The stealing has begun!!!

Queen Bee · #1 10/06/08, 09:06 PM

In the area of our farm, most farms are owned by relatives, been in families for generations. Some are close to the road and/or can be seen from other houses etc.. There are lots of things missing from many of the farms/homes surrounding us!! Heating/air units, copper wire from homes, farm equipment, bikes, gas/fuels, food stores, guns, fishing gear, jewerly, cash etc. Times are getting hard, folks-- better lock up your things and keep watch for others in your area..

This makes me very sad but dh has always said when 'things' get bad, the scum always comes out from under the rocks..

Alice In TX/MO · #2 10/06/08, 09:10 PM

I heard today on the news in Memphis that horse trailers need to be locked down as there has been a rash of thefts.

plowjockey · #3 10/06/08, 09:13 PM

Country folk usually have pretty lax security on their items and buildings.

Not a good idea anymore, for sure.

Probably a good time to inventory all of the "stuff" you now have, in case you get hit. Will make the insurance claim go easier.

Marty

Queen Bee · #4 10/06/08, 09:20 PM

Great idea, Marty! I will have start that tomorrow.. We have been really lucky, so far but who knows who will be hit next..QB

Bruenor · #5 10/06/08, 09:30 PM

I'll be double checking every window/door before going to bed each night. What I really need to do is get my garage cleaned up so I can park our two cars in it at night. Gas prices have gone down, for now, but I expect they will return higher than ever. Even though I live in a good town, I'd feel safer with my cars locked inside my garage.

My parents live out in the country though, and the increase in country thefts worry me. I'm going to talk to them about putting up some motion-sensor floodlights around their garage, and making sure that they keep everything locked up tight.

Becca65 · #6 10/06/08, 09:38 PM

Yep, they will take anything about now, we had our catalytic converter stolen from our van a few months ago.. insurance paid for most of it.. but we still had to pay 250.00.

Country Lady · #7 10/06/08, 10:49 PM

Two different neighbors of ours have trucks with tool boxes on back. One night the tool boxes were wiped out with the trucks sitting right up next to their houses.

shellrow · #8 10/06/08, 10:54 PM

Please be very careful! It is getting bad and the bad apples are lurking through to the top! Now is the time to lock up everything and make sure your house is secured at all times. I never even leave the door unlocked if I am at home by myself. Too many things can happen!

moonwild · #9 10/06/08, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellrow

Please be very careful! It is getting bad and the bad apples are lurking through to the top! Now is the time to lock up everything and make sure your house is secured at all times. I never even leave the door unlocked if I am at home by myself. Too many things can happen!

We have a little hunting cabin on ten acres . We have had it with no problem for 25 years.This week we went to hunt and found the whole cabin had been robbed. The propane stove, the wood cook stove, our cast iron skillets, pictures .... any thing of value was gone and the rest was trashed!
We had it locked but the door was pried off the hinges.

Sad!

Narshalla · #10 10/06/08, 11:06 PM

Sad thing is, the recent down turn is just an excuse for the thieves. They'd steal anyways. These aren't people trying to keep their kids fed, they would walk up to the house during the day and ask for eggs. These guys are probably stealing to support a habit, or stealing from habit.

Oldcountryboy · #11 10/06/08, 11:22 PM

So far I haven't really noticed any major crimes up in my neck of the woods but 60 miles away in the big city, armed robbery, burglery, stabbings and shootings are way up. I can only wonder how long it will be before crime increases out here in my part of the country.

lonelytree · #12 10/06/08, 11:31 PM

I call them bottom dwellers.

shellrow · #13 10/06/08, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonwild

We have a little hunting cabin on ten acres . We have had it with no problem for 25 years.This week we went to hunt and found the whole cabin had been robbed. The propane stove, the wood cook stove, our cast iron skillets, pictures .... any thing of value was gone and the rest was trashed!
We had it locked but the door was pried off the hinges.

Sad!

Sorry, it sounds as if they cleaned you out! How close was your property to "civilization"? Did alot of people know about it or is it one of those things that someone might have stumbled across it?

moonwild · #14 10/06/08, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellrow

Sorry, it sounds as if they cleaned you out! How close was your property to "civilization"? Did alot of people know about it or is it one of those things that someone might have stumbled across it?

It was way back in the woods. Not even a real road to it ...but could get a four wheeldrive in. Closest neighbor is about 4 miles away and said he has had his motorcycle stolen out of his garage so must be some hoodlums in the area.Hope the crooks are careful ..... some around here are of the "shoot, shovel, and shut up types!

shellrow · #15 10/07/08, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonwild

It was way back in the woods. Not even a real road to it ...but could get a four wheeldrive in. Closest neighbor is about 4 miles away and said he has had his motorcycle stolen out of his garage so must be some hoodlums in the area.Hope the crooks are careful ..... some around here are of the "shoot, shovel, and shut up types!

Sounds like a few of the hoodlums need to know what exactly SSS stands for! I know we had a bad meth problem in our county last year and in quiet a few places nothing was sacred! Gas cylinders from folks grills, any and all ATV's were stolen for the cash value or the production of the product. I don't think one can live far enough away from civilization. Sorry about your place though.

DixyDoodle · #16 10/07/08, 05:57 AM

Our area is big for ATV thefts. What I don't get is why some people seem to store their ATVs out in their yard all night? That's just asking for trouble; they should be locking them away when not in use.

A close second is 80's trucks and cars. I guess maybe they are easier to break into?

The funny part is, though, a lot of the thefts are done by locals. When they get busted for one thing, chances are the police get them for 100 other thefts. So generally it's only one or two bad apples that cause all the trouble in our areas.

Jennifer L. · #17 10/07/08, 06:48 AM

Get dogs and a dog door. No one comes around your place without you knowing about it. And make sure it's several dogs, as they back each other up. They don't have to be big dogs, just dogs.

Jennifer

unregistered29228 · #18 10/07/08, 06:56 AM

My inlaws in Ohio live on a farm with the house near the road. There's a known meth/heroin dealer who lives a few doors down, and since he moved in they've had several things stolen. They had to have a lock put on their garage and started making sure their cars were locked and the house doors too.

I see quite a bit of breaking and entering in town, in the police blotter in our local paper, but so far I haven't heard of anything as far out as we are. We do have an ATV but it's in the barn with the key in the house. We've got a dog and are armed, and someone is here about 22 hours a day. Hopefully we don't look like a likely place. I'd hate to have to shoot someone.

Sorry about the break-ins and thefts. I think it's more drug users selling things for cash than hungry people, but there will be more people desperate for food and cash as our economy tanks.

ceresone · #19 10/07/08, 07:53 AM

In our area, they've been doing home invasions!! coming in with guns-when you're home-and robbing you. Trying hard to convince hubby to not unlock the door, before he knows who is there--but they're kicking in doors and windows to get in.
Loaded .38 top on cabinet by the door.

Madame · #20 10/07/08, 08:39 AM

All's quiet in my small town - hope it stays that way!