ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Stolen tools

Sorry to hear it... check the pawn shops and any construction sites in the area for folks selling tolls "they don't need anymore" or "got from a buddy to pay a debt".

My tools ($2k worth) were supposedly being offered to the night shift at a local chemical distributor by the crackhead who stole them. Unfortunately, the call telling me about it came in from "UNKNOWN" at 10:00 pm, and I didn't pick it up.

They eventually caught the guy, but only after he graduated to kicking in garage door... and about 25 or so other resi burglaries from trucks and garages... including my carpenter buddy who had $8-10K worth taken from his Sprinter.

Dave, my 18v dewalt drill and sawzall had my phone number 630 area code on the tool, under the battery. If you find, please feel free to call.

I have been toying with idea of pitching this story to the press. Now, I realize they may not be interested because they can't really say "danger lurking in your local box store that may harm your children." But I have been really surprised at how many people this has happened to. They could take the angle of "big box store aware of epidemic, yet does little to prevent". I'd be interested to see some hard statistics to see if it would be legitimate to say it's about time they did something to protect their customers. Maybe show a map of repeat crimes that continue to happen over and over again, and if the data supports ask them, why don't you do something please?

I do know that the press has a way of sensationalizing a story so that by time the story is over we'd be left feeling that the profit-filled retailer does not care about its poor humble customers and would rather not go through the expense of making sure their premises is safe for their customer and their customer's property.

A thought just occurred to me. Do these places sell tools by any chance?........

Alan

Brilliant! a conspiracy angle. Nothing sells like a good conspiracy theory.

When you get robbed at the big box, do you report it to big box headquarters?
They might be interested in fixing it if they had an idea of the scope of the problem.
I can't imagine they really want to lose your business over a security problem ... but I could be wrong.

Most towns have found the best way to reduce crime rate, is to just not report it, makes you feel safe, and everyone in law inforcement look good.

Why would a newspaper print crime stats, when it may cost a large advertiser.

Sorry about your loss.

I don't know if you get down that far but I've heard bad things about the Home Depot at 95th and Cicero in Oak Lawn. I was there in the spring and the cops were investigating a vehicle break-in.

We are all victims of crime....every time we have a key made!

I, for one, will not give a market to a thief. No flea-markets. No buying from some guy in the parking lot. No E-Bay. No Pawn Shops. Sure, it may appear to cost more for me to go to a real store....but at least I KNOW it's not stolen.

As for prevention...well, try too look at things from the crooks' point of view. Something unusual and looking cruddy is far less attractive than something shiney and new. Much as I may love Snap-On tools....my tool box is more likely to have a "Harbor Freight" sticker on it!

The service academies have an honor code:
"I will not lie, cheat, or steal...nor tolerate anyone who does." There is wisdom in those words. When someone brags about the great price they got from some guy at the bar....shut him down; say simply "I don't buy stolen stuff." Keep an eye on the job site....crooks are famous for first stealing a hard hat, then wandering about, looking for opportunities.

Both the store, and your local government, need to know of your dissatisfaction in their response. File that report, write that letter. Paper often takes on a life of its' own. Yes, it can be difficult- I once had to insist, almost to the point of getting arrested myself, on filing a police report (The twinkie at the desk aparrently didn't feel like filling one out). But, without that paper trail, everyone can claim ignorance.

"My truck had no alarm and no suppimental locks."

I really do hate saying it... For the cost of buying new tools, you can get an alarm with GPS, auto locking doors on timers, (In case you forget, even install them inside the tool box...) and pager/cell phone notification, so you can go beat the day-lites out of them too while they are in the act...

I got all but the cell notification the last time I got robbed a few years back. (Still can get it... I should...) My alarm is a little sensitive and chirps a small warning if a large truck goes by, irritates the nieghbors. I had a conversation with one, and said that I don't care if it my alarm going off, or yours, I'll go out there naked if need be, cause nothing is getting stolen on our street while I live here. If I here mine warning, I look... A few months later, I heard mine, looked out the window, and found someone looking in his car... Cops came, and snagged them. Now the nieghbors don't mind if the alarm chirps....

Anyway, I am truley sorry for your loss. This is a conversation that unfortunately happens all too often on this forum.

Some more advice though... Engrave mark or brand your tools of any value with name, number, etc. A few of mine even have some extra stuff... "I find you, I kill you", "The person selling this tool to you is a thief.", "If found, or offered for sale contact Mark Heller..." Oh, the fun you can have with an engraver, or punch letters. Some of my older tools are branded with a hot dog-tag.

I got the company to get some of these for thier stuff... (Not from this company but as an example...) http://www.camcod.com/asset/asset-tags.asp?source=adwords

They are epoxied on, and really hard to get off. I put three on a band saw, good luck getting all of them off....