Best way to block access

jill.costello · #41 09/15/10, 07:55 AM

They make "dummy" cameras. They are just a plastic housing, no guts. You can get a pack of 8 or 10 for really cheap! One afternoon on an 8 ft ladder, and you'll have what looks like a REALLY well-covered video range! Then post a HUGE sign: these premises now under video surveillance!

Here's 4 for $37.69: http://www.buy.com/prod/videosecu-4-...215889423.html

Michael W. Smith · #42 09/15/10, 08:42 AM

All good things to think about.

I realize the person(s) who took the cinderblocks are long gone, and with me not being there, it could very well happen again. I did talk to the people I know that lives adjacent from the property - not really in direct sight - and mentioned to them about the cinderblocks being stolen.

My main concern now is the end of the driveway. If people want to "park" there fine - but I don't want to find your garbage and used condoms and dumped ashtrays! Monday evening I "blocked" the end of the driveway with small firewood sized logs and put 4" -5" wide branches across it.

I stopped by after work yesterday, and low and behold, the end piece of log and branch was missing and you could see where a car had pulled in. I found the log and branch in a small empty creek right beside it, and got them and put them back.

I thought just a physical "barrier" might work - that the culprits might be too lazy to get out and move the logs and branches and go elsewhere. Also kind of serves as a reminder that someone (ME) doesn't want people there. It seems that isn't working - and I'm also surprised that this was done either sometime Monday night or sometime during the day on Tuesday.

At this point I have to wonder if it's the same person (people) doing this or different ones. I have the NO TRESPASSING signs, (haven't put them up yet) but I would almost guess the signs will just be torn down. I've been wanting to get a game camera, so this might just be a good excuse. It seems I'm going to have to show up at odd times trying to find the culprit(s), get a game camera and put it and the signs up so if someone does tear it down, I have a photo, and it looks like I'm going to have to install some kind of gate.

I think I'll give the State Police a call (I'm out of the sheriff's jurisdiction), but the State Police are short of people and when I've called them before, the guy on duty always seems to be several hours away, but I'll at least find out what they suggest, and if I do catch someone, what exactly I can prosecute them with (if anything).

Navotifarm · #43 09/15/10, 10:09 AM

Michael, there's a good chance it's the same people which will be an expanding number as they tell their pals. The thought behind the concept I advanced -obtaining photographic proof with date and timme on the image and maybe even an ambush citizen's arrest etc is that if you get the person's name and file a case against them, there will be a criminal record set up for them. They will have their names published in the public record for a misdemeanor which will affect them when the record is checked for employment or whatever. They will probably hire a lawyer to defend them in court which will probably cost at least $600. They will get off for first offense but maybe you can sock them with TWO charges, littering and trespassing so if you catch them again the penalties will be more severe. The worst penalty is going to court and being tied up for hours. Of course that will happen to you, too, but they will learn to conduct their unsavory activities elsewhere and the best part is they will broadcast their tribulations to their trespassing pals. Many parks and trail heads have the same littering problems you do. Some people are just slobs. But now you.ve found out you have someone who actually moved your barricade? What delightful possibilities that offers! He had to get out of his car to do it. Yum yum.

**highlands** · #44 09/15/10, 11:11 AM

I was having a problem. Here is my favorite solution:

I drop a large diameter old dead tree across the trail. It is long enough to make going around it very hard. The tree is so nasty to cut that nobody would want to cut it with a chain saw. It is so thick they would have to cut twice for each side with even a big saw like I have. The wood is knotty and really nasty. It will dull up their saw. An old fence tree is idea as it has barbed wire embedded in it.

Then I dig a 2' deep trench on either side of the tree with my backhoe.

Then I add some boulders I moved in with my bucket loader.

Dipsy-Doodle.

Nobody goes through this. It stops trucks, snowmobiles, ATVs, dirt bikes, etc. I have a few more places like this to do. Gradually over the decades I've been cutting down on the traffic. Almost all of the traffic is from city people who come up to the country and think they can go anywhere they want. They do not seem to understand that this is our home. If I came down and did wheelies around their lawn with my tractor they would be ripped about it but they don't seem to get the picture.

Common Tator · #45 09/15/10, 11:23 AM

Michael, you have to get those NO TRESPASSING signs put up. I'm only 5'5". I had originally put signs up at my ranch at eye level, and they were routinely torn down. I finally took my ATV and backed it up to the trees where I wanted to post the signs, and stood on the ATV, and reached as high as I could to put the signs up. Those signs have been up for several years now.

Are you planning to move to your property any time soon? Being there is the best defense.

When we bought our ranch, it had sat vacant for 10 years, and there were plenty of people who trespassed for a variety of reasons. Stealing apples in the fall, hiking, fishing from the pond, stealing from the structures that they broke into, holding keggers, hunting, etc.

When we found the property, the gate had been open since trespassers cut the lock years before. Once we bought it, we bought the heaviest chain we could find and started locking it again. We were there VERY FREQUENTLY, and so there were always fresh tire tracks under the gate. Which reminds me, you need to get a gate and keep it locked.

Hubby wears a uniform in the line of duty, and although he is a Customs and Border Protection officer, his uniform looks like any other police uniform, and he carries a gun. When people see him, they assume he is a cop. We also allow the local Sheriff to hunt our property, and he has a key to our gate. We introduced ourselves to all of the locals that we found, and let them know that we had bought the place, and to let us know if they saw any strange happenings at our place.

The game cameras are a great idea. We have one that I haven't put up yet but when I do, it will be aimed at the gate to get the face of drivers and the license plate number of their vehicle. When I decide which tree I will place it on, I will find some matching bark from the same type of tree and glue some of that bark to the front of the camera covering everything except the business parts of the camera. That way, even if they look for it, they probably won't see it. And if they do, I will place it high, like I did the No Trespassing signs. Hopefully, they won't be able to reach it.

o&itw · #46 09/15/10, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

Based on the information you've mentioned, I bet that those stealing from you and trespassing are a small group of people.

FWIW, those junk cars would have been worth several hundred dollars in scrap to you.

Yep, if he hauled them. If he had a junk yard pick them up he would get 0 to $50. The further out in the boonies it is the less one would get.

If you can drop a large tree across the drive it would be best, and the attach a "no trespassing" sign. It would keep out the ethical scavengers. If you have people with no morals (true thieves) taking stuff, then more drastic action would be warranted.

taylorlambert · #47 09/15/10, 06:09 PM

Its a shame the a few years ago when scrap was so high a friend of mine was in Iraq for 18 months. He inherited a large farm and there were several fence rowss of antique farming equipment. His wife called and said that one of te parts tractors was moved. I looked and it wasnt where it had been. My friends wife called me back she had called the law 2 times and caught the folks doing it the law did noting. We put up game cams and caught them again. Seemed the deputy that answered knew the men doing it. We got it taken care of with leaving a harrow upside down and tack strips. THe scrappers couldnt pay for tires. Its a shame the law wouldnt do it as they saw te old tractors as junk.

Old Vet · #48 09/15/10, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylorlambert

Its a shame the a few years ago when scrap was so high a friend of mine was in Iraq for 18 months. He inherited a large farm and there were several fence rowss of antique farming equipment. His wife called and said that one of te parts tractors was moved. I looked and it wasnt where it had been. My friends wife called me back she had called the law 2 times and caught the folks doing it the law did noting. We put up game cams and caught them again. Seemed the deputy that answered knew the men doing it. We got it taken care of with leaving a harrow upside down and tack strips. THe scrappers couldnt pay for tires. Its a shame the law wouldnt do it as they saw te old tractors as junk.

It doesn't matter that junk belong to somebody not up to who ever finds it.

Michael W. Smith · #49 09/15/10, 07:37 PM

Yes, common tater, I must get my signs up.

No, I won't be moving there, I already own a 128 acre farm and live on the farm that my wife's Great Great Uncle and Aunt built.

Why did I buy this parcel? Mostly as an investment. It has timber on it and at some point I'm hoping to lease out the oil and gas rights. I'm also hoping to lease it to deer hunters. My parents bought this property after they got married and lived there until I came along. I was child # 3. This was a very small house, so they ran out of room and bought another place. At some point the house was rented, and then Dad quit renting and of course, thieves broke in to the house and stole things and eventually the house fell in on itself. Over the years many people contacted my Dad wanting to buy it, andhe would never sell. I intend to do the same - and perhaps my son will want it.

I'll have to get a gate up to at least keep cars out of the driveway.

Patt · #50 09/15/10, 10:47 PM

I would go with the gate and the deer lease, like others have mentioned posting that it is leased to hunters (local paper and signs) tends to keep most people out and the hunters should take care of the rest since they will be out there more often than you are.

Michael W. Smith · #51 09/16/10, 07:08 PM

I stopped by lastnight after work -and everything was fine. The small cut up logs and branches were right where they should be.

I stopped by after work tonight and . . . . . . . . . . ALL of the logs and branches were thrown into the small creek right beside the driveway.

I came home and called the state police to report it and see what their suggestions are. Supposedly, they are going to any officer driving nearby and going through the area drive by the property and confront anyone they find. (Not so sure they will actually do it though.)

When I asked what I could do if I happen to see anyone - they said to get the vehicle description and license plate number and they will "visit" the owner of the vehicle.

I'm hoping this weekend to get my No Trespassing signs up. (The police officer say having signs up is preferable rather than not, if someone is caught.) And I really am going to have to get a game camera. Put the logs and branches back and capture a photo of the people in action!

Any advice for good game cameras - once that work good and are on the "cheaper" (price wise) side?

Patt · #52 09/16/10, 07:36 PM

We usually buy stuff like that through this site, this cam seems like a good price:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c...113&ecid=EX37E

texican · #53 09/16/10, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlands

I was having a problem. Here is my favorite solution:

I drop a large diameter old dead tree across the trail. It is long enough to make going around it very hard. The tree is so nasty to cut that nobody would want to cut it with a chain saw. It is so thick they would have to cut twice for each side with even a big saw like I have. The wood is knotty and really nasty. It will dull up their saw. An old fence tree is idea as it has barbed wire embedded in it.

Then I dig a 2' deep trench on either side of the tree with my backhoe.

Then I add some boulders I moved in with my bucket loader.

Dipsy-Doodle.

Nobody goes through this. It stops trucks, snowmobiles, ATVs, dirt bikes, etc. I have a few more places like this to do. Gradually over the decades I've been cutting down on the traffic. Almost all of the traffic is from city people who come up to the country and think they can go anywhere they want. They do not seem to understand that this is our home. If I came down and did wheelies around their lawn with my tractor they would be ripped about it but they don't seem to get the picture.

When I do 'catch' people on my road, day or night, I always get their name, description of their vehicle, and where they live. The 'standard' answer I get when I ask them WTH are they doing down here, they say they're just 'looking around'... and the no trespassing signs and purple paint???... we were just looking around.... At that point, I ask them exactly where they live... and they want to know why... I tell them I'll be coming into town sometime in the next day (or night) or so, and be cutting donuts, driving around their back yard, and doing other invasive/destructive things... BUT, it'll be alright.................. Cause I'll Just Be Looking Around................ a few seconds later, a little light goes on in their tiny brains, and they get it... if they don't, I inform them if I see them down here again, they'll never be seen anywhere else.
-----------------

I think I've mentioned it before, but a collection of mutilated and tortured dolls hanging in various cruel ways works on the psyche of a lot of demented and ethnic groups (illegals won't go anywhere near anything smelling of voodoo, in my experience). My sister had a Halloween Hayride about 8 years ago, and had a dozen broken dolls hanging in the trees, with their 'parts' separated and put in wrong places, some with duct tape over their eyes, hanging upside down, in hangmans' nooses, etc. She never retrieved em, I never took em down... for several years, I had contractors call and ask permission for their hands to get to pipeline and electric ROW's. Sheriff even called once, to see if someone was intimidating ME! Went in and told him I was intimidating OTHERS! We had a good guffaw!

Heritagefarm · #54 09/16/10, 09:58 PM

Speaking of using mutilated dolls as keep-away tactics, I once saw a collection of strange... Objects. On the t-posts. We drove past, wondering what they were. On the drive back, a closer inspection revealed them to be fish and birds, sometimes whole, half-way rotted, maggots, spines, whatever... For several hundred feet. Ugh.

Navotifarm · #55 09/16/10, 11:54 PM

Get several with infrared not a flash. Get some rubber cement and a handful of dead leaves off the ground and clue them on. Locate cunningly-hidden cameras on the ground and at different levels you think will catch this person. It would be nice if you could put a motion sensor under one of your logs to trigger something to mark or identify him. Or put Be-Go or the defoliant a poster mentioned, something that would stink up his hands. I can't recommend any camera. I drool over all of the latest technology in the cabela's catalog, though. But I think several cheap ones to allow for theft would be better than one expensive one. And can you position one across the road? Maybe have a throw away or dummy camera up high where he would expect one and the actual ones on the ground tilting up or angled at license plate height where he would not expect them.