Wood Thief

[wallis54806]

I also have a firewood fence next to the ally.
About a month ago I lost a 3' x 3' section to a thief. My solution so far is to add a security light and put a tarp over the section of the pile that is farthest from the light. I have not had any problems since then, but that may be coincidence, as this is the first time that I have had any wood stolen.

 

[firefighterjake]

I would ask before taking anything . . . curbside or not . . . around here if something is free for the taking folks put a sign on it . . . however while I would not personally take anything curbside without asking and view this as stealing I could see how some folks might not realize this was not free wood.

That said, I would suggest moving the wood and not putting it there in the future . . . consider this a lesson learned.

 

[Backroads]

Be careful how close you stack your wood to the road for another reason besides thieves. Some town ordinances prohibit wood being stacked too close to the road. They call it a "hazard"(like trees aren't!!). I know a guy in RI that had this happen to him and the town told him to move it or he would be fined $1000 a DAY!

 

[gpcollen1]

Common practice around here is anything set on the edge of the road like your trash would be is free for the taking.That whole ple would be gone in a few days, I know thast doesn't make it right but..
I would say you are just asking for trouble by leaving right next to the road. I would put a sign there and get it moved and not put wood there ever again.
If you lived here people would laugh and say what did you expect when you complained about people taking the wood. Of course the other point is in Illinois that first 15' is considered right of way and isn't even your land to begin with !
On the other hand if you have to stack it there you could get some snow fence and put along side it to clearly show it's not wood put out for the taking.

That 15' being a right-of-way does not mean you do not own it - just that the town/state can do to it what they want. It is still your property...

 

[gpcollen1]

That pile will be up in the shed in a month or two. The long-term plan is not to have any wood down by the road, as I mentioned in the OP. I just don't have enough space cleared yet up top by the house. Plan is to have a new wood shed [current year] and another log unloading, splitting and storage shed [current year +1 and 2]. I am still trying to find someone local to rent an excavator from for a month or 2. I just don't have enough time to rent one for the week for $1000 and get it done. I do everything a few hours at a time.

 

[Twig]

. If I leave my trash cans out more than a day or 2 they would be gone. If my neighbor was Aunt Bee and the local Sherriff was Andy Taylor then I would say you should be fine. But the times they are a Changin!

 

[leaf4952]

leave a chalk outline of a body on the ground near the pile.[/quote]

i like this chaulk outline idea very much.

 

[Twig]

leave a chalk outline of a body on the ground near the pile.

i like this chaulk outline idea very much.[/quote]

This is actually a great idea. At least rope it off with police crime scene tape.