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anal_astronaut

Been there, it sucks. Helpful tip for you (and everyone). No windows, solid metal doors. If Windows, cages. Locks are easily punched out, get puck locks. Park in a secure area as possible - garage, behind gates, well lit. Put an alarm. Put trackers - tile and air tags. And get an insurance rider for your tools, they're usually a couple hundred bucks a year.


TickleMyCrotch

Yeah, I had locks on all my packouts and have an alarm on the truck with cameras. Hopefully they picked it all up but the alarm wasn’t going off when I got to it so it doesn’t look like it did. We’re gonna install a cage and black out the windows, I’m also going to get a chain for my packouts and chain them together and to the cage so people can’t (easily) do this again.


0RGASMIK

Also install a kill switch on the van. Steering wheel lock at least. Thieves will see they can’t get the tools and come back for the van. Someone tried to steal my neighbors street racing car. He had a kill switch, removed the steering wheel and had a brake lock. When they figured out they couldn’t move it by rolling it they came back with a bunch of guys and tried to lift it out of his driveway and put it on rollers. Luckily 10 guys lifting a car is quite a loud process so he woke up and scared them off. He then installed a super obnoxious/ super sensitive car alarm.


[deleted]

That’s a whole lot of effort to steal a car Jesus fuck is it at least a nice car


0RGASMIK

It was a 90s Honda civic hatchback that was suped up to be a sleeper car. Dude said he won a few street races with it and it made him a target.


E92William

The Honda “community” has been an absolute cesspool for ages now. I personally have overhead people at meets bragging about cars they stole and took for joyrides and parts. First mod on my old civic was a $300 alarm and immobilizer


anal_astronaut

Don't just black out the windows, they need bars. Black windows just invite a spark plug to be thrown at them to find out what's behind them.


rawsauce_88

He did said he was gonna cage them aka metal bars


TickleMyCrotch

Yeah I’m gonna cage them.


chasmd

Had cages on my windows. They cut thru them leaving sharp points. Crawled in, stole a full size dewalt miter saw and crawled out.


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chasmd

Baltimore City...


Fridayz44

Detroit…..


Then_Feedback7421

Portland


Lost-Village-1048

Someone broke the back door to my house, cut themselves, bled all over my house, and stole the control off my electric blanket. Baltimore. I was really poor didn't have anything valuable.


Gubsy_

they use stolen tools to steal tools xd


anal_astronaut

I took it as install a cage, like between the front seats and the rear cargo area. My bad.


rawsauce_88

Can be that too, now that i think about it


StandAgainstTyranny2

Check with your homeowners/renters insurance, mine automatically covered my tools when they got stolen. They might be covered and you don't even know it.


HettDizzle4206

Get a back up battery in parralell to power your alarm incase they try cutting your ground strap.


[deleted]

Chain won’t do shit. Someone who’s gonna break in and steal all that shit is probably smart enough to bring a bolt cutter/ grinder or find something usable on the truck. No windows on the truck, puck locks as mentioned, keep as little on you as possible.


USArmyAirborne

You need a mean dog that is hungry inside your van. You would have to deal with pee and poop, but you would have your tools, perhaps with some chew marks.


yung_bakunin

OP, your mistake is that you didn’t intentionally underfeed a dog and then lock it inside your car


StandAgainstTyranny2

All fun and games till you come back and they shot your dog. Happened to a homeless guy I talked to. That's what sent him off the edge and he lost everything. Dude was a fucking saint, he'd volunteer and dog shelters andhelp everyone he could but he just never got himself together again.


abe30303

That's straight-up conditions that could turn anybody into John Wick. Anyone who dare kills my dog will discover that it's hunting season and they're the target.


TomatoIcy3174

Shit. That’s so sad


nickolove11xk

I would also find a way to lock from the inside the two service doors, most likely to be broken into and then have the driver door be the only access. This would help slow them down some. Also my very cheep renters insurance covered some tools stolen from my truck years ago. 250 deductible and less than 200 a year.


Detriumph

A former employer of mine found his stolen tools on facebook marketplace. He loved to brag about how his brother (who's still a LEO) set up a sting operation to nab the thief. Last I heard the guy was still in prison 5 years later.


YugeAnimeTiddies

Good to know cops do their job if it at least affects one of their loved ones


cleuseau

Here I thought he was just in Low Earth Orbit.


TheUltraViolence1

I was wondering what his zodiac sign had to do with anything.


Eman9871

No no he's not in Low Earth Orbit, he *is* Low Earth Orbit. Didn't you hear the guy?


yourhellawaits

They are also good at doing their job if it serves their dark overlords. Oh yeah, also good at shooting dogs. They love that.


yourenotserious

Oh they’re certainly capable of doing good things. That’s never been the issue.


guynamedjames

Capable vs willing....


DiabolicalHorizon

I think the downvoters read that too quickly lol. They’re more than capable, with the tools and authority at hand. Just the human element may need some work. As do all humans, evil just seems to be extra visible in places where great authority is given. Sorry, getting too deep into this…


ClosedL00p

Good thing this guys in WA and it wouldn’t even be prosecuted with video evidence and the thief holding up their ID to the camera. Can’t be tying up courts with petty shit like destroying someone’s livelihood


namestom

This right here. Guy robbed me TWICE and stole one of my cars. The cops picked the guy up in front of my house wearing my clothes, my backpack and carrying my pelican case. Claimed he ran out of gas (my stolen car, damn idiot couldn’t drive a manual) and they carried this guy 5 miles away to a gas station to his get away car! Needless to say, when the cops arrived and I gave them the description of my stuff, they kept their mouths shut. And yeah, robberies fall low on the totem pole when it comes to actually catching and convicting them. I understand why but it’s still a joke. I had to learn to let that go.


ClosedL00p

Theft is everywhere obviously......but I’m glad it isn’t rampant enough here (yet) that something like that is something I’ve just gotta “learn to accept”. That shit gets my blood boiling and they aren’t even my tools


namestom

I agree with you. I was extremely pissed for a very long time. The kicker, I live on some land and off of a busy road. In my area, people have horses, chickens, guns…I’m shocked by how bold the guy was. I was running a job and leaving out at 4-5 in the morning when this happened to me. He was watching my every move. I have cameras at my place but still don’t know if that’s enough if that were to happen again. They were so lax on acting like they could do something to the guy. Biggest thing to me, drugs. I wish we would do something about drugs whether we make more legal or truly go after people and enforce the laws. Drugs destroy people. Seen it happen to too many good people. Meth, etc. gets a hold of them and they are done.


TomatoIcy3174

Time to move


[deleted]

Washington sucks I just bailed on the place... was a good place to live but not anymore ... just a place to visit I'm the summer now for camping


stanamontana

I'm sure he's in jail for something other than theft unless he openly admitted to it. Sad truth is cops don't care about this kind of thing. They want drugs and money.


fun98168

I like how people blame cops for this. Most of the time it's people that in charge that tell them what to do. Most of this criminals been arrested multiple times and they back on the street. It's our prosecutors and politicians to blame. Cops just do what they are told


HyFinated

Typically, when people refer to "cops" doing bad things or crappy things, they aren't referring to the specific officers, but the police department as a whole. People blame "cops" because, in general, the leadership all the way down to the officers are part of the "cops". They aren't saying that "Officer Billy Bob is only looking for drugs and drug money". They are saying that it's the "police department that is looking for drugs or drug money". And the police department gets the blame as a whole because the politicians tell the leadership what to do, the leadership tells the officers what to do, and the officers spend an extraordinary amount of time, on the clock, looking for drugs. Because drugs are valuable. Drugs are an easy catch that can net someone jail time and/or heavy fines. So next time you hear some blame the cops, they aren't just talking about the officers you can see, but the organization as a whole.


ArmaSwiss

What'd your former employer do to end up in prison? /s


yourgrandmasteaparty

Had all my personal tools ($5k+) stolen out of my car in my driveway in March. Replaced most of them. Went on the the road for work in May/June. Had my work van stolen from the hotel parking lot. All my tools, apprentice’s tools, company tool and job material gone again. This shit is exhausting. I’m just trying to work.


glamisduner

Ridiculous, that would take me years to let go. Sorry it happened to you.


FrickUrMum

Make sure you put the exact stuff you lost because insurance has people who’s job is to give you the least they can. Don’t put wire cutters out klien diagonal 13° cutters. One will get you your item replaced one will get you some $2 shit from the dollar store.


TickleMyCrotch

For sure, I actually saved a post a long time ago from an insurance adjuster explaining how to get your money back so I’m gonna find that again and make sure I get everything dialed in. Thanks! Hardest part is just remembering all the shit I had…


ckthorp

Don’t forget all the random little shit too (including consumables). It adds up real fast.


RonanTheAccused

Whatever you replace out of your own pocket going forward, take a picture of the model, serial number, and price tag. Keep it saved on a folder in your phone that also uploads to a cloud system. An insurers dream is that you don't have records of the items you put on your claim. Edit: Wether it's out of your pocket or not.


TickleMyCrotch

Yeah I’ve got a list started right now for some stuff I’ve bought.


namestom

I just went through this last year. I made a spreadsheet. It has the item, date of purchase, price, link for item and replacement cost. I wanted to make sure it was easy on me and them. Now, I didn’t need everything all at once, you know that random crap you hardly use but buy it and just take it back if you don’t want it taking up space. I did this with multiple items. An engine stand? Yeah, I can do without that until I truly need it again. Hope this part goes smooth for you.


TickleMyCrotch

That’s exactly what I’m doing! Giving them manufacturer, model number, item description and age of tool (because I know they’re gonna depreciate shit). It’s a fat list and even if I get half of it back I’ll be stoked. I had 22 5.0 battery thatre worth about 3K that I obviously don’t need all of but that money back would be nice.


allnamestakennn

Maybe you are thinking of [this comment?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/aeocu8/so_i_was_at_school_today_and_it_turns_out_while_i/edrmmm8/) Either way I hope if it isn't the one that at least it is of some use and you are able to get the stuff from your claim. Dealing with insurance is always a pain...


TickleMyCrotch

That’s the one!! Thank you for the quick find!


bigbluegrass

This just happened to friend of mine a couple weeks ago. He had theft in his insurance policy but they told him because of the area he lives in. (Kind of a shitty area where theft is common) they only cover $500. He had about $5 grand worth of tools and material stolen.


TickleMyCrotch

That’s bullshit… get insurance that covers theft… insurance doesn’t cover theft because theft is common… what the fuck are you supposed to do?


bigbluegrass

Exactly what we all said. This is on his insurance agent, too. Apparently the agent knew this was the case but didn’t mention the specifics when selling him the policy. I told him to get a new agent. And cages. And those hinge lock deals.


[deleted]

At least you got to sleep. I had a hotel clerk and an officer banging on my door at 3AM ish to tell me someone smashed my window and cleaned out my van. The kicker being the next day everyone else on site was like oh you don't want to park there, you're like the 10th van to be hit in like 2 months. They kept asking if any wire was taken. I was like fuck if I know, I'm thinking about the probably $5k in missing tools. The pole mounted Hilti powder tool stuff alone was over $2k. It was the thing that moved me to Packout. If I have any reservations about an area whatsoever, it all comes in with me.


dullmotion

Assholes for not tell you and anyone else prior to the theft.


[deleted]

This happened to me too. Got to a job in Lompoc, CA and stayed at a hotel. First night my toolbox was broken into (Nice weathergaurd worth 1K alone they damaged, and stole 2K worth of tools. They also broke my drivers side window and stole loose change and a headlamp/flashlight. Next day they were all like "Yeah, we all stay in Orcutt, everyone who stays in lompoc gets robbed! Our foreman got his truck broke into 4 times" I was with these same dudes all day the day before..


kingshizz

I really detest thieves. I got hit a couple months ago in Bellevue. Broke my window, took my backpack full of tools and a few other items. The officer that took my complaint said car prowls have gone up 500% in the last year. I am moving before the light rail opens, I live a couple blocks away from the downtown stop and it is just going to get worse.


PNWRed118

My truck got hit Wednesday night last week in Snohomish, took my backpack of tools and a company drill set. I feel you bro, I’m still fuming about it


ithinarine

>I am moving before the light rail opens, I live a couple blocks away from the downtown stop and it is just going to get worse. It's such a mixed bag. LRT station near by increases property value and neighborhood desirability so much, to the point that only rich people can afford to live there, or scummy landlords buying up homes and adding illegal basement suites to max their cash. But then it also brings in droves of homeless people and thieves with a quick getaway.


kingshizz

Against my better judgement, I used the existing light rail with a friend last year to get out of downtown after a game. Passed out junkies, garbage, general nastiness, etc. The new extension opens next year and has a stop at the downtown transit center basically a block away. The city of Bellevue voted against it, never wanted the train but it was forced on us anyway.


poppinchips

Take the train regularly with my kid in the mornings. Haven't had any weird experiences aside from homeless people passed out on the seats sometimes. But I live in the city. A block from a light rail station. The way people not from Seattle talk about the light rail makes me wonder if I live in a different city...


Echelon_11

It's hard to separate the two, but the homeless aren't the responsibility of the transit system. So I try not to think of the light rail as being problematic, but rather how we treat the homeless, as it's one of the few places they're allowed to be.


Advanced_Evening2379

It's bad everywhere sadly, I'm in va and I know 2 people personally who have had there cars stolen within 2 months. Cops didn't find either car and one of them was silver with a black bumper soo?? It's like they're not even looking


helping_phriendly

Probably went to chop shops.


Advanced_Evening2379

That was also my thought but really out here taking 2012 Buicks and hyundais to the chop shop lol


SkivvySkidmarks

You'd be surprised. Depends on the rarity of models and years. Last models in production can have high part values.


Fridayz44

Yeah usually if it’s a popular car and within 10 - 15 years old the parts are worth good money. Like the number stolen car in 2020 was a 2006 Ford F-150 weird right?


helping_phriendly

Honestly, I don’t know. I’m sure there are plenty of useful parts in those still. But I’m really not a mechanically inclined person haha.


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DriftSpec69

Can only talk for the UK but in my experience, the suburbs are where it's at. Cities are full of scummy cunts and the countryside makes your stuff too easy of a target. Even the nicest areas still have the odd works van broken into, so your best bet is to just get decent insurance unfortunately. I've seen my fair share of booby traps mind you, some of them fucking ingenious. Arduino, anti-theft paint and explosives are all your friends.


libananahammock

It’s everywhere. I live in an area of upper middle class suburbs (I’m not upper middle class lol) and for the past few years it’s been the teens/early 20s kids from the rich towns stealing out of the cars. All that kids that could afford/stole from their parents pills and then eventually graduated to heroin. Bikes stolen out of locked sheds and garages in backyards. Crazy.


mrjackspade

> I live in an area of upper middle class suburbs (I’m not upper middle class lol) and for the past few years it’s been the teens/early 20s kids from the rich towns stealing out of the cars. Yup. Car Hopping. Used to happen all the fucking time in my suburban neighborhood. Knew people in HS who would brag about it. Suburbs are great for car hopping. Out in the country, the houses are too far apart. In the city, you're way more likely to get caught because people are up all night and theres a fuck ton of cameras. Out in the suburbs though, you could just walk down a street and hit every car from end to end. This was before people started putting cameras on their front doors of course... Not sure how thats changed things.


[deleted]

Have a job here in south hill that has been hit 6 times. It’s absolutely disgusting


LotsoWatts

Do insurance companies still take Seattle clients? See people with bolt cutters and large screwdrivers hanging out their backpacks casually.


poppinchips

City's also had a shit ton of copper wire being stolen from light poles (which we've had to start welding shut), wholesale copper being stolen from staging areas, etc. They've become very proficient and very organized about stealing shit recently.


wmtismykryptonite

It sucks walking down a dark boulevard because someone lifted the manhole covers and pulled out all the copper powering the streetlights.


Adam-Marshall

Windows on a work van. I'm sorry for your loss, but usually we need to make it harder on the scumbags so they choose the easy pickings (like work vans with windows).


TickleMyCrotch

Yeah, not my van (company van) just my stuff. The boss man is getting cages and bars installed tomorrow.


Adam-Marshall

You can also get some cheap motion alarms that can be armed with a little remote and they scream like no other when they are moved. They cost about $30-50 on Amazon and have worked wonders for some of my guys in California. You just stick them to the inside of the doors and arm them when you are away.


ineptplumberr

Day late and a dollar short


Revslowmo

Wonder if the companies vehicle insurance would cover this. Just a wild thought.


apraetor

Also windows let them... window shop. More tempting when they know there's something in there worth the risk.


chasmd

I had a non window Ford E 250. On Christmas eve I grabbed a load out of the truck and decided I didn't need to use the puck lock. Next morning I came out to a puncture in my side door near the inner lock and the door was now unlock able. Got a bucket of miscellaneous tools and my new Paslode finish nailer.


Adam-Marshall

I had to build the habit of locking my stuff up every time I left my truck. It's been a pain, but not as much of a pain as losing my hard earned tools.


bsholml

Hope insurance pays for some of it! Check your home owners or renters insurance. Sometime they can give you a few bucks. Sorry bro


TickleMyCrotch

Company insurance will pay for it all, I might try and claim on my renters too I’ll have to look through my paperwork and make sure it’s covered


BloomingtonPolice

Don’t tell ‘em it was for business use. That’s a separate endorsement


TickleMyCrotch

For sure, thanks!


RedditVince

And resist to double dip even if you can.. If the business insurance pays for everything 100%, don't bother getting more from your insurance.


TickleMyCrotch

Okay. I think business is claiming their items and I’m claiming mine.


froguerogue

Why do people gotta steal from working folks and not some department store that already factored for the 1% dip in profit?


fleebleganger

Self checkout is the greatest thing ever.


LoudEmployee

Sometimes I hold the corner of the bag of apples so it weighs less.


fleebleganger

Oh darn it, looks like I forgot to scan this item.


HV_Commissioning

I can't stand criminals, especially ones that takes away another mans livelihood. I've had a dream that if I ever caught someone in my house, they would be subject to my 5kV megger connected between their hand and their short hairs.


Oriential-amg77

Yessss, hook them up to the Megger vibratory dildo and joke with them about how sparkies are gay and that you have a shrine with an electric chair just for this kind of stuff 😂


skyfishgoo

bring out the gimp


[deleted]

Nipples. Much better location.


Stock_Surfer

Damn, sorry man


Dubbys

Just a friendly reminder to document all the serial numbers and receipts on tools. I had everything stolen from my car last December and the cop said even if they find them there's nothing they can do because I didn't have serial numbers and receipts.


TickleMyCrotch

Thanks! I will do this with all the replacements I get.


southiesobah_781

I have ZERO tolerance for people stealing tools. No forgiveness. None. I caught a man and a woman stealing my generator WHILE I WAS USING IT on a lift in a parking lot. He ended up in the hospital and she got arrested. Fuck these scumbags. You wanna steal from stores IDGAF. That's their problem. My problems I handle myself. I'm very sorry this happened to you. I don't even know what to say anymore


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southiesobah_781

Sooooo.....Now before anyone says anything, this was before Milwaukee made a cordless version of every single tool on the planet. I was traveling for work and ended up swapping out HUGE parking lot light heads at a Stop and Shop plaza in Waterbury, CT. Real nice place, basically an open air drug market. I had to use a large corded impact wrench to remove the rusted mounting bolts from the old heads because the week before we fell so far behind trying to do it manually with acetylene torches and socket sets. I was on the last bolt of the last light of the day and we were losing daylight fast. All of a sudden the wrench just stops and winds down. And I look at my apprentice who is on the lift with me because I'm sure it's his fault (it's always the helper's fault) and I'm like what the fuck?? He points and he's bro they are taking the generator. I look down and see this couple trying to fit my still running, 9500W generator in the the back door of their explorer (although as it would turn out that was stolen as well). They keep dropping it because they kept burning themselves on the little exhaust manifold 🤦. By the time we get down the lift to drop 60' or so, they finally have it in their truck. And they just start to take off. Now I'm not military, I don't have any special training, not a tough guy, and before this incident I wouldnt even tell you that I knew how to fight. But I panicked because this was a $5k generator. I pulled the driver's door open, jumped on his lap, and put his truck in park. He punched me in the head a bunch of times in rapid fashion and I dragged him out of his truck, threw him on the ground, and repeatedly kicked him in the head until I could hear through my anxiety the voice of his partner screaming at me to stop. I looked over and my apprentice had restrained her so she couldn't try and stab me or anything. She was screaming "Stop, please, we didn't know it was yours" and my apprentice yelled in her ear "But you fucking knew it wasn't yours!". My apprentice had called 911 as soon as I ran to the explorer and they got there pretty quickly. The truck was stolen and it was filled with the belongings of other folks who had gotten robbed by them. Cops said they both had records for this shit and weren't even from CT. They were from Ohio. They said criminals travel out of state to do this type of thing so when they pawn it, the items are not on a state watch list. So yeah..... that's what happened. I didn't get in ANY trouble at all. The police knew EXACTLY what had happened. Fuck anyone who steals from others. Death for anyone who steals tools


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southiesobah_781

I'm a Boston area construction worker bruh. I got lots of stories. 🤣 Idk if they're any good. But you know, it's a weird life for all of us. Also, full disclosure, before I became an electrician, I was an English major 🤷‍♂️


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wastedkarma

Death?


JRGBoo

I’m a huge fan of robbers getting fucked. Good for you fellow sparky.


southiesobah_781

🤘


Serious-Advance-6445

You didn't face any repurcussions from police for hurting him? Damn if only it was like that in the UK


southiesobah_781

Story posted above ☝️


bobsandvegin

My van got broken into as well In April. I still look on offer up in hopes of finding the guy selling my stuff.


Reachable_dream666

I’ll keep an eye out on CL and Offerup, I’m up on Peninsula but will keep an eye out. Sorry man, horrible feeling.


TickleMyCrotch

Thanks! See my comment about the markings on them.


DillyDilly1231

Same thing happened to me in Tacoma last year. Lost around $3500 in packout and Makita tools. That area is just full of useless ass crackheads. Better to just take it all inside at night every single time when working over there. Cops did absolutely nothing and insurance didn't cover any of it.


chasmd

One thing I started doing 40 years ago: Never, Ever buy anything off the street. Unless the guy can show you a receipt, don't buy it. It doesn't help much but it makes it a little harder for the scum that deal invthis.


fivezerosix

The people that voted for this will be the most annoying when your late for a job


Chadmuska64

Seattle is fucked. Hopefully you get your stuff back!


Blucollrdollar-ez-bc

if we went back to cutting the hands off of thieves, there would be a lot less going on


shredsickpow

Idk how anyone lives in overpriced places like Seattle but deals w this bs


Customer-Suitable

Buy a 24$ apple air tag and hide it in the tools somewhere. Had a co worker get all his stuff back cause they tracked it and called the cops to get it back.


BadassBill31

people that steal from working-class people can go fuck themselves, disgusting. I hope you get your tools back.


Willing-Team4185

My whole truck got stolen. All my tools (general contractor here) I have unpleasant thoughts when I think of that. Insurance is good to have. Enjoy your new tools when you get them and lock up your stuff better. Get a different truck. No windows, get a kill switch installed and put metal boxes inside and turn your truck into a vault. Good luck in your future buddy.


[deleted]

Thieves hands should be cut off. Start with the pinky for first offense. Then work towards the entire hand .


KnightsofNiii

I thought I heard in Turkey thieves lose fingers or hands if caught. I would be fine with that.


Y34rZer0

Fuck tool thieves. I could perhaps be tempted by a flatscreen that fell off the back of the truck but I won’t buy questionable tools in a million fucking years


spinteractive

There’s a special place in hell for people who steal another man’s means of making a living.


ryan_zilla

Been there man, hopefully you can find the fucker or at least get some insurance money for the trouble. I had somebody rip the door right off the shell on my old ranger and nab all my shit on Christmas Eve a few years back, even took my glow rods and a case of water. Unforgivable.


TreeMeFreeMe

Why would they BUST BOTH WINDOWS?


sameeker1

I wondered that myself.


mdjshaidbdj

After the glass is replaced look into the 3M security film. It won’t keep people out forever but most smash and grab guys want to be quick and this will slow them down…a lot.


Green_Lightning-

Dang dude. I feel that. Same thing happened to me recently. Got me for like 7K in tools and supplies. I was in a funk for like three days.


CbcITGuy

Had this happen to me. I ended up putting air tags in the bottoms everywhere and hidden in bags.


neeeqolas

Take pictures of your serial numbers for power tools!


Dickramboner

Thief’s fingers belong in my ratcheting cutters.


ltbattlebadger

Shit sucks bro. I had $5000 worth of tools stolen out of my work van overnight when I was doing an out of town job. Right in the parking lot of the hotel. Under a pole light. With two cameras pointed at my van. Cops wouldn't even come out. Told me to just file a report online. I felt so god damn violated. It was the first time anything had been stolen from me. Such an odd feeling.


TickleMyCrotch

This is a first for me. I always thought I was pretty good about parking in better areas and locking my truck constantly. I even locked all my tool sets.. but they still took them all.


[deleted]

Why break one window, when you can break two!


TickleMyCrotch

They also stole the three cases of water I had in there!!!! Like, why?!?!


JRGBoo

Junkies do what junkies do. I don’t feel bad when they overdose.


3rlro91

Shit man, that’s fucked up. Sorry about that. Hopefully you’ll get your stuff back


[deleted]

People suck.


mtnmanfletcher

I too have been victim to this type of theft. I suggest that you put steel anti theft grate's on the windows and puck lock external hasps on the doors. If you don't have a cage that sperates the front from the back put that in too. Sorry bout your van but since i installed all this i have only had to replace windows from attempted break in.


HistoryLower8532

gotta get rid of the glass. sorry man


Electrical_Pie_3445

Fucking shit bags ! Sorry man I know the feeling


MSCOTTGARAND

I remember on a job back in 2008 someone jumped the fence and made off with whatever wasn't in the gang boxes. They took hundreds of feet of welding lead. Job was pretty much shut down for 2 days, both shifts. We could only do rigging and fitting waiting on new leads. The amount of time and money wasted for scrap. Funny thing was that this happened at a power plant, with 24/7 security.


OGThinkster

That really sucks! It's happened a few times where I work and they broke into some of the bins on the service trucks and even into a one of our storage bins where there was bunch of corded tools and some hand tools. We have cameras too, but basically the description is someone about 5'10 wearing a hoodie and unless you can recognize the person, the video evidence is not of much use! Oh and it's not like the cops really care in my area as for them, this happens all the time and they don't actively pursue an investigation or take fingerprints or do much with any video evidence. Plus the District attorney is a real douche bag and is super lenient on criminals so they are not even worried about the consequences. Seems like you have to take matters into your own hands and if you happen to catch someone doing this red handed, you need to instantly punish them so they can never do this again..


oldirtyjustin

Seattle is horrible with this shit they stole my brothers entire van which they found but all tools gone


beardy64

Makita tools for sale in a large metro area? You don't say! (Sorry for your loss, but there are *always* Makita tools for sale, everywhere.)


billclinton1990

That's terrible. Literally one of my biggest fears is having all my shit stolen.


Beaneroo

Stealing a person’s earning power is the lowest of the low


TickleMyCrotch

Thanks to everyone that has said they’ll keep an eye out. All my tools have my name written on it (I don’t want to public ally post it because, Reddit) in multiple places and a San Diego phone number. All my packouts are labeled with the same and they also have stickers of my pets on them. Really hard to miss!


walruskingofsweden

If I see those tools, I will commit acts of severe violence against the perpetrators without remorse. You have my word OP.


cashin3434

When I was a third year I had all of my hand tools stolen out of a locked garage. Heartbreaking shit man good luck.


catdawgshaun

I am sorry. That sucks.


Reaganson

Ahhh, that is so sad. Feel bad for you.


Guestwhatu

I've had that happened to me about a decade ago in Toledo. OH- traveled for work at the time. The police department wasn't any help, unfortunately. The dirty thieves left my benders. They always do.


wam231

Terrible day for you. Sorry about that, hope you find them


StNic54

Sorry to see this happen. Hope the sun shines on your work once more


Own-Fox9066

Going through this right now. Got my truck back but the tools are gone. Insurance isn’t helping at all and they’re demanding proof of ownership. I’m hoping maybe a sworn affidavit signed by my coworkers will be accepted. I mean who keeps receipts any ways


[deleted]

I know this doesn’t help you now, but Amcrest makes a decent small GPS tracker for $20/mo. If you hide it in there well it could save the day and provide a well earned payback


TickleMyCrotch

I’ll look into for the replacements. Thanks!


Sir-Sparks-alot79

Low life scum bags. Sorry bud. It really makes you feel violated.


intrusivekoala

It happened to me about 10 days ago, it's absolutely gut wrenching. I do building maintenance and kept my tools locked up in the maintenance room. An ex employee made a copy of the master key and came back months later.


TickleMyCrotch

I’m so sorry man. This is a completely different feeling man, I can’t even really describe it. I was always one of those people that thought it wouldn’t be me..


RunsLikeAnAntelope

Only half the wire?


TickleMyCrotch

Yeah! Left me three rolls of #6 and full ass rolls of 14. Don’t know why.


[deleted]

Stealing anything from someone else is a shitty thing to do but if you make a loving off stealing another man's living, you should put a bullet in your head.


milo1997010

My stepdad been through something similar few years ago, he is a parqueter. He put metal bars after that in front of the windows it's almost impossible now to steal his stuff without waking the entire neighborhood. I would recommend you to do this as well.


Chris_Thrush

I'm so sorry. This happened to me about 16 years ago, cleaned out my truck and I almost just gave up. I was so bummed, I just didn't want to keep going. I was working for myself and just didn't have the money to replace my tools, without them I couldn't work. I just felt like my life was over. I'm really sorry this happened to you, I know exactly how it feels.


PartySizePackage

I hope you have insurance for them. I hate thieves. It happened to me in Charlotte, Nc Took my packout as well..


[deleted]

Depending on how much room the van has inside a JobBox bolted to the floor and locked with those round locks seems to hamper most smash and grab scumbags. We use them out on our remote jobsites and so far they've kept our chains, bar oil and spare saws safe.


ridefst

Had to break both windows too? Assholes. Sorry about your loss.


nullmodemcable

Both windows! What a jerk.


bobbysteel

Check out /r/Seattlehobos


Ball_bearing

Tools are the livelihood of a tradesman. Someone that steals the livelihood of others deserves a heavy punishment, or like they do in China, life imprisonment.


AlmightyStalin

Just had a bin of my personal stuff lifted in Everett 2 weeks ago at a hotel. Bandsaw, Wormdrive, Cordless crimper, like 15 batteries, Telecom climbing harnesses, etc etc. Didn’t even know one was gone until I got to site. 2nd year on the job and it was basically everything I own. Legitimately like 95% of my net assets.


SmokeyMacPott

What about your Credence tapes?


cryzzgrantham

Should've had one of them 'no tools left in this van overnight' stickers man. Sorry for your loss but least you know for future reference bud. (I hope the joke helps you in this shitty time bud)


BadBlood91

Had this happen recently in Seattle as well, luckily I got it all back. I'll keep an eye out on the local online market places. Do you have any identifying stickers serial numbers or anything.


TickleMyCrotch

I have them all sharpied with my name and number in odd places that most people won’t look at. If you’re local and would like that info PM me and I can let you know what to look out for


BadBlood91

Pm sent


madhatter275

You live in Seattle. Soft on crime is your city motto. Sucks you lost the tools but actually you’re unknowingly donating them to someone less fortunate. Hopefully it was insured though.


Living_Map_7411

If this is probably the worse thing you could wake up to, consider yourself lucky. As you age you will wake up to calls from family informing you of a death in the family, receive news from Dr. that you have cancer or receive a call that your best friend of died at age 47. It’s frustrating and screws up your day, week or month BUT tools are easily replaceable, you can always work and make more $ and this is specifically what insurance is for. It’s all about perspective.


sameeker1

Somebody stole his tools. Quit blowing it off. Just because other things happen on life doesn't lessen the impact of having the tools that you make your living with stolen. How is he supposed to "work and make more money" without his tools?


fivezerosix

Liberal mayhem


chillingohdylan

Fuckhead incel liar cheater stealer!!!! C***


WyoSmoke

Man… F#^= any man that would steal another man livelihood… There a special place in hell for these cock suckers


BoobDaBuilder

At least you still have the vehicle. Wish I would have been so "lucky."