It Feels Like Monday

[big john]

So I came in today today to find a metal-halide fixture, still in the box, sitting in front of my truck. That's funny, because I'd been storing it in my truck until I get some time to install it, and I sure didn't take it out.

I'd been keeping the MH light in a big side-box on my pickup where I store all my hand tools. I opened up that box and it was totally empty. Every single thing in it had been stolen. Honest to god, it made me sick looking at that empty box.

I worked fifteen hours yesterday and just completely forgot to check that bay of the truck before I left. Insurance won't cover it because the stupid thing was unlocked. Nevermind that it was sitting in a well-lighted yard surrounded by an eight foot high barbed wire fence.

It's amazing how brazen thieves are. They must've taken eighty or ninety pounds of hand tools. It was either a couple of guys or else one guy making multiple trips.

And what really kills me is: I can see pawning things like wrench and socket sets and punch sets. Those were in great shape, and would really bring in money. But they took a huge tool bag full of miscellaneous screwdrivers, and fuse pullers, and pliers. This stuff is nickle-and-dime (well, sorta) and it was all pretty well used. I can't imagine anyone giving them money for that. Who the heck is gonna buy a plumb-bob at a pawn shop? Or a lockout-tagout kit?

I suppose I should be glad they didn't brake into the cab to steal the test equipment, but jesus. I've been quiet about it all day because it's at least partly my own stupid fault for not locking it up, but man is it eating me. I start doing the math on how much it's gonna cost to replace and it gets into the four-figures pretty quick. I've just been fantasizing about hiding out there in the darkness with a bat and waiting for these yahoos to try again.

It just burns me. This wasn't a TV or someone's Ipod. You need your tools to provide for yourself. Heck, I need those tools to make money to buy replacement tools!

I know there's nothing anyone can do, and I guess I'll trek to the local pawn shops, not that I have much faith in that. Sorry for the rant, but I knew ya'll would sympathize, and it's just hard to deal with.

-John

 

[wireguru]

sorry to hear about that. scumbags

 

[Buck Parrish]

Yep , unfortunetly , I've been thier.

When you go to the pawn shop. Don't tell them your looking for stolen tools. It's been my expierience that they clam up.

 

[gadfly56]

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster Diving

Try doing a little local dumpster diving before pickups take place. The "junk" may very well have been ditched to lighten his/their load. In fact, depending on the pick up schedules, the thief may very well be stashing the loot in a dumpster. Quick thinking on my brother's part enabled him to salvage about 75% of his tools one time by checking the job site dumpster.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

Try doing a little local dumpster diving before pickups take place. The "junk" may very well have been ditched to lighten his/their load. In fact, depending on the pick up schedules, the thief may very well be stashing the loot in a dumpster. Quick thinking on my brother's part enabled him to salvage about 75% of his tools one time by checking the job site dumpster.

Great idea!! I had a friend that came home and his guns were stolen. He talked to his neighbor and the neighbor said they had to be on foot because there were no cars coming in. This was in the country late at night. He walked both ways up the road about 1/2 mile. I CANNOT belive he was this lucky. He found ALL his guns hidden in a culvert pipe. HE first quickly gathered all the guns, secondly he called his brothers and they both met him over there. Thay all 3 waited for the guy to show back up. Sure enough, a car came to the exact place. He had caught a ride back there to get the loot. I'm not gonna go into too many details, but let's just say the driver, the passenger, and the car, did not fair too well.

 

[Volta]

... Honest to god, it made me sick looking at that empty box...

Yeah man, I know that feeling.

I worked fifteen hours yesterday ....

That kind of day can do that. And the money part sucks, but it is the things too small to list that'll bug you for a long time, things you don't think of 'till you turn to grab them one day and remember again . . . grrr

 

[fondini]

That happened to me on a jobsite in a 15 minute timespan,1200 when I went into a job to talk to the owner,and 1215 when I went out to get my tools to start troubleshooting. I saw red for days.

 

[cschmid]

man that is just a plain ole bad time..been there done that and got the memories to hold on too.

 

[Buck Parrish]

If it was locked and some one bent broke or tore up the door to get in.

I've often wonderd what a bin door and lock would cost to repace vs the tools inside. (On a utility bed truck)

 

[LarryFine]

Ouch! That really creates a vacuum.

I never leave any vehicle unlocked, even for a QUICK run into a 7-11.

 

[cowboyjwc]

My old boss was working on a resturant one time and had his truck parked in the alley. He said they were back and forth to the truck all day, went back again and every power tool in it was gone. He said, it couldn't have been 5 minutes.

Another guy told me of going out to his work van one day, and someone had taken a torch and cut a huge hole in the drivers side.

 

[rodneee]

[ Insurance won't cover it because the stupid thing was unlocked.


that is the oldest insurance trick in the book....the the sad thing is some people actually fall for it and never file a claim....the boston bruins print on their tickets that if a fan gets hit by a puck they are not liable....some people believe that too...and i know it probably says it clearly in your policy....do not fall for that either...

 

[shockin]

Insurance won't cover it because the stupid thing was unlocked.

I would check with your insurance. They will probably pay out on this, depends on your deductable as to wether it makes sense to do so or not.

We had a guy leave a truck unlocked with the keys in it, and the insurance company replaced the tools.

 

[satcom]

I would check with your insurance. They will probably pay out on this, depends on your deductable as to wether it makes sense to do so or not.

We had a guy leave a truck unlocked with the keys in it, and the insurance company replaced the tools.

My neighbor had his truck full of tool stolen, he never locked it and he said it was on the police report, and he told the insurance company it was not locked, they replaced everything , If you don't file a claim you will never know.

 

[mikeames]

I hate peopel like those who steal form other individuals. I know its the same as stealing from stores but its not as personal. Its not an accidental crime. It something some one willingly does. I wonder if they know how that impacts people. I wont write what I really feel on this site, but I really wish nothing but very bad bad things for people who do that.


I was walking my dog and found a brand new Bosch work radio and charger laying in the the middle of the woods. I knew it was stolen from a contractor. I wanted nothing more than to find the owner but there was no way. I took it home because I could not see it waste away in the woods.

 

[bpk]

I had a bunch of my tools stolen out of a truck at night also. I was venting the next day to the guys at the local supply house and they gave me new hand tools and a really good deal on the other stuff. It took a little of the sting away at least, and they got a loyal customer

 

[George Stolz]

It just burns me.

I feel for ya, really sorry to hear that. And angry.

 

[WirenutNH]

big john,
I feel your pain I stopped at a big orange box store in your area to p/u a couple of things for the soliders home and forgot my wallet (15 min time laps), so I walked out to truck to get wallet notice large tool bin on passager side slighly opened opened up to find out that it was cleaned out. Police said that store cameras not clar enough to tell if a truck, van or car was what pulled up.

 

[MAK]

I feel your pain. I had all my tools stolen out of my truck last year. It made me angry of course but it also gave me an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. Not being able to do anything to recover my tools or the ability to bring some swift and severe frontier justice to the thieves was the most frustrating thing to deal with.
I found most of my coworkers, friends and even some complete strangers were willing to help me try and recover from the loss. It was actually refreshing to see that even though there are those spineless animals out there taking from hard working honest people there are a lot of people who would offer anything within there means to help a stranger or friend in a time of need. It was a nice touch of humanity.

After going through theft of tools once it makes me truly fearful of what I would or could do if I were to catch someone in the act of stealing my tools again.