STOLEN TOOLS AND EQUIP.

i would like to warn everybody out there that last week and this week we have had trailers on our jobsites either broken into our hauled away it seems like these thiefts have been kinda seasonal for us. so if you have anything that isn’t nailed down keep your eyes open. the stealing took place in rice county and also dakota. I just get so darn mad, all of us work so hard and someone can just take it from you with out any remorse.

That’s sucks. HOpe you get lucky and the Police can get some of your stuff back. There’s no worse feeling than having stuff you’ve worked so hard for get taken by some idiot(s) who aren’t willing to work.
As a member of the human race, I apologize for the actions of some of our less kind humans.

At times we have alot of that here in Rochester. It always seems to happen in the new subdivisions where its not well lit or watched at night. Hopefully you have insurance that also covers your equipment. Good luck.

I’m beginning to notice a pattern to this too so I’m sure the law is on it but when it started happening in the Hudson/River Falls area, they nailed a have dozen businesses within a couple of weeks and then……… just went away. Sounds like we’ve got wave in operation…….

What got stolen?

I live in Dakota county and can always keep an open ear in the local taverns. Alot of times, people have a hard time keeping their mouths shut on stuff like this and it always surfaces over time………..

Where abouts were you working!! I’ll keep an eye out here in the northern metro. It’s to bad people have to do that kinda crap! I happened to us about 4 years ago… I just don’t get it

It seems to be a problem everywhere. I have 3 construction clients that are victimized nearly every year. Before the ink is dry on the police report the tools are sold for .10 on dollar at any one of 3 dozen pawn shops.

It’s hard to stay philosophic because it is so enraging, but bear in mind that these are pathetic, miserable people who live miserable lives. Maybe someone, somewhere has lived a long fruitful life of crime and never gotten caught, but I’m quite confident that eventually, all these guys end up behind bars….

Dave

Yep, one of the contractor’s we work with here in the LaCrosse area got robbed a few weeks ago. It happens every year here. Same thing-New subdivision usually on the edges where it is darker than the surrounding area.

I can relate, I have a few tools stolen every year. This year along with some tools I had a appartment complex to reside in albany and some one stole 16 sq. of siding.

About 10 years ago i was doing a refinishing job on a vacant house for some real estate agents and I locked the door with all my drywall and finishing tools inside. I went home and got in bed and all of a sudden i said to myself I’d better go check the house too see if my tools were there. I got to the jobsite and i went inside only to find out all of my tools were gone. I walked around back and seen the tire tracks from my drywall texturing compresser going down the rear steps, out too the alley and around the corner right up someones front steps. It was lightly snowing and I called the police and said can you hurry because it was snowing. They got there and followed the tracks and knocked on the door. The people who came to the door were givin the choice of giving the tools back or going to jail. They gave my tools back and found out that a guy offered to sell them to them for a dirt cheap price. They found out the guys name, arrested him and I pressed charges and he got 5 years. He did about 18 months but they got the jerk. Hope it works out for you.

Real bad thing about recovered tools around here is they get impounded for all the appeals until the evidence disappears.
no tools plus legal bills plus case dismissed. not a pretty
thing at all. If your lucky the police will bring back most and
keep a couple hi dollar things to make case.

maybe a pair of channel locks is all you need.

talking about stolen siding there was house built by my parents place,they traced the siding to a place in hastings that had it stolen ,it was in the paper but i don’t know what all happend…

Thats the wild thing about siding it actually has a # on it sorta like a serial # so it is possible. If I remember rite the # consists of the color, dye #, and supplyer #.

dg4300 dewalt generators nailguns cords hoses power circ saw button guns rolair compressors

Thanks guys. the police were telling me a pawn shop has to take a license down. But if it is taken to a used equip. store they can just sell and not be touched. so basicaly a big loop hole. I guess something as obvious as this could be stopped but they can’t. Because the law says pawn shop not used equip.

I was told by an insurance agent that if you get pictures and the serial numbers of the tools and you find them no matter where they are found that you can retrive them alot easier if they are found in a pawnshop or tool resale store or private individual. He said that usually the shop and store don’t want to be confronted by police suggesting that they received stolen property so they just give them back and take the loss when you can prove thier yours to avoid problems for themselves. Here in Iowa its against the law to receive stolen property, theres diffrent scenerios and diffrent situations but this is the one that works the best he said. He said if thier yours and can prove it, thier yours. If a guy gets the serial numbers etc. and puts an x-c4 or a design scraped or electric penciled on the handle or somewhere on the tool its easy to prove thier yours then because only you would know of these numbers and design put there by only you.

I work construction alot and have worked the N metro alot. I make it a point to take and pick up my tools and load them into my truck after every day. I know that it is a pain the butt and a painters tools don’t cost as much as a trimmers/carpenter or other subs, but I refuse to leave my tools on any job site. If i had a trailer, I would hook the truck up to it and tow it everywhere i went, or atleast home every night. I know guys that don’t have tools insured and they lose everything and have to start over, and when they have to go out and spend that money, it is hard to get materials for jobs. I can relate in the fact of having to start over, but it is kinda your fault for leaving your tools on the job. if it makes the money for the food on my table and the roof over my head, it is at home with me under lock and key. and if you see subs leaving tools on the job, just remind them of the thefts that have been happening and then it is thier decision. I have had $900.00 of paint stolen out of houses that i was scheduled to work in. the paint company would deliver the day before i would head in there to work and when i would show up, no supplies there. made for alot of needless butt chewings and alot of wasted cell phone minuets. so now i go and pick up my materials that i need for that day and deliver them myself. sucks that people have to do that to other hard working people.

shane