Appropriate steps to detur firewood thieves

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picked this up tonight

This will be installed for the up comming weekend.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/3fordasho/?action=view&current=DSC02976.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/3fordasho/DSC02976.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
wood theifs

what i would do to prove it is them is take a hole saw and cut out a hole in the wood and put some smokebombs in the wood or firecrackers and when they have there so called fires and them go off you will now just seal the ends up with spray foam and turn around on the pile
 
This will be installed for the up comming weekend.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/3fordasho/?action=view&current=DSC02976.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/3fordasho/DSC02976.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I like this approach. Non-confrontational and gets objective hard-to-debate data.

Can't wait to hear the results of the survey.
 
Cctv

Make sure they are OUT when installing and that the cameras cannot be spotted - well, if you want them caught rather than deterred.
Good luck, don't do anything you'll regret - patience endures.
Oh yeah, when you install the fence, think of a nice shade of puke-pink for the neighbors side :)

SA
 
I have been following this thread since the beginning. Kind of addicting to see what is going to happen next. On the fence option, have you considered an electric fence? Post a warning sign on it. When the drunk ------ come to get some more of your wood, they are sure not to remember and get a real Enlightening experience! Make sure the camera is installed as well so you can watch the show after you hear the bastards screaming!
I hate thieves, can't you tell!

Joe
 
I had to put up a fence at my camp because of some out of state morons next door. We have three waterfront lots, built on two, third vacant one abuts these idiots. Well since they bought the place a few years ago they have been encroaching on my land. I asked them to stay off my property. They started on about how I wasn't using the land and what was the issue. Well the issue was they put their dock in front of my land. All their yard waste was dumped on my land. They put up a clothes line on my land. They got a shed and yes it was entirely on my land...

Paid $1200 for a survey, called code enforcement for the shed(they didn't get a permit) and then put up the fence. Were they ever PO. They lost half their beach and had to move their dock, shed, etc. They paid a fine for the permit. They only own a 50 foot lot and the shed had to be 15 feet from each side:clap: Ended up half on their lawn and half in the driveway.
The guy came over and said that the fence wasn't needed and that he didn't want to look at it. And then told me to do some very unpleasant things with myself when I said the fence would stay. They started tossing their yard waste over the fence. I went over and tossed it all back into their driveway. That put an end to that BS. Using the beach is one thing, dumping stuff and putting buildings up is another.

You can't be the nice guy with everyone. The guy opposite to them is awesome. Half his beach is on my land but he asked when he bought the place if he could use it for his kids. He loans me his trailer every spring to take stuff to the dump. Invites me over when they have a BBQ. Has helped me put my dock in... You get the point...

The fence will help the situation.
 
here is a fix

take a piece of split wood cut it in half hollow out a about 5 sq in on the inside , drill a 1/8" hole into cavity , fill cavity with black powder glue 2 halves back together , run a safty fuse in 1/8 in holes cap with glue and saw dust , hahahahaha let the thief put that in his wood stove.
 
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Here is a log of events I am maintaining for future use

"P" and "J" are the neighbors, him and her respectively




4/18/10 Sunday afternoon, went for bike ride, returned home and noticed a 3’x3’ section of wood missing from stack. (attach picture). P&J having fire, guests in rear deck area.

4/25/10 - Install light fixture purchased from Menards ($50) + time. Turn on for Sunday evening.

4/27/10. Noon- J places (1) grocery store bundle in the missing wood part of the stack- this replaces maybe 20% of what is missing this time. No comment from either P&J. Later that day, P comes over, asks about light. I say I am missing property (wood) and also can not find an axe and rake. So I installed a light as loss prevention. P says the light bothers them and they took the wood (in hopes I will laugh it off and turn off the light) but not axe or rake. I instructed not to take wood without asking. (I explain they are taking expensive wood reserved for indoor use or wet wood and also explain the considerable costs in equipment and time invested in my firewood). I said I will work with them on the light because his admission did not explain other missing items and I still need to protect other property.

4/28/10- I work over the next week to make the fixture less objectionable, going from the original 42w bulb and working down to 4W. This work burns out the ballast, I rewire, and several CLF bulbs malfunction because of compatibility with photocell- as a result the light is on very sporadically. ~$15 spent on different bulbs. Fixture can not be used with original bulb because ballast is destroyed.

4/30/10 P&J have guest in the Evening (P’s sister). Light is off entire evening.

5/4/10 Considering installing privacy fence to protect property – Survey ordered from Survey Services, $7-800 estimated cost.

5/5/10 Go out back to check out a downed box elder. Notice the alley access to the rear of my property is blocked by chain and private property sign. (blocked at P&J rear deck area to the quarry fence, preventing alley access from Chestnut st. P comes out- states the alley area is their “private property” and I am not allowed back there. Also states I need to move some wood from the alley area (along quarry fence) that is directly behind their property. Makes a big deal about they only took a “couple armloads of fire wood” and implies I have so much and it has little value.
I remove the wood over the next couple days.

5/6/10 I call city to inquire about alley issue. Rear light fixture off.

5/7/10 – Receive call and letter from city. They think alley has been vacated but can find no record. Because of this it will still be considered an alley (right of way) until the property owners can prove otherwise via a survey or other land record information. Chain stays up. Letter also states city regulations about lighting, driving on grass etc. (attach letter).
Rear light fixture off.

5/8/10 – Saturday morning. Jim (neighbor to the north) requests help cutting up downed box elder. I help. J comes outside and is cleaning. I bump chain&sign on the way back home and she lays into me to “grow up”. I state they have no right to have the chain there.
She rants on about why did I have the right to stack firewood in the ally on the south end of my property – I replied that the neighbor to the south blocked it first with a fence. She then rants on about the fact that I cleaned trash out of the quarry behind them with out their permission- I stated it’s not their property. I disengaged from the “discussion”. At this point it becomes clear to me that a reasonable discussion with P&J is not possible at this time. Rear light fixture off.

5/8/10 Install shielding on fixture in front of garage, (not a subject of complaint – been there since 1992) in attempt to comply with city lighting regulations.

5/9/10- return home ~5:30 pm from trip to cities. P&J having a fire. I can clearly see the wood in their firepit appears to be very large elm splits characteristic of what is in my stacks. Find a place in the stack with identical wood and it is missing splits (I had just re-stacked this area in the previous day or two. The wood they were burning was large, unlike what you purchase at convenience store or cub foods.
Called police, filed report. J gives my wife dirty looks and llater the word ##### is heard(not sure who it is directed at but there is no one else in the area). P&J observe me talking to police officer. Turned rear light fixture back on with 23W bulb. Installed shielding per city recommendation

5/10/10 Survey services begins survey Monday morning. I purchase 4 camera security system from Sams Club ($588).
 
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Anyone think I can take these ying-yangs to small claims court and recoupe some of my losses for the the expenses I've detailed below? I am assuming I will actually catch them on camera taking more wood.



"P" and "J" are the neighbors, him and her respectively




4/18/10 Sunday afternoon, went for bike ride, returned home and noticed a 3’x3’ section of wood missing from stack. (attach picture). P&J having fire, guests in rear deck area.

4/25/10 - Install light fixture purchased from Menards ($50) + time. Turn on for Sunday evening.

4/27/10. Noon- J places (1) grocery store bundle in the missing wood part of the stack- this replaces maybe 20% of what is missing this time. No comment from either P&J. Later that day, P comes over, asks about light. I say I am missing property (wood) and also can not find an axe and rake. So I installed a light as loss prevention. P says the light bothers them and they took the wood (in hopes I will laugh it off and turn off the light) but not axe or rake. I instructed not to take wood without asking. (I explain they are taking expensive wood reserved for indoor use or wet wood and also explain the considerable costs in equipment and time invested in my firewood). I said I will work with them on the light because his admission did not explain other missing items and I still need to protect other property.

4/28/10- I work over the next week to make the fixture less objectionable, going from the original 42w bulb and working down to 4W. This work burns out the ballast, I rewire, and several CLF bulbs malfunction because of compatibility with photocell- as a result the light is on very sporadically. ~$15 spent on different bulbs. Fixture can not be used with original bulb because ballast is destroyed.

4/30/10 P&J have guest in the Evening (P’s sister). Light is off entire evening.

5/4/10 Considering installing privacy fence to protect property – Survey ordered from Survey Services, $7-800 estimated cost.

5/5/10 Go out back to check out a downed box elder. Notice the alley access to the rear of my property is blocked by chain and private property sign. (blocked at P&J rear deck area to the quarry fence, preventing alley access from Chestnut st. P comes out- states the alley area is their “private property” and I am not allowed back there. Also states I need to move some wood from the alley area (along quarry fence) that is directly behind their property. Makes a big deal about they only took a “couple armloads of fire wood” and implies I have so much and it has little value.
I remove the wood over the next couple days.

5/6/10 I call city to inquire about alley issue. Rear light fixture off.

5/7/10 – Receive call and letter from city. They think alley has been vacated but can find no record. Because of this it will still be considered an alley (right of way) until the property owners can prove otherwise via a survey or other land record information. Chain stays up. Letter also states city regulations about lighting, driving on grass etc. (attach letter).
Rear light fixture off.

5/8/10 – Saturday morning. Jim (neighbor to the north) requests help cutting up downed box elder. I help. J comes outside and is cleaning. I bump chain&sign on the way back home and she lays into me to “grow up”. I state they have no right to have the chain there.
She rants on about why did I have the right to stack firewood in the ally on the south end of my property – I replied that the neighbor to the south blocked it first with a fence. She then rants on about the fact that I cleaned trash out of the quarry behind them with out their permission- I stated it’s not their property. I disengaged from the “discussion”. At this point it becomes clear to me that a reasonable discussion with P&J is not possible at this time. Rear light fixture off.

5/8/10 Install shielding on fixture in front of garage, (not a subject of complaint – been there since 1992) in attempt to comply with city lighting regulations.

5/9/10- return home ~5:30 pm from trip to cities. P&J having a fire. I can clearly see the wood in their firepit appears to be very large elm splits characteristic of what is in my stacks. Find a place in the stack with identical wood and it is missing splits (I had just re-stacked this area in the previous day or two. The wood they were burning was large, unlike what you purchase at convenience store or cub foods.
Called police, filed report. J gives my wife dirty looks and llater the word ##### is heard(not sure who it is directed at but there is no one else in the area). P&J observe me talking to police officer. Turned rear light fixture back on with 23W bulb. Installed shielding per city recommendation

5/10/10 Survey services begins survey Monday morning. I purchase 4 camera security system from Sams Club ($588).
 
Their are a few lawyers that are members here. Maybe post your documentation on off topic forum and ask to increase your odds of one of them seeing it. Heck you should at least be able to sue for half of the survey and fence costs.
 
Make sure they are OUT when installing and that the cameras cannot be spotted - well, if you want them caught rather than deterred.

SA


Planning this now. I'm going to inclose the camera in a small box, cover it with walnut bark and attach to the walnut tree that has the best angle.
When they wander over to fetch some wood, they'll be looking for other neighbors and such and will never notice the strange growth on the tree :)

Install will be very stealthy.
 
Anyone think I can take these ying-yangs to small claims court and recoupe some of my losses for the the expenses I've detailed below? I am assuming I will actually catch them on camera taking more wood.

invest your time in building a fence. more satisfaction:greenchainsaw:
 
Survey results

Are in, the lines are pretty much were I've always thought they were. There is no doubt there is an alley back behind my property. :) I've won this battle unless they can prove that their property extends back further than mine- Highly unlikely since the plot maps show the lots to be all 66' wide x 157.5' deep.
 
Are in, the lines are pretty much were I've always thought they were. There is no doubt there is an alley back behind my property. :) I've won this battle unless they can prove that their property extends back further than mine- Highly unlikely since the plot maps show the lots to be all 66' wide x 157.5' deep.

They admitted to stealing your wood , just send them a bill , keep your police report , when they don't pay take them to small claims court and inconvenience there life x10 when they don't pay file for a lien on there property.:chainsaw: if you win and you wil they will also have to pay all your legal fee's !
 
A few of thies should do the trick. :chainsaw:

claymore_mine102.jpg
 
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great thread! love the new surveillance gear, i am keeping tabs on this thread for sure!!!

boy what i would pay for a picture of these 2 retards to put faces with the story, lol:greenchainsaw:
 
great thread! love the new surveillance gear, i am keeping tabs on this thread for sure!!!

boy what i would pay for a picture of these 2 retards to put faces with the story, lol:greenchainsaw:

With the new surveillance equipment, its only a matter of time.:D
 

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