Local Shop Got Hit..

[Moose-LandTran]

Got a call this morning, a local MOT (safety inspection) station got hit last night. It's next door to the shop i used to run, very near the shop i run now. The guy who's stuff got stolen is like a brother to my mate who i work for. I feel for him, ****** situation. They went in through the roof, went through and took only the expensive tools, left the rest and also left his personal items and photos that were in the box. They loaded the box into a customer's car that was inside the shop and took that as well. I heard they also took money and some other stuff in the place.

To make it worse, word locally among the few that know all the details is that it was done by a mate of mine, who has somewhat of a "reputation".

Needless to say we're putting a lot more security in place at our shop, and have ordered more metal to make extra window bars and are putting some more barbed wire out on the gate to our yard. It's already pretty secure, alarmed, 24h infra-red CCTV, etc.

Looks like phone calls are being made and whoever is responsible will be getting a visit from the heavies..

Still a sad day.

 

[kissmeimgerman]

Sad to hear! Wish this kind of BS did not happen...

 

[mudflap]

That kind of thing makes me mad, and i dont even know him. Probably just a working guy trying to provide for his family, now some RETARD not only steals from him, but takes the tools of his trade he has spent years building up. I hope the shop he works at has some kind of insurance to help him out.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Sad, I wish him the best.

 

[blue dog]

Sorry to hear this.

on a side note, a big nasty dog is the best anti theft device. And everyone should have a shop dog.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Sorry to hear this.

on a side note, a big nasty dog is the best anti theft device. And everyone should have a shop dog.

We're adding a lot more bracing to our door and steel bars over the two windows. The windows are barely accessible anyway. More bolts top and bottom for the doors, new hinges and beams going across them too. Our two locks are insurance-grade, £187 each.

We have 4 (soon to be 6 or 8) CCTV cameras, alarm (linked to local police station) and some other stuff too. I have a 26" axe under the desk in my office. I'm usually there until 11pm too, and i only live 1.5 miles away.

Still a little worried..

 

[north]

Fingers crossed for a quick recovery of the goods.

 

[nhmercracer]

Sounds like an "inside" job.

 

[Steevo]

Sorry to hear about that.

I do get a kick out of the universal usage of the word "mate" though.

It doesn't seem to matter whether you are referring to a drinking buddy, a friend, a shady ex-associate, or an employer, they are all your "mate".

 

[justanengineer]

Sorry to hear this.

on a side note, a big nasty dog is the best anti theft device. And everyone should have a shop dog.

The best anti theft device is a combination of a 70 yr old man living in an upstairs apartment with a shotgun and a big shop dog. He was the original shop owner of one I worked at, a hell of a nice guy, a bachelor, and wanted to live out his days working in the shop he built.

Sorry for your friend's loss. I too often wonder about the use of the word "mate."

 

[Danglerb]

Not much you can do against somebody coming in from the roof, except to make them go back out the same way. Factory I worked at had a string of breakin where they came in through the roof and robbed the coins in the coke machine. Third time the cops had a chopper close enough to put a light on the place less then 3 min after the alarm tripped, and two K9 units went in to clear it. Plucked the scaredest looking kid I ever saw out of one of those big canvas sided "laundry cart" things we used.

These days I think CCTV is the way to go, that and making exit a slow process without keys.

 

[mudflap]

Sounds like an "inside" job.

Thats what i was thinking, somebody that hangs around there, or previous employee. Most of you probably already have this, but for those that dont know, you can get a rider on your homeowners policy to cover your tools at work. Mine is for $10,000, with $500 deductable, cost me $6 a month.

 

[2oolhound]

We're adding a lot more bracing to our door and steel bars over the two windows. The windows are barely accessible anyway. More bolts top and bottom for the doors, new hinges and beams going across them too. Our two locks are insurance-grade, £187 each.

We have 4 (soon to be 6 or 8) CCTV cameras, alarm (linked to local police station) and some other stuff too. I have a 26" axe under the desk in my office. I'm usually there until 11pm too, and i only live 1.5 miles away.

Still a little worried..

Yes but what are you doing about the roof?

It seems like what ever you do to try to protect your valuables someone is always brazen enough or desperate enough to attempt to steal it. At least this new technology actually broadcasts the images BEFORE they have a chance to cut the power or obscure the cameras.

Anyone who steals their tools will never be a real mechanic or professional, only a wannabe.
Real men earn their way and pay for what they have. Dirtbags or scumbags slither around at night and unscrupulously cheat them.

****** disgusting.

 

[Subytech]

That story makes me sick to my stomach.

 

[JSBriggs]

I HATE theives. To have your livelyhood stolen in this economy is not a fun place to be.

-Jeff

 

[NastyNate]

I say set land mines below any entrance... only thing is when your place catches ablaze the fire depot cant put it out.

 

[Benji]

Sounds like a inside job to me. Good luck finding the tools.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Yes but what are you doing about the roof?

It's a railway arch. You can't get in through the sides or the "roof".

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

What are the gun laws like in England?

Adam

 

[NJHandyGuy]

Thats what i was thinking, somebody that hangs around there, or previous employee. Most of you probably already have this, but for those that dont know, you can get a rider on your homeowners policy to cover your tools at work. Mine is for $10,000, with $500 deductable, cost me $6 a month.

What company writes that?? and does it only work on h/o or renters as well

 

[OccupantRJ]

It's a railway arch. You can't get in through the sides or the "roof".

I bet it's fun being in there when the train runs.......

 

[earlthegoat2]

What are the gun laws like in England?

Adam

Not from the old country but I know their gun laws are not friendly. California is a gun heaven compared to the UK. THAT is saying something.

 

[mudflap]

What company writes that?? and does it only work on h/o or renters as well

In my case, STATE FARM, and it is also available as an add on to renters policy. You can get different coverage amounts and deductables, price will go up or down accordingly. The amount i have will cover my box, and most of my tools, but i know some guys have 10 grand just in their box not including tools. The shop i work out of is not in the greatest neighborhood, so the peace of mind is worth it.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

thanks mudfflap now i have ANOTHER chore for tomorrow

 

[fergus]

Thieves deserve to have somebody got to work on their nuts with a pair of pliers and a blow torch.

 

[diesel research]

Think the last time the shop shut off the lights "for the night" was in 2008 when a hurricane swept through called Ike.

After that, they bought 2 903ci cummins v8 generators, probably about 400hp a piece. Seems there are a little less issues when you stay open 24/7/365...

 

[Rarified27]

However you decide to further protect the shop, consider that hidden security measures could seriously hinder any firefighting efforts should anything start cooking when no one's there- be safe and practical about it.

It would be a shame for you guys to lose everything through your own efforts to keep the place secure.

 

[Shipfittin]

Excellent point Rarified, a lot of people don't think of that situation in mind.

I actually had a buddy that tried to file a suit against our city Fire Rescue for cutting a hole in his roof when his house was on fire.

 

[Danglerb]

What are the gun laws like in England?

Adam

Worse than NYC, its almost impossible to own even a sporting rifle like a shotgun.

OTOH without England we wouldn't have a 2nd amendment protecting our right to bear arms.

 

[american lockpicker]

What are the gun laws like in England?

Adam

 

[ptschram]

I have a 26" axe under the desk in my office.

Still a little worried..

In a country that has suggested outlawing kitchen knives, that sounds like a bad idea to even state that you have such a weapon.

Most of you probably already have this, but for those that dont know, you can get a rider on your homeowners policy to cover your tools at work. Mine is for $10,000, with $500 deductable, cost me $6 a month.

I had a much harder job of insuring my tools between the time I moved home from PDX and we bought our new house. I was only able to find a single company to cover my tools and they were only 0.8 miles from home.

Most homeowners policies won't cover "professional" tools and most insurance companies consider anyone with more than $1200 worth of tools to be a professional.

Tradesmen usually have to have "Inland Marine" policies to protect tools away from their homes or shops. Mine cost me just shy of $200/month for, IIRC, $150K of coverage with an inventory required prior to binding.

Just for fun, call your insurance agent and tell him/her that you want to have coverage on a $5000 or $10,000 tool box. Then suggest you have $200K worth of tools in it.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

ARM up ..oh wait , you can't ..cheerio

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

Worse than NYC, its almost impossible to own even a sporting rifle like a shotgun.

OTOH without England we wouldn't have a 2nd amendment protecting our right to bear arms.

thanks a million ...tyrant king boy george

 

[Moose-LandTran]

In a country that has suggested outlawing kitchen knives, that sounds like a bad idea to even state that you have such a weapon.

It's no secret. And i'm within the law since it's at my place of work, i'm not carrying it around on the street. Same goes for the one next to my bed.

I don't carry knives or weapons on my person.

Best believe i'm not alone in being prepared in my shop.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

It's no secret. And i'm within the law since it's at my place of work, i'm not carrying it around on the street. Same goes for the one next to my bed.

I don't carry knives or weapons on my person.

Best believe i'm not alone in being prepared in my shop.

What are the laws on actually using an axe in a situation like that, though? Some places would prosecute on a "premeditated intention to use a deadly weapon" as an axe is a bit out of place in a mechanic's shop and a bedroom. Might be better off with a 3/4" breaker bar or a chunky ripping hammer instead of an axe, legally.

Even some places here in the US, you could actually go to jail for defending yourself in your own home - the legal "safe" route being something like "Call the cops, hide, hope the bad guys don't find you, and pray that the cops actually feel like doing something that night."

 

[Moose-LandTran]

What are the laws on actually using an axe in a situation like that, though? Some places would prosecute on a "premeditated intention to use a deadly weapon" as an axe is a bit out of place in a mechanic's shop and a bedroom. Might be better off with a 3/4" breaker bar or a chunky ripping hammer instead of an axe, legally.

Even some places here in the US, you could actually go to jail for defending yourself in your own home - the legal "safe" route being something like "Call the cops, hide, hope the bad guys don't find you, and pray that the cops actually feel like doing something that night."

I'll worry about that when i need to. And there ain't nowhere in my shop to hide!

 

[ZRX61]

To make it worse, word locally among the few that know all the details is that it was done by a mate of mine, who has somewhat of a "reputation".

Had a similar situation when I lived in Brixton. Walking home from the pub one night I pass 4 blokes I knew pushing a cart loaded with tool boxes. I recognized the boxes as belonging to some friends so I dropped by the home of one of them. Calls were made, posse assembled, baseball bats, hammers & scaffold pipes procured then we made a visit to the house where I'd seen them take all the toolboxes.
When we burst in we found them sitting around a dining table... that had also been stolen from one of my friends a week before.
Everything was recovered after a brief Tarantino scene. The least injured among the perps got out of hospital 10 days later. The head perp was held down & had EVERY knuckle broken with a hammer & then had his knees smashed so he couldn't run away.
Seemed to cure the lowlifes of their errant ways..

 

[wafrederick]

This thief I don't feel sorry for,got his *** kicked by 3 of 4 marines after stabbing one of the 4 marines.



http://apbweb.com/forums/shenanigans-27/pooooor-shoplifter-45199/

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Had a similar situation when I lived in Brixton. Walking home from the pub one night I pass 4 blokes I knew pushing a cart loaded with tool boxes. I recognized the boxes as belonging to some friends so I dropped by the home of one of them. Calls were made, posse assembled, baseball bats, hammers & scaffold pipes procured then we made a visit to the house where I'd seen them take all the toolboxes.
When we burst in we found them sitting around a dining table... that had also been stolen from one of my friends a week before.
Everything was recovered after a brief Tarantino scene. The least injured among the perps got out of hospital 10 days later. The head perp was held down & had EVERY knuckle broken with a hammer & then had his knees smashed so he couldn't run away.
Seemed to cure the lowlifes of their errant ways..

I watched a friend of mine dealing with thieves more than once. I was violently sick the first time i saw him dealing with one, not a pleasant sight.

He can be a very unpleasant person.

One time that was funny, he caught a guy trying to steal one of his vans. He dragged the guy out by the neck and showed him why he couldn't get it started - it was missing an engine.

I understand he also received a savage beating.

I, on the other hand, am a much more calm, collected and reasonable person.

 

[Davi]

I watched a friend of mine dealing with thieves more than once. I was violently sick the first time i saw him dealing with one, not a pleasant sight.

He can be a very unpleasant person.

One time that was funny, he caught a guy trying to steal one of his vans. He dragged the guy out by the neck and showed him why he couldn't get it started - it was missing an engine.

I understand he also received a savage beating.

I, on the other hand, am a much more calm, collected and reasonable person.

I like the sounds of your mate