ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Thieves on the jobsite

I guess that's why cops sometimes jail people - to save them from the citizens who will put a real hurting on them!

I'm not going to hit them with my weapon of doom*.

If they try to confront me, I'm not going to play any games with them. No words. Just action. I've done all the talking I'm going to do. At this point, they don't know me, and don't know my history, or what I'm capable of. I am thrilled to think that they might want to try to intimidate me, or get rowdy in some way. If they don't come with the right attitude, they'll have it when I get done with them.

I've had things stolen from me recently - a toolbox full of tools, a screwdriver, my truck was broken into and all my tapes and a CD player was stolen. This is my golden opportunity - I caught some thieves. All the rage I've felt over thieves can come to a head on their heads. Now they are at my mercy. They better be ready for me. They have no idea what I've been through. They've never learned a strong lesson about stealing, and they'll never learn it as long as people play patty-cake with them.

Beware, thieves - you might run into somebody like me sometime. Look out for that sprinkler head! Could make for a nasty cut!

* - unless things get a mite nasty

3' of 3/4" rigid works just fine to persuade the thief to leave and not come back. Better yet is several coworkers all using the same tool to persuaade the jerks to never want to come back.
The police can have what if anything is left.
Personally I hate thieves.

So, nesparky, you think it will work just fine without a sprinkler head on it? I thought that sprinkler head really set the whole piece off. It's like art.

FWIW, mine is about 1 1/2 inch diameter pipe, 1/4" thick walls, threaded on the business end to accommodate a thick steel piece that the sprinkler head threads into.

I was thinking, what if they take it away from me? Then my masterpiece might get sold on the underground like so many other pieces of fine art.

I can smear Vaseline on the last 12 inches of my sprinkler head pipe, hold it out to them and let them try to grab it, then yank it through their thieving hands until the sprinkler head opens them up to other choices in the future.

The sprinkler guy who made it for me said, "Now don't hit anybody in the head with that thing, you'll leave the sprinkler head stuck in their head." That's when I considered bolting a 3 inch carbide tipped blade from a biscuit joiner onto the end. That won't break off without working up a sweat.

In some countries, they just saw a guy's hands right off. They'd be getting off light with me. But wait - I do have a nice, sharp sheetrock saw!

[This message has been edited by Spark Master Flash (edited 09-06-2003).]

Spark Master Flash:

I hear you loud and clear. You certainly sound more than frustrated.

What irks me is that today people are so quick to sue in court; the victim can have fewer rights than the perp!

As to the violent response, it's good to bear in mind that you have a lot more to lose than that loser whom you wish to introduce to your "piece pipe." (You know, take a piece out of him...)

I've had it with the teenagers around here who like to sashay down the street trying car doors along the way.

It's fun to think out loud, but I'm not that crazy. However, I do have the Sprinkler Head ready to swing into action, even though I don't believe I need it to get the job done.

You know, ThinkGood, if you had a Sprinkler Head like mine and went out and clubbed the snot out of those who try the car doors, they might cool it. They'll think you're crazier than they are and they might steer clear. Then again, they might come back and kill you. My advice would be, "Don't miss." Then I might add, "Tread not lightly."

Freedom comes with a price, and thieves go against the American way of life, which is earning it. Stealing is wrong, and when thieves feel it isn't, they'll steal and steal until somebody gets it through their thick skulls that it's not acceptable behavior. Maybe it will take more than one session. A speaker once said something about a "Significant Emotional Event" to promote positive change in a person. If the thief is subjected to such a Significant Emotional Event that he might never forget it, that could effect a change that makes life better for everybody who he ever makes contact with.

If these guys will steal from the paying customer, the people paying their bills, who will they NOT steal from? I cringe to think of the trail of broken hearts of people who found that their belongings were stolen and never knew it was one of these two thieves, and how many more broken hearts there will surely be. I'll try to be civil, but if they get belligerent with me for ratting them out and I wind up beating one or both of them unmercifully, they'll get what they deserve.

They want rights? I think they need and deserve more than that, ThinkGood - how about a few lefts? Wouldn't want to get arm-weary with the power hand, or to telegraph any punches - maybe going southpaw would work pretty well...great idea. Thanks, I'll remember to use it on them if things get out of hand.

i guess another question that needs asking, is who hired these guys, and what does he have to say about their "activities"? if he doesnt do something about the situation, fire them, proscecute them, hang 'em by their scrotums from a strut rack, or whatever; then he's no better than they are, and i for one would wash my hands of any association with him, as well. God, i hate a thief............

dana_tech, the boss told me to let him handle it from his end, and I have the distinct feeling that both of those guys are out of there. He said they have no tolerance for that kind of thing. I'll find out when I get to work if they're still there. I'd kind of hate to see them go just yet, hopefully they'll get lippy and then they'll get what they need.

I think I'll go watch "Open Range" again to get me in the mood to clean house.

nesparky, I doubt that my co-workers would back me up, even though they can hold their own, and if I asked, they probably would - but I'm not even going to ask them to back me up. I'd hate to depend on them. This is a task I'll take on willingly by myself, and I know in my heart that I can handle it. It would be nice if they'd back me up, but since I was the one who actually saw the first one steal something, I'm the only one who knows for sure about him. Another guy saw the other thief, and I don't think he'll do anything. It's up to me to take action.

The reason I suggested a piece of 3/4 rigid is 1) it's usally availble on a lot of industrial/commercial jobs, and 2) after you are done with the counselling session, you can use it in your next pipe run after wiping it off.

It only takes one thief to turn a good jobsite into a nightmare- every time you temporarily misplace something, you start doubting your buddies!
Assuming that you're working in an "at will" atmosphere, you are known by the company you keep- and I'd move on if robbin' hood isn't dumped pronto. Crime only thrives where it is tolerated.

You could grab him take him out to the county zipwrap him naked to a chain link fence.Take a piano wire with a slipnot put it around his $@%%$ back the car up pop the trunk and tie the other end to the latch.With one guy reving the engine the other TWANGS the piano wire.Calmly explain to him the next time you will drive away.Cut him down and make him walk home naked.He will now run away screeming when ever he sees you on the street.You know Im kidding right.I would never acually do this.But it has been done and belive me more than one punk kid has staightened out his life due to this 30min intervention.It not the kill but the thrill of the hunt.

[This message has been edited by frank (edited 09-09-2003).]