Someone Stole My Saw!

[limbwalker54]

So I was working behind a rowhome in West Philadelphia yesterday with one ground guy removing a catalpa from over top of a garage, phone lines, and part of the associated row home. We had just finished with the lead over the home and were butt hitching the limbs over the garage down one at a time, to ensure no damage to anything, and for handling purposes over the phone lines. Everything was going along smoothly.

Noticed a guy walking up and down the street a few times, watching us work. Then he slipped away, and came back about the same time my ground guy, who had been keeping an eye on the truck the whole time, was using the pole to pull the limb I had just cut toward him so he could handle it.

While this was happening, I took off a few limbs I could handle with the handsaw, and then began blocking some wood on a leader behind me.


Then it happened. I shut the saw off and heard a lady screaming at me that some guy had just run off with one of my saws....my Stihl 064 with 28" bar!

I shouted to her the description of the man who I had watched earlier, and she said "yes that's him". I was shocked. He had to crawl into my I-Box on the truck, from the street side, for me not to see him. Then he had to reach in, and grab the saw BAR FIRST. My boxes were closed, but unlocked because the ground guy was keeping the tools in and un needed ropes the box to minimize cleanup for it was a VERY tight spot.

There were people around but as i turned to get out of the tree, the lady who saw the guy left, she was a passerby in a car who had gotten out when she saw what happened from the corner as she was turning...but she didn't stick around!

The cops did NOTHING. I filed a report on an unknown witnesses description, and they cant speculate on the description of the guy I gave who was hanging around earlier.



I feel like I was kicked in the nuts. I would rather have had 20 dollars picked out of my pocket. What pains me the most is I went looking for the guy and asked around a bit.....people say they have seen that guy around before...at the crack house around the corner.


I was doing this job for a friend, I don't normally go into the city. I even got the proper permits and license to work in Philadelphia, and that is how I am greeted.

Anyone here have any similar stories?

-Michael J. Platt,
Platt & Company, Arborists

 

[tree MDS]

Do you have the serial #'s? the cops should have asked you that, then at least they can look in the pawn shops for it. Bummer man, good luck. MDS.

 

[retoid]

Keep your eye out in pawn shops.
Crackheads will steal stuff and sell it to pawn shops to get more money to buy more crack.

When I used to live in Norway, I worked for an ad agency. Was only 17 at the time. My father dropped me off at the office at around 6 am so I was the first person in the office. This was an old boat house turned into offices so I was on the 3rd floor working on my computer when I heard a faint noise, thinking it was one of my co-workers just arriving. I looked out the window and didnt see any cars or anyone at the front door so I sat back down and then heard some more noise.
I walked down to the second floor, this time I had my trusty swiss army knife on me with the blade open, hiding it behind my back.
As I looked out the window from the again I noticed the top of someone's head, so I went down to the first floor slowly, saw a bike there so I figured it was my coworker who biked to work all the time.

Walked toward the front door which has a single pane of glass to the right of the door and saw a dude with a flat head screwdriver jammed into the lock. I was pretty scared and quickly grabbed the lock to make sure he could not unlock the door, he didnt even notice me so I shouted in Norwegian "HEY! WHAT THE ##### ARE YOU DOING!?!" He looked up in surprise and was replied, "uhhmm, my keys are stuck, unlock the door so I can get them out." I pulled out my cell phone and acted like I was dialing a number, held it up to my head and he walked away and then looked disoriented and started walking the other way.

Later on when co-workers arrived, we called the police, ofcourse they didnt do anything, so some of my co-workers knew about this crack house up the street, they decide to go out looking for the guy.

They eventually found him and talked to him, I think he got a small beating to hehe.

Very common thing for crack heads to steel stuff and sell it to the pawn shops though.

 

[lxt]

I would frequent that area & the surroundings for a week or two..you`re bound to see him again especially if he`s a crack head, they`re like cockroaches always hanging around their food supply in this case its drugs!!

Sorry to hear that!!


LXT..........

 

[limbwalker54]

I wish I had the serial numbers. I was going to add the saws and the chipper to my liability policy for protection this year, but I didn't yet. Would have put the serial numbers on the policy. The manuals have gone by the wayside where they were written....so I'm screwed unless I happen to see him again or find it in the pawn shop. I am looking on ebay right now but I doubt he's that smart.

 

[tree MDS]

I wish I had the serial numbers. I was going to add the saws and the chipper to my liability policy for protection this year, but I didn't yet. Would have put the serial numbers on the policy. The manuals have gone by the wayside where they were written....so I'm screwed unless I happen to see him again or find it in the pawn shop. I am looking on ebay right now but I doubt he's that smart.

I hear ya, thats the kind of thing you put off until its too late, I've thought about doing mine several times, but still have not- yeah, crackheads and e bay, not likely, lol.

 

[juststumps]

I wish I had the serial numbers. I was going to add the saws and the chipper to my liability policy for protection this year, but I didn't yet. Would have put the serial numbers on the policy. The manuals have gone by the wayside where they were written....so I'm screwed unless I happen to see him again or find it in the pawn shop. I am looking on ebay right now but I doubt he's that smart.

sorry man,, that sucks... if you have home owners , or renters insurance, claim it as theft of peronal property...

 

[TexasTreemonkey]

#### i was staying at the damn Sheridan hotel in the middle of dallas. At 3:00 in the morning my phone rang to my room and it was the front desk saying my toolbox was open on my truck. My heart just dropped... Anyways some s.o.b has a new 660,440, and a 260!

 

[phillytreeking1]

Whenever im working in bad neighborhoods i always have my guys keep all the saws right next to them or have a guy stay out with the truck. Theres been several times Ive had tools stolen it only takes a second for a junkie to grab something . Thats one of the reasons I bid really high in them areas .

 

[hornett224]

i really don't know why we keep the police around anymore.

they never seem to be able to do anything unless some deadbeat liberal who is a drain on society wants to press charges on a taxpaying,law abiding citizen.

i know i need them for nothing.

 

[pdqdl]

Even without police reports, if you troll the pawn shops regularly, you might get it back. You have a police report of the theft, and a positive id by you of your saw will probably get it back. If you find it.

I have gotten several saws back from the pawn shops, but it takes some patience. Be careful when you find a stolen saw, make sure that the police get involved as soon as you find the saw in a shop. They might "sell" the saw to get it off the shelf. Depending on the local regulations, you may find that you have to buy the saw back, even if you can prove ownership.

Don't hold out much hope, it sounds like your thief knew the game real well. He picked a good saw, was very sly about getting it, and got clean away except for an outsider. In my experience, the good thieves don't take their stolen goods to the pawn shop: they know that they will be forced to come up with an ID to pawn it, and then they can be caught. All the thieves I caught from pawn shop sales were petty, amateur thieves.

I have put two of them in jail for "receiving stolen goods". It seems that unless there is proof that they did the stealing, it is easier to prosecute the wrong charge than it is to charge them for the crime they committed.

 

[Lawnmowerboy48]

Check with the dealer that sold you the saws they might have the serial numbers on record.

 

[boltonranger]

Good suggestion!

Check with the dealer that sold you the saws they might have the serial numbers on record.

This guy is probably local - you may run into him if you, or one of your buds drives around the area. Also I would suggest you find a pic of your saw on the internet and print it out. Take it to the area pawnbrokers and leave your phone number etc. I believe they could lock their store down and call the cops if he walked in with your saw . You saw the perp - you could leave a description of him as well.
You could also post a flyer with a reward.

If he was a crack head they want QUICK money. EBAY wouldn't be fast enough.
Crackheads would turn anyone in for a fix.
Sorry man - good luck with it.
-br

 

[Greenhorntrimmr]

Don't feel bad I work for one of the utillity contractors up here in michigan and guy's in the yard steal from each other and abuse each others equipment. I called in sick for some reason and when I came back my brand new 2 in 1 lanyard was cut. Needless to say my GF replaced it, a few days later somebody stole it. I got another one and somebody stole that one when another crew took out truck out for storm work. So there are theives even among us, go figure. That was just one incident to name a few.

 

[treemandan]

Whenever im working in bad neighborhoods i always have my guys keep all the saws right next to them or have a guy stay out with the truck. Theres been several times Ive had tools stolen it only takes a second for a junkie to grab something . Thats one of the reasons I bid really high in them areas .

West Philly, YEEFNHAA.

 

[treemandan]

West Philly, YEEFNHAA.

Oh and hit the pawn shops, you will find it. That is where I took the the patio furniture. Hell at least cruise down there, you will see the same guy, its Philly. run him over, leave him alive or whatever, no one will care.

 

[limbwalker54]

Well I think half the neighborhood must have seen me walking around asking if "You saw a man running with a chainsaw" with one of my spikes attached to my right arm. I'm not letting this one go yet, I'm gonna try some pawn shops.

Steal 20 bucks from me, ok.

Steal my saws or tools and you're stealing my living.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

Ah Haillllll Noooooo

Don't feel bad I work for one of the utillity contractors up here in michigan and guy's in the yard steal from each other and abuse each others equipment. I called in sick for some reason and when I came back my brand new 2 in 1 lanyard was cut. Needless to say my GF replaced it, a few days later somebody stole it. I got another one and somebody stole that one when another crew took out truck out for storm work. So there are theives even among us, go figure. That was just one incident to name a few.

I would be working every employee. somebody's got new lanyards and it aint them lol. I would make the guy that cut the first one replace it to. no kind of truck logs or anything, then start talkin to everyone.

or you could just take your gear home with you.....

 

[tree MDS]

Well I think half the neighborhood must have seen me walking around asking if "You saw a man running with a chainsaw" with one of my spikes attached to my right arm. I'm not letting this one go yet, I'm gonna try some pawn shops.

Steal 20 bucks from me, ok.

Steal my saws or tools and you're stealing my living.

One of my favorite stories is about my older brother, (tree guy, the one that got me into this) this was down in fort lauderdale, our groundman got his expensive racing 10 speed stolen, we all figured it was gone for good. So the bike was this bright teal color-could'nt miss it, my brother is driving down a1a and sees this black guy driving Stevies bike, pulls up over the curb with his dump truck in front of the dude, gets out grabs the dude by the neck, and gets the bike back, throws it in back of truck. I wish more of these f@#@#$$ got that justice, I wonder what that dude was thinking on his walk home, probably "that was one crazy white boy", lol.

 

[custom8726]

Well I think half the neighborhood must have seen me walking around asking if "You saw a man running with a chainsaw" with one of my spikes attached to my right arm. I'm not letting this one go yet, I'm gonna try some pawn shops.

Steal 20 bucks from me, ok.

Steal my saws or tools and you're stealing my living.

Man, this stuff pisses me off just reading it. If that happen to me I would make every attempt possible at tracking this guy down and making him wish he just got arrested when I was done with him. I always over bid the jobs in ghetto areas for obviouse reasons but so does most everyone else because often I end up with the job. When I work in these areas I always pad lock my sawboxes and only keep out the tools I am using at the time. Its a real PITA but thats why you over price the jobs in the first place. I also require a 50% deposit before I even start a saw its the only time I require any sort of deposit on tree work but unfortunetly you can't trust anyone in todays day in age. Sorry to hear about your loss, maybe you will get lucky and find your saw. Good luck!!!