove) and I used to worry that my tanks would get hit.  Local rural post office got hit twice; I heard about people's houses freezing up because they thought they had plenty of oil, and got drained. Some oil thieves were targeting houses that were standing empty with For Sale signs on them.  They had a tanker rigged up to look like a delivery truck that could suck a tank dry in five-ten minutes.  Someone caught them in the act, and held a gun on them.  Made them take off their boots and pants and lay down to wait for the troopers to arrive. It was -30F.   :smirk:   Now there's a you-tube photo op . . . 

I would say that the law would take offense to your nicking the criminals, but they probably wouldn't mind if you put a few holes in their rigs.  I know I'd be tempted. 

I heard another story about some miners that had a rig set up with heavy-duty springs for oil theft, and were keeping their mining operation going with stolen oil.  They got a five-year conviction.  I thought it a pity that they didn't tell all of their victims where the mine was located, and let them have at the equipment while the boys were locked up.  I am not proud of this quality in my character.  [hangs head] 

I worry a bit about my stacks of wood, and have positioned them so that the stuff that's seasoning for the next few years will be hard to get at once the snow arrives.  I'm getting some cut today (hooray!) that will be stored across my back porch, visible from the road, and yes, I worry a bit.  But they would also be visible if they were trying to steal it.   There are so many people here with wood piles that I think it's more unlikely--too much work for most thieves--the big money is in the quick hit for oil theft.   Camera systems can be set up to track them, I suppose, if you don't mind feeling like you're living in a convenience store or a bank.   

I read on here about someone who caught a thief in the act who had the quick thinking and nerve to say, "Uh, is this where you pick up the free firewood?"   He got away with all his bodily parts . . .


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