I've had my tools stolen.

[Richym76]

Hi guys more of a message for the UK guys.

My workshop was broken Into Tuesday 25 sept. All hand tools mainly snap on and mac were taken also including diagnostic kit panasonic toughbook and Toshiba laptop. they were etched with richy or RM. keep your eyes open please

 

[Hesketh]

Really feel for you. Hope the insurance pay out. I would like to say I hope the Police get your stuff back, but I fear this is most unlikely

 

[CanUK]

I feel your pain. Hopefully your stuff is found. On the off chance it helps, what part of the country are you in?

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I'm sorry to hear it.

Death to thieves! GRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Gamble]

***** sorry dude. Your location would help though.

 

[Hyster Gareth]

I'm really sorry to hear about that I know its not the point but were your tools insured?

Will keep a look out. I often wonder how many tools on eBay are possibly stolen property!!

 

[zakmartin]

I'm sorry to hear that some d-bag stole your tools. There's a special place in hell for people who take away another person's means to make a living and feed his family.

Do the British cops actually do anything over there? When I see them on TV, they don't carry guns, they drive gutless cars and most of them look like they'd lose a fight against my dead grandmother. They seem almost pointless to have around. Have they been helpful at all or did they just take a report and basically say, "Tough luck."?

 

[CanUK]

I'm sorry to hear that some d-bag stole your tools. There's a special place in hell for people who take away another person's means to make a living and feed his family.

Do the British cops actually do anything over there? When I see them on TV, they don't carry guns, they drive gutless cars and most of them look like they'd lose a fight against my dead grandmother. They seem almost pointless to have around. Have they been helpful at all or did they just take a report and basically say, "Tough luck."?

Subaru WRX's and Mitsubishi EVO's are gutless? UK cops more pointless than the overweight redneck doughnut-munching variants in America?

When my garage was broken into they sent forensics around to take prints within the hour. I had regular calls over the next several weeks to update me on any leads or developments.

 

[2oolhound]

Do the British cops actually do anything over there? When I see them on TV, they don't carry guns, they drive gutless cars and most of them look like they'd lose a fight against my dead grandmother. They seem almost pointless to have around. Have they been helpful at all or did they just take a report and basically say, "Tough luck."?

There are precincts on this side of the pond that at least could put you in touch with someone who could sell you back your tools.

Sorry to hear about it, best of luck through your ordeal.

 

[Givl Reggin]

I often wonder how many tools on eBay are possibly stolen property!!

My brother the cop says about 30-40% of all items offered on Ebay originally got their start as stolen property. CraigsList can vary by area, but it's estimated that anywhere from 20-60% of the goods offered have been pilfered.

Because I don't want to support criminal activity and those behind it those stats are the sole reason why I never buy stuff off of either Ebay or CraigsList.

 

[padronanniversary]

Is that ny richie in UK ?

 

[CanUK]

My brother the cop says about 30-40% of all items offered on Ebay originally got their start as stolen property. CraigsList can vary by area, but it's estimated that anywhere from 20-60% of the goods offered have been pilfered.

So they're recovered and successfully identified 30-40% of everything sold on Ebay as stolen property? Wow, they must sure spend a lot of time on the internet... and driving around to seller's homes.

 

[wrenchr]

That *****, I would check local fleamarkets and hock shops.

 

[richfinn]

I'm sorry to hear that some d-bag stole your tools. There's a special place in hell for people who take away another person's means to make a living and feed his family.

Do the British cops actually do anything over there? When I see them on TV, they don't carry guns, they drive gutless cars and most of them look like they'd lose a fight against my dead grandmother. They seem almost pointless to have around. Have they been helpful at all or did they just take a report and basically say, "Tough luck."?

They do carry guns (when appropriate), they drive better cars than the cops I saw in Florida and even the female Officers would kick your slimy pointless *** in a fist fight, you silly ****

 

[richfinn]

Sorry to hear about the stolen tools , Can,t be putting up with people slagging off the British police based on some ****** USA TV show.

 

[Givl Reggin]

So they're recovered and successfully identified 30-40% of everything sold on Ebay as stolen property? Wow, they must sure spend a lot of time on the internet... and driving around to seller's homes.

What I suspect is that they took a small sample size and extrapolated it... maybe let's say they had a representative percentage of .1% (in the real world probably even less) for a given area and found that .03-.04% of the original .1% that was sampled was stolen merchandise.

Obviously some items are more suited to be fenced through Ebay, for example you're probably not going to find may stolen cars offered, but for sure things like auto parts.

In the retail business theft is a major problem and it's not just some local mis-guided youths, it's profitable enough for it to be organized as a business model. Today busting a shoplifter means they are probably going to be looking for the ring leaders who have upwards of 100's of thieves working for them at any one time.

Ebay and CraigsList have replaced the local Pawn Shop and buying out of the back of a van... and neither Ebay or CraigsList will admit there is a problem.

 

[Greatwhitewing]

Hi guys more of a message for the UK guys.

My workshop was broken Into Tuesday 25 sept. All hand tools mainly snap on and mac were taken also including diagnostic kit panasonic toughbook and Toshiba laptop. they were etched with richy or RM. keep your eyes open please

That super-*****... Hope yo had insurance to help

 

[Chadwilliam1]

sorry to hear about this, that is sad.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Man,
Sorry to hear about that man. Wish I could help.
Throw 'em over at Dover, if you get the chance!

 

[Zeke]

At least your tools have been etched. When few show up, the trail back to the thieves will be more easily traceable. Keep posting everywhere you can.

Funny, I have a tape measure with someone's name on it. Don't even remember how I got it. I always wondered, stolen or estate sale? Could go either way. I do a lot of garage and estate sales as well as flea markets.

I have a drill motor I bought at a tool store used. It has someone's name on it like they worked at Boeing. Feels weird to have another's name on your tools. Those are the only 2 I can think of.

 

[darkk]

About 18 years ago my partner and I got robbed of around $90,000 in tools and equipment from our repair shop. We recovered about 40% of those tools. The thieves were to pay restitution for the remainder, after 18 years, we have yet to see a penny...

 

[OutLore]

Check the local "Cash Converters" type stores - if you can give them at least a few items with serial numbers or other identifiable marks, they are supposed to report the items when they arrive...

Hope you get them back, or failing that an insurance pay out...

 

[2oolhound]

My brother the cop says about 30-40% of all items offered on Ebay originally got their start as stolen property. CraigsList can vary by area, but it's estimated that anywhere from 20-60% of the goods offered have been pilfered.

Because I don't want to support criminal activity and those behind it those stats are the sole reason why I never buy stuff off of either Ebay or CraigsList.

I buy as much equipment as I can on the used market. That way I can have more! I find it's easy to determine if someone has stolen property just by talking to them and what they can tell you about an item. Their personality will give some clues too and I walk if I suspect it may be stolen. Most often it's VERY obvious the person is the legal owner (as in the cm roller cabinet & top box with side box I just scored on CL). Ebay is a little harder to tell if items are legit which is why I always post serial numbers on my items I sell on ebay.

Even by your brother's stats the majority are honest folks selling legit stuff. Writing them, ebay and cl off is kinda like giving in to terrorism and isn't fair to those honest folks who have found ebay and cl a great way to supplement their income imho.

 

[JASTECH]

Sorry to read about your issue, I've been there a couple times. My insurance does not pay the first 1k$, so I have to choose what "I don't need", this ***** the first time but by the second time it really sucked bad. If you were closer I would sell you my extras.

Again, sorry.

 

[Rust]

Stealing tools is IMO a pure oxymoron.
Thieves wont use tools to make a dollar, just sell them for a quick buck to some lowlife that may never use them as well.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[Hootbro]

My brother the cop says about 30-40% of all items offered on Ebay originally got their start as stolen property. CraigsList can vary by area, but it's estimated that anywhere from 20-60% of the goods offered have been pilfered.

Because I don't want to support criminal activity and those behind it those stats are the sole reason why I never buy stuff off of either Ebay or CraigsList.

I would take those estimates with a grain of salt. They maybe right or totally off base. Cursory searching reveals like estimates but nobody really knows what it is.

Unless blatant, it will not stop me buying used off either site.

 

[ndoran]

after my home was burgled in Montreal the local police advised that I engraved everything with my driving licence number - they even loaned me the engraver to do it. That way if ever anything was stolen they said they could trace the owner. Not perfect but it is a pretty good approach.

A month later I did get a call to go to a police station where they had a large amount of recovered stolen property to see if any of it was mine. The funny part was the female detective was wearing a shoulder holster with a 45 magnum in it - totally bizarre.

 

[BD1]

Truly sorry. My daughters boyfriend and his partner had the same thing happen. Really sad, they even took the hose reels off the walls. Hope everything works out.

 

[Zeke]

Engraving each and every tool would take hours. Not that it isn't worth the time and effort. I looked and I'm surprised that one can't have tools laser engraved en masse. Or mechanically done by a CNC. Insert tool, push button. Add to that the fact that most people's engraving looks like ****. It actually defaces nice tools.

Seems like an operation that once made portable would be a good biz op. All you'd need is a bond to alleviate fear.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Hi guys more of a message for the UK guys.

My workshop was broken Into Tuesday 25 sept. All hand tools mainly snap on and mac were taken also including diagnostic kit panasonic toughbook and Toshiba laptop. they were etched with richy or RM. keep your eyes open please

Duly noted. Mac and Snap On hand tools throughout the UK will be closely inspected for the aforementioned initials. We'll have this ******* by the weekend!

 

[Richym76]

Thanks for all the kind posts. Insurance is gonna pay out but I've not got enough cover.

I'm not in turmoil do I get back the essentials in snap on and then

 

[Richym76]

Thanks for all the kind posts. Insurance is gonna pay out but I've not got enough cover.

I'm not in turmoil do I get back the essentials in snap on and then

Flaming taptalk posted too early.

Do I get the basics back in SO then build my collection up when I can afford it, or get cheaper tools.

 

[CanUK]

Do I get the basics back in SO then build my collection up when I can afford it, or get cheaper tools.

I'm thinking you could spend a LOT less than SO, and get even better quality with some German or other Euro-brands. Hazet, Gedore, Facom...