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I’m a builder almost ready to move in to my new home. I have done all work myself, only a couple subs that I trust. The house is at end of dirt road that is not traveled much and not many people come down road but are a couple other building projects on road. My house was broken into by pushing (not smashing) a wood Caradco window in at the midpoint between sashes. Over $2000.00 damage and stolen tools and stuff. I don’t leave any tools there except hand tools that aren’t worth much (which they didn’t touch) and large items that are to time consuming to pickup each night or that won’t easily fit in my truck with my other tools. I suspect construction workers from the other house currently under construction on the street or living on other streets. Any ideas on how to protect a construction site like this and especially on how to catch the crooks? I doubt sheriff’s department will be much help. Any ideas on making your tools more recoverable if they are stolen?
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Replies
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I just had a similar problem about 2 months ago. My stuff was even wrapped with the cables specifically made for this and padlocked. They didn't take the walkboards, extension ladders, generator, (2) 8' stepladders, ladder jacks, etc. But they did cut the cable with a power tool and took 12" DeWalt SCMS, circular saw and other misc. things (even a roll of insulation). The cops fingerprinted, but no prints. They are no help. It was a waste of time to call them. It really is a sad thought that another construction worker feels the need to steal other's tools, but I see it often. I've been ripped off several times and it gets old.
I'm tired of buying the same tools over and over again. I've even had employees steal tools. Buy good insurance because I've taken alot of precautions and nothing seems to stop the thiefs. Sorry to hear this happened to you.
Billy
*Scott. I'm sorry to hear that you were struck like this. It really sucks that this seems to have become almost an accepted aspect of being in this business.It seems to have gotten to the point where we all just pretty much figure it's going to happen to us eventually so we better keep our insurance current and wait for the thieves to come. My only suggestion as a security measure is to install a hidden surveillance camera on the jobsite and hope they don't find that and steal it too. Good luck!
*Mark,I actually thought about installing a camera but then thought like you. They'll steal that too!!Billy
*I was just at a gun show and there was an outfit there selling surveillance equipment. I was looking at it for just this purpose.The technology has come a long way. A pinhole camera with audio about he size of a book of matches, and a microwave transmitter good for a thousand feet the size of a pack of cigs, both could be had for under 500 bills.Really all you need is the camera and a continuous loop vcr, and you would still be under that figure.Sorry about you luck, I've been hit a few times myself. Wouldn't it be fun to catch them in the act?
*I do finish carpentery and use locking cables and usually one deadbolted closet on a job to secure our tools. I have thought for a while now that two large site boxes, wheeled in seperatly then bolted back-to-back would be a fairly safe place to store tools. This would have to be in a room where this bolted-box could not be rolled through the door unless taken apart. The drawbacks are the cost , and this is only a good place to store hand tools and small power tools, but that is as far as my thoughts go. Sorry about the theft and good luck catching the thieves or at last getting everything replaced.
*OK, this sounds silly, but i used to paint my tools pink when i was renting shopspace and my landlord had trouble distinguishing between my tools and his. You can also etch your name (large) with a Dremel tool in the casting. These guys probably won't have much luck pawning technicolor and etched tools, nor be apt to break them out on their own jobsite.When i have to leave something large like my compressor unprotected, i pile junk over it; it takes only a few minutes to make it look like a pile of sheetrock scrap. Used sewer line is a real deterrent.Check out the local pawn shops. Some stuff that was stolen from me ended up at the nearest pawn to my house. They have to give it back if you have filed a police report and can ID it. Mosey around first and if you see your stuff, get a cop before confronting the shop owner. In my case, the shop owner ID'd the criminal and he went to jail, though on a warrant from another state. My state is waiting for when he gets out to gt a crack at him, too. Good luck.
*An American Staffordshire or two, or a couple of Pit Bulls I've found are pretty effective means of deterring thieves, burglars, and other sundry low life's. Low life's don't seem too keen to enter my property uninvited when they see all that muscle, bone, gristle, big teeth, jaws, and raised hackles. Of course if the low life's have a gun or two, they might fancy their chances,..........? Sliante.
*Same thing happened to me; only they stole strange things; left a brand new ladder but stole the 20 year old shop vac. Took the trash can liners but not the trash can--whatever. Cops said "engrave everything you own with your driver's license number". Supposedly, they can get a fix on who owns what off the cars' computer in no time flat, then make a phone call to confirm. This is, of course, what I pay insuracne for, and is, of course, a cost that get's passed onto the customer. The trim work, we now bring in one of those steel job boxes (Greenlee, General, etc.), and bolt it to the floor. Sorry about the holes, folks. I must say, however, one of the most disturbing is the loss of framing lumber. Pile looks almost the same the next morning, but I could have sworn that I'd ordered the right amount. Leaves you scratching your head (am I that stupid that I didn't order enough plates?).
*Scott,If this was your own personal home, I would think your homeowners insurance MAY cover your loss. When I've built my own houses (while we rent) we take out a COC (course of construction) policy that incorperates tenants liability coverage as well as personal asset coverage. The story goes if you have tools stolen out of your home and you're a contractor, they're not covered. If you're not a full time contractor and you have tools stolen from your home, personal asset coverage SHOULD cover your loss. Depends on your policy, and your broker. As far as guys stealing used tools, they ought to have their heads examined. These guys are bottom feeders. Someone should tell them to steal from Hardware stores. Tools are in better shape and guarenteed these big stores have insurance.
*I put my drivers license # on tools, using a dremel and a carbide ball end bit. Preface the number with CA DL # so the cops know what state it is. The cops here sometimes patrol the pawns and the swapmeets looking for stolen goods.
*I paint my gear "Manly-Man Pink" too :) Buddies of mine know who's gear we are using. It is easier to sort out at the end of the day. My Dad taught me to use my dl # and if you have space, "Stolen from..." Tom the Tree Guy
*Around here (Nova Scotia) windows and furnaces are targets. You have to make the effort to get windows installed and foamed in, too, the day they arrive on site. With furnaces, you just hope for the best. A plumber told me about a job he worked on where the furnace was stolen. The thieves broke off the oil line and left it to flow from a full tank. He guessed the furnace installers had stolen it. Ron
*My thoughts:1. I pack up everything I can pack up and return it to the truck every night. I'd rather have them steal from me in front of my house than someplace 20 miles away.2. Most portable tools are in boxes and are also loaded up.3. Large items when we do leave them there (Contractor's saw Compressors) are secured with large chain and locks. Ladders are locked together.4. I like the idea of the large jobsite tool boxes which are walk-in. Our local rental yards rents these babies. That might be a good pass through for the customer, heh heh.5. I also like the idea of a "temporary" motion detector and phone line to call the alarm company. One or two sensors, the black box and a phone line is all you need. I'd probably have my alarm guy wire it up the first time, and I'd be good to go from then on, and could do it myself.6. Fido might be a good idea too, although the damn dogs would probably piss and sh*t all over everything and eat them out of house and home.7. Subs are a whole other discussion, and they are the big crooks, as far as I'm concerned. I watch my stuff like a hawk, and when on the site with other subs, I never break out the nice goodies unless we are going to immediately use it, then we use it, and then I put them away or lock them up, even for lunch. Its the little things that get stolen, like driver drills and easy stuff to grab or hide. I am fairly paranoid around subs I haven't worked around before.
*1. Tradesmen rarly rip off tools. But they do something as bad, they buy them. Off the street or a pawn shop. Don't do it!2. Set up and break-down every nite. I take everything off the job but sandpaper. Not only is it stupid to leave them at the mercy of theives, if you get fired that nite, your trespassing the next day to retrive your tools. (I know, doesn't apply if it's your house)3. Mark everything4. Buy a cop a donut. Flag him down and tell him he's welcome for coffee and donuts, during normal operating hours. Cops will do more drive-by's at nite.5. Buy insurance. If it's not tool thieves, it's AC and cooper thieves, not them, it's vandals.6. I'd love to use a dog, but the liabilty scares the crap outa me.Luck
*Mark...Wouldn't it feel great for just awhile though as you discovered the remains of the tool thief in the morning...Need a pup that just eats...no barking...near the stream,aj
*Speaking of pups...I just got my first pup this week...Very cool pup...Alaska is her name...Would only lick someone to death.near the stream,aj
*Trees too. Had a friend tell me he had planted small fruit trees on a property he bought in the Elsinore CA area. Went back week later & no trees.... JoeH
*I bet a hang glider pilot was protecting his landing area...I used to fly down to that town from the mountains above...Amazing to come back years later and find a few thousand homes where there were just tumble weed bushes.near the stream,aj
*What breed?Terry
*Yeah, like I said, I'd love a dog named Demon on the job, but here's the deal: A little kid, a kid who loves construction, wanders in, with intent to look around..........But Ad.Jack, we can all have our fantasies.Once had my tools (4 boxes) ripped from my stepvan.Stated thinking like a crackhead mother***** and went to the first pawn shop and there they were...Luck
*I know this is a hassle but I don't leave anything on the job site. I even lock up my tools with cables inside my van. I have installed a steel bar behind the shelving for this reason. I had a chop saw stolen from my (at the time) truck around a year ago and I was determined that this was the first and last time (hopefully) I would get ripped off. I too put my DL# on the tools now because of advice from my best friend, a policeman. I like the "hot-pink paint" idea but it will take away from all of my "bright yellow and black" tools. Right AJ? =o)Quick story:My ex-brother in law told me about one of his friends getting ripped off. He does cornice work. He had some air hoses, 2 finish nail guns and a brand new compressor stolen. This was new stuff because he just worked a deal with a contractor sales rep (Hilty, I believe). Another friend of theirs was approached 2 days later by a "Station Wagon Salesperson" and was shown the first guys equipment. The second guy said that he wanted to buy the stuff but didn’t have the cash in hand. He told the sales person he'd run to the bank and get the cash and be back in an hour. Quickly paging the first guy about his stolen equipment they both showed up an hour later (with yet a couple more guys) and "Chatted" with the sales guy. Needless to say, after being released from the hospital, our friendly salesman was charged with grand larceny. I wonder if he’s still in business …. Hummmmm?
*AJ, there's a lookout above the town & lots of gliders on a nice day. I used to ride my bike across that road 30 years ago (Ortega Hwy) and stop up there.The road's the same, bikers still crash up there, but bikes are a hell of a lot faster. Those rice rocket racer types will pass anywhere, doesn't always work.The towns bigger and the surrounding areas are filling up too. Tracts of houses for people who work 50 miles away, or clear into Los Angeles. Or San Diego. JoeH
*Hey Ron, a while ago a guy here left his house to go have coffe with his son....two doors down.....ten in the morning or so. Came back, ALL his cast iron rads were gone. He was only gone a half hour or so.
*A 190 pound English Mastiff, dark brindled, friendly as can be. Barks at anything moving around at night. Sleeps when quiet. House trained. Great deterant. No problems at all. His bark sends shivers down my spine, and I have had him seven years.
*I had a place on the river about 15 years ago and had some real idiots around there, they actually pulled my well pump out of the casing and stole it......I gave up after that, sold out at a loss, forget it.
*Some idiots stole the A/C compressor off a house about a day after I had gotten it set.I just let it go until the house was ready to be trimmed out,and then had another compressor put in. A couple of days later they came back and stole the friggin' thermostats from inside the house!
*I've had pretty decent luck with job boxes, but even then, occasonally something gets swiped. My method is that I engraved each of my tools and built a spreadsheet in excel with the model & serial numbers, date of purchase, purchase price, etc. It's great for tracking warranty and tax info. If I ever were to need it, all I'd have to do is hand the police a copy on disk. It's not too bad, as long as you're good about updating it every time you purchase something.The other thing is that you have a bit of a problem if you crash the computer and can't locate the secret backup copy of the disk. That would be the one you tucked away in case anything were to happen to the computer. Replaced the computer, but I'm still looking for the disk. The worst case I ever saw was when I worked on a commerical job in Chicago in one of the rougher areas of town. The site had several break ins throughout the course of the job. The super had all of his equipment stolen over one weekend. He replaced everything that week. The following weekend, the thieves returned, took everything again, and adding insult to injury, left what can only be politely described as a "calling card" in the middle of the brand new carpet. After that, he had guard dogs brought in every day promptly at five o'clock. It made it difficult to work late if you needed to, but he never had another problem with break ins after that.Out here in Portland, a couple months ago they arrested a ring of people who targeted construction sites and sold everything at area flea markets. Reportedly they had been reponsible for several hundred thousand dollars worth of thefts. News footage of the news conference made it look like they had the entire contents of the Tool Peddler on display.Mike
*Mike M. -- Are you talking PDX? Two weeks ago a guy was trying to steal a pressure washer from the back of an Anderson truck when the employees confronted the thief. The would-be-crook left on foot and the police inmpounded his pick-up that he left idling nearby. The dumb crook was arrested at his home. Sorry to hear the rest of you have had bad luck.
*We got lucky when some trespassing miscreants dropped their auto insurance card on the ground while visiting in the middle of the night one Thanksgiving. It was actually grandpa's car, and he was thrilled when the police showed up at his house.
*Mike, I don't know how you do your books, but I do mine in Excel; when I get a new tool and enter all the "tax" data for it from the receipt, I have several columns for stuff such as serial numbers, type, brand, model, etc.
*Yes, I'm here in PDX. That's a great story about the Anderson truck. I missed that one.Mike
*Scott,Our company van was hit not too long ago. So I know how you feel. Forget the cops-they're of no use and they're not going to find your tools-nor do they care much about your tools. They're too busy doing other things. My advice would be as follows:Set up trip wires around the property rigged to explosives.Buy TWO viscious doberman pinchers-one for each floor.And make sure you don't feed them until morning.Set up various shotguns in the house aimed at the doors and windows with the triggers wired back and tie lines going from the hammers to the window and doorlocks. If you do this, make sure you actually kill the bastards because they could sue you later on if they're only injured.Think I'm kidding? Any maggot caught stealing someone's tools should be beaten and strung up by their nuts. My real advice would be to wait in the house with a gun and a baseball bat and see who comes to dinner again.
*Careful, Johnny M.I really wanted to do what you suggested, some years ago, but have learned about the laws that can prosecute you for endangering lives (like the (relatively) innocent kid that just wanted to open that door to see what the inside of a house under construction looked like, or the home owner that wanted to ask you some questions after-hours or something).Anyway, you can get in real trouble setting up guns on trip wires I'm afraid...
*Norm --Right, guns on trip wires sounds like professional contractors trying to do DIY law enforcement.... ;-)I wonder if the cops have a web site where they sometimes discuss construction.-- J.S.
*The funny thing is that in my career, I've never had anything stolen. Oh sure, I've missplaced stuff and maybe left something somewhere and someone else has it now, but that's not stealing. there's that.... and no one around or any way of finding the owner. In fact I can name about 20 contractors who total loss that they know about is less than $100.00 I know a few who get hit three or four times a year, whole tool trailers.
*Alright,Johnny! Concertina wire,claymores,trip wires and some pits full of punji sticks! That oughta keep 'em busy!:-)
*Frenchy --I know what you mean about misplacing things. My bad habit is putting small tools on top of the blocking in walls, and forgetting them when I close up the wall.-- J.S.
*yeah, John, my best cat's paw is inside one wall of my friend's old house (and he doesn't even live there any more)."This way I'll always know where it is", I guess.(that's for all you Harold & Maude fans out there!)
*Had a break-in last fall and lost over $5,000 worth of gear. Besides the obvious of locks and heavy chains, I've spray painted all my stuff almost completely with fluorescent pink paint. You can just imagine what it does to the Dewalt yellow.I'm not convinced that engraving is very useful, as it is generally not deep and can be easily filed down. On the other hand, the pink paint can be covered with another color I guess.I did have another attempted break-in in March, but this time the locks held.Hope you were insured and really sorry for your lossPaul
*Scooter,#13My subs are the ones I trust the most.Empoloyees that have recently left are the worst; they know what you've got and where it is and when your there. The subs are building clientel and live on references so they have their whole future to lose with a bad reputation.I've been lucky I guess after reading this thread. I have a cube van to lock when I feel the need to.I know of one guy around here who's reputed to have built most of his house from 'borrowed' material.Since we all like the hot pink idea, maybe we can just get Makita, Porter-Cable and Dewalt to just make'm that colour.David, #21Did he fall down go boom?Mike #27I went through chicago once. It seemed like everybody there had nervous habits like constantly looking over their shoulders, checking to see if the billfold was still there, and herding the wife and daughter along into safer appearing areas. re: guns on tripwires - it's been done numberous times. If the miscreant lives, he gets to sue your butt for all it's worth so don't aim for knee height. Kidding aside, there's a damn good reason that horse theiving used to be a hanging offense.John, # 37I do remodeling. I think I've found some of your tools....and that could be a subject for another thread........
*Not tools, but another thief who got caught. A co-worker lost the stereo from his car. A few days later, the thief tried to buy the connector for that model in a stereo store . . . from his wife. She stalled him, cops arrested him. He'd already filed his claim and got the insurance money and the stereo.In a bad part of Oakland, we had a $1000 roto-hammer fall off the tailgate. It was gone before the guy got the truck turned around. Like maybe 25 seconds. Is there one behind every lamp post?
*Piffin,I think he ran into a door ;o)
*Had an air compressor stolen, and all the low voltage light switches removed. After we moved in, was up early (5AM) and the house across the street had an unknown truck with 2 guys loading up 1/2 ply. Went over with holstered SA and pad of paper, wrote down license and went back in. Fastest unload of plywood ever seen. More lumber returned by next morning.
*I worked for a contractor that had me buying whatever tools I needed plus whatever tools the boss wanted. At the end of the project the superintendent handed me a key and told me to put everything into storage. When I went to the storage locker I found tools piled to the front door. There were duplicates, even triplicates, of every tool that I had bought on the company's accounts. When I asked the Super he said that he was going to start his own company and was stockpiling tools. He also had the nerve to ask if I would front him 30K to get started. I quit in disgust.
*Last summer my good buddy was running his Bobcat on a homesite in an allottment. Went to lunch, came back and it was gone. Left the trailer. I use all portable tools, take everything home at night and sit on it. A couple of years ago, I went on vacation and set a deadman trap for any stealy boys who might decide to rob my cabinet shop. When I came home, I opened the door, heard a faint shooosh and side stepped the sledge hammer just as it was about to break my leg. That was a dumn ass trick.
*Bravo Mike,The brave, the strong, the true, know the way to heaven's gate is potholed with compromises. Integrity can be a lonely road sometimes.
*Scott, I own a Knnack Job box it has kept my tools safe so far. Like the other guy said, screw it down to the subfloor. I also have put stickers on mine to warn a would be theif ( flammables, explovises an so on). I hope this helps.
*Install phone with dialer. The police will give theif welcome in 2 to 5 min. nuff said!
*I knew a guy who went to do a job in Moscow about ten years ago. He arrives at the job site, the client has provided tools and a security guard. He surveys everything sets up scaffolding, etc. and heads off to check out the apartment they've provided. He comes back an hour later and everything is gone.He asks the security guard what happened. Apparently the security guard didn't understand his job description. He introduces him to the guys who took everything. They offer to sell it back to him. When he balks, they ask him where the hell he thinks his employer got the stuff from in the first place.Talk about a socio-economic miracle waiting to happen!
*If you suspect it's another local sub or GC, set up a motion sensitive camera. Bait it with a rear facing open job box in front of a window or door. You'd be surprised how many nitwits wear their company shirt early in the am while stealing.... We've caught three this way over a few years....
*This will work. A friend of mine's house was broken into a couple of times. He built a small chest with metal handles on each end wired to the house current without a breaker and sitting on a grounded metal mat. The police report read: Accidental Electrocution.
*arcwood,So what do you do when you come in to find an eight year old slumped over the tool box with his hair standing straight out and the sneaker soles melted
*yeah....um...famous first year law student case about idiot set trap-gun up in second home....first degree murder - guaranteed - well settled law. And if it didn't kill the idiot who was breaking im, he'd sue you and win for attempted murder. Not fun stuff. There's a local construction company who is famous for painting EVERYTHING pink - dozers, pick-ups, t-shirts, EVERYTHING - the D.O.H. hires them all the time....
*I know..I know. I would hate to find a kid fried to the box. I wouldn't set that kind of trap. Maybe some adaptation of police equipment. I've seen them use a foam gun to "immobilize the suspect". Maybe quicksetting cement..contact cement. Drop cord for a trip wire, cargo net falls from the ceiling, foam guns activate, metal cutting chop saw turns on and bears down on 4" angle iron, suspect disoriented by ear piercing sound, steps into bucket of tar, falls backwards onto sticky rubber membrane (paper removed).
*OK I've got you now - a bituthene wrap trap.;>)
*Ok, Arcwood, how about this:Buy one of the classic Victor mouse traps. Measure carefully, and scale up the dimensions until the base is a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Use one of your best power tools as bait.... ;-)-- J.S.
*John, The trap is Sprung, if you'll pardon my pung!
*
I'm a builder almost ready to move in to my new home. I have done all work myself, only a couple subs that I trust. The house is at end of dirt road that is not traveled much and not many people come down road but are a couple other building projects on road. My house was broken into by pushing (not smashing) a wood Caradco window in at the midpoint between sashes. Over $2000.00 damage and stolen tools and stuff. I don't leave any tools there except hand tools that aren't worth much (which they didn't touch) and large items that are to time consuming to pickup each night or that won't easily fit in my truck with my other tools. I suspect construction workers from the other house currently under construction on the street or living on other streets. Any ideas on how to protect a construction site like this and especially on how to catch the crooks? I doubt sheriff's department will be much help. Any ideas on making your tools more recoverable if they are stolen?