# Who the Heck Steals Firewood



## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

I hopped in the truck the other day to replenish my firewood stacks. I have several places where I cut, and I usually block, split, dry, and store most of my firewood offsite. I usually keep a couple cords at the house. So anyway, I pulled into the field and drove to my "landing". To my surprise, I couldn't find my stack. So thinking that all the beer has finally gotten to me, I drove to my other sites just to make sure I hadn't moved it, nope, just stacks of stuff still seasoning. After several trips and searching, I finally admitted defeat. The rest of this years wood is gone.

I called up my buddy, the owner of this particular piece of land to get his thoughts. He definately remembered the stack being there and had an idea of who might have "borrowed" it. I hopped in his truck and we took a ride to this gentleman's place. Sure enough, there was the wood that I had cut, split, and dried to keep my family warm. I could tell by the marking paint on the end of a couple peices in the stack mostly. Now it's very hard to impossible to prove that any wood not stacked at your own residence is yours, so it looks like I'm up a creek without a paddle. All my other stacks are still drying for next year and the year after.

I just can't believe someone would do this. I've had stacks picked through before, they didn't take much. Usually they just take enough for a campfire or something, no big deal. Sad thing is, if someone was hard up I would have helped him out. Just don't know what to do.


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## Garmins dad (Dec 29, 2012)

Hate to say it.. sounds like it's time to haul all your wood home and store it there..


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## stihly dan (Dec 29, 2012)

Drive up to the pile and start loading it in your truck. When he comes out tell him you know what he did. Heres the marks and you have him on deer camera. You don't have to have him on camera, but both of you know he took it. So it will be very believable. If he resists, offer to call the police for him, on him.


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## Garmins dad (Dec 29, 2012)

stihly dan said:


> Drive up to the pile and start loading it in your truck. When he comes out tell him you know what he did. Heres the marks and you have him on deer camera. You don't have to have him on camera, but both of you know he took it. So it will be very believable. If he resists, offer to call the police for him, on him.



better be 100% sure he took your wood..


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## rmotoman (Dec 29, 2012)

That sucks. If you lived somewhere close by I would give you some wood.


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## Jakers (Dec 29, 2012)

id march my angry but rite up to their door and make them help you load up your wood in your truck. then id thank them kindly for watching out for it and remind them that next time they have a good idea to slam their head in a door for an hour first


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

stihly dan said:


> Drive up to the pile and start loading it in your truck. When he comes out tell him you know what he did. Heres the marks and you have him on deer camera. You don't have to have him on camera, but both of you know he took it. So it will be very believable. If he resists, offer to call the police for him, on him.



Funny thing is, I used to put my trail cameras on my woodpiles but they kept getting stolen too! Seems like I'm just too naive and this world really is getting to my little neck of the woods.


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## Mac88 (Dec 29, 2012)

Jakers said:


> id march my angry but rite up to their door and make them help you load up your wood in your truck. then id thank them kindly for watching out for it and remind them that next time they have a good idea to slam their head in a door for an hour first



Just make sure you have a good lawyer on retainer beforehand.


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## kybaseball (Dec 29, 2012)

That is down right sad!!!


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## Mac88 (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Funny thing is, I used to put my trail cameras on my woodpiles but they kept getting stolen too! Seems like I'm just too naive and this world really is getting to my little neck of the woods.



It's not just there. Pretty much a universal problem any more, where ever you go. Not just wood, but about anything you leave visible, even on your won property.


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## Jakers (Dec 29, 2012)

Mac88 said:


> Just make sure you have a good lawyer on retainer beforehand.



nothing illegal about confronting the guy at least. ive always had a bit of anger management issues tho so i could see things goin south quick


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

Garmins dad said:


> better be 100% sure he took your wood..



Oh, it's mine. The land is on a farm so my buddy and his father drive it nonstop. They said they seen him going down to the back field more than once lately in his pickup, they even saw firewood in the back according to the farm owner. I can tell because I'm the only person I know that marks with blue and I remember that exact stack because of some of the events that happened that day. Let's just say it was a learning day for a friend I've been teaching how to cut.

My buddy is pretty pissed about it, he plans on bringing it up to this gentleman. I guess he's worked on, and "borrowed" things from the farm before.


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

Jakers said:


> nothing illegal about confronting the guy at least. ive always had a bit of anger management issues tho so i could see things goin south quick



And this is my problem. I would not be able to stay level headed while confronting him. Honestly, I didn't even plan to do anything about it. I can't think of any way possible to prove who's wood is really who's. It really comes down to being my fault for being so trusting as usual.


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## Dogsout (Dec 29, 2012)

It sucks that you put all of the work in and some scumbag gets the benefit from it. Now I am not saying that most of the suggestions to come would be well deserved to this guy, but in most of the cases I think you are going to come out on the wrong end of the law. It would be very hard to turn the other cheek and a number of people just couldn't. The paint marks are plenty enough proof to you but if this should go farther I think you will be swimming up stream trying to prove it. He knows you are on to him so I am thinking, I let him think he won this battle. Further down the road I get even some way shape or form and you can bet next weeks paycheck that I am the only guy that would know about it when it occurs. I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye, just give it a little time to settle down and then even things up with this #### head. JMO!


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## Jakers (Dec 29, 2012)

Dogsout said:


> It sucks that you put all of the work in and some scumbag gets the benefit from it. Now I am not saying that most of the suggestions to come would be well deserved to this guy, but in most of the cases I think you are going to come out on the wrong end of the law. It would be very hard to turn the other cheek and a number of people just couldn't. The paint marks are plenty enough proof to you but if this should go farther I think you will be swimming up stream trying to prove it. He knows you are on to him so I am thinking, I let him think he won this battle. Further down the road I get even some way shape or form and you can bet next weeks paycheck that I am the only guy that would know about it when it occurs. I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye, just give it a little time to settle down and then even things up with this #### head. JMO!



im a big fan of propping up a roofing nail on both sides of all 4 tires. bound to get at leas one flat out of the deal. makes me smile every time


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## Keyless Chuck (Dec 29, 2012)

Spikes in the road for now on would be my security. I don't live in the sticks but a few nails welded together in a anti tank type design would put a hurting on your future dirt bag robbers :msp_smile:


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

rmotoman said:


> That sucks. If you lived somewhere close by I would give you some wood.



First off, this is a very nice gesture. Second, for some reason it made me laugh out loud!


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## stihly dan (Dec 29, 2012)

Dogsout said:


> It sucks that you put all of the work in and some scumbag gets the benefit from it. Now I am not saying that most of the suggestions to come would be well deserved to this guy, but in most of the cases I think you are going to come out on the wrong end of the law. It would be very hard to turn the other cheek and a number of people just couldn't. The paint marks are plenty enough proof to you but if this should go farther I think you will be swimming up stream trying to prove it. He knows you are on to him so I am thinking, I let him think he won this battle. Further down the road I get even some way shape or form and you can bet next weeks paycheck that I am the only guy that would know about it when it occurs. I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye, just give it a little time to settle down and then even things up with this #### head. JMO!



NO. That doe's not work unless they know who did it and why, but can't prove it like you.


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## stihly dan (Dec 29, 2012)

It's too bad that crap happens up there. I was planning an early ( i quit) and moving up there in the side of a mountain.


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## Mac88 (Dec 29, 2012)

stihly dan said:


> It's too bad that crap happens up there. I was planning an early ( i quit) and moving up there in the side of a mountain.



Right behind you, or in front, however it works out. I think, overall, it's still a better bet than where I am.


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## Foxfire (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Oh, it's mine. The land is on a farm so my buddy and his father drive it nonstop. They said they seen him going down to the back field more than once lately in his pickup, they even saw firewood in the back according to the farm owner. I can tell because I'm the only person I know that marks with blue and I remember that exact stack because of some of the events that happened that day. Let's just say it was a learning day for a friend I've been teaching how to cut.
> 
> My buddy is pretty pissed about it, he plans on bringing it up to this gentleman. I guess he's worked on, and "borrowed" things from the farm before.



Well, someone has to say something if for no other reason than this guy is gonna keep on being a jack wad until he is confronted and put on notice. I mean you at the very least have to "borrow" it back...


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## srb08 (Dec 29, 2012)

Bide your time, the opportunity to Even things out will come. When it does, hit hard, real hard.
People like that only understand one thing and it involves pain.


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

srb08 said:


> Bide your time, the opportunity to Even things out will come. When it does, hit hard, real hard.
> People like that only understand one thing and it involves pain.



As much as this appeals to me, I just can't. I've got kids, wife, house, etc to worry about now. It's not like it was when I was young and full of fire and could solve everything myself. There is a field behind his house that belongs to the farm. I was thinking that maybe this year we'd set up there for night hunting coyotes! Getting woke up every night and early morning with rifle shots should have him thinking about karma! :msp_thumbsup:


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## Jakers (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> As much as this appeals to me, I just can't. I've got kids, wife, house, etc to worry about now. It's not like it was when I was young and full of fire and could solve everything myself. There is a field behind his house that belongs to the farm. I was thinking that maybe this year we'd set up there for night hunting coyotes! Getting woke up every night and early morning with rifle shots should have him thinking about karma! :msp_thumbsup:



trouble is those kind of people are the ones that would end up calling the damn cops on you and youd end up getting a disturbing the peace ticket


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

Jakers said:


> trouble is those kind of people are the ones that would end up calling the damn cops on you and youd end up getting a disturbing the peace ticket



Actually, this is one of those times that the law works for you. We are both licensed hunters with night hunting coyote stamps, on privately owned farm land, hunting within the hours of legal hunting, and far enough away from all residences that it would be legal. Could be wrong, but luckily I'm on good terms with the law and forestry around here.


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## srb08 (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> As much as this appeals to me, I just can't. I've got kids, wife, house, etc to worry about now. It's not like it was when I was young and full of fire and could solve everything myself. There is a field behind his house that belongs to the farm. I was thinking that maybe this year we'd set up there for night hunting coyotes! Getting woke up every night and early morning with rifle shots should have him thinking about karma! :msp_thumbsup:



Put in hogs.


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## Jakers (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Actually, this is one of those times that the law works for you. We are both licensed hunters with night hunting coyote stamps, on privately owned farm land, hunting within the hours of legal hunting, and far enough away from all residences that it would be legal. Could be wrong, but luckily I'm on good terms with the law and forestry around here.



kinda sounds like you got it made then. id grab a local LEO and knock on the guys door...


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## bubba3228 (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Oh, it's mine. The land is on a farm so my buddy and his father drive it nonstop. They said they seen him going down to the back field more than once lately in his pickup, they even saw firewood in the back according to the farm owner. I can tell because I'm the only person I know that marks with blue and I remember that exact stack because of some of the events that happened that day. Let's just say it was a learning day for a friend I've been teaching how to cut.
> 
> My buddy is pretty pissed about it, he plans on bringing it up to this gentleman. I guess he's worked on, and "borrowed" things from the farm before.



Did the friend you were teaching how to cut remember to take the M80 and Bottle Rocket out of that one split you rigged up for that 4TH of July outdoor bonfire we talked about??? Be a shame if that ended up back on that pile of splits somehow. Boy I hope he remembered to pull that off to the side... :msp_sneaky:


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

bubba3228 said:


> Did the friend you were teaching how to cut remember to take the M80 and Bottle Rocket out of that one split you rigged up for that 4TH of July outdoor bonfire we talked about??? Be a shame if that ended up back on that pile of splits somehow. Boy I hope he remembered to pull that off to the side... :msp_sneaky:



Hahahaha, jeez seems like I forgot all about that.


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## stihly dan (Dec 29, 2012)

Mac88 said:


> Right behind you, or in front, however it works out. I think, overall, it's still a better bet than where I am.



Still have 15 yrs, so I hope its in front.


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## TreeTangler (Dec 29, 2012)

Jakers said:


> kinda sounds like you got it made then. id grab a local LEO and knock on the guys door...



Well this is actually easier said then done. This township that it would fall under has no local law enforcement. The state police have jurisdiction over this area and they honestly have a lot of more important things to do. I do plan on asking a game warden who covers the area that I know pretty well, but when it honestly comes down to it I did everything wrong.

- I'm cutting on land not owned by myself in this instance.
- I'm storing wood unsecured on land not owned by myself.
- I hadn't been to this "landing" for almost a month now.
- There are no posted or no trespassing signs because we like to hunt it and they dont mind if others do too.

It just seems that in the eyes of the law, I really wouldn't have a leg to stand on. As for hiring a lawyer, forget it. That would cost more than it would to buy several cords of wood at least! Besides, I prefer to stay out of the laws radar for silly stuff. One of those out of sight out of mind things.


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## GrassGuerilla (Dec 29, 2012)

Thieves suck. On the other hand, you should have had this years wood stacked and stored ready to burn. Not randomly piled in the field. Just sayin.

If the wood has your marks, and he was seen taking wood? I say ask where he got it from. He may not see any harm.


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## Mac88 (Dec 29, 2012)

stihly dan said:


> Still have 15 yrs, so I hope its in front.



If I wait that long, there's not much point. We'll try to reserve you a nice, well tree'd spot, with only 1 road in.


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## Mac88 (Dec 29, 2012)

TreeTangler, maybe you need to get yourself a branding iron, for the wood, of course.


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## 1grnlwn (Dec 29, 2012)

M80 idea a good one. Take about 10 splits and bandsaw them in half, hollow out an M80 pocket and then glue them back together. Toss them randomly in his pile and watch the whole pile rot, when he decides not to burn any more.


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## srb08 (Dec 29, 2012)

Mac88 said:


> Right behind you, or in front, however it works out. I think, overall, it's still a better bet than where I am.



When I was in college, I spent a summer working on Microwave towers along the coast of Maine. I'm pretty sure after God created the world, on the seventh day, that's where he rested.


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## bubba3228 (Dec 29, 2012)

1grnlwn said:


> M80 idea a good one. Take about 10 splits and bandsaw them in half, hollow out an M80 pocket and then glue them back together. Toss them randomly in his pile and watch the whole pile rot, when he decides not to burn any more.



Already done ... Thats what those blue marks were for:msp_wink:


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## BrokenToys (Dec 30, 2012)

Why all my logs and firewood is in my back yard; hell, i even had some idiot back right up to my trailer I chain to my fence on the side of my house. He was saying to me "i saw a post for a free trailer on craigslist - just take it" .. i told him "i got some free buckshot too if you want that as well".
sometimes it is nice to be the resident psycho on the block


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## greenskeeper (Dec 30, 2012)

I've had wood stolen from the golf course I worked at. Course closed and rounds were stacked neatly between standing trees. Had to be a local thief because the wood wasn't visible from the road.

Lesson learned? If you leave wood unattended don't stack it neat and tidy for easy thievery, rather leave it all scattered around the place so hopefully the thief will be too lazy to gather it!


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## 2treeornot2tree (Dec 30, 2012)

I had a guy cutting rounds off of my log pile that i had stacked up the road the other year. He said he thought asplaud stacked all the wood there. The pile was 30' long and 10-12" high, and you could see it came out of and was stacked on private property. Luckly I was home and heard a saw running, I jumped in the truck and drove up there. His wife sure had big eyes when i jumped out of the truck and asked WTF are you doing? My pile got move to my house over the next couple days. I have now started to spray paint the crap outta logs, and right " My wood, and this means you" on them. 

I would either have to confront this douch bag or just wait till hes not home and take it back and maybe some extra for you effort.


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## greendohn (Dec 30, 2012)

I sure do hate it, but I keep all my sheds under lock and key. A few years ago, I had a 21 year old, dead-beat-welfare bleedin' kid down the alley stealing my fire wood. I didn't have a wood shed then,,I do now, and it's locked. 

It's a crying shame an honest man can't punch a thief in the eye-ball to come to an understanding with him about personal property.


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## Dalmatian90 (Dec 30, 2012)

1) I certainly am no expert in Maine laws, but from my reading over the years of news articles when they pop up...you also have the Maine Forest Service to turn to -- this would certainly be true if he had taken log-length wood which would make it timber theft. And they're one of the few states to have folks specialized in forest law enforcement. I'm not sure if they get involved if its just simple firewood.

2) If you're using a splitter, a good idea I've seen here in the past is to weld a bead of your initials into the plate. Paint, schmaint...pretty hard to argue otherwise when you can pick a few splits and put them together to show your initials and it matches exactly your splitter.


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## KenJax Tree (Dec 30, 2012)

Jakers said:


> im a big fan of propping up a roofing nail on both sides of all 4 tires. bound to get at leas one flat out of the deal. makes me smile every time



Hell just use a gutter spike and get all 4. I remember a friend of mine had his truck broken into and had 2 older saws he was gonna replace anyways and some other stuff stolen and a witness told him who it was so one night he went to the guys house and knocked a hole in his oil pan on a very new truck, he never got his saws back but im sure a new diesel motor wasn't cheap


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## timbrjackrussel (Dec 30, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Funny thing is, I used to put my trail cameras on my woodpiles but they kept getting stolen too! Seems like I'm just too naive and this world really is getting to my little neck of the woods.



Got one of these , it's great!
.: Special OPS :. Covert Scouting Cameras


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## autoimage (Dec 30, 2012)

file a small claims case. it will be cheap you have paint evidnce and the farmer who saw him with wood in his truck


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## lone wolf (Dec 30, 2012)

Mac88 said:


> Just make sure you have a good lawyer on retainer beforehand.



And your wife has the laywers cell phone number so when you get arrested on a weekend or nite she can reach him, 5000.00 down should be good to start with.


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## blacklocst (Dec 30, 2012)

This thread is reminding me about the time I had White Birch rounds stolen from me four years ago and I'm still angry like it was yesterday.


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## msvold (Dec 30, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Funny thing is, I used to put my trail cameras on my woodpiles but they kept getting stolen too! Seems like I'm just too naive and this world really is getting to my little neck of the woods.



I use something like this - too much money invested in trail cam's to not secure them. 
http://www.shopbushnell.com/imagesEdp/p117934b.jpg


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## walkerdogman85 (Dec 30, 2012)

That really sucks like someone else said I would have helped him out if he would have asked but to steal that's bad.


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## GrassGuerilla (Dec 30, 2012)

I'm not excusing the fella that took the wood, but it sounds like the property owner (where your pile was) has some pretty lax security. Random people coming and going. It reminds me of the scene in Full Metal Jacket when private "Pyle" left his foot locker unlocked. Just sayin. 

I think I'd make different plans for future wood storage. 

Don't get yourself locked up over it.


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## El Quachito (Dec 30, 2012)

I am skipping some pages I haven't read here to post a thought or two. Sorry to hear about this its a load of bs. If you involve LE, mention the dollar value of the wood. even though you cut it yourself, you would have paid "x" dollars for it otherwise. 

Maybe if your lucky the guy will say "i didn't know it was yours" and give it back to you.


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## woodguy105 (Dec 30, 2012)

Go to the dudes house and politely knock on the door and when he comes out say hey buddy just wanted to warn you that someone's been stealin wood around here. My pile that I markerd with blue paint, cut split and stacked to keep my family warm this year was just taken from the (farmers owners name) field / woodlot over there.... I see you've got nice pile just like I had and it would a shame if someone took yours as well.

No accusations, no threats just enough to let him know you know what he's up too. Hell he may pony up and say that was your pile? .... I thought it was abandoned wouldn't have taken it otherwise, maybe (but I doubt it) you'll get your wood back.


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## Ayatollah (Dec 30, 2012)

Stuff that you busted your back making or creating is closer to you than that which you bought with money that you earned doing the same. Unfortunately, wood is one of items that a certain cross section of people treat as one of god's creations, and left unattended, is still in the public domain for gathering. This unwritten law extends even farther into other categories of goods that are "discovered". An example is, I was a contractor in the liquidation of an old closed grocery store, which we had dismantled about 1/2 of when a smaller contractor was hired by the landlord to secure some electrical boxes inside for his future use. While taking apart a shelving run backed up against a freezer case aisle, we found about 400 bars of soap that had fallen over the top and down in between the shelving run and the freezer case. The next morning, a little over 1/3 of those bars were gone, and I found them in the back of the electrical jobber's truck. He got incredibly stubborn and wouldn't give them back, and challenged the ownership of them in the first place. Some people believe that their proximity to unprotected goods is sufficient to lay claim. And there is a gray area as far as the law is concerned, where ownership is a matter of interpretation by the civil courts. If you cannot show a breaking and entering, or some document proving ownership, you're pretty much out of options as far as criminal justice goes.


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## Dogsout (Dec 30, 2012)

Ayatollah said:


> I was a contractor in the liquidation of an old closed grocery store, which we had dismantled about 1/2 of when a smaller contractor was hired by the landlord to secure some electrical boxes inside for his future use. While taking apart a shelving run backed up against a freezer case aisle, we found about 400 bars of soap that had fallen over the top and down in between the shelving run and the freezer case.



And now you know why this store won the "Soap Seller Of The Year Award" 5 times. Sorry couldn't resist.


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## Ayatollah (Dec 30, 2012)

Dogsout said:


> And now you know why this store won the "Soap Seller Of The Year Award" 5 times. Sorry couldn't resist.



Naw. The "loss" occurred over a couple decades. Some of the brands near the floor were way out of print for years. The store managers probably chalked it up to pilferage, and then fired the cleanest, best smelling employee each year.:msp_biggrin:


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## farmerboybill (Dec 30, 2012)

Dalmatian90 said:


> If you're using a splitter, a good idea I've seen here in the past is to weld a bead of your initials into the plate. Paint, schmaint...pretty hard to argue otherwise when you can pick a few splits and put them together to show your initials and it matches exactly your splitter.



That's a great idea. Even if you're hand splitting, you could make a "brand" by using a 4" by 4" piece of flat steel with your initials beaded into it welded to a 1 inch rod. Once you stack up the pile, just "stamp" every dozen pieces with one blow with a hammer on the brand. 

If you're really good, you could put something like this on the brand -

*"Warning - Many pieces of wood in this pile are stamped with federal ID numbers and equipped with tracking devices. Some pieces are simply rigged to explode when moved. Good luck!"*


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## leo58 (Dec 30, 2012)

I'm with woodguy105. I would have to let him know that I know. Sometime you may have the opportunity to get even. Dont forget and dont forgive. Some of the sweetest revenge is when you are the only one who knows.


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## smokee (Dec 30, 2012)

Once a thief, always a thief. 

Don't say anything and put wood back at the same area then setup (well hidden) cameras. He's going to keep stealing until the police show up at his door. Make an example out of him. Buy a cheap/broken trail cam off eBay and put it someplace he'll find it and think he's got u beat. 

If u say its yours you have no way of proving it unless your firewood has serial numbers.


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## wreckscuba (Dec 31, 2012)

Had some wood come up missing from my backyard put a deer camera up. Found out thery where driving across are wheat field me and the boys whent out and waited took 3 nights before we got them. We had pics of them loading there truck .to bad we kept them there to the state boys got there.


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## Jakers (Dec 31, 2012)

wreckscuba said:


> Had some wood come up missing from my backyard put a deer camera up. Found out thery where driving across are weat field me and the boys whent out and waited took 3 nights before we got them. We had pics of them loading there truck .to bad we kept them there to the state boys got there.



real question is, did you even call the state boys or are they still there just kinda "waiting".....


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## Sayheymj (Dec 31, 2012)

*Can't say I've had my wood stolen, but....*

Had my shoes stolen, my crushed alum. cans stolen, my car speakers stolen...but never my wood....A few ladies borrowed it a few times...but that's another story...:hmm3grin2orange:


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## Uncle John (Dec 31, 2012)

Take your farmer friend, knock on the thiefs door, say "I'm taking my wood back" He probably won't resist cause he knows he's wrong. 
If he does resist, just leave. 

Then decide if it's worth pursuing in small claims court.


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## doug4k (Dec 31, 2012)

send him a bill. he will know you know he took it. you might never get paid but you dont have to confront him and take a chance that things go south. protect your family first. some wood is not worth the hassle.karma will take care of him.you definately need to haul you wood away and secure it on your own property.


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## zogger (Dec 31, 2012)

Lemme get this straight. the owner of the land saw the guy trespassing, you go to the guys house and clearly see your marked wood. 

Call in the bulls man, state police or not, at least the game warden, they got badges, too. Thats their job, your taxes pay for it. Your neck of the woods dry firewood and heat is pret near a life and death issue. At a minimum it keeps your pipes from freezing. No different from like rustling cattle. If you confront him before the cops get there he ll just hide the marked wood or burn that first.

We had bad poachers here, eventually it got so bad they brought in trailcams and used helicopters and so on to nail them at night. They didnt catch all of them, but enough it scared em off for awhile.

ATVs and trails that are remote and all the kids use them also facilitate the poachers and sneak thieves and the guys who grow plantations on remote areas of other peoples land. 

Another thing I have against ATVs.

Up when I lived in white dirt territory I got robbed one day, sled tracks right up to my door. heck with it, right before the next storm I used my big crosscut and felled the biggest dang tree I could find right across the nearest trail. Dang, long time ago, might still the the largest tree I ever did. That slowed em down that winter, no more incursions, and even if they had cut the tree up, I would have heard the chainsaws and got there with my equalizer and told them to F off, private property, or we coulda danced right then if they wanted to argue the point..

There used to be trails all over the property here,, you can still see remnants, and I am not going to open them back up, just for that reason, just makes easier access for the poachers, metals scrappers and sneak thieves. And the off road joy riding loons and kids love to get into the pastures and just tear them up with dirt bikes, atvs, 4wd vehicles whatever and leave ruts...screw em, no access. Fences, and let the trails close up down to you have to WALK. That eliminates 99% of the problems, if they cant drive to someplace, they arent going there, people are mostly lazy now, if they cant ride, they dont go there. The only driveable access in is right down the road I live on. Well, they can cut fences, thats when the bulls get called in again.


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## Pa Pa Jack (Dec 31, 2012)

OUr property in PA is for hunting only. No one lives there and there are no buildings on the property. Several years ago the snow got so bad we had huge downed trees everywhere. We told several of the locals that they could come in and cut any of the wood they wanted for firewood. We got no takers. The next deer season we camped out on the property and hunted. We cut some firewood for campfires in the evening. After the first couple nights, we had a pretty good stack of wood. When we went to town to get a good hot meal and a shower, someone helped themselves to the wood that was left. We cut more wood, and buried several shotgun shells in the wood. That wood also got stolen. But we've never been bothered again. We have a stack of firewood that has been there for two years now, unmolested.


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## Ayatollah (Dec 31, 2012)

Pa Pa Jack said:


> OUr property in PA is for hunting only. No one lives there and there are no buildings on the property. Several years ago the snow got so bad we had huge downed trees everywhere. We told several of the locals that they could come in and cut any of the wood they wanted for firewood. We got no takers. The next deer season we camped out on the property and hunted. We cut some firewood for campfires in the evening. After the first couple nights, we had a pretty good stack of wood. When we went to town to get a good hot meal and a shower, someone helped themselves to the wood that was left. We cut more wood, and buried several shotgun shells in the wood. That wood also got stolen. But we've never been bothered again. We have a stack of firewood that has been there for two years now, unmolested.



This is a bad, bad idea. Maybe the initial thief deserves it, but what if he/she takes it home and their unsuspecting kids are the unintended recipient? Or if they sell the wood or give it away to same? Booby traps are mindless killing/maiming devices, and can easily change a simple act revenge into an act of merciless mayhem directed only by chance.


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## Typhke (Dec 31, 2012)

You should always report it stolen. Let the officials know what the farmer noticed (guys with a pickup loaded on his private property) and tell them you know who that person was. If they won't go with you, I would still go there and make it clear you know he took your wood. 

Close to my gf, they stole a circular saw on a building site. It's just a small house with on both sides other houses (with families living in it) but they still went on the site and took it. The best part, 2 guys were working on the 1st floor of the building. Heard a car stop, 1 guy got out, took the saw, jumped back in and they drove away. Long gone before they were down from the 1st floor. 

Some people just think they can do anything. Don't get it how they sleep at night.


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## gulity1 (Dec 31, 2012)

There are a couple of thing you can do that no one has brought up yet soak the wood in motor oil it will stink like hell may be pull of the top layer soak it and then recover. Burn the entire stack where it stands hey its new years eve no one thinks its a big deal every one has a bond fire right? The only reason I suggest these is that johnny law most likley wil not be able to help you, even if the cop is your friend this is a very slipperly slope. May as well get something out of it taking it back is gonna take time and unless he lives alone and you know his schudle that anit gonna work, going to talk to the guy aint gonna work he probly gonna hear you pull up peak out his window see you walking around your wood pile and A) not answer the door or B) come out with a piece and either way you still dont get what you want. 

You start loading he calls the cops and now your going to the clink cause your stealing his wood and he can prove it. As far as putting an explosive device in your wood pile in his yard I would not do this, think maybe is neice/nephew is over and then it goes off? I could not live with that could you? To the hell with slashing the guys tires whats the point he puts new tires on it and countiues to steal wood yours, mine, whos ever maybe wait before a snow and litter his driveway with a keg of bent roofing nails then let it snow and hes out side for hours trying to find them all and you and I both know that aint gonna happen. Gotta think ahead plan and think very carfully. Or let it all go find him in the store parking lot and throw him a beating and a reminder not steal anything else? The one thing I can tell you is if your going to throw him a beating make sure that you dont have anything that can be constrewed as a weapon tire bar, bat, axe handle, pocket knife,rope, nothing else wise they can put you up for attempeted murder think


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## G_P (Dec 31, 2012)

Couple pieces with coast guard smoke signal flares would be safe and get him some unwanted attention when thick orange smoke is pouring out his chimney!

Sent from my C5120 using Tapatalk 2


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## Guswhit (Dec 31, 2012)

I feel your pain! It has happened to me 2 times. The first I deserved for being an idiot. The second not so much, I had spent several weekends at my father in laws helping him get his and drug up several cord of dry oak and went back with my splitter but it wouldn't start. I spent 3 days just making rounds while awaiting a part for the motor on the splitter. Now here's the interesting part, inlaws go on vacation in January for 3 weeks, so I head back up with the splitter a couple weeks after processing the rounds, thinking no hurry wood is laying behind the barn, arrive on the scene and actually catch the last truck and trailer load leaving! My own brother in laws! 2 years ago and I still can't hardly speak to them! I just waited for Father in law to come home and let him lay down the law, wasn't pretty from what I heard. They haven't taken any wood from the farm of any kind since. I'm sure your farmer friend will change his thoughts about who is on his land also.


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## stihly dan (Dec 31, 2012)

Can't get much lower than a loser, scumbag, that steals from family.


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## REJ2 (Dec 31, 2012)

Your wood, no question about it, but suppose he says " i bought it". He could have bought it from another thief, consider all the possibilities. Short of someone actually seeing him backed up to the pile and loading it makes it a tough one for sure.


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## Truck4 (Dec 31, 2012)

What a POS!!! I would still confront him with your buddy present, tell him you know thats your wood, he was seen driveing in out of area with it in his pick up, give him a chance to come clean if not tell him that stuff is free the next time he tries takeing something not his will be met with the same outcome as the coyotes


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## Tazfreak (Dec 31, 2012)

GrassGuerilla said:


> Thieves suck. On the other hand, you should have had this years wood stacked and stored ready to burn. Not randomly piled in the field. Just sayin.
> 
> If the wood has your marks, and he was seen taking wood? I say ask where he got it from. He may not see any harm.



All our firewood has a amark where the push plate,a brand if you like ,pushs it through the wedges'It makes the wood identifiable anywhere.Weld ur own special marks or brand on ur pushplate,it,l help with local theives anyway.Think you,ll have to make more secure arangements for your firewood.Too muck work in it by you to have it just stolen by scumbags.Happens everywhere ,lazy folk see a chance to steal something.D,ont give em the oportunity.:chainsawguy: HAPPY NEW YEAR


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## sdt7618 (Dec 31, 2012)

Gallon of gas and have a bonfire in his back yard. Your wood you burn it!


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## Larry Ashcraft (Dec 31, 2012)

> Booby traps are mindless killing/maiming devices, and can easily change a simple act revenge into an act of merciless mayhem directed only by chance.


A little over-reaction, I think. Burning shotgun shells are surprising, but hardly dangerous. The powder and hull burns, and the shot just kind of lays there.


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## fubar2 (Dec 31, 2012)

Just wait outside his house till he comes out and nobody's looking. Grab him and whoop his ass. Stomp him into his yard and leave.


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## TreeTangler (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks for all the support guys! It's been a hard couple of weeks for several reasons including this. Just an update for you guys. I took it upon myself to do some asking around with the law. I talked to a state trooper and a local game warden. They both agree that there really is nothing legally that can be done. In fact, the trooper even went so far as to say that lawfully speaking, the wood is his since it is in his possesion. He told me that I could take him to civil court, but that doesnt even make sense. The warden was very sympathetic and really wanted to help but didn't have a leg to stand on. This instance doesn't fall under what's considered timber theft.

On a lighter note, I've known the farmer for a very long time. He thinks very highly of me and I'm considered family. The whole deal has him disgusted. He went to the theifs house this morning to ask him about it. I was told that the gentleman was defensive and basically acted like a total jerk, which really ticked off the farmer considering all the favors he's done for him. So long story short, he informed the theif that he is no longer welcome on any of the farms property for anything. That and we have full permission to set up for coyote hunting!

I just got off the phone with my buddy about an hour ago. He told me that the theif has moved all the wood to his back lawn from out of the front lawn, so you know he's feeling some heat!


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## fubar2 (Dec 31, 2012)

TreeTangler said:


> Thanks for all the support guys! It's been a hard couple of weeks for several reasons including this. Just an update for you guys. I took it upon myself to do some asking around with the law. I talked to a state trooper and a local game warden. They both agree that there really is nothing legally that can be done. In fact, the trooper even went so far as to say that lawfully speaking, the wood is his since it is in his possesion. He told me that I could take him to civil court, but that doesnt even make sense. The warden was very sympathetic and really wanted to help but didn't have a leg to stand on. This instance doesn't fall under what's considered timber theft.
> 
> On a lighter note, I've known the farmer for a very long time. He thinks very highly of me and I'm considered family. The whole deal has him disgusted. He went to the theifs house this morning to ask him about it. I was told that the gentleman was defensive and basically acted like a total jerk, which really ticked off the farmer considering all the favors he's done for him. So long story short, he informed the theif that he is no longer welcome on any of the farms property for anything. That and we have full permission to set up for coyote hunting!
> 
> I just got off the phone with my buddy about an hour ago. He told me that the theif has moved all the wood to his back lawn from out of the front lawn, so you know he's feeling some heat!



That is exactly why I recommended what I did. The thief ain't admitting to it so you don't either when he shows up at the hospital with his face broken.


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## zogger (Dec 31, 2012)

Tazfreak said:


> All our firewood has a amark where the push plate,a brand if you like ,pushs it through the wedges'It makes the wood identifiable anywhere.Weld ur own special marks or brand on ur pushplate,it,l help with local theives anyway.Think you,ll have to make more secure arangements for your firewood.Too muck work in it by you to have it just stolen by scumbags.Happens everywhere ,lazy folk see a chance to steal something.D,ont give em the oportunity.:chainsawguy: HAPPY NEW YEAR



THAT ^^^^^ is a real dang good idea right there!! Custom brands, I like it.


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## Jakers (Dec 31, 2012)

:agree2:


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## Iron Head (Jan 1, 2013)

A thief is a thief and will steal anything and everything.
I totall agree with fubar.
But you should start worrying what he will steal from you next.


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## Mac88 (Jan 1, 2013)

"I dunno, officer. It was dark out and I thought it was a bear tearing up my woodpile."


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## allstihl (Jan 1, 2013)

i dont hide explosives in my wood but everyone thinks i do.


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## Ayatollah (Jan 1, 2013)

Larry Ashcraft said:


> A little over-reaction, I think. Burning shotgun shells are surprising, but hardly dangerous. The powder and hull burns, and the shot just kind of lays there.



This is not a definate. If the primer heats up before the powder burns, the shell could still discharge as designed, especially so if it was contained within the wood like a firing chamber. And while on the firing chamber point, even if the powder went first, the containment within the wood could still cause an explosion. And there is still the primer, which alone could heat and blow.
It's not an over reaction really, but sane advice to counter a careless proposal.


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## bubba3228 (Jan 1, 2013)

Ayatollah said:


> This is not a definate. If the primer heats up before the powder burns, the shell could still discharge as designed, especially so if it was contained within the wood like a firing chamber. And while on the firing chamber point, even if the powder went first, the containment within the wood could still cause an explosion. And there is still the primer, which alone could heat and blow.
> It's not an over reaction really, but sane advice to counter a careless proposal.



So in other words make sure to take the shot out first. OK, good advise.
Let the stealer beware...


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## Ayatollah (Jan 1, 2013)

bubba3228 said:


> So in other words make sure to take the shot out first. OK, good advise.
> Let the stealer beware...



No...that wasn't the advice at all. Booby traps are not sound practice, because they cannot interpret the changing environments and situations they end up in. That's the advice, and the plea actually.


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## lone wolf (Jan 1, 2013)

fubar2 said:


> Just wait outside his house till he comes out and nobody's looking. Grab him and whoop his ass. Stomp him into his yard and leave.



But first before you do it post it on the internet:hmm3grin2orange: Just go and take back what he stole and be done with it.


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## sb47 (Jan 1, 2013)

TreeTangler said:


> I hopped in the truck the other day to replenish my firewood stacks. I have several places where I cut, and I usually block, split, dry, and store most of my firewood offsite. I usually keep a couple cords at the house. So anyway, I pulled into the field and drove to my "landing". To my surprise, I couldn't find my stack. So thinking that all the beer has finally gotten to me, I drove to my other sites just to make sure I hadn't moved it, nope, just stacks of stuff still seasoning. After several trips and searching, I finally admitted defeat. The rest of this years wood is gone.
> 
> I called up my buddy, the owner of this particular piece of land to get his thoughts. He definately remembered the stack being there and had an idea of who might have "borrowed" it. I hopped in his truck and we took a ride to this gentleman's place. Sure enough, there was the wood that I had cut, split, and dried to keep my family warm. I could tell by the marking paint on the end of a couple peices in the stack mostly. Now it's very hard to impossible to prove that any wood not stacked at your own residence is yours, so it looks like I'm up a creek without a paddle. All my other stacks are still drying for next year and the year after.
> 
> I just can't believe someone would do this. I've had stacks picked through before, they didn't take much. Usually they just take enough for a campfire or something, no big deal. Sad thing is, if someone was hard up I would have helped him out. Just don't know what to do.



What were you doing, driving around after drinking all that beer?


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## TreeTangler (Jan 1, 2013)

sb47 said:


> What were you doing, driving around after drinking all that beer?



Hahahaha! I'm sorry, I meant all the beer over the years getting to my memory. Sorry for the confusion. I don't drink and drive. Did way too much of that when I was young and stupid as heck. It's a doggone miracle that I never hurt anyone or got arrested.


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## sb47 (Jan 1, 2013)

TreeTangler said:


> Hahahaha! I'm sorry, I meant all the beer over the years getting to my memory. Sorry for the confusion. I don't drink and drive. Did way too much of that when I was young and stupid as heck. It's a doggone miracle that I never hurt anyone or got arrested.



Good, I hope not. Sorry about the theft of your wood. Wait till the guy is not home and go steal it back!lol


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## Garmins dad (Jan 1, 2013)

Just go shoot yoties till what ever ungodly hour your allowed.. Will he get the hint no.. but you wont end up in jail.. Move your wood home.. Be safe out there. I would be hella pissed but.. I wouldnt do anything that would put me close to jail..


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## fubar2 (Jan 1, 2013)

lone wolf said:


> But first before you do it post it on the internet:hmm3grin2orange: Just go and take back what he stole and be done with it.



How are you gonna prove it was yours originally if you get nabbed at it? I still prefer a random beating by an unknown assailant.


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## svon89 (Jan 1, 2013)

TreeTangler said:


> Well this is actually easier said then done. This township that it would fall under has no local law enforcement. The state police have jurisdiction over this area and they honestly have a lot of more important things to do. I do plan on asking a game warden who covers the area that I know pretty well, but when it honestly comes down to it I did everything wrong.
> 
> - I'm cutting on land not owned by myself in this instance.
> - I'm storing wood unsecured on land not owned by myself.
> ...




I have to ask. 
Did you and the landowner work out a deal where you are allowed to cut and store firewood on his property??? You know. You split the stack of firewood with him..... If that were the case then I think the law would be much more in your favor. 
I am sure that the owner drives by the "landing" more than once a month to check on his part of the supply. 
My mind works backwards sometimes, but I bet that your friend would remember such an agreement.


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## camr (Jan 1, 2013)

The direct answer to the title of this thread is a low-life $cumbag. I can be kind of a confrontational type of guy. I think my plan would be to approach said low-life, tell him I know where the wood came from and that I'm here to reclaim it. If he had a problem with that, which I doubt he would, I'd offer to place the call to the cops. 5 will get you 10, he'd help load the wood just to end the situation.


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## Arbonaut (Jan 1, 2013)

You're dealin' with the class of folk we've created through *Democracy* and *Tolerance*. 

In the woodpile, I'm dictator.


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## TreeTangler (Jan 1, 2013)

svon89 said:


> I have to ask.
> Did you and the landowner work out a deal where you are allowed to cut and store firewood on his property??? You know. You split the stack of firewood with him..... If that were the case then I think the law would be much more in your favor.
> I am sure that the owner drives by the "landing" more than once a month to check on his part of the supply.
> My mind works backwards sometimes, but I bet that your friend would remember such an agreement.



The property owner is a farmer and his son. I've known them both the majority of my life. I'm teaching the son how to cut as he has recently moved into a place that he heats with wood. I also help the farmer with "beautification". There are a lot of areas that need to be cut for one reason or another. I'll burn almost anything that's seasoned and the farmer doesnt have to hire out to have trees taken down and removed. I keep what I cut and my buddy keeps what he cuts. The farmer doesnt want his son cutting alone and trusts me so it works out for everybody.


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## Dan_IN_MN (Jan 2, 2013)

WoW! Takes a while to read the whole thread to get the history. 

OP, I give you credit for staying calm and not doing something that you will regret! Sorry to hear of your loss!

There has to be some dry dead fall around you cut and use this year. I know, not what you had planned.

Revenge just creates hate. 

I know the farmer has talked to the guy. Probably that's enough to keep the guy from taking more.

I know what it's like to have something stolen from me. I had a trannie stolen from my driveway. There had been straight line winds through our area and a lot of trees were down. I came home one day to find a large chunk of wood sitting where the trannie was sitting. Apparently, the guys truck was full and he had to make room for the trannie. The good thing was this was the bad trannie! Not too long before, I had the good trannie sitting in my trailer waiting form me to get time to install it. It was sitting very close to where they got the bad one. 

The only reason I wanted the bad one is so I could take it apart to see why if failed. It was a all of a sudden mechanical failure with the engine free revving like it was in neutral. It would move in first and reverse but sounded like there was gravel in it. Crunch, crunch!

The other thing that got me was that I felt violated with knowing someone was on my property without my permission and took something that was mine.

Another time, this was after we had moved out of the house and it was on the market, I came over to check on it and found a large tarp on the roof. My first thought was someone had noticed that my roof had been damaged by a storm and covered it for me. Well, it turned out that a roofing company had started tarring the shingles off, figured out that they had the wrong house, tarpped it and fled! 

Well, before I figured out that it wasn't a storm that did the damage, I had reported it to my insurance, and got a full claim. It wasn't until I started cleaning it up to re-roof it that I figured out what had happened. In my mind my claim changed from a natural destruction to vandalism which wouldn't have been any different in my insurance eyes.

I spent some time looking around for houses being roofed with similar house numbers. However, even if I found a crew working on one with a similar number, I figured they'd just deny any involvement. 

Back to firewood. I try to take anything that I cut that day knowing if I can lift it, so can someone else. One place I cut, the farmer has eyes (other people watching for him and knows who is on his land). I had made an honest mistake and cut in another guys area. He drove out with in an hour of me starting cutting. I felt bad. We talked and fixed things up. I'm still welcomed on his land.

It's taken me a while to get over the above items. Now, I can talk about them without my blood pressure rising. This too will pass.


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## Jakers (Jan 2, 2013)

manyhobies said:


> The only reason I wanted the bad one is so I could take it apart to see why if failed. It was a all of a sudden mechanical failure with the engine free revving like it was in neutral. It would move in first and reverse but sounded like there was gravel in it. Crunch, crunch!



what kinda tranny was it? chevy 4L60s are really good for pump failure that acts like that


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## Jimmy in NC (Jan 2, 2013)

Jakers said:


> real question is, did you even call the state boys or are they still there just kinda "waiting".....



I find that when I inform the LEOs that I am armed the response time gets real short. Last time was less than 5 minutes. The sad thing is I know how to get them there that fast from having to call them so many times with people doing things they shouldn't on the farm. 



As for the OP- 

Hate it for you. I had a neighbor come into my yard and pull off my pile for a bon fire the other day, middle of the day, while the wife and I were off having Christmas dinner with my family. Talk about upsetting me. Two days later a big bunch of Poison Ivy fell out of a tree and I just pushed it up with a blade to look like a nice pile of brush at the corner of my yard... when they burn that they'll remember about picking stuff out of my yard.


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## tld400 (Jan 2, 2013)

The problem is you really cant do much about it now without being the cops first guy to qustion. Hopefully there wont be a next time but if there is dont tell anyone about it. Let a little time pass and get even. Then the only person that can rat you out when you get even is yourself.


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## Dan_IN_MN (Jan 2, 2013)

Jakers said:


> *what kinda tranny was it? *chevy 4L60s are really good for pump failure that acts like that



I don't recall at the moment. The car was a 97 Lesabre.


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## dboyd351 (Jan 2, 2013)

First off, I second what manyhobies said about your keeping your cool. You have excercised lots of control by not doing anything you'll later regret. As you mentioned, thinking of your family first was a good idea.

Around my neck of the woods, the county sherriffs have jurisdiction when it isn't in a town.

My advice is to file a police report, with the sherriff, or whoever has jurisdiction. Whether anything comes of it or not, at least you've got it on record for the future. You should get your farmer friend, who saw him on the property, with firewood in his truck, to add that part and sign his name as a witness. Finally, you should make a formal request that the police investigate your report, which I believe they are required to do. All this will put the thief on notice that:
1) You know he did it
2) The farmer knows he did it
3) The police know about the situation and that both you and the farmer both think he did it.
4) You won't hesitate to report him if he does it again.

If you later took him to small claims court, you could also submit the police report as part of the record.

Eventually, the thief is going to get the message not to f**k with you, or he might have to deal with the authorities. Not too many thieves want that.

And you are doing everything thru legal channels, so there is no chance you'll be the one who ends up in trouble.


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## ppkgmsy (Jan 2, 2013)

Who the heck steals? A low-life loser.

Although revenge would justified, you should probably be really careful. The authorities know that you suspect him, so if anything happens to him or his property you could end up in trouble. He'll get his in kind. Karma can be a beast.


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## ReggieT (Nov 13, 2013)

Mac88 said:


> "I dunno, officer. It was dark out and I thought it was a bear tearing up my woodpile."


CLASSIC MAC!!! hahahahahahaha


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## blades (Nov 13, 2013)

Around my shop if it isn't nailed down it will be gone in 24 hours. I get them on camera but unless I can get the plate number the local leo's won't bother. Combine that with if my alarm goes off the alarm co has to send someone out to verify a problem before calling leos, and as the Leo's made a big splash about in the public media a couple years back when they started this all the perps know it. Free pickings for them. It has cost me around 10 G's over the last 3 years. Nailed a couple repeaters but no restitution. Then there is the insurance side, make a couple claims- they won't renew. Yesterday lost about 20 pallets (40x48) broad daylight , it was one of those days where everything went south and that was just the icing on the cake. It is a universal problem and of course if you do anything to activly defend your property you are the bad guy. Go figure.


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## zogger (Nov 13, 2013)

blades said:


> Around my shop if it isn't nailed down it will be gone in 24 hours. I get them on camera but unless I can get the plate number the local leo's won't bother. Combine that with if my alarm goes off the alarm co has to send someone out to verify a problem before calling leos, and as the Leo's made a big splash about in the public media a couple years back when they started this all the perps know it. Free pickings for them. It has cost me around 10 G's over the last 3 years. Nailed a couple repeaters but no restitution. Then there is the insurance side, make a couple claims- they won't renew. Yesterday lost about 20 pallets (40x48) broad daylight , it was one of those days where everything went south and that was just the icing on the cake. It is a universal problem and of course if you do anything to activly defend your property you are the bad guy. Go figure.




Sucks! it double sucks because you can't be watching your stuff 24/7 and still go work elsewhere, plus like sleep, etc.


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## TeeMan (Nov 13, 2013)

That really stinks. If you have any indication it is your wood, just confront him with your buddy who saw him.


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## KenJax Tree (Nov 13, 2013)

If you can catch them on camera then sit out there a few nights with a shotgun.


Sent from my AutoTune carb


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## svk (Nov 13, 2013)

Lots of good suggestions here and some I wouldn't use. 

It was definitely a great idea to have the landowner confront him rather than you and now he lost his access privileges due to his thievery. As others said I doubt you would get the wood back under any circumstances so he won a battle but lost the war.


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## blades (Nov 13, 2013)

Best one i have ever heard was boring a hole and installing sulfur then plugging hole, along the same line was skunk scent from the sporting goods departments. Neither are lethal or cause permanent damage. Both will linger a long time. I would love to be proactive but that doesn't fly well in today's society. 
Many many years ago I got off work, walking to my car, to find some j-------s ripping it off, Gee officer I slipped and fell into that car door ( 64 ford Galaxie 500 2 door, huge long heavy door) broke both his legs. Barely wiggled out of that. There had been a serious string of car break ins and theft in the preceding weeks to this event Which magically stopped there after. Wasn't particular cheap getting the door repaired either. It was a very large dent


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## 1project2many (Nov 13, 2013)

> Two days later a big bunch of Poison Ivy fell out of a tree and I just pushed it up with a blade to look like a nice pile of brush at the corner of my yard..



You know, that's not a bad idea. Non-fatal but annoying enough to make ya feel good. So OP, are you allergic to Poison Ivy? Know someone who's not? Just throw some in the bed of the thief's truck one day. Wipe a branch on the doorknob maybe, or the steering wheel of the pickup. Dump some in his fishing waders or in the pair of gloves left in his truck.

Someone stole the US flag from in front of our house along with the pole it was attached to last month. I'm almost calm enough to put the replacement up. Guess it's time to install security cameras.


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## flotek (Nov 13, 2013)

I'm not excusing wood thieves or making light of your situation but your asking for trouble by keeping your time and hard work sitting around on someone else's property .why in the world would you take that chance and assume it will always be there .. I never leave firewood behind .thats begging for theft ..It's too labor intensive to give away to random passerbys


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## turnkey4099 (Nov 14, 2013)

flotek said:


> I'm not excusing wood thieves or making light of your situation but your asking for trouble by keeping your time and hard work sitting around on someone else's property .why in the world would you take that chance and assume it will always be there .. I never leave firewood behind .thats begging for theft ..It's too labor intensive to give away to random passerbys


 
Same here. If I do have to leave some it will be in big rounds that a theif will at least have to bust down to load.

Harry K


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## svk (Nov 14, 2013)

turnkey4099 said:


> Same here. If I do have to leave some it will be in big rounds that a theif will at least have to bust down to load.
> 
> Harry K


I've even had rounds hauled away sitting right under a no trespassing sign.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 14, 2013)

I've heard of firewood being drilled, filled with black powder, then plugged......


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## zogger (Nov 14, 2013)

MrWhoopee said:


> I've heard of firewood being drilled, filled with black powder, then plugged......



I wouldn't do that. Much as it would be interesting karma for the thief, you don't know where the wood actually winds up. Could be the wood thief resells the wood.

Also, the man would come down on you hard for a booby trap like that. Just too much chance of getting an innocent person hurt, plus go to the slammer for a long time.


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## zogger (Nov 14, 2013)

I thought of something. Leave something for the thief to steal that isn't wood, but something they would grab, with a gps tracker hidden and installed inside of it.


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## woodenboater (Nov 14, 2013)

a couple of properly sized snakes in the pile should do the trick


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## svk (Nov 14, 2013)

Another thought on exploding booby traps. Please don't do this as you have a pretty good chance of getting an innocent person. My wife got a very severe burn over the weekend and nobody should have to deal with that. Especially if it was someone's kid who will have to wear that scar forever, or worse.


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## blades (Nov 14, 2013)

sulfer and skunk scent do not explode, both are hard on the olfactory receptors.


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## flotek (Nov 14, 2013)

Little kids can't help it that their parents are losers . A guy irresponsible enough to steal your wood is probably the same guy who makes his kids load the wood burner for him . No one should be doing dangerous booby traps in their piles . A innocent child could be do hurt real bad through no fault of their own. Get back at him by praying he will turn from his ways and get straightened out in his life ..in meantime store your wood discreetly on your own property and away from curious neighbors


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## naturelover (Nov 14, 2013)

zogger said:


> I thought of something. Leave something for the thief to steal that isn't wood, but something they would grab, with a gps tracker hidden and installed inside of it.



I had thought of gutting a Quake, painting it up like a Stihl, and booby trapping it with a GPS after my saws were stolen. 

But didn't want to attract anyone to the garage....

Might have do that with the blow up Christmas decorations though.... 


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk


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## Como (Nov 14, 2013)

Many many years ago apparently the black powder trick was done around here. There was a bang and no repeat.

A few months ago there was a theft of blocked wood, not even split from next to an OWB, caught on Camera, they were wearing ski masks, 3 am.

The silly thing is there is plenty to be had around here, would have been easier getting it legitimately.


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