The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk My garage was robbed at gun point -- A warning to Stovebolters

About 4 weeks ago I caught someone in my garage attempting to make off with a $1400 pressure washer. After a few choice words from me, he pulled a gun.

I managed to get back to my house and return with my own gun. By this time he was through the hole in the wooden fence he had made but I fired a few rounds his way for effect.

I purposely did not hit him.

Upon investigation it was clear that he had at least one accomplice. He had been carting things out and tossing them through the hole in the fence for his companion(s).

All of my power equipment (backpack blower, lawn mower, chain saw, handheld gas blower, electric blower, weeder, trimmer, cordless drills, etc), rolling floor jack, and ALL of my mechanics tools were gone (All sockets, 10 or 12 ratchets, extensions, adapters, swivels, specialty tools, combination wrenches, various pliers, screw drivers, etc). The bulk of the tools I had owned since I was 18 when they were given to me by my parents for my birthday.

I'm sure there are other things missing that I'll never remember or that I won't notice until I go to use them.

Anyway, I estimate the replacement cost to be around $4000. The mower and blower total over $1200 themselves. My insurance deductible is $5000 so there isn't any point making a claim. Even if it were lower, it makes no sense to file small claims or you'll end up with higher rates, non -renewal of policy, etc. Insurance is for catastrophic losses.

I should point out that this occurred at 11:30 on a Sunday morning. I was home and I had already unlocked the garage door in preparation for working on one of the never-ending projects.

No vehicles were damaged or stolen.

Of course I immediately installed cameras, entry sensors, motion sensors , and 110 db alarms and two locks on each garage door. Horse is gone and the barn door is closed.

I've lived here for 10 years without any trouble even though crazy stuff happens all over the place near me. I was complacent.

I now lock all doors behind me and pack heat walking around my own property.

Govern yourselves accordingly.

That sucks, Otto. Sorry to hear.

Definitely sucks and I’m also sorry to hear about it. All easy stuff to pawn. I would check out the shops in your area and you may just get lucky.

In this day and age, security cameras are too affordable to be complacent. I have installed several over the last few years. Some with built in alarms or warnings that they are being recorded. All get recorded to the cloud.

There are also several level of security you can get from a single camera that records to the cloud, viewable on you phone, with live notifications ($25 with no monthly fee), on up to full security packages that notify police.

If you're somewhat tech savvy (or your kids are), you can design and install your own saving yourself a few dollars or you can go with one of the big security firms. Your local internet/phone company can also set you up with a security package.

With the cost of tools these days, complacency is not an option.

Why is this here in General Truck Talk? I think with the state of things in the country currently (rising lawlessness, invasion of criminals across the Southern Border as South America empties its prisons and sends the inmates this way), all Stovebolters need to raise our security levels. This is a good awareness piece.

JM

Back around 1986 we had a Blazer broken into. All the interior trim pieces were removed. A couple of months later the vehicle was stolen. Then I wrote a circuit for an alarm which blares a loud horn whenever the driveway is entered (at night...daytime break-ins like you described are not as common here). Since then nobody has stolen anything. I have thought about adding to the siren an MP3 file that will play the racking sound of a shotgun, but some richardhead would probably sue me for mental anguish.

Sorry to hear that, Otto. I'm just glad that you are safe.

Doug

Yeah, I`ve been on alert here recently too. The thieving basturds are striking while people are at church.
Sounds the same. God help em. I dont miss. Glad you are safe too.

So glad the guy didn’t decide to use the gun

Sorry to hear that Otto. Nothing worse than a theft. Several years ago my brother had his 67 Camaro at a local car show. Two days later while he was at work his neighbor called him and said someone was trying to break in his shop. Police was called caught them . They had an enclosed trailer parked about 1/2 mile away had a mustang already loaded. Only thing we could figure out that they got his name off of the car show flier on the windshield. Then pulled his name up online to find location of car.

Since we have breached this subject, discharging a firearm in the described circumstances is legally risky. The bad guys were retreating.
I’m not judging right or wrong here , just stating fact for the sake of reality. No criticism intended.

I'm glad your O.K. Otto & believe discharging your weapon will assure those dudes will not return. Waveski does have very a valid point, to each his own. Air tags (tracking devices) have been used to steal vehicles (& recover them) or even follow people home. Possible solution for recovery, there cheap & work. I need to get some.

Scary world out there.

AirTags won’t work for any thief that has a modern phone
Both android and Apple phones will alert you that an AirTag that is missing its paired phone is following you
And then you get a prompt to make the AirTag chirp so you can find it
So the thief knows the vehicle has an AirTag on it very soon

This behavior is to limit AirTag use to tracking unsuspecting victims
AirTags are for finding your keys or wallet
-s

My 1st house in the early 90's was on the edge of a college campus. Mostly families, but were slowly selling and being converted to student housing. More and more partying...and hooligans. I wired the house and shop for alarms. Still wasn't much of a deterrent. A few attempted shop break ins. A couple of times I ran out with the pistol to scare them off, but knew I would be the hooligan if I discharged it in the city limits unless my life was in danger. An me running around outside in my underwear with my pistol is not really trying to keep myself safe. I did have a snowmobile and trailer get stolen next to the shop. The trailer was recovered a couple of months later.
That was when I decided to move to just outside of the city, but having great neighbors to keep an eye on each other.
I do have 'ARLO' cameras around the property to record, just in case. No monthly service, and text alerts.

I installed a couple of Eufy cams. I'm impressed with them. Easy wireless install. No monthly fees. You do need a phone to install the app on.
Eufy Security

Sad times, not like the old days. Keep doors locked all the time, and hardly ever leave, but wow you where there and still it happened.
How old were they? Need to be aware and don't let people approach you or your stuff.
And having good neighbors is a huge help, a nice dog is good as well.

You missed the thug on purpose?????? WHY????? Since we're 20 miles from the nearest cop shop, they only function they serve in our neighborhood is to scoop up the trash and haul it off. I'm glad the scumbag was a poor shot- - - -you might not get so lucky the next time!
Jerry

Was waiting for a reply from Jerry I knew it would be along those lines Don king has good security at his house Shep the shepherd I have a Doberman to lick you to death

I have a one man bicycle shop in my yard, but also lots of neighbors and we all look out for each other. Would-be catalytic converter thieves have been caught before they could do any damage. I've lost a couple of bikes over the years, but gotten two of the three expensive ones back. <knock wood> I know I've been lucky.

Immigrants buy refurbished used bikes from be because I'm reasonable in rate and my 18 years in business reputation is excellent. FWIW, every time I've been hit, it's been a white boy whose meth habit keeps him local. Jussayin'.

I like those. Cameras are certainly a big deal, but seems that the police make pretty near zero attempt to recover stolen stuff.

What, besides camera, is out there in terms of ~deterrent~ from stealing one’s stuff in the first place?

Ya, cops don't waste time looking at cameras or attempting to find thieves.

An extremely loud alarm that makes your ears bleed and your brain stop working will deter most thieves. \

I installed two 110 db alarms inside the garage - one right by the door. Your brain melts when they go off and start echoing around inside the garage.

Two more alarms outside on the cameras.

Ya... horses gone, barn door now closed.

The 3-S method of dealing with thieves works in our neighborhood- - - - - -particularly when all the neighbors have machinery capable of digging deep holes, and lots of places to dig them.
Jerry

Tronman,
If you had a poster of Eddie Merckx looking down at your shop, the thieves would run away.

Otto,
Very sorry to hear of this and hope your new alarms will send them off and running.

Otto,
Glad to here that you were not injured.
As a former police officer I am hoping that you did make a police report. They cannot find what they don't know is missing. Another question i would ask you is, do you have any young family members or friends of family members that would have knowledge of your property, your belongings and possibly your daily routine? It was my experience in 25yrs of police work, 7 out 10 times it was an inside job. And as someone already mentioned usually they steel those type of items to resell or trade for drugs. Many times in my career we would recover items during raids which we knew were stolen items. But with no report from victims no way to return or identify where they came from. One investigation and take down of a drug supplier we recovered two tractor trailer loads of just the type of item that were stolen from your shop. Most of which never got returned to the owners. So I am sure you get my point. Most things I have marked with my Driver license number. I either stamp it, write it with a sharpie pen or engrave it.
I would hope that the department that investigated your theft will be vigilant. I you dont hear from them. Call them for updates. As with most departments they are most likely short on man power. I know people dont like to here that but its the reality. And it has nothing to do with the current state of affairs in this country. Its been that way long before defund the police and COVID and anything else form our past.
Lastly if I can help you out with anything let me know.

Thanks Jeff.

No. There isn't anyone , even casually who knows what I have or would have let unsavory characters in on anything.

I;m self employed and my schedule is random.

Cops didn't do anything except tell me to get cameras. Investigator was supposed to call for a follow up but never did so al;l they have down as stolen is a chainsaw.

I could recognize my stuff but only a few things could be proved to be mine.

This is Dekalb, County. It's run by corrupt and incompetent boobs, much like the city of Atlanta.

Also, they often come back because they expect you’ll buy new tools.

Notice posted in a neighborhood bar just east of Nashville Tennessee:

[After hours, this establishment is guarded by a 100 pound pit bull with AIDS.

If that doesn't impress you, I'll introduce you to the gay biker who infected the pit bull!"

LOL!
Jerry

That's too fun! Always a good day to off with a laugh!
Thanks Jerry.

Otto,
Also start checking Pawn shops and flea markets especially flea markets that are pop ups. Random dirt bags just set out along roads and sell for quick cash.
In pawn shops if you can find just one item and attach a name to it often helps jump start an investigation.
When you have a name it's amazing how fast all the rats want jump off the ship.

The point is to be secure. Maintain awareness. There are many ways to do that.

Point made, thus endeth the lesson.