My biggest fear was always that someone would break into my place and
steal my equipment.

Sadly, it happend today (or actualy, last night).

Someone broke into my new plastic shed, and stole things. Luckily
he/they were really stupid, and took only the cheap stuff, I have no
idea - maybe because no one knows what turning is - they left my lathe
alone. but they did take two of my skews (and left the gauges
alone...), a drill, an electric saw (a very cheap one) - and my wedding
ring (which I took off the night before thanks to someone's advice here
in the forum - no hard feelings though, the advice is a good one :-()

The total loss is quite low actually, since I don't have that much
equipment in any case. under 300$ I guess, but that is a lot for me,
and in any case the very idea is disgusting. Considering the market
value for these items as used is not even 50$ - it seems absurd.

Lucky for me, it is harder to steal the really important things from me
since they are un-takeable - love and affection.

I hope this doesn't happen to any of you, ever!

"Moshe Eshel" wrote: (clip) I hope this doesn't happen to any of you, ever!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It already has, more times than I can remember. You have my sympathy, and
thank goodness it wasn't worse. You have to deal with a very important
question right now: What are you going to do to prevent a recurrence? I
suggest the following:

1.) Install a motion detector/flood light. Perhaps add an alarm bell to
the circuit, so that when the light comes on the bell rings. Burglars HATE
that.

2. Pass a chain through as many movable tools as possible and padlock them
to your lathe. Put your lathe tools and similar inside a metal tool box,
and padlock it to the chain.

3. Install a burglar alarm.

4. Beef up the lock on the shed door. My plastic sheds all have plastic
locking hardware. I replaced with steel.

Do the easiest stuff first, but do not wait. The thief knows what he left
behind and may be back within a few days.

Moshe Eshel wrote:
My biggest fear was always that someone would break into my place and
steal my equipment.

Sadly, it happend today (or actualy, last night).

Someone broke into my new plastic shed, and stole things. Luckily
he/they were really stupid, and took only the cheap stuff, I have no
idea - maybe because no one knows what turning is - they left my lathe
alone. but they did take two of my skews (and left the gauges

Happened to me once. Two stupid jerks broke a window and got into my
shop. Only took a worn out chainsaw. We lived in a gated community with
video cameras at the gate. Got their picture going and coming. They were
picked up next morning and got the saw back. Still had to repair the
window on my own.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Socialism is the equal distribution of
poverty.





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Moshe Eshel wrote:

My biggest fear was always that someone would break into my place and
steal my equipment.

Sadly, it happend today (or actualy, last night).

Its amazing what a Rotweiler, Doberman or Pitbull will do to deter such
a crime.
Grandpa John

I agree completely with everything Leo L. said. Over the years as a
contractor I have had enough tools stolen from me to fill Home Depot.
Get the lights out there, some of the new flourescents cost only
pennies a night to have on all night and the bigger ones put out a ton
of light. Put the light high enough to be out of reach.

You can buy a motion sensing alarm at Radio Shack very inexpensively,
and that would certainly be a great addition to your arsenal of
prevention. I cannot imagine sneaking around in the dead of night an
then have a screaming alarm go off in a confined space. I would
probably run for it.

I second what Mssr. Vanderloo said about marking the tools. You can
buy woodburning brands from different companies for about $80, and they
can put two lines of clear text in brass for you. These brands will
burn wood (tool handles), melt plastic, do all kinds of other neat,
permanent things. One of the hospitals here in town uses one to burn
their name and contact number on the cases of their mobile medical
machines they take from room to room.

The last demo I went to that we all took a bunch of our personal stuff
to use was the first one I went to that nothing disappeared, got lost
or misplaced. Each tool was clearly marked:

"This tool was stolen from Robert L. Witte - Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX"

Something to consider.

Sorry about your loss - it just makes you sick when that happens to
you.

Robert

Thanks for all your advice.
I will definitley put up flood lights (started by motion detection),
and will find some noise creating thingy to be set if someone opens (or
tries to open) the door.
Another thing I will try is to lock-up as much as possible, the fact
being that I can't really anchor anything to the floor (plastic). But
at least chain light things to heavier ones.

About the marking thing, I don't know - I don't think the people
stealing my stuff actualy care about that - they just take, and if
later they find they can't use it they just leave it where it is (they
don't bring it back). Actually on the same night the my stuff was
stolen, other people were also robbed - but some of the stuff was just
left behind in some persons backyard (none of mine). But I might jsu
mark them for the heck of it...

It really comforts to get all the support from you guys - I knew when I
started that this could be a problem, but I think that nothing is worth
the satisfaction of accomplishing what you want - even if it is a
little discouraging. I will prevail :-)

On 20 Feb 2006 10:07:28 -0800, "Moshe Eshel" wrote:

Assuming that Israeli is similar to the US, most break ins like yours are done
by kids...
They don't know what's valuable and what isn't.. just what looks "cool" to
steal..

All the security suggestions are good, but the least expensive might be a length
of chain long enough to go around your shed and a padlock...
If that isn't enough, there isn't much else you can do, with out spending a lot
of money or hurting someone...

It's been my experience that locks only keep kids and less-than-honest folks
out... the "professionals" will get into wherever they need to..


My biggest fear was always that someone would break into my place and
steal my equipment.

Sadly, it happend today (or actualy, last night).

Someone broke into my new plastic shed, and stole things. Luckily
he/they were really stupid, and took only the cheap stuff, I have no
idea - maybe because no one knows what turning is - they left my lathe
alone. but they did take two of my skews (and left the gauges
alone...), a drill, an electric saw (a very cheap one) - and my wedding
ring (which I took off the night before thanks to someone's advice here
in the forum - no hard feelings though, the advice is a good one :-()

The total loss is quite low actually, since I don't have that much
equipment in any case. under 300$ I guess, but that is a lot for me,
and in any case the very idea is disgusting. Considering the market
value for these items as used is not even 50$ - it seems absurd.

Lucky for me, it is harder to steal the really important things from me
since they are un-takeable - love and affection.

I hope this doesn't happen to any of you, ever!

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

wrote in message
oups.com...
I agree completely with everything Leo L. said. Over the years as a
contractor I have had enough tools stolen from me to fill Home Depot.
Get the lights out there, some of the new flourescents cost only
pennies a night to have on all night and the bigger ones put out a ton
of light. Put the light high enough to be out of reach.
SNIP ..............
===============

Check with your power company for lighting. The local power company here and
at my last residence provide mercury vapor lights for about $6.00 ea/ month.
They come on at dusk and off at dawn, provide a LOT of light, and since
they're mounted on the power pole, they're plenty high to prevent vandalism
(guns excluded) and give good coverage. In areas out of their coverage, you
can mount all weather flood lights. The 50 watt versions give good lighting
at a modest cost. They can be set up with a motion detector/alarms or "dusk
on-dawn off" light sensors. Besides the burglar repellant effect, my wife
likes the extra security she feels when going to/from the car in the dark.
HTH.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.