I had my first anvil stolen from my back yard in OKC back in the early '80's.  The interesting thing was we were having the roof redone---a *7* layer tear off going back to wooden shingles on the lowest level and the entire yard was about knee deep in nail studded shingles.  (I suspect it was one of the day labour doing the tear off but no proof, sigh), a mint condition 200 pound american made anvil, stolen right before a demo at a local museum forcing me to buy an ASO which I used once and never used again!

You could build one of these, load it with Charles' hot pink paint, conceal it so it's pointing at the anvil which is then rigged with a trip wire. 

 

http://www.spudgundepot.com/pneumatic-modified-sprinkler-valve.html

 

This pneumatic potato gun is easy to build and fun to have around.  We use ours at Easter time to launch Easter eggs, but you can load it with anything that'll fit in the barrel including water.  Just be careful, rocks and golf balls could kill someone.

Wildlife camera is GENIUS, i will have to do that.

My father in law had a large new car dealership and parts kept coming up missing off used cars.  He tried new lights, put up a complete chain link fence kept loosing parts.  Finally he got a guard Dog only known to him and a nephew, after the first night they found a bottom portion of a police uniform pant leg complete with stripe and blood!  No report to the police dept. for an injury on duty.  Chief didn't want to hear about anything.  They kept the dog for a while but no additional parts came up missing. 

 

You have to protect your own property, no one else will.  

Greetings Adman,

 

I am convinced that thieves communicate with each other....  Years ago I was a teacher in an Automotive trade school.  We had a few students that complained of theft of parts from there vehicles while in class..   During an evening class it was announced over the PA that there was a person removing  parts from a vehicle in the lot...  !50 angry students with wrenches axles and various other clubs surrounded the lot ....  Somehow the thief was able to scale a 8ft fence with barbwire and escape.  Just think how big his eyes got when he saw that bunch of angry guys looking for part of his hide.  For years after no more problems were reported..  I am sure the crook had to do his laundry and visit his heart doctor.. 

 

I hope you have no more problems with crooks.

 

Jim

Part of protecting your properity is not incurring liability.  It's fun to discuss booby traps but game cameras are less likely to end with lawsuits here in the litigious USA.

I have a dog, but she wouldn't hurt a fly. Maybe one night we will have a stakeout. A few tactics, (heavy pieces of metal) can really encourage the thieves not to come back... we will see what happens.

I agree with the cameras. As many as you can afford/justify. I definitely wouldn't offer any bait. Certainly not an unchained anvil. Your video may just be the last image you see of it. OTOH, you could have some very good images to give LEO of the crime. I also second Thomas' suggested marking of your anvil.

Watch out, they might even start trying to break into the garage! As suggested a game camera, marking your valuables and taking pictures o all your stuff are good ideas.

 

Dealing with the local police and justice system in my area often leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Hopefully you'll have better results.

Thank you for the ideas everyone!

I've heard several stories - not sure if they are apocryphal or not - of people putting rattlesnakes or cottonmouths inside toolboxes that are left unlocked and outside when someone is having burglary problems.  I was also told the same tale years ago by a guy who claimed his dad did the same when someone kept hot-wiring his old Chevrolet car to go joy-riding in.  His dad caught a cottonmouth and put it in the glove box over about a week's time - the thieves still stole the car but the police found it about a block away with all four doors open and the snake gone. Car was never stolen after that.

 

As booby traps go, that is a pretty good idea - even if it's a bit stressful on the snake.

I was wondering how Glenn will react, when after all the booby-traps are listed,  one of them is chosen and it does hurt the crooks, and some kind hearted lawyer decides to represent him for his injuries...  after all of you adults have suggested them to a Child...

 

shouldn't we act like responsible adults and suggest ways to secure his shop rather than entertain ways to get even ?

 

 

just a thought, carry on

.. afrer all of you adults are suggesting this to a Child...

shouldn't we act like responsible adults and suggest ways to secure his shop rather than entertain ways to get even ?


just a thought, carry on

Lighten up a bit please :)

Just joking around, and for the record, I am not incompetent.

Maybe you aren't completely,  but did leave things where they could get to it after you already knew they were trying to steal it.    And what about the other kids that read this thread later?  I tried to explain in the pm this afternoon,  you are not the only person in the forum.  We have people from many places, of all ages, and mental states.  We have to think about what we put into print.

you're really being quite judgmental and accusatory. I didn't leave thinks out, I took them in. Please, think about what you say just as much as I do.

You are a target for thieves. They have all the time they need to figure out your patterns and return when you are most vulnerable. They already know what they are doing is wrong and do not want caught. They are are scared, unpredictable, and could be on drugs. They could be armed and dangerous and most likely have a weapon of some nature. The things from your shop that can be used as a weapon ARE available to them.  IF bullets start flying, one or more go through the wall of your house putting those inside in danger. 

 

Think carefully about confronting the thief directly. What ever you bring to the fight can be used against you.

 

It is very expensive to prove that you are not guilty. It is also expensive to prove you are innocent.  

 

Best way is to let the police handle it.   

Of course Glen, I am outmatched as far as i know and money is not exactly plentiful around my area. 

Being outmatched is not to your advantage. Give your next move a LOT of consideration.

Yup. It has been on my mind for awhile. I think the best thing to do will get pictures or a video and call the police. wheeling my anvil in every day before i can get a shed/fence up.

Getting a trained guard dog is a good start. Honestly i fall in that crowd of shoot em, hurt em. But in the sue cental of america, where some slimy lawer will fight for a crimianl, is no better than the criminal them self, whatd really put a stop to thivery, and illegals... would be to start taking fingers and hands like in some forign countries.

I know this is a bit old, but years back when I had an issue with thieves feeling they had the run of the place, I bought one of the cheaper motion detect lights that holds the two bulbs and mounted it on the ceiling of my workshop pointing straight down.  It had one bulb and we removed the other light socket and used the wires to wire in a siren.  The wiring ran to a switch that was already on the outside of the building in a lock box to control power to an external outlet.  The siren was mounted pointing out the roof vent on the front of the building so that anyone in the vicinity could hear what was going on.  I have found over the years that not too many people are willing to stick around when the noise starts.

 

My uncle used to have his motion detect sensor wired to an outlet in the living room that kicked on a lamp that was inside the living room.  Made people think they had made a noise and alerted the house.

 

I'm all for making a thief lay his goodies on the anvil for a meeting with the hammer because I cant stand someone that will steal something from people that have scrimped and saved for something, but we have a lot of laws and even more lawyers..

I would not bring stuff into your garage, brings them to close to your house. A good blacksmith hammer can open the door easily.

 

You need to try to break into your place. I did this to my old house, found out the basement windows were so weak I could push them in by hand. Give your door a good kick and see what happens (I'm not responsible for any damage you do to your place) . Make sure you have long screws in the strike plate that go into the frame of the house. Here is a good idea.

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Hardening-a-Door-Frame/#step0

 

Check out this video on Fishing to open a garage doors. 

 

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28189580-breaking-into-garage-by-pulling-door-release

 

I have photos of everything in my garage and insurance. I would never confront anyone stealing from my garage it's just not worth the risk to many crazy people with nothing to lose. 

I'm in a state that allows the:  it's just not worth the risk to many crazy people with nothing to lose. 

 

Your state may be a:   it's just not worth the risk too many crazy people with nothing to lose.

My spell checker wanted me to use two, but we have a lot more crazy people around here then just two. 

If my garage is attached to my house; I'm in a state were lethal force is allowed *inside* the "house"; thus the risk to crazy people.  If you are in a state that doesn't then the risk of too many of them....