Went out before work today to walk the dog.

Noticed a piece of the plastic vent-guard ove the passenger door had fallen off. It's got cracks, it was cold last night, must have finally given way.

Was at the back of my truck, and noticed one of my pre-fab flex whips hanging from the trailer wiring under the bumper.

Walked closer, and discovered that the door to my truck cap was ajar.

Looked inside, and my tools belt with all my hand tools was missing.

In addition, my worm drive circular saw and my tool bucket (with extra tools/parts) was gone.

Called the cops - they don't fingerprint cars unless they've got a suspect already. Gave me a report number, and a pat on the back.

Added everything up - close to $1500.00.

Got a list of the tools I plan on circulating to the pawn shops & second-hand stores in the areas, with a business card attached. Luckily, everything's engraved, so it'll be easy to trace - it's just tracking the sh*t down that sucks.

Hope my insurance agent still likes me!

AAAIGH! This sucks!

Some contractors here in New York City weld bars or "grills" over the windows and special "roll down store-gate" type heavy duty locks on the doors in order to prevent that type of thing from happening.

Sorry to hear about the break in....

I've had my car/truck broke into three times, and I must say that NOTHING p**ses me off more.

Do you have Marine Ins on your Liability Plan?

If that's the insurance that lets a platoon of Force Recon Devil Dawgs loose to look for my s**t, then I sure wish I had it!

I'd pop a cold one, sit back, and wait for the mushroom cloud!

Edited to add - I'm probably going to attach a piece of uni-strut to the back lid on the cap to keep it from being flexed, and attach it with Grade 8 bolts. (in addition to the grating over the back)

Told the wife I needed an enclosed steel topper, but when it's a choice between mortgage or "extras"... the roof over the head wins. Guess I'll just beef up the cap I have until I can get a better one.

And store my tools inside. (or maybe bolt a gang box inside the truck)

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 04-09-2004).]

Doug,
Welcome to the club, We now take home hand tools, and keep road kill tools only in the truck.
Every morning, load only the tools required for special jobs.
The best place to take your truck, to have it cleaned, and i don't mean washed, is the box stores, you just go in for a few minutes and it is cleaned faster than a car wash.

Sorry to hear you lost your tools, hand tools and pouches always seem to have a special added sentimental value to cavemen and women like us. It's like losing your broken-in baseball mit, yikes!

When I used a pickup truck with a cap for my work truck, I bolted a regular, full-sized gang box in the bed all the way to the front. I kept anything I didn't want to take in 'n out everyday inside. It was a pain-in-the-a** climbing in to get something, even though I was much younger then, but I never lost anything. Another tip is to take those pretty Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, and whatever tool carrying cases and spray paint them black...then they won't look so attractive and identifiable.

Andy

Doug,

Sorry to hear about your truck. Like others said I lock most tools up in a gang box locked to the truck. I don't know how much a steel topper is but when the time comes you might conceder a used step van instead. They are more secure, you don't have to crawel, and they hold more.

I priced out insurance on my tools once. I think it was $600-700 a year with a $500 deductable. They based it on insuring $1500-$2000 worth of tools. I don't know if they give you replacement value or depriciated value in a loss. It made about as much sence as geting full coverage on a new car.

I was looking at home ads in that area. We were looking at Gurnee, Wakegan, and North Chicago. What is your neiborhood like? Is it newer or older clean or unkept?

Tom

I have insurance on all my tolls. It's an add on to my liability ins. I think it was $400 extra per year for $6000 worth of tools. While I don't have all my tools with me all the time there are times I do.

Anybody here that does work in New York City probably has had their truck broken into or somebody else in the company who has. We had three van get hit in a week, I would imagine that it was hard to explain to the insurance guy what happened... We all have the hockey puck style locks on the truck and I have seen them on caps for pickup trucks too, I would guess a piece of deep strut on the inside with the pucks on the outside would slow them down. The also have an add on for the puck locks that surrounds then entine lock so you can't twist it iff with a huge pipe wrench. I would not be surprised if the insurance company requires you to beef up the locks, after our vans got hit all the techs got a memo that your personal hand tools would not be replaced if the pucks we not on, so now mine are on all the time... even in the driveway.

Jim

Active 1:

Waukegan has good and bad areas. Gurnee's mostly OK comparatively speaking. North Chicago (west of Green Bay Road - IL 131) is mostly OK.

I live on the "exclusive" east side of North Chicago - the "hood", as it is so quaintly referred to... home of gang tags, liquor stores, and "thumpa thumpa" as a vehicular musical art form.

I used to think that our neighborhood was pretty secure. Minimal police reports for the area, and we (F.D.) don;t get called here for BS like we do in the "trouble" areas.

I think I'm being targeted by a certain individual. Here's why.

About a month ago, a guy claiming to be from the neighborhood offered to rake up the leaves by the house. He did a good job, so I gave him a few ($5) bucks. The wife gave him a fairly sizeable chunk ($40) in advance to clean up all the debris in the back yard (way too much IMHO for the area).

Well... the wife had a bed habit of leaving her purse in her car (We used to say it didn't matter - no credit between us, and not much more cash , but I'd always be on her case about "targets of opportunity"), and I'm sure this guy spotted it.

One evening, the "cleanup guy" stops by and voluteers to carry a bag of groceries into the house. I didn't like this _at_all_, and hurried him out, but apparently, not soon enough.

Well, while I was at work one night, she came back late, with a bad back. Locked the car, but doesn't remember if she locked the house while getting our daughter inside. I came home to find the driver and driver's rear doors ajar on her car. Thinking she didn't close them all the way, (our daughter's car seat is behind the driver) I start to close them and realize the inside of the car's been tossed. The thief went through the glovebox and center console, and stole my wife's purse, our tollway change, my (empty) PDA case... that kind of petty BS.

I call the cops, and give them a preliminary inventory.

I get a call from my wife later - she discovered that the thief had apparantly gotten into the house, and had taken 2 bags of frozen breaded chicken tenderloins, 2 packs of flank steak, and a cookie sheet.

Nag my wife about how the security system only works if it's turned on. She replies that she has a way to deal with that...

We get a dog.

A few days later (once again, while I'm at work) someone pops her car again; this time bending the window track on the passenger side (away from the house) to gain access (I assume pushing the door lock button with something). They didn't get anything (since there was nothing to get) but nobody ever said street crooks grew up bright.

When my truck got hit last night, it was parked "nose in" to my driveway, well illuminated by a city streetlight that lights up the front of my house. And, of course, I was home. Even the cop said that was bold for an ordinary "grab and go" thief.

New development - stopped home with the wife tonight, and the front door deadbolt was unlocked. Think they're " 'loiding" the side door lock. I'm installing a deadbolt on that door when I get off duty tomorrow morning (6 years too late - kick self in head), and I'm pricing IR cams for mounting on the driveway side of the house, as well as motion sensors to alert us indoors.

I know we're not rich, but maybe, being the only "eligible" (young & white) family on the block, and having two vehicles, we look a lot better off than the idiot who keeps stealing my stuff. I don't mean to sound racist, as I know all too well that s**t comes in all colors and wrappings, but the east side is predominantly black, as is the "cleanup guy" who conveniently stopped showing up after the car got hit the first time.

I'd be happy to pay the guy to do chores around the yard - but my charity stops well below the $1500 mark, as well as the loss of a sense of security.

Thanks for the feedback, and the vent space, guys (and gals).

Doug

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 04-10-2004).]

Doug,

I hate what you're going through. I got hit in Chicago around Central & Laramie a couple years ago. It too was a bold move on their part. I remember my whole outlook was off kilter for awhile. I was suspicous of everyone, and very angry. I would lay in bed at night knowing there were people like that out there and just be uneasy about it, wondering who else was being victimized by plotters of evil.

And I live a good 20 miles from where I was wronged. I can't imagine if it was at my own house. Now I'm thinking about getting an alarm or some puck locks.

I hope things turn around for you.

Sorry to hear about your stuff.

We had two guys tool boxes get broken into in the plant the other day. (Probably someone else in our dept) Now managemanet says that they cant do anything about it. So what good is the 2.5 million dollar security system.

We all want to be safe, but the sad fact is that locks only stop honest people from stealing. The lazy, low lifes will always steal instead of working for what they want.

I lost the whole truck out of my driveway about 2.5 yrs. ago. Filed $25,000 in lost tools on the company insurance.
I live in a yuppy revival neighborhood. None of the people living here would steal a tool or know what to do with it. But low lifes drive thru and take advantage of oppurtunity.
Took the truck once; tried again 6 months later; broke into the garage and walked off with $2500 worth of tools.
I finally knocked the garage down and rebuilt a bigger one with a 9ft rollup door and a good alarm.
Park it inside and sleep better than I have in years.

It's enough to make you scream.

How about a shotgun filled w/buckshot!

Oh, the wife had a 12ga pump on her side of the bed - the 9mm is on my side (.45's on loan to a bud from another PD). If scummo comes in the house and I'm home? Well, let's just say that I can get Luminol at a good price... and I know several "disaster restoration" pros.

Looked at a PIR vehicle/people sensor today - it signals a control box inside the house, and can activate a horn, lamp... whatever you rig on the other side of a latching relay.

Thought about just a sensor light, but I'd rather not just scare him off - I'd like the cops to grab this schmuck... maybe get my stuff back (or at least point me where to go)

Mc Welco's truck boxes are virtually bullet-proof! Last I heard, they had a guarantee to replace the contents of the box if it was broken into. Sorry to hear about your tools... People that steal your livelyhood like that should be burned at the stake!
http://www.mcwelco.com/truckboxes.htm

If you're interested

-Randy

Sorry to hear about your problems Doug.

Maybe I'm fortunate in that I've never had a break-in or anything stolen in all the places I've lived. I guess that's one of the big benefits of living out in the sticks.

DougW wrote:


I always thought the South Side was the nasty "no go" part of Chicago....

The "hockey puck" locks that JCooper mentioned are the heavy duty ones that I was thinking of when I wrote my first post.

They're widely used on NYC store gates because you can't snap them off easily with a pair of bolt cutters. And I doubt any petty crook is gonna take the time to fiddle with lock-picks.

Weld grates on your van windows, especially the back door windows.... The ones I'm thinking of consist of a square made of steel "angles" with heavy security "mesh" welded (kind of like a window screen on steroids). It's the stuff they use for making storage cages.

I know it looks ugly and all that extra stuff you tack on will diminish resale value of your truck greatly.

But it's worth it to keep out the "smash and grab" types. And your work tools are worth more than the cosmetic beauty of the truck they're in.

Actually, if the truck was sold to another tradesman, I imagine they'd be quite pleased to have the protection already in place.

Doug,

Somewhere else on this site someone mentioned that the use of a Lo-Jack recovered his stolen vehicle with most of his tools. That might be a very good investment, at least something to look into.

I feel for you though, I've had hand tools stolen before while on the job. Not thousands of dollars worth, but I was angry all the same.

-John

[This message has been edited by BigJohn (edited 04-12-2004).]

Well, I'm actually in North Chicago - a little town by the Great Lakes Naval Base - just south of Waukegan. "Big" Chicago is about 28 miles south.

Given some serious thought to "hardening" my topper (I drive a pickup truck w/ a fiberglass "camper" style top - 2 slider windows on the sides, and a see-through window in the back over the tailgate)

1) build a plywood deck just higher off the truck bed than the average Milwaukee box is tall. This will allow me to secure tools & supplies under the decking, invisible to "wandering eyes" - it also allows me to be able to tote sheet goods without dumping everything out of the bed. This will stay in place if/when I get a "contractor" cap for that reason.

2) Bolt a piece of B-24 C-Strut to the bottom of the lift door of the topper - with the open side towards the frame, with small cutouts to allow access to the lock/handle. This will keep the aluminum from being "flexed" out of position, which facilitates popping the lock rods out of position... which is how Schmucko got in.

3) Get some expanded metal lathing cut to size(we have an iron/steel works that the FD is on pretty good terms with in town), and use hi-tensile round/carriage head machine bolts and panel washers to secure it over the rear and side windows. It won't be very quiet at highway speeds, but at least my stuff should still be there.

4) Radio Shack has a "portable" alarm for cars that hangs inside the engine compartment and clips to the battery - it even has a keychain remote! I figure I'd hard mount it to the lift gate, and run some SJO (or similar) from the battery back to the alarm in the bed - at least this way if somebody f*s with the rear gate, they'll get an earache.

5) Install a lock in the tailgate handle, or else mount a gate latch inside the tailgate, so you have to access the inside before dropping the gate.

Anybody got a Knapheide or Reading topper for sale?

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 04-12-2004).]

Doug,
I was working in Chicago by the united center, and someone in broad daylight smashed my window (with neighbor workers watching) to try to unlock my van doors. I caught the guy breaking my window and he slowly walked to a waiting car and slowly drove away while I was calling the cops. Luckly they got nothing. I have insurance on every tool I own, but the next day, I got an alarm installed with electronic deadbolts. $1200 bucks later, I have the security and peice of mind. The only way to unlock the dead bolts is with the remote. Even if they break a window, they cant get to my tools or supplies. The bulk head prevents them from getting to the back, and the unlock buttons do nothing. The remote start on the van is wonderful on the cold days also.

DougW:

Sorry to hear about the problems there. Cars windows get smashed here in Passaic, NJ, on occasion. Somebody once tried to steal my car right out of my driveway. I had to use pliers to twist the ignition back into place to get my key to fit again.

Once there was a problem with gas siphoning in my parents' old neighborhood in Philadelphia (this was probably in the 1960s or '70s). My father owned a German shepherd. He left one of the car doors open enough that the dog could get out if needed. The dog was in the car overnight. Dad heard barking and the dog took off. She returned shortly after, with some blood on her teeth and a piece of fabric in her mouth.

Wonder of wonders, the gas siphoning stopped after that

Of course, these days, there would be a lawsuit, etc.

... Isn't there a way to get juice from the ignition coil,and rig it up to the door handles?? maybe somehow insulate the door handles from the chassis, therefore,when the unwitting dirt-bag,son-of-a sewer rat goes and fools with the door,he/she(ya never know these days) will get a big surprise.... I may be on to somethin'...
Russ

Yeah, I'm thinking a huge capacitor (or bank of capacitors_ that charges from a storage battery or two....so when the person touches it, they get knocked on their keister. Not enough to kill them...but enough to go "What the >?< "

Probably another lawsuit waiting to happen.

It's an idea I had since I was a little kid.

Did anybody see the tv show "overhauled" (I think that is the name)last night? They picked up some kids truck and did a seven day drastic custom job on it.

Along with all the custom work they did to it they also installed a custom full legenth bed drawer on it. That would be the way to go. You could transfer the unit to the next new vehicle you own.

[This message has been edited by fla sparkey (edited 04-14-2004).]

Looked at those. Knaack makes one, but they're not cheap - neighborhood of $1200 for a full size one - not including the plywood for decking.

They do extend full length out from the bed.

Ahh, for a few winning numbers!

Well, as luck would have it, I was offered the chance to scrounge throught a friend's parent's basement for tools and 'lectrical stuff (pics coming!) to make up for my recent theft.

Scored MAJOR toolage... a bunch of hand tools, nut drivers, a full 3/8" & 1/2" socket set, extra wrenches, more KO punches, and a bunch of plumbing and electrical fittings. Between my "extras" I had in my shop and these, I should be back up to speed pretty quick.

Thanks to everyone for their support. Having sympathetic ears was nice!

And got some good ideas for securing my stuff!

UPDATE:
I'd gotten a phone call about a week ago from an acquaintance, telling me that someone was selling tools with my name on them. Went to the police, but got "lost in the shuffle".

About a dozen garages get broken into between the phone call, and tonight.

Tonight?

They found the @#$&^% - caught red-handed leaving a garage with tools! Long criminal record - hopefully it'll get longer in an instituional setting.

No word on my stuff yet, but at least this dirtbag won't mess with anybody else's livelihoods.



[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 05-25-2004).]

WOOHOOO!!!!

Great News Doug! Glad to hear this piece of $#!+ is off the streets!!! Hopefully you get a large percentage of your stuff back!

-Randy

Just a note guys...DO NOT buy used tools from guys showing up on the job site selling used tools. Same story for flea markets.

Dave

I agree with Dave do not buy used tools from guys showing up on job site.In fact you should run them off because they are also checking out the site for what they can steal.

HERE IS HOW I TRY TO PROTECT MY $H!* !!!

I DON'T LET THE VILLAGE IDIOT COME OVER AND RAKE MY YARD !

I DON'T LET THE TOOLS THAT FEED MY FAMILY SIT IN MINIMAL ENVIROMENTS !

I DON'T LET MY WIFE MISTAKE THE HOME SECURITY SYSTEM AS ANOTHER USELESS "GADGET" !

I DON'T LET THE DWELLERS OF THE HOME LEAVE DOORS UNLOCKED !

AND...
I DON'T BELIEVE THE COPS ARE GOING TO DROP A DONUT STOP TO HELP ME FIND MY CORDLESS SCREWDRIVER !

THIS MAY SOUND HARSH BUT LOOK WHAT PEOPLE DO TO INVITE THE THEIVES TO COME GET THEIR STUFF !!!
JUST ASK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN AT NIGHT..."DID I LEAVE AN INVATATION OUT FOR THE DIRT BAGS TONITE ?"

FEEL FREE TO BASH ME REGARDING THIS POST !!!
...BUT IF YOU DON'T PROTECT YOURSELF...WHO IS !!!

MIKE

Mike, Mike... we're all sitting within arm's reach of the screen...no need to yell!

LOL Bren
I'm with you guys on buying the tools on the street... Just the other day some guys rolled up next to me in a Suburban, the guy in the back rolled his window down & asked me if I was interested in some tools.... He flashed a fairly new looking Milwaukee sawzall, a big Bosch demo drill, & a couple Ryobu things... he said take it all for $120... I rolled up the window & continued to get on the freeway... But not before getting his License plate # & letting Long Beach PD (where I was at the time) know of the offer

-Randy

Hey , sorry for yelling...but honestly...If "all caps" is hurting your "ears", then you might need your wiring checked...lol

really...sorry ya'll...I just hate dirt bags taking honest folks stuff...ya' know ?

Mike

Hey Mike, I agree.

I'm not claiming pure innocence on this one - I'm just joining the unfortunate chorus of folks saying "CYA is ALWAYS in effect" as shown through personal misfortune, and reminding folks to be careful.

And I vented a little bit, but that's one of the things to do here.

Even if I don't get everything back, I known that this POS will be going bye-bye.

He should consider himself VERY lucky that he didn't try to "re-invite" himself into my abode again. It would have been a short, and terminal visit.

I totally agree with the CYA always on... heck, I'm one of those belligerent children who went off adventuring (overseas) and learned (eventually) that safety & security comes from due diligence in the party of the first part - me.

I also learned that @#$%^&*s aren't necessarily stupid and if you give them a chance to exploit a neglected or vulnerable vantage point, they will even if they have to be clever or hard-working to take the lazy-person's way.

I'm also not opposed to the Smith & Wesson repeat offender prevention plan, we have the same security provider.

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 05-28-2004).]

Hey Doug, I was reading about your misfortune last night and low and behold I witness my neighbor being robbed today at 12:00 noon. They broke into his garage and stole his ATV which he had just purchase a month ago. From start to finish it probably took no more than a minute an a half. In fact, I though it was his friends before something click into my head that yo something is wrong here. That's when I grabbed my digital camera and took a picture.
Needless to say that when I downloaded the picture and edited it, we had 2 of the 3 descriptions of the guys that robbed him and the license number of the van that they used. It's probably the best thing I ever bought for work this Nikon Coolpix 5000 camera. So I spent the next 2 and a half hours with the police and detectives, which is okay because we now have a better chance to catch these low lifes. Hopefully this will make you feel a little bit better because people do care. I've been in your shoes a couple of times before and it hurts and lowers your trust for people. Sincerely Bill

Good job, Bill!

Yeah, it helps to have a place to vent.

I guess they finally went to this guy's apartment, and didn't find a whole lot. And, being a multiple time previous felon, he's still claiming innocence, and isn't letting any info up.

My next step is to place an ad in the local paper for "information about missing tools" etc. etc.... Maybe I'll get some back.

If not, guess I know where my OT money is going for the next few months!

Thanks to all for the support.