Break-in & $2K Loss

[BB_TX]

Had a break-in in my shop last week. They took my welder, mitre saw, cut-off saw, pole chain saw, tool chest full of tools, and some antique furniture my was storing there. All told, about $2000 worth. Broke a window and climbed in. I have insurance that will cover most all the loss. Just so aggravating that there are so many sorry individuals out there. I don't live on the property yet. Have very good neighbors that keep an eye on the place, but they can't 24 hours a day. Going to have to put bars on the windows and extra locks on the doors I guess.
I read some posts here before about the X-10 or other security type cameras. Has anyone had any experience with the cameras that have a motion detector that you can hook to a VCR to begin recording when motion is detected. If they try it again, I would like to get it on video.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Bill,

Sorry to hear about your loss. &%$#

I have an X10 setup. I paid $79.99 for the works on a pop up add. The X10 web site was more expensive. It consists of the following:

MS14A Eagle Eye Motion Sensor (This is an IR motion sensor that transmitts RF to the receiver, battery powered wireless)
XX11A Video Camera with addressable power supply (You need extra stuff to use the addressable on/off feature, mine is powered continiously. This transmitts the picture to a receiver (RF, wireless))
UX21A VCR IR Commander (Receives the RF from the motion detector and controls the VCR, it learns the VCR codes from your remote)
VR36A VR36A Receiver (This receives the Video and drives the VCR input)

+ a "Free Be" additional IR Detector or Power supply

Sales is 1-800-675-3044

I have had this in operation for ~ 1 year no problems

 

[Wingnut]

rather than a security camera setup .... that's the exact reason I built my shop sans windows. Far too easy to get in.
Mine has <font color=orange> almost </font color=orange> impossible to get into main doors (double bifold secured inside) and a secure (I hope) mandoor. Solid door and secure locks.
Anything can be broken into .... but anyone breaking in here will be making enough noise to wake all the neighbors!

Of course, mine isn't out in the middle of nowhere either ... /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

pete

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Makes ya wanna take up raising Cobras in the garage!

SHF

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

BB,

I'll bet your loss is going to be way more than $2,000. I had a break-in and theft like yours a few years ago and was amazed at the cost of replacing everything. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

A couple simple hammers ran me almost $50. All those little things you picked up at the hardware store and tossed into your toolbox over the years really add up, believe me. I was lucky with my insurance company. They paid me for stuff as I replaced it and didn't push the "full and final settlement" deal on me. They were still letting me replace things months later as I realized they were gone. When the end of the settlement period was near, they even called to see if there was anything else I needed to replace before they had to close the file.

Good luck with replacing everything. I remember spending an entire week just shopping and assembling things. Let us know how everything works out.

 

[dourobob]

<font color=blue>take up raising Cobras in the garage</font color=blue>
Reminds me of a short story I once read where a writer and a second story burglar developed this strange relationship becuase the writer wore the same size clothes as the burglar. The burglar kept coming back for new clothes every few months when he knew the wardrobe he had stolen would be replaced. The writer started to leave notes in an attempt to discourage the burglar and the one that I remember best went something like - "Be careful! The boa constrictor is loose and he hasn't eaten in a couple of months."

The two guys eventually formed a partnership and opened up their own home security business.

I'm sure not trying to make light of the lame brain thieves who did this - what a violation of human decency.

Hope things go well with your insurance company.

Bob

 

[BB_TX]

Wow, Gary. Almost restores your faith in insurance companies. As far as the cost, you are right. I have found additional things missing I overlooked at first. There was a even an empty spot on my work bench that I knew something was there. I finally figured out that there was a gallon of JD hydraulic fluid there!!! They took that. But left a Milwaukee drill and circular saw right beside it. Go figure.
At least they did not bother my tractor or any of my implements. Be thankful for the little things I guess.
As much as I hate idea of it, I guess I will be welding up bars to put over the windows and adding extra security to the doors. Since I can't be there all the time, I really think I am going to try one of the x-10 setups to turn on lights, cameras, and alarms if motion is detected.

 

[RMEADOWS]

My barn/shop houses 4 mutts. Loveable to the kids and family, but the meter reader drived up in his truck and uses feild glasses to read the meter!

We store a Rasoms 6 ft cut mower for my church (next door to us) in my barn. On Saturday a friend came to use it at church. We saw him pull up at 6:00am, but then realized about 8:00 he was not cutting and never saw him drive out with it. Found out it was out of diesel and when he went to walk out with the can, the Dogs would not let him out. Had him cornered in the barn the barn the whole two hours!

Needless to say, I'm not too worried about breakins.

 

[poorboy]

Sorry BB Tx to hear about the break in. I'm sorry to say that you will continue to find things missing. My sister kept finding things that were missing for about a month. Actually it took about a week to realize they had been had. Rogues had taken some strange things and left others. Pills out of their bottles but no bottles. Video game controllers but not the game. Two rifles and not others.
On the bright side when you can't find something you can blame it on the crooks./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

 

[Golfgar4]

Bill,

I'm really sorry to hear what happened to you. It never ceases to amaze me what people think they can do. I just don't understand them. The other day I borrowed a pen from the checkout lady at the supermarket so I could write a check. When I thanked her and handed it back to her, she looked at me like I was crazy. I asked if something was wrong, and she said no one ever returns the pen to her! I would've felt like a felon if I'd walked away with it! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Not to make light of your situation, but the only first hand experience I've ever had like yours was a few years back. I was in the process of building our deck on the back of our house, and I had ALL of my power tools laying in a corner of the garage. I also had a refridgerator in the garage that I kept stocked with Pop and beer. Well, I went out there one day to get a Pop (well, a beer really /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif) and the fridge was empty! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Well, I got really mad cause I had about 3 cases of beer in there!/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif Then I thought of all my power tools, and I turned around and they were all laying right where I'd left them right next to the fridge./w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif But after a few minutes I started laughing. My wife walked out just then and asked what was so funny. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif I told that we'd been robbed and all of the beer had been stolen. She got upset and asked again why I was laughing. I said because I could just these high school kids carrying all of these cold, loose bottles of beer in their arms when the empty cases were sitting right next to the fridge! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Anyway, I hope everything works out well for you and you don't have any insurance problems. Say, haven't seen your tractor lately. Have you?! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif