Stolen Tools

[FrancisJ]

You're right, but we're so far out in the "sticks" it's a bit different (my farm is 100s of acres by itself). I shoot competively and wasn't aiming to "kill".........I bought this particular firearm from a friend's store "up north" (Quantico Tactical) in Q-Town.....Q-Town is down the street from the USMC Sniper School......it's really a fine firearm allowing one to place shots with a high degree of precision.......

Noticed your Dodge Trucks Emblem --- I have two in one of my barns undergoing restoration ---a W350 Crew (old blue) and a 27,000 mile 87 D250........both 360s......parts are not easily obtained these days........and the darn TorqueFlites on both leak like there's no tomorrow.....

 

[moneypit_k5]

25 year cop here.... 16 years Detective Division. Of the hundreds and hundreds of prints taken over the years.... 80% are just smudges and smears. 19%, we send to the state crime lab for comparison to the national database.... response is always.... ".... did not contain enough ridge detail for comparison purposes". 1%... no comparison found in database.

You want to know how many of the thousands of cases I investigated was made on fingerprints alone?

Where do your tools go? Into a car trunk.... to the local bar..... and into someone else's car trunk. That regular guy, your neighbor, co-worker, hunting buddy, or even friends, knows that the stuff they are buying for pennies on the dollar out of a car trunk in the bar parking lot are stolen.... they really don't care.

There's a little bit of larceny in everyone's heart.

Thats a pretty rough outlook buddy. Heres another one.

I once met up with a guy selling a very high dollar winch for way too cheap. Like, a few hundred dollars for a 2000 unit. I met the guy in a grocery store parking lot. to say he was sketchy is an understatement.

I knew the instant I saw him the winch was stolen... he was a druggie from way back, and claimed to have a dozen other winches back at his friends house, that he also just didn't want anymore.

I got the guys name, phone number, plates. While he called his buddy to bring the other winches so that I could buy them, I called the cops and told them i found the guy whos been stealing all the winches.

Dispatch couldn't have cared less. I begged and pleaded with them on the phone for 20 minutes to just send an officer, until the tweaker guy finally drove off.


Moral of the story? Some of us try to do the right thing, and some cops just flat don't give a ****

 

[thool]

The police were contacted and a deputy came out to take a report. He didn't take pictures of the shoe print left in spilled paint, or dust for fingerprints, or even bag the jacket that was left behind by one of the thieves. He told me that they didn't really have the manpower to investigate property crimes unless firearms were stolen or someone was in the house when it happened.
...
Fast forward another week.... the information collected was passed onto the police dept. handling the matter and I waited for them to call. Never happened. So I went to the police station to try to speak with someone. Nobody available. I left a message for the deputy that took the report and asked him to call me back. Never called me. I finally contacted a friend who works for the dept. He informed me that I would probably never get a call back because they don't have the budget or manpower to follow up on such small crimes. (Funny to me because I thought that felony burglary wasn't such a small crime.) He said that he would, however, make sure that the guys info was given to the correct people so that they could follow up and, possibly, catch the guy committing other burglaries.

It's pathetic really. And it is no wonder that these guys keep doing what they are doing. There are no consequences for their actions. At least, not from law enforcement.

Just don't make the mistake of committing unlawful acts such as moving a shed, or harboring an unregistered dog, or parking an unregistered car in your driveway for more than a couple weeks! Up here's you'll get taint tazed, beaten, and then tossed in jail!

 

[braidmeister]

---> taint tazed <---

 

[Rory Bellows]

Some guy around here saw his stolen dirt bike (stolen over 1 year ago) on CL and went to see it with his wife and father in law. The seller said he bought it from a friend then tried to leave when the guy tried to stop him. Father in law had a gun and shot the guy in the head. He said he was in fear for his family's lives. This just happened last week.

 

[Dr Stan]

That's going to be a huge can of worms to sort out in the court system. I'm not saying he was wrong, the a$$ ho!e deserved it. Only there will be a lot of pushing by his survivors for "justice".

BTW, I've buttoned up my shop as tight as possible and will be adding security cameras after the roof is raised. Shortly after I built my shop had a cop knocking at my door around 11:00 PM. Seems a local piece of white trash stole some bikes and was hiding them between my shop and the back yard neighbor's fence. Security lights went up quite quickly.

When I worked at Columbus McKinnon in Bradenton FL there was a lot of theft especially by first shift of the 2nd shift's tools. Only place where I lost a tool to theft so I was extra cautious thereafter when picking up & cleaning up at the end of my shift.

 

[Backyard Imports]

25 year cop here.... 16 years Detective Division. Of the hundreds and hundreds of prints taken over the years.... 80% are just smudges and smears. 19%, we send to the state crime lab for comparison to the national database.... response is always.... ".... did not contain enough ridge detail for comparison purposes". 1%... no comparison found in database.

You want to know how many of the thousands of cases I investigated was made on fingerprints alone? One.

I tell people all the time, "People want CSI in a The First 48 world". The vast majority of cases from murder down to vandalism are made by someone squealing on someone else (usually to cover for their own sins). It's just like grade school, most people will tell on their family and friends in a heartbeat. Gotta know how to talk to people. The most successful investigators out there aren't good crime scene techs... they have the most ****-bag snitches in their contact (phone) list.

Where do your tools go? Into a car trunk.... to the local bar..... and into someone else's car trunk. That regular guy, your neighbor, co-worker, hunting buddy, or even friends, knows that the stuff they are buying for pennies on the dollar out of a car trunk in the bar parking lot are stolen.... they really don't care.

There's a little bit of larceny in everyone's heart.

I understand what you are saying but I would at least expect the officer not to BS me about pulling prints. And what say you about me tracking the guy down, getting him to confess on video, and the locals Sheriff's office not giving a damn about it? I mean, I essentially did their job for them. And maybe they couldn't use any of it to prosecute the guy but maybe they could have, at least, made contact and let the douchebag know that he was now on their radar.

 

[jd_1138]

You're right, but we're so far out in the "sticks" it's a bit different (my farm is 100s of acres by itself). I shoot competively and wasn't aiming to "kill".........I bought this particular firearm from a friend's store "up north" (Quantico Tactical) in Q-Town.....Q-Town is down the street from the USMC Sniper School......it's really a fine firearm allowing one to place shots with a high degree of precision.......

Noticed your Dodge Trucks Emblem --- I have two in one of my barns undergoing restoration ---a W350 Crew (old blue) and a 27,000 mile 87 D250........both 360s......parts are not easily obtained these days........and the darn TorqueFlites on both leak like there's no tomorrow.....

Wow, cool old Dodges. I have a 1987 D150 2WD with a Slant 6 and a TorqueFlite. It's a regular cab, short bed, no options (well none besides the automatic). I bought it off the original owner when it had 85,000 miles.

 

[jade97]

Bastards hit our quiet neighborhood this week. Contractor building the house next door, they unbolted the hasp on their trailer & got all their tools.

Got my weed Wacker, chainsaw, hardware for my tractor snow blower attachment ( winch & brackets), gas can, & starting fluid.

Another neighbor, weed Wacker, drills, & welder.

They must have cased the area or was one of the contractors subs.

Where should I be looking besides Craigslist, letgo, etc.? Not many pawn shops close by...

 

[jd_1138]

Bastards hit our quiet neighborhood this week. Contractor building the house next door, they unbolted the hasp on their trailer & got all their tools.

Got my weed Wacker, chainsaw, hardware for my tractor snow blower attachment ( winch & brackets), gas can, & starting fluid.

Another neighbor, weed Wacker, drills, & welder.

They must have cased the area or was one of the contractors subs.

Where should I be looking besides Craigslist, letgo, etc.? Not many pawn shops close by...

Also, Offer Up (an iOS, Android app) is popular. There's a tool category and one for lawn equipment.

Sorry to hear. That *****.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

It always bugs me to hear that the cops dont have time to investigate a theft or burglary, but still have plenty of time to hide and run radar traps to try and bust the working people going back and forth to work during the "rush hours".

 

[Catadj78]

I hate a thief. I've had a 6k boat, 10k motorcycle and thousands in tools and electronics to thiefs. None have been caught and I haven't gotten andythjng back. The thieves that I have known to be caught all also received some sort of govt assistance to further the sting.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

I'm confused by a couple people's comments on here. If your items were stolen and sold to a pawn shop. Why are YOU required to pay the pawn shop to get your rightful property back?

That doesn't make sense to me. Pawn shop paid money for stolen merchandise. Cop verifies merchandise is yours but you have to pay the pawn ticket to get your stuff back?? I'm not seeing how this is legal in any sense.

There are too many **** bags on the earth, it's a shame. Reading this thread depresses me honestly just because even if you do get some of your stuff bag from the **** bag that stole it, nothing is happening to them and more likely than not you won't ever see your stuff back...arg :-(

-Nigel

 

[jmarkwolf]

I'm confused by a couple people's comments on here. If your items were stolen and sold to a pawn shop. Why are YOU required to pay the pawn shop to get your rightful property back?

That doesn't make sense to me. Pawn shop paid money for stolen merchandise. Cop verifies merchandise is yours but you have to pay the pawn ticket to get your stuff back?? I'm not seeing how this is legal in any sense.

-Nigel

Full agreement here.

 

[kirkkw]

It always bugs me to hear that the cops dont have time to investigate a theft or burglary, but still have plenty of time to hide and run radar traps to try and bust the working people going back and forth to work during the "rush hours".

That's because writing tickets isn't about safety is it revenue generation. They don't make any money investigating theft.

 

[kirkkw]

I'm confused by a couple people's comments on here. If your items were stolen and sold to a pawn shop. Why are YOU required to pay the pawn shop to get your rightful property back?

That doesn't make sense to me. Pawn shop paid money for stolen merchandise. Cop verifies merchandise is yours but you have to pay the pawn ticket to get your stuff back?? I'm not seeing how this is legal in any sense.

There are too many **** bags on the earth, it's a shame. Reading this thread depresses me honestly just because even if you do get some of your stuff back from the **** back that stole it, nothing is happening to them and more likely than not you won't ever see your stuff back...arg :-(

-Nigel

Because wink wink the pawn shop didn't know it was stolen and they paid cash for an item.

Sometimes they know things are stolen when their repeat customers have too many of the same thing like 2 brand new tv never used etc.

 

[finn]

That's why I don't frequent pawn shops.

I consider them the moral equivalent of brothels.

 

[ChaseDE]

Had a very nice jeep with some very nice accessories, very large competition sound system, etc for years when i was younger. It had been broken into a few times even though i had the best alarm you could get.

Couple years later we get a news alert the police will be having a claim event at a local pawn shop. I went there with all my receipts and reclaimed about $2000 worth of my stuff that was still there.

Only time i have ever been in a pawn shop.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

I've had plenty of hand and power tools nabbed thru the years. But the only thing I ever got back was my back hoe attachment for my skid steer 5 years after it got ripped. What a story that is.

Ca' mon LX...Don't leave us in suspense brother, let's hear it!

 

[Steveodle]

I can replace my tools. Now if somebody stole my dog words could not begin to describe the hell that would rain down who ever did it.

I got a shovel!

 

[StingRay]

I got a shovel!

I got a front end loader and 7 acres.

 

[Steveodle]

I know 3 pawn shop owners, 1 is moral pimp.
3 years ago I had paid a union carpenter cash , he asked for cash.
He stole tools first.
Months later he came back twice and stole cash, hundreds, from my unlocked truck.
Stupid me, I wouldn't loan him $$$$ to pay off his gambling debts.
Police said, put up cameras.
I bought 2 steps up from what sams sell.
They work great at night and from a distance.

 

[Outlander]

When my ATV was stolen, it was the cops themselves that stopped the guy. Traced the deed back to neighbors one spent 4 months in jail. I got all my stuff back and learned a thing or 2.

 

[driftpin]

I hate thieves. We had a $$$$ home renovation underway, it could have happened more-quickly, but it didn't.

About the time the house was dried-in and secured, I thought to mention to my wife, but didn't, "we should re-activate the alarm system." About a week later, they broke-in around 10:30 am and stole a bunch of the kitchen and laundry new appliances. Probably $14,000-worth. We had a couple of the PD members show up. They looked for prints. Entry point was a jimmied side door into the garage, middle of the morning, another similar construction project going on next door. The detective from the burglary unit said it was likely a delivery person or a tradesman from our job or the next-door job who either did the break-in, or tipped someone, "nobody's here today, c'mon get it!"

The neighbor across the street saw a white Chevy van in the driveway, that's who was doing the rip-off job. Another neighbor had a security camera get them but the shot was from too-far-away and no license #.

I checked craigslist for about a month, never saw anything show up that I could ID as mine. Going to pawn shops here would take forever, I bet there are 100 pawn shops in the county of 3 million people.

Jeb Bush lives not far away from us, in the same community, it's not the kind of place that you would expect this to happen, but why break int a ghetto home, what's gonna be there, except maybe drugs, or stolen merch? Go where the money is, as Willie Sutton said.

I had a derlict home waiting to be demoed. The house was condemned by the unsafe structures board. Local civic gadflies successfully delayed the demo for years, and an architect in a public meeting told the public assembly, "if he won't fix the house, can't we just take it from him?"

There was literally nothing to steal. I used to tapcon the points of entry closed, and when I came home from work, the plywood and 2 X's would be lying in the yard. I amassed a sheaf of police reports, because I demanded a burglary report on each and every one. Nobody ever got caught.

After nearly 10 years and over $100,000 in expenses, I finally got permission to have it demoed.

 

[sinister94]

I hate thieves. We had a $$$$ home renovation underway, it could have happened more-quickly, but it didn't.

About the time the house was dried-in and secured, I thought to mention to my wife, but didn't, "we should re-activate the alarm system." About a week later, they broke-in around 10:30 am and stole a bunch of the kitchen and laundry new appliances. Probably $14,000-worth. We had a couple of the PD members show up. They looked for prints. Entry point was a jimmied side door into the garage, middle of the morning, another similar construction project going on next door. The detective from the burglary unit said it was likely a delivery person or a tradesman from our job or the next-door job who either did the break-in, or tipped someone, "nobody's here today, c'mon get it!"

The neighbor across the street saw a white Chevy van in the driveway, that's who was doing the rip-off job. Another neighbor had a security camera get them but the shot was from too-far-away and no license #.

I checked craigslist for about a month, never saw anything show up that I could ID as mine. Going to pawn shops here would take forever, I bet there are 100 pawn shops in the county of 3 million people.

Jeb Bush lives not far away from us, in the same community, it's not the kind of place that you would expect this to happen, but why break int a ghetto home, what's gonna be there, except maybe drugs, or stolen merch? Go where the money is, as Willie Sutton said.

I had a derlict home waiting to be demoed. The house was condemned by the unsafe structures board. Local civic gadflies successfully delayed the demo for years, and an architect in a public meeting told the public assembly, "if he won't fix the house, can't we just take it from him?"

There was literally nothing to steal. I used to tapcon the points of entry closed, and when I came home from work, the plywood and 2 X's would be lying in the yard. I amassed a sheaf of police reports, because I demanded a burglary report on each and every one. Nobody ever got caught.

After nearly 10 years and over $100,000 in expenses, I finally got permission to have it demoed.

Sounds familiar. My neighbor from about 10 years ago used to do stuff like that. He was a good guy then got hooked on meth.

He tried to get me involved and told me all about it. He would use realtor websites to look up foreclosed, newly renovated, newly built homes that weren't occupied. He'd then scroll through the pictures to see which ones had appliances installed, and looked for pictures of security systems. Then he'd take his truck and put a fake contractor sign on it and go to the unoccupied house during the middle of the day and take out the appliances.

He got what was coming to him. He ripped off fellow meth heads and got beaten with a lead pipe. Eventually got caught by police stealing from a job site.

Crazy how drugs can turn a good person into a huge scumbag.

 

[Factory48]

I can replace my tools. Now if somebody stole my dog words could not begin to describe the hell that would rain down who ever did it.

I'm with you on that!


sorry to hear about your stolen tools. It ***** enough replacing ones that get misplaced or "borrowed". Stolen is whole different level.

 

[rburke65]

Yep.....take my tools or my wife.....leave my dog alone......

 

[CJM8515]

The locals and the hunting cabin are always an issue. They dont like you cause your rich Mr. City Person who bought land/house and they hunted that land when you arent around. My family has a cabin like that, we made sure to friend the one guy who watches it for us year round since he is retired. He is a super nice person and we thank him every year with gifts on .

 

[77Mini]

I was in a Pawn shop a couple months ago and bought a cheap little 1/4" air ratchet. The guy (maybe owner or manager) started talking about tools and told me how all his snap-on stuff had been stolen 3 times. Went on about how people always steal his snap-on and leave the rest. Went on and on about how he has a ton of tools. I kept thinking to myself...no wonder your tools have been stolen so many times, I'm a complete stranger and your telling me all about them.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Because wink wink the pawn shop didn't know it was stolen and they paid cash for an item.

Sometimes they know things are stolen when their repeat customers have too many of the same thing like 2 brand new tv never used etc.

But just because the pawn shop guy "didn't know" the items were stolen and paid cash how can they legally charge you for your own goods?

They have acquired a piece of merchandise that was not initially theirs. They had to have paid some type of currency and or exchanged services. If they didn't do either wouldn't the IRS like to find out how they are making money?

I don't know though, the entire thing seems silly. If I made a police report and it was verified that those items the pawn shop guy has are mine I would not be paying anything to get my stolen items back. To me the liability falls 100% on the pawn guy for buying said items. He is in the business unfortunately of potentially losing money/items if they are in fact stolen and should be fully aware and do everything in his power to not purchase stolen ****.

-Nigel

 

[jade97]

Thank you for the additional suggestions on where to search. I'm sure I'll never see the stuff again.

The weed wacker, chainsaw, and gas can piss me off,. But are easy to replace. The snow blower hardware is going to be a *****. Hopefully, the Husqvarna dealer can get the hardware boxes directly from Husqvarna. Looking piecemeal on the web (only Sears Parts shows what I am looking for) it's going to cost me almost what I paid for the entire snow blower attachment.

If someone in Eastern PA comes across a person trying to sell a Wood 2000lb winch & miscellaneous brackets, wiring, & hardware, it's probably mine. The chainsaw is a green poulan 16", weed wacker is a straight shaft Craftsman, the 5 gal gas can has a name sharpied on it (and my good spout).

 

[jade97]

But just because the pawn shop guy "didn't know" the items were stolen and paid cash how can they legally charge you for your own goods?

They have acquired a piece of merchandise that was not initially theirs. They had to have paid some type of currency and or exchanged services. If they didn't do either wouldn't the IRS like to find out how they are making money?

I don't know though, the entire thing seems silly. If I made a police report and it was verified that those items the pawn shop guy has are mine I would not be paying anything to get my stolen items back. To me the liability falls 100% on the pawn guy for buying said items. He is in the business unfortunately of potentially losing money/items if they are in fact stolen and should be fully aware and do everything in his power to not purchase stolen ****.

-Nigel

Isn't receiving stolen goods a chargable offense? The law doesn't excuse ignorance....

 

[Wes Tex]

Several years ago my enclosed race car trailer was broken into. The thieves stole assorted tools, tool box, generator, and an old scooter. Police were called and a report was taken. My son's wife got on Craig's list and found the generator and tool box listed with pictures the next day. Police were called and went to the address. They called my son to identify the items. We had engraved some items and had a serial number for the generator and VIN for the scooter. Detective told my son to take the items plus anything else he saw that was out of the trailer. About half the stolen items were recovered.

Girlfriend of one thief had the items in her mobile home. She admitted boyfriend gave the items to her to sell. Police said it was no crime to possess stolen items, but they arrested her on a drug charge. The place was full of other stolen items. (My son said he should have said all of the Snap On tools he saw were also his. He did not.) An arrest warrant was issued, and the thieves were arrested on another warrant. The sheriff's department making the arrest didn't get the word about the felony theft warrant, so the thieves were released. We never heard any more from the police or sheriff's office.

 

[Worsedog]

While not directly, but it is indirectly related to the pawn-shops, I figured I would address some of the questions and concerns.

Keep in mind this applies to Florida and while most states are probably similar, I'm sure there are likely to be some differences. My girlfriend owned two successful, LEGALLY RUN shops that I helped out with so what I tell you is not conjecture.

In Florida when you pawn or sell an item to a pawn shop you are required to be over 18, have a valid photo id, provide a legible thumbprint and sign a legal document that states you are the legal owner of said item(s).

Regardless of what anyone's opinion, in Florida pawn shops are a legal enterprise unlike brothels. They are licensed and regulated like any other business and have very specific reporting and record keeping rules. If they deal in firearms there is also a whole additional set of laws and record keeping rules, both state and federal to adhere to.

Are there crooks in the business, of course! Just like any other legal enterprise, the honest ones would appreciate not being lumped in with the dirt bags, same as any other honest roofer, mechanic, plumber, contractor, etc.

Refer to the stuff above about pawning an item, other than the pawnbrokers gut, that is what they have to go on regarding whether an item is stolen or not. My girlfriend had an excellent working relationship with the local law enforcement and also did not want the reputation of running a sketchy shop. Once the word is around that you follow the rules it reduces the instances of stolen stuff in your store.


The police would often let her know about patterns of theft in the area and the types of stolen items to be on the watch for. Sometimes the stuff would show up at her store and she would take the items, keep in mind the verifications required to sell or pawn. Along with the required info she would also often be able to get a vehicle tag number description and names and descriptions of people with said pawner. The next call was always to LE.

A good number of burglaries and thefts were solved with her assistance. On occasion, some of the stuff she took in actually initiated some investigations.

As far as having to pay to get your own property back, yes it seems like a kick in the nuts again. But think about the honest broker that paid out their money for it. Her general rule for items that proved to be stolen was that she only wanted back the actual amount she put out for the item. She would waive all the fees and interest that made up her profit with the understanding that you would prosecute or not hinder the prosecution of the thief.

In Florida, you can file for a writ of replevin in attempt to have your stuff returned. In all the cases filed, the local judges ruled in her favor as far as reimbursement because she always followed the law and had the documentation to prove it.

That said, I hate a damn thief as much as the rest of you. Personally, I think the justice system needs some adjustment since the way it is now seems like there is little deterrent.

 

[seagravedriver]

I was in a gun shop once, this other guy asks the owner to look at a used rifle, he looks at it for a few minutes, hands it back to the shop owner, then walks out. Comes back about 15 minutes later with a state trooper, who asks for the rifle, reads the serial number, then hands it to the guy. Shop owner said not a word. I'm pretty sure he knew it was stolen, or at least suspected. I wont go there anymore, unless I get something stolen, then it will be my first stop.

A good friend owns a pawnshop. EVERY firearm has the numbers ran. Show up with a box of tools sealed, and no receipt? Not going to do business. Flea markets are a clearing house of stolen tools in this area.

 

[ilovevocs]

Punishment for theft should be reevaluated.

Law enforment doesn't care and the criminals know they just get a slap on the wrist, and that's if someone even looks for them.

Of all the things I have had stolen the only ones I got back I found myself.

I have found the most of the time it is someone you know or lives in close proximity




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[mike in tucson]

What you said: "hello police? I had some items stolen from the garage"
Police said: "we don't have time to investigate property crimes"
What you should have said: "Hello police? I have a burglar in my garage. I think he has a gun"

What you said: "I found my stolen items at *** Oak Street"
Police said: "email us a message and we will put it on file"
What you should have said: "I was looking for my stolen items at *** Oak Street and I saw a child locked in a shed"

 

[ilovevocs]

A good friend owns a pawnshop. EVERY firearm has the numbers ran. Show up with a box of tools sealed, and no receipt? Not going to do business. Flea markets are a clearing house of stolen tools in this area.

Your friend is an anomaly. Pawn shops prey on the misfortune of others.

 

[DaveIRL]

I got a front end loader and 7 acres.

well they would still be found, now a bog or remote mountain side
or as this video says

 

[DaveIRL]

law law law, dont you know some of the coppers themselves are on the take.

for instance there was 12000 stolen yes stolen from a garda/police station store room.

are you saying that every dollar taken from crims ends up at the police station after a big raid.

there was even a instance back in the 1970's. where my dad was driving a work van belonging to his boss. and the door opened and some tools fell out, the local postman which my dad became friendly with dropping him off to the depo in the mornings, saw and picked up some of the some of the tools as well. thats grand put a cop saw and picked up a rigid 36 inch Stilson and put it into the car, my dad found out the next morning and asked the cop but the cop denied having or seeing any tools hmmm