I was probably asking for it though. I went out to my property today to see if the State electrical inspector has checked and passed the temporary electrical service panel I've been working on from time to time. It passed! Yea, I'm a handyman electrician of sorts, but it did take two inspections to get it done. Anyway, mindful of Strikezone's recent chainsaw accident, I thought I'd get a little exercise and cut some more firewood. Well what to my wondering eyes, . . . but my wood pile has shrunk! The whole front row of wood is gone, along with some off the top, . . . probably why the tarp is laying on the ground behind the wood pile. Since it's not possible to back a truck up to my wood pile I thought it was relatively safe, except from the punks next door who wouldn't take more than they can carry. Dang, it's a good thing I don't carry. I've got such a strong attitude about thieving and such that I'd probably do something they'd regret if I caught someone pilfering a few sticks of firewood.

Sg

Don't worry, they'll be back to get the rest.....I feel the same way about the free loading leeches.

Bummer.

Just be happy they didnt rip up all your electrical work and sell it as scrap.

Invest in a trail camera. About $150. screw it to a tree, set it on infrared, block out all of the little lights with tape, and wait. Check the card, print pics, take them to the neighbors and say, "If you don't replace the firewood, I'll turn this in."

Worked when I had a miscreant snooping on my property. He hasn't been back.

We're just starting a build project as well. (Actually started it a year ago but took a year to get a DOT permit for utilities).

They'll be after your copper next.

Mf

set a pessure release grenade.... " hey darrel you got enough.... huh yea man... jethro here hold your arms like this, just two more, BOOOOOOM!!!!! spinters in the kidneys outa fixem....

paint the end of the wood with a small dot and face it to the back of the pile. By the time they notice the paint, they will have too much to hide it. take some pics too.

Right now firewood split and stacked, not delivered.. is 200.00 bucks a cord. I expect that to sky rocket by fall. Bet the old wood pile is looking pretty good to the avg tweaker right now.

It has been unusually chilly lately.

Liberal as I am about a lot of things, I seem to register empty in compassion for thieves. I don't think there is any effective way to get them to stop stealing short of lethal removal from the populations. It seems kinda' strange, but I've always felt completely at ease with that kind of outcome. Sort of a population improvement strategy.

Since I'm too young to spend the rest of my life in jail for doing the right thing, where do I find one of these trail cameras DF? We're more than a little concerned that once we break ground, and before the garage is enclosed (where I hope to store and secure tools and building materials), that anything the various sub-contractors leave laying about is going to be vulnerable to theft. Video surveilance might be just the ticket.

Sg

Any hunting/sporting retailer should have a good trail cam. Cabela's, Sportsmans, Joes, Sportco etc. ... . . .

Salmo, are you a (big) dog person? I think a good size Rott would solve the problem. It sucks to have to worry about you're neighbors. These kind of people you have to make an impression that you won't tolerate any BS ! Good luck !

hope you get the problem taken care of before you start building some of these folks will even take your appliances doors you name .hopefully they were just cold.

I'll come clean...I used to pull that sh*t all the time back in the wild and wooly days. But I NEVER targeted homeowners. It was always the di*khead in the RV that ran his generator all night long and left his fire unattended while he sat inside watching satellite TV.
Those same people often ran into sudden generator 'malfunctions' at about 3AM.

Fish Ranger,

Thanks. I'll check 'em out.

SolDuc,

I live in a condo about 7 miles from the building site. A dog wouldn't fit and be necessary at the condo ("gated community"), and I can't hardly leave a dog at the property all the time.

Irie,

I hear ya'. I have no problems with kids being kids; I just don't want to have to clean up after them.

SS,

There are only two vacant lots here, mine being one of them. And there's been no fire since my last brush and debris burn. And the amount of wood taken would fuel quite a few beer drinking bonfires. If they wanted to have a fire and drink some beer - and clean up after themselves, I'd have no problem with that. But that ain't what happened.

BWP,

I am concerned for some of the subs. I'm planning to do some of the work myself, so I'll be coordinating with them and have a lot of material on site at times.

Sg

Yes, Sportsman's Warehouse would be an excellent choice for a Bushnell trail camera with infrared flash. Once we get power out there I will go live with the 6 camera DVR video surveilance. A little spendy, but it buys a lot of comfort.

Can't we just set up a sting operation and have an old fashioned BBQ when we catch 'em red handed?

Fish on...

Todd

Yes, the cameras will remain after the construction. Not much of an issue in our area right now, but there is enough of that stuff going on in surrounding areas so it may spread.

Thanks Andy. It's off to Sportsmans Warehouse this week.

Yeah Aunty, it's probably a long term thing. I've been wondering what to do about security once we live there. I hate elaborate security set ups, but a developed rural area is such an easy target whenever no one is home.

Todd, if I catch 'em, I'll invite you over to take a few whacks. They'll be begging for the police.

Thanks for the ideas.

Sg

Mix in some Hemlock. Who could blame you for them being poisoned for burning wood they "found". Think of it as slug bait.

Two types of hemlock. One is an herb and can be poisonous, the other is a tree. Two entirely different plants.

I think the straightforward DVR system with 6 cameras was $800. It has something like 800 hours of record time, and looks simple enough to install yourself.

I spent $299 on one trail camera and $150 on another.

I was thinking you might "doctor up" some of the easy to get at stacks with some pepper spray or ??????

No you just let the Hemlock dry on the wood. They'll get it on their hands, possibly rub their face, maybe burn it. Or substitute poison ivy or poison oak.

If it's sunny out then there's even more nasty plants to have fun with like Hogweed. It's oils are activated by the Sun's ultra violet rays and can stay in your system for a year or more.

Thank god I have no intention of ever pissing you off stlhead!

+ 1

Just wait till you get mugged and they go free. Anybody know how Charlie Rangel is doing on getting inmates their voting rights back while in prison?