What tools have you had stolen?

[Bacon Man]

(for the record, i did a search and couldn't find anything)

So tonight i was in the garage, just drinking coffee and relaxing.

Naturally i look at my tool boxes and notice they are all unlocked (red flag)

Going through I notice my Fluke t5-600 and Fluke 116/232 kit are missing, as are all my spare meter leads. (pissed)

I call the wife out and question her if she moved or used them and she says no, then ask about the boxes being unlocked and she says she wasn't in them.

Then I begin to start thinking about who could've taken them and conclude.

Her grandpa's trash he has around his house. He has a garage key and he has spare keys to the boxes. Im guessing they took the keys while we were both out of the house. It amazes me nothing else was gone but maybe they thought I wouldn't notice.

Chances are they are at a pawn shop somewhere.

So it got me thinking, what tools have you had stolen? I have others from work that I will list later.

 

[zktk01]

My Neighbors stuff was recently stolen, luckily the shop where he bought his Stihl equipment had the serial numbers on record so they can call the pawnshops and inquire.
I thought that was pretty neat the shop kept records of that info.

That got me thinking I don't have serial numbers for anything wrote down. I am going to try to do better documenting that stuff in the future. I would be screwed if I had to file a insurance claim or police report.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Decades ago, I had a cheap Miter saw stolen from my shed. The bearings were about shot, and it wasn't accurate. It saved me the trouble of trashing it, when I bought a replacement

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Wait. So a family member stole your meter? That's worse tgan just basic theft is my book.

 

[Fcvapor05]

My entire box once, when I was 20.

That was not a fun day. I was in college, had no insurance, and the company refused to cover it.

 

[Bacon Man]

Wait. So a family member stole your meter? That's worse tgan just basic theft is my book.

Her mom's cousin's, drug addicts mainly, that come and stay with her grandparents and help him out. They steal their medication and sell it, but her grandparents refuse to do anything about it.

 

[Bdgjr215]

Nothing that I can remember ,but I watched a place I worked at a long time ago steal a guys tools that passed away.The company said his wife didn't want them but we found out about a year later that she was told he used company tools.There wasn't anything we could do about it ,the tools were long gone by then.

 

[M_George]

It would be interesting to know what company he worked for.

 

[zktk01]

Nothing that I can remember ,but I watched a place I worked at a long time ago steal a guys tools that passed away.The company said his wife didn't want them but we found out about a year later that she was told he used company tools.There wasn't anything we could do about it ,the tools were long gone by then.

Man that is such a scumbag thing to do.

 

[stercorarius]

About 14k in tools over three instances. Latest one was only about 2k in power tools that some onion truck driver took out of my service pickup in the equipment yard because the company I work for is too cheap for any locks. In case anyone is wondering in anywhere that can be considered remotely close to being considered rural the one key tracking is a huge joke. Had a Milwaukee impact wrench with one key stolen a year ago that still hasn't pinged.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

 

[Dozerhand]

I've been lucky. I had about a 20 foot long Herc-Alloy 3/8 chain stolen from the back of my truck, also 2 6 inch Kant Twist clamps stolen out of my truck on a different occasion. I caught a truck driver loading my Johnson bar that I'd left leaning on a conveyer into the cab of his truck. He had the nerve to tell me they needed it on the job and he was going to bring it back his next load.

 

[jumbojak]

I've been lucky. I had about a 20 foot long Herc-Alloy 3/8 chain stolen from the back of my truck, also 2 6 inch Kant Twist clamps stolen out of my truck on a different occasion. I caught a truck driver loading my Johnson bar that I'd left leaning on a conveyer into the cab of his truck. He had the nerve to tell me they needed it on the job and he was going to bring it back his next load.

How did that conversation go with the driver? I can imagine that I would have gotten very upset, very quickly.

I keep records of all my tools that have serial numbers. A Google spreadsheet is the best solution I've found.

 

[mbshop]

Well over 25,000 over the years.

 

[Dozerhand]

How did that conversation go with the driver? I can imagine that I would have gotten very upset, very quickly.

I keep records of all my tools that have serial numbers. A Google spreadsheet is the best solution I've found.

Well about all I could do was chew his **** out. Anything else and I would have lost my job and it was a great job. Funny thing is I liked the guy, he was one of our better driveway contractors. A couple days later he overheard me saying I needed to find a wacker to borrow from someone for the weekend. He had one of his guys make a special trip to the plant on Friday night to drop one off for me. So I guess it all worked out.

 

[slip knot]

in my early 20s I lost a snappy box with a goodly amount of debt still on it. My brothers dopehead friends took it and the cops never found it, but I had to pay it off because I didn't have insurance on it either. Learned a few hard lessons there and never bought another snappy tool on credit. My brother and I finally buried the hatchet a few years back but he still doesn't have a key to my shop. and probably never will.

 

[jessesandy]

A Proto 3/8" low profile ratchet from my father.
Along with other old tools kept in the car in case of emergency.
That was a great ratchet.

 

[DadsTools]

This has got to be by far the most depressing dark GJ thread I've ever seen.

 

[Fender1325]

This has got to be by far the most depressing dark GJ thread I've ever seen.

I'll lighten the mood. How many have I had stolen? Not a damn one. They stay locked up and I pitty the fool who tries me!

 

[Lelandwelds]

Very recently I lost a Millermatic Vintage, 40 ft 24" pipe, lots of new steel, assorted hand tools, an electric liftgate, 3 Lifetime gates, my grandfathers saw, Stanley plane, his leather handled Estwing hammer, and his folding yard stick. Why would anyone steal a beat up old yard stick?

 

[General Geoff]

Just a few Craftsman RP combo wrenches that grew legs while I rented a garage with a few "friends". I bought a locking roller cab (HF 44") to keep all my tools in at the garage and nothing disappeared after that.

 

[DFB]

A Makita 1/2" cordless drill with new battery disappeared from my jobsite one day. I left it in the room I was working in when I was called to assist on another project for a few minutes and when I returned it was gone, I was ripped over that nothing leaves my line of sight now.

My buddy had a huge Husky chainsaw disappear from a building where he was storing it along with some of his other tools. Of course no one with access had a clue to where it went.

Where I work now stuff would disappear all the time my boss always acted clueless but wasn't to hard for me to figure it out. Funny how things stop when certain people are no longer around.

There was series of break ins on my rural road a few years my closest neighbor got nailed for quite a bit of stuff mostly electronics though. I was fortunate I wasn't targeted and I believe that was because my old work truck was in the yard and visible in the driveway.

 

[Bdgjr215]

It would be interesting to know what company he worked for.

The company shall remain nameless ,but if it makes anyone feel better,when the owner died a few years later ,the kids ran the business into the ground.

 

[Finky198]

We had a guy break in about 6 months ago. Our shop is locked up very tight only 2 keys exist and their are accounted for 24/7. Most of the shop doors are manually lock from the inside so they cannot be open.

But as always if they want in they’ll get in.

Our thief was caught in the act but ran off with a small bag. We had a feeling of who it was. The theif was small enough to pry a window open and crawl inside. He was caught climbing out of the window with bag in tow, but ran off into night before we could restrain him. Which work out better in the end for both parties.

The next day a neighbor calls and said he found a bag of automotive tools and drugs (heroin needles crack pipes and prescription drugs.) and that He had seen said person the night before. it was indeed the same guy that we thought. The neighbors had already called the police as they have small children and the drug were left out in the open in there yard. They filed a report. We filed the second report. He was picked up later that week for breaking a restraining order ( W his GF) , B&E, grand theft, possession of stolen property. And they charged him separately with the drug offenses. Word is he not getting out anytime soon and amazingly every thing was recovered.

But he stole some brake flaring tools a a decent amount of wrench’s an odd array of stuff a few old screw drivers... Around $150-$250 worth of stuff.


It not about the stuff. Its About the being violated and having had your **** been gone thru. And I mean everything this guy opened drawers, boxes, cases, shelves. I’m guessing he was planning something bigger but his plans were foiled..... thank goodness.

 

[jgromada]

This is a depressing thread. Now i know why those blue tooth trackers like Tick (from Milwaukee) exist now

 

[Rileysan]

~25 years ago, someone broke into my truck and emptied my 5 drawer top chest of all new S-K 1/2" drive sockets, ratchets, and combo wrenches. I still haven't replaced everything that was stolen (namely, the 15" 1/2" S-K ratchet)

Brian

 

[woody 73]

This post is depressing me very fast...

Long story short version, I found a tool sale on my local CL coming from another area about 60 miles away. I bought a few tools nothing much, I seem to recall a few screwdrivers and a hammer for about $6.00 and I do remember telling one of are GJ members who live in that area about the tool sale. Wow you could have hit me on the head when he sent me back a pm, days later telling me that guy was a bad apple selling tons of stolen goods.

That killed it for me I have never gone back , Keep in mind I go to many garage & tool sales and hope all things are legit, that was a case that took me by surprise.

 

[rockinacummins]

Knock on wood, I haven’t had any tools stolen that I’m aware of.

My shop was broken into once but the perpetrator only stole about 3 gallons of gas and cut the leads (only about 30’ total) off my crackerbox welder.

 

[shelteredV]

this thread *****. It just brought back really bad ex girlfriend **** memories

 

[CoogarXR]

Two times:

1) In vocational school, junior year industrial electricity. Our class had divided wooden lockers that we kept our toolboxes in. seniors were on top, juniors were on the bottom. Well the seniors figured out that the shelf between the lockers was just held in with screws. They took out the shelves, drove out our toolbox hinge pins and opened our boxes and stole random stuff from all of us. They got caught, most of our stuff got returned (mine was all engraved, so I spotted it in the loot pile easily). Stupid criminals, they had to open their own lockers to steal from the guy below them, so it was obvious who the thieves were.

2) I had a car break-in back in the 90s. I had a crappy Odd Lots battery drill on the floorboard. It was stolen. Jokes on them, it sucked.

 

[E.Marquez]

The 1st road box I made, stolen out of the back of my truck while out servicing fleet bikes (stopped for a cup of coffee to go, dogs in truck, gone for maybe 3 min...dumb I know, but did not think it was a risk at the time)

Large Pelican case, three layers of snap on tools, 2ea 14.4v snap on guns...

And neither business nor personal insurance would cover the loss..

 

[blake101]

I've had two chainsaw stolen valued at around $1,000. I believe my teenage Neighbor Next Door stole them as I have caught him stealing from me before Cole Pruitt is his name, so if anyone buys anything from that young man or his mother, be aware it could be stolen he lives in the Columbus Mississippi area.

 

[Steiger9]

Insurance doesn't cover theft? Heck, what's the point of it then?

 

[blake101]

I had $1,000 deductible on my homeowner's insurance so what was the point. I just had to eat it.

 

[Steiger9]

So a number of years ago I hired a local kid for some odd jobs who had been in a bit of trouble. I knew his mom, and wanted to help out. I was a bit of a punk as a kid myself but with the right guidance turned into a respectable guy. Thought I might try and do the same for this kid.

Several months later I'm in a pawn shop and inside a glass case I find myself staring at my own Craftsman RP wrench set, complete with wrench roll with the broken strap. It was a bit surreal. I hadn't even known it was gone. Now this was my first wrench set I ever bought and $80 as a teenager was a big deal for these "professional quality" tools. Had no way to prove they were mine and had been stolen so for the sake of nostalgia I dropped $60 and bought them again.

I guess the only plus side is the added story to these when I pass them on to my kid.

 

[kwschumm]

Tractor Pallet Forks
Auto Diagnostic Camera
Socket set (stolen by the garage door opener repair guy)
Really nice hand truck and I can't find another one like it.
Small garage refrigerator
Portable emergency battery unit
My favorite Snap-On multi bit screwdriver that is NLA
Tektronix Oscilloscope with leads
Probably a lot more over the years that I have forgotten about.

 

[Finky198]

The 1st road box I made, stolen out of the back of my truck while out servicing fleet bikes (stopped for a cup of coffee to go, dogs in truck, gone for maybe 3 min...dumb I know, but did not think it was a risk at the time)

Large Pelican case, three layers of snap on tools, 2ea 14.4v snap on guns...

And neither business nor personal insurance would cover the loss..

That *****... I sure you lock them up now...

When I travel with my pelican tool box if I only have the one case I use a large bike chain and lock. I would chain it to what every was accessible and large enough wether it was in my jeep or on a job site.

When I have the 2 bigger cases (1660s) I just chain them together I’d like to see some try to drag both of them fully loaded.

Lessons I’ve learned Place the chain on the side with the wheels on it just makes things more difficult And of course good locks are a must but you have to actually use them lol.


A little back story

Once upon a time I worked as a professional photographer in NYC and chased a man down the street who nonchalantly walked by grab a pelican 1510 case and started rolling it down the sidewalk. I was standing less the 2 feet away when it happen but was occupied with something. It’s was not mine but the companies had $5000-7000 in camera gear and accessories. He did not get very far maybe 30’. He took off running when he saw me coming. The case was locked so I don’t think he knew exactly what it was he just saw the opportunity and took it.

And That is how I learned my lesson.

 

[jd_1138]

Knock on wood. Never had any stolen, well unless you count the $2 Frost Cutlery folding knife and a $15 Tomtom GPS that some lowlife took out of my wife's car.

Last week, I went to help a friend with a project at his house, and I forgot to close the hatch on my Jeep Patriot. I walked out 3 hours later and saw it was wide open. There were 3 Makita teal blue tool cases with impact driver, recip saw, drill, 2 batteries. Plus my general portable box with about $150 worth of hand tools in it. Luckily no one touched anything. It was even facing the street, too.

 

[jimkinney]

When we moved cross country, we were in a small rental house for 6 months, with stuff crammed everywhere. Once we moved into our purchased house and got the garage organized, I noticed several tools were missing. A Dewalt hammer drill, Craftsman circle saw and a couple of others. Unfortunately I didn't discover them until too late to put in a claim with the movers, and it wouldn't have mattered, the replacement cost was less than the deductible. It still pissed me off.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Let's start back with my VERY FIRST small Craftsman tool box that my dad bought me when I was around 10 years old...that broke my heart.
Some A-hole broke into our race trailer back when my 2 boys raced Go-Karts...cleaned out my Snap-on box, and my boy's race suit/helmet bags with all of their race gear.

Back when I framed, I had just purchased a trailer mounted 16" radial arm saw for a large project, set it up on a totally fenced project, came in the next day to see the trailer and large support arm that carried the saw head sitting where I had sit it up...minus the saw head!

Lost a 300+ pound wheeled air compressor off of another job site.

Lost a small portable Quincy compressor out of my new shop while we were doing our build out. It was locked up inside the building, so I figured it was nabbed by one of the contractors employees that had construction keys. Needless to say, I immediately had the locks re-keyed.

Even though we have a great monitored alarm system with surveillance cameras, I still lock all of my tool boxes and storage cabinets each and every night.

I hate thieves.

 

[E.Marquez]

That *****... I sure you lock them up now...

new one

Stays in the cab WITH the dogs, locked doors and alarm, or is in the back, in a custom built and mounted rack secured with a MulT lock ..kind of a gold standard in pad locks.