Preface for clarification:
Our pond property is somewhat remotely located and there is no power on our property. We had two "buildings" on our property. One is a shed (approx 8' by 20') that was built by a local shed company that we store tools in and therefore refer to it as our "tool shed." The second is an Agricultural Building that is basically a garage that does not have power or water to it which we refer to as our "Ag building" (since that is how it was permitted). From the names of our two buildings and my screen name you should be able to determine that I am not very creative when it comes to naming things. Fortunately my ex-wife named my daughter or she probably would have been named "dependent number one" (sorry just some miscellaneous tax humor thrown in for good measure). We had not been to our property in over a year and a half... primarily due to my wife's battle with skin cancer - which I am happy to report that she has won.

The Good:
We now have a much closer relationship with our immediate neighbor and two Sheriff's deputies. We have 200 feet of new fencing installed and fortified. We have brand new door locks installed on our Ag Building. We have additional security hasps and bolt cutter- proof locks installed on our tool shed. The thieves didn't steal as much as they could have (we believe they got spooked by something) and they didn't steal the "Traveling Lures" which I have retrieved (hence the post in the other thread). The deputy has lifted some "viable" fingerprints which have been forwarded to a crime data base.

The Bad:
We received a phone call last week by our neighbor (a neighbor that shares a fence line with us at our pond property) that he thought he had heard vehicles or equipment on our property the previous evening. We asked our neighbor if he would mind investigating. He did and found our "tool shed" and "Ag Building" were wide open and he believed that several items were missing. We asked him to call the sheriff, which he did. A deputy responded to the scene and called us to tell us our property had been burglarized (again). The Deputy told us we needed to get up there ASAP. I canceled my appointments and JWHAP and I drove the 500 miles to our property.

When we arrived we found that our "tool shed" was broken into, apparently the thieves used bolt cutters to cut the locks off of both ends of the shed.

As for the Ag Building, the thieves drilled a hole through both a door locks. The Ag Building has a steel security door and had two locks on it, a normal door lock and a double sided deadbolt. A 3/8" or 1/2" inch hole was drilled into both locks which allowed them access. Prior to this event I did not realize two things (a) how easy it is to access virtually any property (b) there are videos on line detailing how to drill out a lock. All it takes is a decent drill and drill bit, which the thieves got by breaking into our tool shed and they then used our own the generator to power the drill. Sucks don't it?

The Ugly:
From the two buildings the thieves took: our Polarius Ranger, Yamaha generator, Husqvarna chain saw, four solar panels, heavy jackets, flannel shirts, emergency radios, my Rotozip, and many miscellaneous hand tools and personal items.

This is only a partial list the actual list is quite extensive - the estimated loss at this point will exceed $15,000. Ironically many things of value (all of the fishing poles, Swisher mower, and an outboard motor, a trolling motor) were not stolen. We believe that the thieves were interrupted or became scared off by something. One of the thieves cut him/her self as there was blood in the Ag Building and our first aid supplies were used.

They also took the wheels (rims and tires) off of our smaller utility trailer. They must have lifted up the trailer using a 2x4 that was nearby and unbolted the rims and tires. Then they just dropped the trailer onto the dirt.

They cut the chain to our boat and it was down by the pond (they took the chain that was securing the boat as well).

Six of our seven of our "security/game cameras" were stolen as well. Unfortunately the seventh camera did not capture any usable images. We had the game cameras secured by a steel locking cases and Python Locks. In three instances the locks on the locking cases were cut by bolt cutters and in three instances the actual Python Lock itself was cut.

The thieves accessed our property by cutting the barbed wire and pushing over the "T" posts to our fence on the west side of the property and driving onto the property. It appears as though they had accessed the property for quite a while - - the property was driven on so much that a road has been cut into the grass. We repaired the fence (in the pouring rain) and added many additional "T" posts to make this access more difficult in the future and pounded in some 4' rebar stakes along the fence line as well.

We believe that they had been reconnoitering the property for a while and removed the security/game cameras prior to the theft.

What hurts more than the monetary loss (and the loss of some very useful things) was the loss of several personal items that were given to us (my wife and I) by our fathers (both of our fathers have passed away). Those items cannot be replaced by money and make me sick just to think about them. My father gave me my first set of Craftsmen tools when I was 10 or so - the vast majority of them are gone.

If there is such a thing as Karma then the thieves have earned themselves a large steaming heap of bad karma. If I had caught the thieves myself they would now be feeding my beloved GSF.

Unbelievable. So sorry this happened to you JHAP. If this doesn't make you angry, check your pulse.

Jeff, thanks for the detailed account. I am so sorry you and Ricki have to go thru this.
Hopefully, this scum will be caught and sent to jail. They have probably tried to sell/pawn some of the items - surely someone can identify them. At least you shared some good news about Ricki and her battle with cancer. Congrats on that!!!

Sorry to hear that Jeff.

You aught to just pack up and move to your property!

Jeff, sent you an EMail

One of my neighbors has a game cam that sends an Email of any kind of movement to his PC. They can steal the camera but the pic has been sent. The connection is through AT&T.

That just sucks JHAP!

I really hope Karma does catch whoever violated your property, what comes around goes around.

Too bad the neighbor didn't call you when he heard the commotion. I would have him call immediately anytime he is suspicious in the future. I'm sure he will anyway now that you know him better.

Sounds like an opportunity to set up a "honey pot", using a game cam that sends back images of the thieves stealing an item of value used to lure them in.

That totally sucks though, and is one of the reasons I have never purchased a cottage or property that contains something of value I have to worry about. I have anxiety problems enough without adding to the heap. I would even worry if it were on my own place with me in it at the time!

If they hadn't cut the locks, there is nothing to prevent them from tin-snipping the walls or using a wrecking saw to go through a wall rather than trying the door. Your best defense is going to be catching the SOBs.

I bet it is someone near by who knows the property. I also bet the cops know more than they are saying.

Glad Ricki is ok !!!!!!!!!

Did they get some DNA from blood?

Hopefully the criminal that was injured and bleeding died a slow death from some vile debilitating contagious infection that also wipes out the rest of the perps.

Infuriated and SEETHING.

Jeff sorry to hear about your property loss, but glad to hear that Ricki is doing well, that's the most important thing.

It seems that there isn't much that can be done short of land mines to keep a** holes from stealing property from absentee owners. Even with security camera's they can be gone before the police can get there.
I hope you have less problems in the future and soon can move to your property, machine guns included.

Jeff I'm sorry for your loss, and very thankful Ricki is doing well. It stinks being violated like this, and losing the family heirlooms. Hopefully your neighbor can keep a much sharper eye out from this time forward and you will be upgrading to all new equipment - which is a bonus, I guess.

Similar things have been going on near home for us too. Pickups stole and burned, guns, and valuables taken seem to be when no one is home either.

Sorry to hear about your loss. It is a shame.

Jeff, I'm sorry to hear about the problems and I hope the police can catch them. With the items that were stolen, I am betting that at least something will surface and they'll get caught.

That's good news to hear that Rikki has a clean bill of health.

With absentee landowners, having good neighbors is a blessing. It helps if someone can keep an eye on the property when you aren't there.

Glad to hear Rikki beat the cancer. Really glad.

Oh the sadness of being an absentee land owner. Something to think about....ever since we've had our property, we've had a local guy who looks after the place and does certain jobs up there for us. I pay him about $300 to $330 a month.

It has helped keep the suckers away.

I'm afraid things will get more dicey in the next few years.

Geeze Jeff - that really is the good, the bad, and the ugly.

It is great to hear the Rikki is doing good. I was afraid that is why we hadn't heard much from you lately.

The break-ins are an issue around here too. Now and then they catch the SOBs. Drugs are the big reason for the break-ins, and this area has a very large number of nice vacation homes for people from the DC and Baltimore areas. Even small lots, like 3-5 acres, can be pretty isolated, so it makes it even easier to burglarize them.

I think the same thing. My neighbors keep wondering why they get a honey ham every year, but they watch our place like a hawk.

Jeff,

Sorry to hear about this. I would be sick.

Sure glad to hear Ricki is doing well though.

Are you absolutely sure you can trust your neighbor? Sorry but there are some things there that don't add up for me. Or maybe I just read too many novels where the perp is the last one you suspect.

Jeff, I echo everyone's sentiments here.

It is too far away for you to be able to check pawn shops on a regular basis for your things, but Craigslist is easiy accessible for you. There are $2 apps on smartphones that work even better than the web application. You can enter the zip code of the property site and then a certain mile radius. Every time someone would list an item matching what was stolen (Polaris Ranger, Husky Chainsaw, Generator) it would send you an alert. It would be easy to check every couple of days and only take a few minutes of time. PM me if interested and I can show you how to set it up.

Let the Polaris dealer in the area know it was stolen. I really doubt it would show up there but the scumbags may not be well thought out.

The law enforcement types on here can probably suggest some other stuff too. I really feel for you. I am losing faith in humanity.

Thank you all for the kind words and sentiments.

As in the past (our property was burglarized before) we have been looking into security camera systems. I have found several that send images via a cell phone connection. The problem that I have found with most of them is that either (a) they require a power connection or (b) they cost approximately $1,000 per camera. To effectively cover our property we would need at least four. If anyone has any other suggestions regarding security cameras (keeping in mind there is not power on the property) I would be happy to hear them.

In answer to some of the questions...
No. They did lift fingerprints and have sent them to a data base. This is a rural county that has budget issues and they are not going to go to the expense of DNA testing for a theft. Hopefully the fingerprints will result in something. The deputy told us it could take up to four months to get the fingerprint results back. Definitely not like "CSI" on TV, no immediate finger print analysis, no DNA testing, no tire track or shoe print analysis. I don't blame the Sheriff's department I think that they are doing the best they can with the resources that they have.


I'm not absolutely sure of anything Cecil and sadly don't trust many people anymore. This neighbor has had stuff stolen from his property as well and has set up an elaborate security camera system on his property (he has power at his place). He was the one that heard noises, called us, called the Sheriff and offered us any help he could. He has even gone so far as to offer to let us run a camera off of his system to our property if we purchased the cable and camera. I am looking into this alternative - we would have to run about 1,000 feet of cable but it might be worth it.


Good suggestion on the Craigslist alert, I hadn't thought of that. We did notify all three Polarius dealers that are in the vicinity and the Ranger has been put on a stolen status - so if anyone attempts to have it serviced the VIN number will report as being a stolen UTV. One Polarius dealer told us that ATV/UTV thefts have skyrocketed in the past couple of years.


There is a house that is near our place that has been referred to as the "Tweaker House" that was a hangout for meth heads and generally bad folks. The Sheriff's department has made multiple arrests at that place and cleaned it out. The owners are cleaning it up and are going to put it on the market. Hopefully that will help. We suspect that it was people associated with that house that were involved.


Unfortunately our property was a prime target. Absentee owners, rural location, the buildings cannot be seen from any neighboring property or road. As soon as we can move up there we will but realistically that is probably years away at this point.
During this process so many people (clerks at Home Depot, Walmart, etc) told us about having stuff stolen. Rural areas that use to be somewhat immune to these events are no longer. Property crime is on the rise everywhere - IMHO a very sad sign of the times.


As you might imagine we are saddened and sickened about the irreplaceable stuff. Items that would probably only sell for a few dollars meant the world to us. We have to keep reminding ourselves that it is only stuff and does not diminish the memories that we have surrounding the items but I confess that this is easier said than done.

I'm trying to maintain a sense of humor (warped as though it is) but it isn't easy lately. This past tax season was my the most difficult one I've had in over 30 years. Two of my clients lost homes (I've been averaging 2 client foreclosures/short sales per year for the past four years), two clients closed businesses, many, many people lost jobs. I literally (the literally is for Bruce) had three clients breakdown and cry in my office when discussing their taxes and finances this past year. I try to remain detached and professional but many of these clients I've known for decades. And now the Twinkies debacle - how in the hell can I live in a world without Twinkies.

Thank you all for the kind words and support, they mean a great deal to Ricki and I and I mean that sincerely.

JHAP...in an attempt to remain lighthearted, there are still vanilla Zingers and Baccardi. Just sayin'

Instead of him running a camera, could you run a quick power source from his place to set up something of your own. Throw him a few bucks a month for the electric.

A few years ago, I was having some items stolen from my yard/business. It is too costly for a camere system to cover everything and fencing it in was too far reaching. So I started to look into alternatives. Apparantly you can set up an item that was refeed to earlier as a "honey pot". There was a company that sold a small tracking box that you would hide on the item. Battery operated. If the item was stolen, you would call the company up and they could tell you exactly where it was. Much like what alot of cars have on them today. The police go to where the item is, and if it is in a house they can't enter without probable cause. The company then turns on a siren inside the box when the police are there, and hopefully the end of story... If I recall correctly, it wasn't that badly priced.

Sorry for the grief. My folks got burglarized when were kids. They never really got over it. Always on their mind when leaving, couldn't relax on vacations, etc, etc.

I found some interesting information on 12 Volt security systems yesterday (alarms).

The problems that I've had in the past with game camera's are two fold: 1) if the criminal element know they are there they will merely cover their face and 2)the camera's can be stolen.

I'm still researching.

Hey Jeff, maybe something like this that your neighbor will hear.
http://www.cabinalarm.com/CabinAlarmKit.html

Jeff I may be new here but I have to say I am sorry for your misfortune and I'm glad all is well with your wife.

I will also add I admire your restraint,as one of the younger members of the forum chances are I'd be turning over stones best left unturned if I was in your shoes...........If you know what I mean.

With that said the advice given on the CL app is sound and well worth taking.

As far as the link Adirondack pond posted,I took a look and again while sound advice it is essentially a car alarm.The fact that it was a car alarm got me thinking(I worked for a car sound and security place in HS),because there are quite a few that have a sim card option these days.In other words if you have cell service and with a bit of help from folks here you could easily have a alarm that sends you a text message,triggers video etc,etc for a reasonable price.There are quite a few on the market these days that offer sms alerts to a smart phone and even a video record option.

I hate to say this but many of us are in your shoes as absentee owners,myself included,but with a little help from some forum members(I have one in particular in mind)I feel we could come up with a reasonably priced remote system for not a lot of money.That might set a few scumbags in another direction

Jeff,
Missed you guys at the conference and might just have to come to San Diego this winter to catch up....You guys have made it through alot and will for sure make it through this as well!!

Jeff - its good to hear Ricki is doing better. Thankful for that.
Thanks for updating us.
The bastards that steal should be removed from the gene pool since they show others that they are not willing to live within our rules. The thieves are probably within a 10-15 mile radius of your property. It seems you are getting some good helpful advice for future surveillance. Hang in there buddy.

jeff, If you pm me your address, I would be more than happy to contribute to your new security system. I hate thiefs and what they put the people they stole from through.

Happy Holidays to you and your family. Let me know if I can help.

That is one of the systems I'm looking at, thanks for posting the link though!

Trust me Robert, I know exactly what you mean.

At this point I am looking at a two fold approach, (1) a security camera(s) that sends images to either a website or an email address and (2) a 12-volt alarm system.

The problem that I have had with security cameras in the past are that if the scumbags know the cameras are there they will simply obsure their faces. I have had this happen in the past and have photos of trespassers with their faces covered.

Just let us know Natester and we would gladly meet up with you and your family!

Thank you Commander Cody. Ricki and I sincerely appreciate the sentiment.

Thanks HL. I appreciate the offer but it is not necessary. We will replace items that were stolen and fortify our defenses as time and budget allows and keep on keeping on.

Being an absentee owner certainly has it's challenges but I will not be deterred by low-lifes.

jeff there are 12v alarms out there that will notify you via text message,monitor sound and video on your phone for 2-400$ I found this along with a few others. http://www.gsm-secure.co.uk/GSM-Caravan-Alarms.php

when the time comes start a thread and hopefully it may prevent others from going through what you have had to.

Interesting, thanks Robert!

Have you thought about installing a little solar setup to provide power and keep batteries topped off? Perhaps run some lights on and off at irregular rates to give some illusion that someone is there?

A nice deep hole in the middle of the main roadway would be fun. Use a temporary bridge for you to cross, remove and replace with some crap lumber when away. Keep the truck for yourself when you find it in the hole.

Better yet, a moat. Goes well with a pond owner, right? Just kidding, but I AM glad your wife won the fight.

JHAP, if they want to get in, they will. A friend had one of those ocean transport containers dropped on his property and he used it for storage. He lived about 100 miles away. He put one of those "uncuttable" padlocks on it and felt secure.

Somebody stopped by that has a cutting torch, torched the lock off and cleaned him out. ATV, all the implements to maintain his food plots, riding mower, weed whacker, tree stands, etc., etc.

All you can do is fortify it the best you can, pay the insurance premium and keep your fingers crossed.

The thing that makes rural security more difficult is access. There are so many places that somebody could get access through. I've tried to figure out how to handle many of the same issues you all have talked about, but it's far more difficult than in an urban environment.

I'm leaning towards a battery powered self contained system that would operate even if the phone lines were cut.

Another thing I try to do is only use service people that have a brick and mortar business. I know of several people around here that got popped after a service visit from a friend of a friend. A mechanic came to one place to work on a tractor, and needed a wrench he didn't have. He followed the owner into his shop to get it, and the guy was hit 2 nights in the next week.

The worst part was that he filed 2 separate insurance claims and the deductibles almost were as much as the loss. He assumed they wouldn't be brazen enough to come back, so he filed his first claim immediately.

Sites like Craig's List only exacerbate the situation. Stolen items can be turned almost immediately, because not all buyers are honorable people. I'm not sure many people wouldn't turn down a $5,000 Snap On tool box offered for $1,500.

We had a solar system.... they stole it!

That is an unfortunate reality. Heck if they wanted into either the Ag Building or Tool Shed bad enough they could take a chain saw and cut right through the walls - that happened to one of my clients a few years back. Someone cut a 4' x 4' hole in the wall of one of his buildings and cleaned him out.

I agree. Remote properties with a lack of power make for a tempting target.

I know I cannot prevent this from happening however I am just going to try to make it as difficult as possible so that my property is less desirable than others.

If you have a neighbor you can trust who can frequently go on your property and shoot a few hundred rounds every few days, and leave a lot of the shells and shot-up targets around, it can help.

Granted, ammo's getting costly...but you know....

Probably more costly in CA...

I'm working on that. We are going to give our immediate neighbor access to our property (a gate key). I've encouraged him to enter the property whenever he likes.

Ammo costs about the same in California as everywhere else and most of the large ammo suppliers ship to California.

Now guns, that is an entirely different story.

As a side note I'm getting to be a pretty good shot with my Winchester Model 94 (in 30-30) and it is very fun to shoot!

Winchester Model 94 30-30 is old school, JHAP! Shot my first deer with that particular model and caliber.

I think you have to use nearly lead free bullets in the condor's range so these shells would be quite a bit more. At a range may be a different story. Here we shoot off the deck or window. Sometimes we open the window for the first shot but it doesn't matter after the initial blast.

I'll bet that several of us have run a few rounds through a "thutty-thutty".....I know I've owned a couple...may still own one?.....

I'm not ashamed to say I love my 30-30. Several years back I went on a quest to purchase a pre-1964 30-30. Took a while but I found a beauty. There is just something about a lever gun that I find appealing. So far I've never killed a deer (grew up in the city). I did scare the hell out of one with my 4Runner though.

Our property is outside of the lead-free zone. We don't see any condors in El Dorado county, we do however have Turkey Vultures with lousy attitudes though.

May? Sheesh you must have a great gun collection!

I have a pre 64 Win 94 in 30-30 that I seldom shoot anymore. My 14 year old Grandson shot at a doe with it a month ago and missed. He actually reloaded his own 170 grain bullets before the hunting season. But then, he's been reloading since he was about 7 years old. He has talked me out of the thutty-thutty but can't haul it home until I have dimes on my eyes.

I also have a Win 1873 in 38-40 with some really old factory ammo. I actually killed a deer with it about 30 or so years ago.

Other than the Colt Python (my sweetheart) I don't have any modern guns. Most are older non modified military 30-06 shooters and some old Jap Ariskas that I never shoot. The neatest one is a Swede in 6.5x55 mm. Great gun with a great cartridge.

I killed my first deer in 1967 with a brand new Marlin 30-30. It was a mule deer in Northern Arizona. I wish I had kept it but traded it to my Father in law for a Model 1917 Eddystone Arsenal in 30-06. I modified and scoped it. It has been my real go to gun for hunting every since and has taken elk, antelopes, pigs, whitetail and mule deer throughout several States. OK, toss in a couple of "feral" dogs.

I may have a South Texas mule deer hunt coming up so I have to start practicing at longer ranges.

I also have 7 or 8 pistols but, like Quigley, have just never had much use for them.

Like Quigley, doesn't mean you aren't good with the pistols, eh?

Dave, I figured that would be your response. I am now a "has been" when it comes to short guns. But, I'm not a "never was". I once spent 6 months learning to only move the tip of my finger on the trigger using a 1911 .45 caliber. Then I mastered it and quit. With some arthritis in my fingers and everywhere else, I doubt that I could pick it up again.

Those were the days when I thought that a pistol would be a good self defense tool. Then I started reading Louis L'Amour(as you have) and he mentioned several times about pistoleros changing their minds when they looked into the "big eye" of a shotgun.

Now, you would be safe as long as you didn't jump around and try to take evasive action. Then you might get hurt. If you stood still, you probably wouldn't need life or medical insurance.

Dave, six months to learn to shoot a 45. How long to consummate your marriage?

Not near that long.

Learning to shoot a pistol correctly takes more concentration than almost anything I've ever done. Try to move only the last joint of your pointer/trigger finger. You'll see what I mean.

Jeff, you need to invite some of us forum members to make unannounced visits to your property for a few days of vacation...with full hunting rights...what is the season and daily bag limit on trespassing thieves???

I for one would love to vacation in NorCal...;)

You are correct Dave. It appears that I suffer from premature ejection.

Thieves hit me about 5 years ago.

Warning: Long post

My daughter, son in law, and 2 grandkids were spending a couple of days at my place. My place is at the end of a private road and somewhere around 200 yards from the county road.

My daughter called in the morning and told me that a 4 wheeler was missing. They had ridden them the day before and it was stolen overnight. I drove the 70 miles up there and called the County Sheriffs office. They came out and filled out paperwork.

I got on the other bike to find out where they had gone on the place and how they got out since we always keep the front gate locked overnight. That's when I found out that my 16 ft tandem axle trailer was also missing. The guy had evidently pushed the bike a hundred yards and then started it, rode it about 300 yards to the trailer and pulled the trailer off of my place, through a couple of other places and exited onto the highway.

The trailer was insured but I found out that, although my State Farm Agent had told me that the bike was covered by my homeowners policy, it really wasn't.

I felt violated and got mad. I figure that 99.9% of theft involves drugs and druggies and that they thief would sell them. I also figured that the thief wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. As the old saying goes, there's no honor among thieves.

I called the Sheriffs Office and discussed a plan that they agreed to. I ran an ad in the local/free shopper newspaper offering a $500 reward for info leading to the arrest of the thieves and the return of the bike and trailer. On the advice of the Sheriffs Office I did not disclose the size of the trailer or specific information make or color of the bike.

The calls started coming in. The first 3 or 4 were scams agreeing to meet me somewhere with the trailer and/or bike and to bring the $. I wasn't born yesterday and told them to call the Chief Deputy at the Sheriffs Office. As expected, they were reluctant to do that. Then, the right call came in. Even now, I can't or won't, identify the caller due to the danger involved to them. The caller, another druggie, did call the Sheriff and identified the thief but had to do some digging to find out where my stuff was.

The thief was arrested but got bailed out within a week. He is a 40 something druggie and career criminal. To the best of my knowledge, he was never sent to the pen but was made to pay a fine to the county. It's called restitution and the $ goes to the county.

The bike had been traded to a wrecking yard in Randlett Oklahoma. A CID Sergeant from the Texas Dept of Public Safety called his counterparts in Oklahoma and got the ok to go across the state line and get the bike. Then the snitch found out who the thief had traded the trailer to. It had actually been sold twice and I had to go to JP Court and prove it was mine.

The bike had a ruined tire and the trailer had a burnt place on one of the floor boards. All in all, it cost me about $1,000 for the thief to drop by. But, I did get my stuff back.

Lessons learned. I now keep all of my trailers locked at the ball and a cable around the axle. The bike keys are removed even during the day when we know we will be riding them again that day. The bikes are also now insured but not by State Farm. I use Texas Farm Bureau for all of my equipment and mobile home. Since they are stolen so frequently, the insurance premiums are pretty high.

It's depressing to know that my stuff is vulnerable and I thought of just selling the place and all of the "stuff". But the County Sheriff says it is unlikely that I will be hit again. They figure that every druggie for 4 Counties around know who I am and that I will put a bounty on their butt. I doubt that is true and figure, like all non resident landowners, that I will get hit again.

I ran another ad in the local shopper thanking the Sheriffs office and TDPS for the successful return of my stuff and the arrest of the thief.

About 2 months after the incident I was at the local county trades day. A local friend pointed out the thief to me. I went over and identified myself to him. When I gave him my name he started protesting his innocence. You would have thought that I had told him I was the Outlaw Josey Wales. I told him that if my place was hit again I would figure he had something to do with it and that the next reward would be $10,000 and I wouldn't care whether I got my stuff back. A couple of days later the Sheriff called me and said that the guy had called them and said that I had threatened his life. However, he said that the guy was a known thief and liar so they weren't worried about it. He also said if the guy was reported missing that they wouldn't spend much time investigating.

Good story Guv, glad you nailed that loser......

Dave, you need to do that with a rifle too.....

Just finished reading the long post. That't the way to do it. I believe that once they figure out that you aren't someone to be messed with, then word gets around and they find someone easier to mess with.

I didn't read all the posts so I don't know if this was suggested or not. There are driveway alert systems that are reasonable and wireless. You could put the sensor/transmitter somewhere inconspicuous (outside) near your buildings and the receiver at your neighbors. Some transmitters have a range of 2,500'. If someone breaks the beam an alarm sounds on the receiver. Some units can handle 4 sensors. An intruder might not notice this as much as a security camera. http://www.drivewayalert.com/

Here's another company that has other wireless driveway alarm options (IR, photo beam, magnetic sensors for cars/ATV's only not people/animals etc.). Check out the accessories section for special sensors or phone dialers (the receiver can call you automatically instead of your neighbor). http://www.reliablechimes.net/index.php

Just another idea.