Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss A bit of vandalism

So my dad called me up the other night because he was walking through my barn to get his tree stand down for the year and it looked like my barn had been vandalized. Boards were kicked out of one side of the barn. My boat had extensive damage to the big motor and the trolling motor. I had a bunch of wood/kindling stacked on one side and it was thrown everywhere. Boat is pretty much junked as they stole the $300 power pack I had just put on it the previous year.

Sorry to hear this!

I don't know how close any kids or neighbors are to your property, but if there are people in proximity, sometimes a cash reward for information can get someone to rat someone else out.

Seems like someone knew what they were after with the power pack, but strange they would have also trashed things.

Not strange at all Bing. Some kids get a kick out of trashing things. They may have decided they had a use for the jack. No footprints in the snow or tire prints? Or did the snow occur afterwards?

What did they use do the damage. Anything laying around that they may have used that could have fingerprints?

Sorry to hear about this. I would be mad!

I understand and empathize with your situation. Many years ago, one of my brothers died suddenly. His boat with new gas and trolling motors was vandalized with both motors and some other stuff stolen not long after his funeral. House had a quarter mile driveway. Less an issue of the money than the principle; but I would still like to find out who did it and have a "discussion" with them about the error of their ways.

Some people are just PURE AZZ ****'S, and you can not escape that fact! Period!!!

Sorry Duane...it never ceases to boggle my mind the level of some people with whom we must share this world. I'm glad you didn't catch them in the act, though. Sunil's cash reward for info leading to the vandalism is a great idea. I hope those responsible are found.

Man, really sorry to hear.

Duane, that bites. File a police report in the least. Then I'd follow Sunil's lead and hopefully you will get some young ears and eyes on the ground.

Duane it's a sad state of the country, I can feel your rage against the moron's who violated your personal property.
Hopefully you'll get a break and they'll find who did it.

Might be a good idea to post more threatening trespassing signs and do a little loud target practice every day.

If I catch someone in the act, hopefully they will let me post from prison.

Yeah the snow happened afterwards. I'm not exactly sure when it happened because the last time my dad or I went to the barn was back in December. There is a railroad track behind my property and I'm pretty sure the kids could see my barn back in the woods.

I did get a police report and asked around at the neighbors if they saw anything, but all of the lots are 10 acres and this is back in the woods quite a ways. The cop really didn't have much input besides filling out the report. He knows there's really nothing that can be done without a complete confession.

I live about 40 minutes from the property right now, but plan on moving out there in a couple of years. At least it was something small that it happened to and not a $20k tractor or boat. I didn't have much money in the boat, and the gas tanks and batteries are all in my garage.

I know it was some pretty young kids though because they left a pair of gloves that were very small. The neighborhood is a very nice neighborhood, but on the other side of the railroad tracks is a nice trailer park that probably isn't the most savory of places. I will probably just have to chalk it up to a learning experience and go on with my pond building project.

I like video surveillance if it can be set up. Hidden deer cameras catch alot too. Set them not to flash, if you suspect daytime entry. Most kids are not familiar with deer cams. Picture is worth a thousand words. There are cams that will email a pic if I'm not mistaken. May steal the camera, but hopefully after the're picture is taken and sent.

Its funny because my dad usually has a trail camera near the barn when deer season is in. He took it down in December after the hunting was done. If the flash would have went off though, he would have lost that too.

You can turn the flash off on most. They also make infrared ones too. Put one together with a gps stick inside of it. Let them steal it, and then track it down. Sure would be nice to see they're faces, and know who it is! I sympathize with you. If they will do this to your boat imagine how they will help themselves to your fish!!!

After the pond is built, you'll have to watch that too. I'd be suprised if you DON'T have unannounced visitors.

Ditto on that. A pond will make your property an even more attractive site to trespass on. I'd guess they'll be back to do more damage too.

Ask the cop to do a few drive throughs in the trailer park and put the word out that you have put up video etc. That should at least give them something to think about.

I have a friend with a cabin in upstate NY with a cabin. He has a automatic dog feeder for his Tibetan Mastiff. That was the last of people running around his cabin.

I would be yellow jacket mad too!

Please don't assume (without evidence) that kids or that someone(s) from the trailer-hood were involved. I lived in a 8-foot-wide trailer house the first 5 years of my life because my family was just starting out and money was short.

Very true Dwight. I lived in a trailer for a while in North Carolina as a kid when my dad was in the military. I'll bet yours was nicer than ours. When we turned the lights out the water bugs would come out of hiding. They made cockroaches look tiny!

You mean a premanufactured home.

Sorry don't know all the politically correct terms.

My wife had a cousin that was a "Sanitation Engineer." She bought him a hat on a trip to Germany. He told her he couldn't wear it as he had an "image to uphold." Good ol' cousin Jim was very different.

If only they'd legalize land mines or maybe steal claw bear traps well hidden.

I didn't really mean anything by the trailer park. I only know of 1 family that has kids in the neighborhood, and they are friends with my dad. It's an easy sight line from the railroad tracks to the backside of the barn (there aren't any doors). My dad has seen plenty of kids walking the railroad tracks so I just made the assumption.