I have read some interesting scrapper stories on the HAMB about these people stealing anything that is not tied down. So let me tell you about a very interesting early evening tonight that I had. I left my custom made firepit (Truck rim with rebar/legs-brother in law made for me) on my patio in the backyard in front of my garage. I had a fire with some friends on Saturday night and since it was raining today I left it sitting out where it was at. You could see it from the street but I have a chain link fence with a padlock on it. Now I live in a typical Chicago suburban neighborhood with neighbors' houses close to me and we all have unattached garages set back from our houses on the side with driveways that run up to them. I have a dog so my backyard and front of the garage is fenced in. We have had robberies in the past and thankfully my house has been spared. Needless to say I took off this afternoon to take a friend of mine to Midway airport and as I am driving up to my house I see this old 80's chevy pick-up truck pulled up in front of my house and blocking my driveaway. I look and there is this guy walking back to his' truck trying to aske me questions as I pull up. I rolled down the window and ask him what the F*** he is doing on my property and blocking my driveway? He said he is wondering if the pile of scrap in my backyard was available. He said he was going to knock on my front door to ask...(I never saw him at my front door-he just came out of nowhere) when I pulled up. I do proceed to tell him that what is behind my locked fence was none of his' business and to get the hell out of here. He then continues to try and talk to me as I am looking in his' truck and do not see one piece of scrapmetal anywhere in the bed of it. Now today is Sunday and it is a typical garbage day for us on our end of town. We usually bring stuff to the curb and we do see people who are scrapping driving up and down the streets picking up metal. Usually these guys have alot of stuff in their trucks (we are miles from a scrapyard) but this guy had none. I then went ballistic and told him to get the F*** gone as I am calling the police and went nuts screaming at him. He then proceeded to get into his' truck and left in a hurry. I am still sitting here wondering if I did the right thing as I feel I handled this situation wrong and should of called the police right away. He could of really wanted the firepit and walked up my driveway and saw the padlock on the fence and went to the door to ask but I swear I never saw him at my front door. It sure seemed really funny what was going on and now I am worried he was casing my house and yard and I caught him. I was so upset I did not get his' license plate number (I know -dumb ass) and was still shaking with anger from the encounter. Hopefully I scared him enough that he wont come back but I guess I should probably call the police tomorrow anyway and report that I found a person snooping around my house -just worried about the wife and kids when I am not home. <!-- / message --><!-- controls -->
Had that happen. Strangers pretending they 'lost their dog' but are actually secretly 'scoping' the property for anything valuable enough to take later. And even a car packed with icky guys saying they're 'lost'. We hung tons of No Trespassing signs and hadn't had much problem since. I fear for my cadillac sitting out in the open the way it is, even though its hiding under a cover. You never know! I'd set up cameras around and keep things inside. Other than that, I'd move away into the country.
Ya, you probably scared him off. No matter what said he was doing, he had no business lurking around someones home-PERIOD. How did he know the fire pit or whatever he claims to be looking at was even there unless he was snooping. If it were "available" it wouldnt be in your yard padlocked up. What he did was at best in poor taste and pretty lucky to not leave with lumps.
Guys like that drive through my neighborhood on trash day, sometimes I see the same vehicle two or three times. I had a chassis stolen that was parked well out of site on private property, too. Lot of dicks out there. I almost think what I'd tell a guy like that is that I have his plate number and he better make sure nothing happens to my stuff, or I'll tell the police I saw him taking it, and whatever they find in his truck when they stop him I'll ID as being mine.
Since you handled the situation appropriately I would not trouble the police. Hypothetically, lets say he returns to enter your home one night and accidentally becomes injured when the shotgun you're cleaning discharges, he might (if survived) suggest that you intended on hurting him and a record of his earlier presence could support that claim. The police are too busy and can't really do anything about these things. The best thing to do is get with your neighbors and inform them of what happened.
i live off one of the main drags & we get those low life/parasites types always cruisen through,i stand there & mad dog em-with camera phone in hand,don't get me wrong not all scrapper are that way,i have given my phone # out to some great hunters[ya know just-n-case]i know a few guys who will pay/trade for scrap,but those ones that jump fences-i hope they jump mine,i have 3 dogs-2 pits,a boxer& a very easily pissed off wife!that & we have "THE MAKE MY DAY LAW"here!
Yeah, scrappers got me for an "vintage" wood burning stove. My pops had it sat outside at a auction I went to so we could pick it up later that afternoon. It was out of sight so we thought it would be OK, wrong they got it anyways. I really hate these low lifes and I'm not sure what I would do to one if I caught him on my property.
The scrappers by me always come around later in the day (must have day jobs?) and stick to what's out at the curb only. I imagine that could rack up a fortune in aluminum patio furniture if they were larcenous in nature. I had one appear like magic just as I was putting out an old cast iron bathtub a few years back. I was contemplating how to cut it up into smaller pieces, they did me a favor. Bob
I am nice to scrappers and tell them they can make more money off me than by scrap prices but it does no good. I have also sold my scrap metal for years, but i dont go looking for scrap. An old guy here died recently and his son loaded ALL of his Model A stuff up and sold it for scrap. The only guy who knew didnt tell us before it was sold as scrap so I have been going to the scrap yard and buying back what I find. I cant find any sheetmetal or headlites, only engines. I got three and I am going back today to get three more. The son laughed at Glen when he protested selling everything for scrap and told him he could have the dumpster for $2000. I know not everyone has $2000 but he could have told us and we could pool our money. One scrapper told me that scrapping old cars makes the remaining cars more valuable, I told him he was an idiot
After my brother died this year, his wife was troubled by a scrapper who would show up out of nowhere wanting any scrap he had around. He had dealt with this guy before but stopped calling him after he gave the guy some tires and wheels and the next day the tires re-appeared at the foot of his driveway. Anyway she kept telling the guy not to come back but the next week here he'd come down the driveway. Well, my brother and I have had a good working relationship with the Sheriff dept. for over twenty years, doing "special" work on their cars and other equipment,and I made a call and he never came back. Turns out some of the guys got in their street clothes, made sure there was an abundance of visible firearms, borrowed some unmarked cars and stopped the guy. They started their "Men in Black" routine asking him what he was doing up there, what he knew about the place and the people, if he knew who really owned the property, asked him for everything but his birth certificate, and told him that he should probably go home and get his income tax paperwork in order for the past 5 years or so, that some other people may want to pay him a visit. Then they told him that if he showed back up there he should expect another visit, just not as friendly. Haven't seen the guy since.
I think the guy was checking out your house to rob it. I think a fire pit behind a locked fence is obviously NOT scrap metal. Would've been nice if he climbed over to get it and then you got there and let your dog out on him. Tell him to start eating dog poop off the ground otherwise you'll call the cops, (while your wife or someone is calling them anyway) I've had this old truck cab sitting pretty close to the road for awhile now. I keep pushing it closer and closer so more people see it!
Tell him to start eating dog poop off the ground otherwise you'll call the cops, (while your wife or someone is calling them anyway) Bahahahaha, you're killin' me.
Another reason I quit selling stuff on craigslist....several people showed up to look at for sale items (OT truck I parted out) then start asking about all of the "junk" I have laying around. Got the feeling they were casing the place for later....Some would call and just ask for my address and not even ask about the item. Shit is getting stolen from people all around me...... Also an older couple knocked on my door wanting old batteries or scrap donations for "a charity". I told them I didn't have any then started asking them about this "charity".....they left rather quickly after some vague answers. Really starting to get paranoid, I used to leave everything unlocked around here....not any more!
That's the thing that bugs me the most - Am I being too paranoid? Thank God I padlocked the gate or who knows what else I might have lost. We have thieves that roam through this area ever so often and people's houses start getting hit so it really makes me wonder. Plus when his' truck was empty I kinda said "wait a minute -what are you supposedly doing?" I am going to keep my eye out for this guy next sunday and if he knows what is good for him he wont come by my house.
you probably did the right thing and I would have reacted the same. But, scrappers and other lowlifes in the neighborhood always worry me. Since most of us actually have jobs you can't always protect your property. It makes you wonder, did you just piss this guy off and are you now on his list of people to rob? I hope it's not the case but...
I can relate to this I had a guy ask me for a stack of old car batteries that was stacked beside my shed how the HELL did he even know they were there I too went off on him and ran him off. You cant see them from the road & I have NO TRESPASSING Signs up all over my property cus I do have a few old trucks sitting around! But I should have played along while my son called the cops but Hind sight is 20/20 as they say!
Maybe he had someone with him and was trying to buy time?? I woulda dragged him out back and had a pow wow these no good sob`s need to freaking STAY OFF PEOPLES PROPERTY! This is a big problem every where and the police dont do anything and either do the judges. I got a couple of friends who feel like i do and stick together we have had to handle some problems... Now just remember you have to be ready for them at alltimes and be prepared to do what you have to do. Not going to say much here but i will assume you get the message its to bad we have to live like this. Horse thieves got lynched need i say more.
That is what I am hoping for -plus I am 6'1" about 265lbs so I hope he has second thoughts about trying me. You never know as people are crazy nowadays.
I agree a hundred percent -I am pretty lucky as I work out of my garage so I am home most times but I do travel for work. That is the time I am worried about. I also have some older neighbors that I look out for as well as my friend up the street who is a State Police Officer. I am going to be talking with him later today and asking him to keep an eye out for this guy. Our backyards butt up to each other so I am sure he is not going to be happy about this. I remember his' truck well enough to tell my buddy and I am sure he wont be nice if he sees this guy!
There have been a rash of old car thefts where I live. Whole cars/Parts cars stolen out of buildings/barns and driveways. I have been parking my newer vehicles behind/beside the older ones because they have locking steering columns/gear shift levers.
And this is why I'm a card carrying member of the NRA and support all open carry laws and CCW laws. When I walk outside and see someone snooping around and they see my 1911 on my hip they tend not to come back. I also have NO Trespassing signs posted all over
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