X31654844318744497 I totally agree!!! 1 thing to add is a steak knife that doesnt match anything in your kitchen or something small, light, and disposable that cant be traced back to you, say a .22 pee pod. Oh, and a camera! Very valuable. That way when cops come you can say "Sorry officer, I was hiding in the tree to get a picture of these thieves and they heard me they shot at me/ threatened my life, so I was forced to use deadly force". Word will spread faster than a cali. wild fire and your place will be avoided like the plague!

 

69chevelle,
You have probably already lost an amount equal to a security camera system. I would seriously consider investing in one.

 

It's breaking and entering regardless, and with permission from the shop owner you're clean anyway, it sounds like you've done this before auss

 

B&E doesnt ness. equate or allow use of deadly force (depending on where you live). But if your life is in danger or you feel you could be killed, then your allowed to use whatever means ness.

As far as having done this before, I plead the fifth.

 

I would too lol

 

Hmm... I've staked out plenty of places over the years trying to prevent burgleries and break-ins, just like what happened at you shop. Was everything locked down pretty tight, or were there some items or equipment that may have been left out in the open?

 

they stole the keys to a propane tanker that was in the middle bay, so I parked everything I could infront of it haha. my truck was infront of it but that was already gone...

the excavator they stole was parked behind 2 other ones, no keys were left on property for them.. but they had keys for all of them as they got the one they wanted out, and didn't brake the locks or ignitions on the other ones. Our yard is fully fenced, ****** wire all the way around.

3 gates, one is electric by remote, in and out, the other 2 are manual and are padlocked. both times they cut the lock on the middle gate(bought a new one at 11pm and they cut the new one too)

the equiptment trailer they tried taking the first time but got it hung up on some steel, then came back for it I guess... now every trailer in our yard has wheel locks and hitch locks.

But honestly... why would you drive THROUGH the front door? if somone was outside you would be screwed, if you opened it (they already had it unlatched) no one would even take a second look.... the cops wouldn't even finger print anything...
the insurance company(ICBC) was trying to not cover the equipment trailer because it wasn't locked...

I know what truck it was... I saw it when the cops came at 11ish, slowed down driving by then I seen it turn around in the parking lot behind us(where they usually cut the fence to get in)

and rriddle, to your post... working in the paint/sandblasting industry it's hard to ep the camara's clean, especially considering they brake in right behind our exaust fans. Cop even said to me, unless they look directly into the camara, the video footage won't be of any use. just because they were in the yard, etc, means they get a slap on the wrist, the camara needs to get a clear picture of their face and visually see him/her take something. because of how big our yard is and the placement of some things, that's almost impossible. the Justice system in BC SUCKS!!!! In order to even charge w/ B&E you need to have proof they cut the fence/lock/etc or they could say it was already open and get off with just truspassing

 

The only good that cameras could do would be to capture vehicles and liscense plates. That also depends on the quality of the camera as well as the location.

If I read your post right the shop was broken into twice. It seems very suspicious that an intruder or couple of intruders knew where the weak spots were in the perimiter of the shop, as well as where the equipment was that they were after and they had keys to all of the ignition systems so that they didn't have to break anything. I don't think I've ever heard of a considerate theif. Why would they use their keys to move equipment vs breaking the ignition and hotwiring (assusimg that they or whomever would know how to do so) and yet they still chose to break down a door? Doesn't add up, does it?

I'm not trying to insinuate anything here, but judging by what you posted with no ignitions were broken and still the equipment was able to be moved around does make me wonder. It makes me wonder just how many people visited your shop often enough to know where everything was and what keys they would need to be able to move equipment around just to get what they were really after?

So here are a few more questions for you:
1. Where is the shop located?
2. Describe the environment surrounding the shop, ie undeveloped, nothing close by, other business close by etc.
3. Any equipment for sale that matches what was stolen?
4. Was any money left owing on the equipment that was stolen?

Got my curiosity going now, plus finals are over! I'm just asking a few questions that might help figure out what happened.

 

1.) Langley, bc
2.) Industrial area
3.) yes the machine stolen was for sale but was not shown to anyone yet as it was just registered in canada
4.) no


I understand where you are comming from, but there are not that many keys to excavators. Our shop got broken into 3 years ago and they stole all the master keys and they did punch the lock in the shop truck. it;s faster to use a key to start a machine then it is to hotwire it, that would be my guess

Our yard has been scoped out for a while, they have attempted to steal my buggy before but got scared off. our back fence was cut 4 times in the last 2 month without anything being missing, so I am guessing they scouting for a big hit.

I don't understand why they cut the lock on the gate and closed it after themselves but drove through the front door of our bay.
It's a really bad area for break in's, it happens at least once every 3 month but usually it's just stupid stuff, scrap, wheels, chains, whatever.. never anything big. It's the same people over and over again, they know the area and are local, the cops told us when they got arrested and all break in's stopped untill they got let back out again..

I finally drove to the property's behind us and can see why we are such an easy target, they are all dead end roads but there are ally ways that allow them to exit at any angle, dark, treed, etc etc.

We are getting a security guard, along with the nieghbours.

within 4 blocks there is a theft once a week. there are a lot of high boy trailers being stolen lately due to the high scrap prices.

 

The security guard is a good move, adding a vehicle patrol would be even more effective. The trick to patrols is to vary your routes and times so that you don't develop a pattern or a routine. Is there any chance of spoting your stolen equipment at an auction or possibly a used equipment dealer? I know it sounds kind of stupid but they have to unload that equipment somewhere, and either get some money out of it, or get some use out of it.