Thefts

[JohnyNCa]

Just was seeing if anyone here has been ripped off while in the field. I mean having your equipment ripped off, etc. A few years ago, i had a blower stolen while i was away from view of my truck. Had it reported to local pd. Now i lock my blower. Ive had at times people walking by my truck but i was close by so they didnt try anything. Later

[accuratelawn]

I had a new trimmer taken off the rack while out of view of the truck. I lock them up now. I am sure there are some horror stories to come.

[DMC300]

I'VE LOST A STICK EDGER ,I DON'T KNOW WETHER IT BOUNCED OUT OR WAS STOLEN. IBACKTRACKED BUT TO NO AVAIL.<p>----------<br>DON<br>LIANNES' MOWING

[ashlandscaping]

I had 2 stringtrimmers, 2 blowers 1 back pack 1 hand held and 1 hedge trimmer stolen from the bed of a truck while the guys where sitting facing the truck thru a picture window eating lunch. Also had 1 string trimmwer stolen from trailer rack. Had truck broken into for tool box. Had trailer (enclosed) side door lock cut but had trucks parked to close to get anything out. BUT a friend had a BRand NEW 48 exmark walk benind walk off from one of his jobs. The back side of the job where the truck or what ever hauling it or walking it would have had to go past the mowwing and trim crew that was working on the site. O yea and Had a employe steal one of the trucks for the weekend when I was out of town for the weekend. Friend saw my company truck in the parking lot across from his house. The friend that saw it was the guy who plows with that truck and has a set of keys for the truck.(Let him use it to pull his boat on weekends and when not useing it) so he took it from the lot and parked it at a friends house and called me on the cell to let me know. Found out which guy took it and fired him and then changed all the keys for the trucks.

[gusbuster]

It's bound to happen to anybody? Over the years, my dad, uncle, and myself had blowers, edgers, shovels ect. stolen off our vehicles. Will share this advice though.<p>A quick story about an item that I was able to recover. I had a Shindaiwa T-230 stolen from me while I was working one day. A week later, this person offered my dad for sale my T-230. Now my dad new it was mine because one of my helpers had painted the head multiple colors with spray paint from a clean up job I did. He paged me to let me know about it. Called a family friend of ours who happens to be a detective for the city I was in. We met up, went to this person house, i knocked on the door asking about the edger he was selling. Took off the air filter cover, (we mark all our machines in the inside part of the air filter covers just for this purpose) right on the spot I was able to identify that this was my edger because of my DMV license number. I bought the machine back for $40. The detective the next day was able to get a warrant to search the property for other stolen items. He recovered over $7000.00 worth of various equipment.<p>I don't know about other people but here some points, by an engraver and mark your equipment with you Driver license number. Also ask your shop person if he keeps tabs on machines that you bring for servicing by their serial numbers. Doesn't matter which shop I go to, either shop knows that a machine belongs to me because they have a record of the serial number.<br>Jean<br><p>----------<br>J-LC Landscaping & Maintenance Gardening<br>C-27 Ca Contr# 770044

[DMC300]

I ALSO STAMP EQUIP.,TOOLS,EVEN TRAILERS WHERE THEY WON'T THINK TO LOOK AND FILE IT OFF.<p>----------<br>DON<br>LIANNES' MOWING

[thelawnguy]

Ive had a string trimmer and a hand blower walk on two separate occasions. So I went out and bought a couple of inexpensive bicycle cable/combo lock sets, and chain everything to the trailer rails while Im not in sight.<p>Bill

[lawrence stone]

I have never lost one item (gas powered)by <br>any means. I live in one of the most crime free areas of the country cuz all us mountain<br>men are armed to the teeth.<p>They hand out concealed weapons permits at <br>the courthouse daily. Just fill out the<br>applicaton give them $20 and if your not a<br>felon you can pack heat.<p>Most of the crime in my area (that is actually prosecuted)is committed by<br>out of town idiots from Phila. and NYC.

[JJ Lawn]

Well, I wasn't going to reply to this discussion.......still mad and embarrassed.<p>I had only been in business for 1.5 years when I had my whole rig stolen. That's right, everything I owned. Truck, trailer, LX188, 2 21&quot; JD SX,s, 2 Maruyama trimmers, bakpak blower, stick edger, hedge trimmers....everything. I lost about $20,000 worth. Fortunately the truck was insured. The rest was a loss, due to the fact that I had not found this forum and was ignorant in a lot of my business dealings. I was under the impression that my equipment was covered under my homeowner’s policy. WRONG. I also made the mistake of just dropping my keys on the floor while I worked. WRONG again.<p>I was in a customers back yard blowing the patio when I saw a truck pull up behind my trailer, and a guy got out and got into my truck and just drove off. The customer was home and I hollered that I needed to use her phone, called 911. Was looking out window as truck, trailer was going down the road, telling dispatcher which direction, and on which street he turned. Took them 20 min, to get where I was at (middle of town), and they still have not caught the person. That was 3 yrs ago. The police say that the guy must have been casing me out, cause he was quick...and gone. What really makes me mad other than my stupidity, was, that if they would have caught him, it was just a misdemeanor. He could steal 4 more vehicles in Texas before it was a felony. And my equipment? Tough, included with truck. All they could charge him with would be, unauthorized use of motor vehicle. Even if he had sold everything. I have faith that someday this person and myself will meet again....and pay backs are hell.<p>Needless to say, I have changed a lot of ways I work, fully insured, fire, theft, act of God, etc. As soon as I park I put keys in pocket, roll up windows, lock door, engage ignition kill switch. :) Then I put my ramp down. Then I go to work. <p>I also had a trailer built that had 2' sides so someone could not easily lift something off, and bought a Van, so I can keep all hand tools under lock and key. I haven't lost anything since. And last week I started locking my gas cans... :)<p>Jim<br>

[Eric ELM]

Hey Jim, that sucks. I thought I had it bad having 2 trimmers, chain saw, and a 2 cycle tiller stolen from my storage trailer the winter before last. I keep my stuff in the garage now. So far, you win the prize for the worst luck.<p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.townserver.com/elm/&quot;&gt;Eric@ELM&lt;/a&gt;<br>

[thelawnguy]

Hey Jim sorry tom hear. That happened in my town two years ago. Guy was mowing the back yard, came out front, all that was there were the traffic cones, dump truck and trailer were gone. They recovered the truck and trailer abandoned a few miles away, the equipment was never found. His lesson? Dont leave the key in the ashtray.<p>Bill

[Barkleymut]

Just a tip to all of you. I leave my windows down all the time, and who wouldn't when it's 95 degrees in the summer. The best way to stop someone from trying to steal your truck and or equipment is to leave an empty holster in plain view in the cab of your truck. Even the stupidest criminal would think twice before stealing your truck then. You don't have to carry a gun, but they don't know that, but with that empty holster sitting there they will wonder what will happen if you see them driving off and you have a 45 in your back pocket.

[nlminc]

Wow Jim thats to bad. Remember though, what goes around comes around. I had a trimmer stolen from me. It was a new Stihl and my first year in business. At the apartment complex the manager had an excellent idea of the resident that stole it so he gave me permission to trim at 6am under this guys window! I made sure I did a really good job and took my time at it also.

[richard]

i chased down my weedeater and cornered a junkie with my shaft hedge trimmer running we ran for about 4 blocks and the drama ended in a cops backyard with the junkie pleading for mercy...the best part about it was it was on a sat. and everyone was home saw and heard the comotion and in addition to pressing charges on the captured junkie ( the cop came out with his weapon drawn),i also picked up 2 houses plus a police benefit auction which i get a sticker for my truck....(does anyone do these? it reduces the chances of traffic tickets) needless to say lock up your stuff unless you are in a gated community...