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" 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 homeowners 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>