You can imagine the shock when I realized that the van simply wasn't there.I'd been working in a row house 50' from it and never heard a thing.Was done, walked out with an armful of stuff to put away and no van.Had a 4' ladder 18v driver and tool pouch with me, the rest is GONE.The keys were on the floor.
So everyone,watch your stuff, it can happen in a heartbeat.(fighting urge to kill something;here kitty!!!!)

Way back when I was just an "employee", another employee and I returned to the shop. After setting the contractors truck up for the next day (inside garage), we left and went to our prospective vehicles....only thing, my partner's was MIA. Called police and did the routine.
A few weeks later a state trooper is waiting for us when we return. Seems the theives had stolen my partners truck (complete with power tools and ladders, etc) and we were working as contractors on some project somewhere!
Long story short, the culprits must have seen the cops waiting in the vicinity of their (stolen) truck at the jobsite and never returned to get it. The trooper asked my partner for the list of items he put on his report and checked them against the list of items "recovered" from his truck - some of his tools were there, some were not; BUT there were also tools and such that weren't his...the trooper just shook his head as he "added" the "new" tools to the original report list.
How insane were these theives?

I hope they find your van (in good condition) with some extra "goodies" for you.

Sorry to here that derater.
Although, I'll admit, I was giggling when I read that. I pictured your face, with an armload of stuff.

Sorry, for finding humor in it, that does suck.

Maybe we can start a "find a new van for derater" fund?

What city you in?

My buddie was doing work in Philly one day and walked out to his van. He sees this kid breaking into to it and decides to chase him to get his stuff back.
Bad move, the kids friends were waiting for that and when he started running after the original chump, the rest of them cleaned out his whole van.
He laughs about it now, but if he had a gun on him then, he'd probably would of opened up on them.

I feel your pain! I have been there before. But, "The keys were on the floor." That says "steal me" in neon!

If you get it back think about one of these handy GPS locators. I think everyone shold have one!
http://www.earthtrak.com/et_realtime_tracking.htm

Ripoffs are common here in Arizona. I use a steering wheel club EVERYTIME I park ANYWHERE. Also an alarm and ignition kill. It seems like a PITA but I think of the setback it would cost me to lose my well stocked truck.

On busy sites, it was common for my foreman and I to leave our keys in out trucks - especially if they were parked in a place where they'd need to be moved for a delivery.

When working by ourselves? We'd keep the keys.

Sorry to hear about your loss - and especially the resulting long walk home!

Sorry about your loss, but I have to ask:

Why would you or anyone in this day and age feel it is safe to leave a vehicle unlocked, let alone with keys in it?

I don't care where anyone live, theft can happen anywhere.

Call me jaded, but we don't live in a safe world anymore.

Peter

I tend to find these a good deterent to theiving little bar stewards...

Ya need some thing a bit bigger to hit 'em from 30 miles away, in an undisclosed location, as they strip your truck down.

Might need a 8 digit grid and air support.

[RANGEVOICE]"Call four fire! Call four fire! This is Echo Tree Hector - Mark - (White GMC Savana) 3482-5103 - I see your Mark - Adjust for Slpash and Fire four FULL EFFECT!!"[/RANGEVOICE]"

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 03-28-2005).]

Ive been trying to respond for 2 weeks-right after the original post my computer fried;Cops caught some guy 'sleeping' in the van a little more than 12 hrs. after he took it; he said he found it where they caught him-lucky him it a case of beer with his name on it!!Guess he sold the ladders, gennie, digital camera and 1/2 " Dewalt,but most everything else was there.The van is totaled, no great loss, an old Chevy headed for pasture,but the best part is I'm not covered!! I have a wheel gun,but I don't know about killing someone for 'stuff';wounding maybe.....I like the GPS idea; how much?

Derater - glad you got most of your stuff back.

I have to jab you a little about one thing, however:


Did this a**hole bother to give you the courtesy of "wounding" you but "only" taking your screwdrivers? How about only "wounding" you by "just" taking your meters. or digicam?

No. He went for the kill shot. I feel lucky in that, while a good majority of my tools were taken last april I had another (full time) gig to still pay the bills while I couldn't pull wire.

Don't fall for the "oh, it's only stuff" routine. That's an excuse for less than immediate investigation, or for lax punishment by the courts,

"Stuff" is my Xbox or TV... my lawnmower... my cooler, my fishing poles.

The items I use in my trade are my lifeline. If anyone attempts to deprive me of the tools I use to provide for my family by force, I will do everything in my power to stop them from a) doing it to me and b)having the chance to ever do it to anyone else ever again.

BTW, if you don;t think you can kill someone, then never point a gun at 'em.

I think a dog with no voice box hiding in the van waiting for the door to open would be a very nice option.

GPS

300 up front for the stuff, and 7 a month min for the service.

Being able to find your truck in a few minutes....

Priceless!

When I lived up in northern ca. on an Indian reservation I had a dog that stayed in my work van most of the time. If I said OK she would let you get stuff out of my truck if not you got bitten. She was a good girl. When I was working for a friend who knew the dog very well he thought he could just get in and grab a wrench...he was wrong. When Little Bit was in the van she was working. Best security around. She also helped pull wire under houses pretty good. Rod

Today...with the plague of brazen meth-heads....I think it's time to start considering the rope again.

Recently had an extension cord vanish on a job. The mexican sheet-rock crew new nothing...untill they learned that the generator, gas, and cord were all mine, left there for their express use.....then they suddenly knew exactly who had used the cord every moment of the day- and supported me when I asked the gringo sprinkler contractor about the cord that "accidentally" made it into his truck!

It only takes one such person to turn a great jobsite into pure hell.

This is not an ad just a suggestion: http://www.gpsonsale.com/vehicletrackingdevices/products/GPS-CAR-TRACK/GPS-CAR-TRACK.htm
There are others as well.