Timber Theft Growing; hard to prove, prosecute

[Grace Tree]

I'm not sure if this was posted or not. This is an article in the April 6 Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was interesting but there was also an insert box that I couldn't find on the online version titled;

HARDWOODS AN EASY SELL
Hardwoods like oak and walnut are used in furniture making
and can be very valuable in domestic and foreign markets.
Thieves usually operate in small groups, working lickety-split to
haul the hot logs to mills. Trees wider than two feet in diameter are more valuable because they can be used for veneer.
Some numbers:
$3,000--Average value of an oak or walnut tree with a trunk
measuring about 50 inches in diameter.
3---Average number of thieves raiding wooded properties.
Usually, one cuts while two haul.
100--Average number of trees a trio of thieves can steal in a week.

SOURCE Ray Fields, timber appraiser


Timber Theft Article from The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Now I suppose I'll get calls from everyone with a dead oak in there yard wanting me to pay them to remove it. Oh, well.
Phil

 

[pickwood]

I feel bad for those guys in KY, and I hope those timber theives had the fear of GOD put into them whe the owners showed up with guns- in fact I would have given anything to been there and watched them run. Regarding those 2 dozers left, they would have some serious engine problems when they returned to pick them up.

 

[sILlogger]

and guys like that Ray Fields "the timber appraiser dude" that says 50" logs are worth $3000 on average is the reason that alot of landowners get the thought that their logs are worth way more than what they really are....many times must more than what the logger would get for it after they cut, skid, buck and haul it....

One of these days i want to take a land owner by the hand..cut a tree down..haul it to a mill and cut it to show them what actually cuts out of it so they can see what the log is ACTUALLY worth!

 

[hanniedog]

I would be the proud "owner" of two bulldozers. It would be some compensation for the damage done.

 

[Grace Tree]

Yes, you're exactly correct. My neighbor actually brought the newspaper to me and asked me why I don't take logs to the local mills. I had to explain the process to her for the ?? time and she didn't look convinced. I'm hoping that some of my clients will want me to leave logs so they can make the money themselves.
Phil

 

[GeeVee]

2 phunny

Unfortunatley, too close to reality.

I agree with everyone already posted.

 

[olyman]

Yes, you're exactly correct. My neighbor actually brought the newspaper to me and asked me why I don't take logs to the local mills. I had to explain the process to her for the ?? time and she didn't look convinced. I'm hoping that some of my clients will want me to leave logs so they can make the money themselves.
Phil

know one of the reasons--a lot of OLD folks,were raised in a harder time--and when a idiot tells them their tree is worth 3000.00, they immediately believe it. cause most of those people are extreme tightwads!!!!! so when you tell them it aint--you might tell them 1200 times--to no effect--till like one said--take down their tree, take it to the mill, cut it up, and see how much they get for it--them they will believe, and not one second sooner!!!!!!! been around one toooo many of em---

 

[epicklein22]

I read that article yesterday...good read. It would be nice to see some laws in place, I mean we have laws for everything else don't we? Hopefully this is a fad and will eventually be controlled, because it will continue to happen as long as the money is there.

 

[Zodiac45]

and guys like that Ray Fields "the timber appraiser dude" that says 50" logs are worth $3000 on average is the reason that alot of landowners get the thought that their logs are worth way more than what they really are....many times must more than what the logger would get for it after they cut, skid, buck and haul it....

One of these days i want to take a land owner by the hand..cut a tree down..haul it to a mill and cut it to show them what actually cuts out of it so they can see what the log is ACTUALLY worth!

+1 SI, That's sort of like the dope hauls the cops give a "street value" too. Always way over stated. How many 3k logs/trees have you seen lately?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

we had a case of that this past fall. Two guys were stealing walnut logs. IIRC The paper said they ended up with over $9K before being caught. The funny part is that the local log yard (dunno what the lingo for that is) has a sign up that says, "We buy from master loggers only." I inquired what constituted a "Master Logger" and it's a <1 week course on meeting state enviro requirements for silt control and such.

Ian

 

[sILlogger]

+1 SI, That's sort of like the dope hauls the cops give a "street value" too. Always way over stated. How many 3k logs/trees have you seen lately?

not many...a couple walnuts and a few really really good white oaks...but not many...i find it even funnier that he said that a 50" OAK(didn't say which species) had an average value of $3000

heck i got screwed then!! cuz this 77" at the base water oak only went for $.30/bdft for the butt log(16 footer=1200 bdft=$360)