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Anti-theft Ideas

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runslikeadeere
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 22 Mississippi
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2006-07-02          131630


My relatively new tractor will soon be stored under a roof to offer some protection from the elements until I am able to add walls etc... Does anyone have any novel and/or unigue sure-fire methods of securing a tractor against theft other than simply removing the key? Currently I have been using a heavy chain through the rear wheel and some immobile part of the tractor. Anything to deter the local dope-head thugs is prudent. Thank you.



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dsg
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 528 Franklin, Maine
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2006-07-02          131632


Move to the very rural country where the dope-head thugs don't live:)) Seriously what you are doing with the chain padlock thing is about the best without putting the tractor in a vault.

David ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-07-02          131634


There's only so much you can do but extending the time it takes to steal will reduce the chances of them getting away with it. You could put a battery shut-off somewhere to make it hard to crank. Be sure to close the fuel shut-off valve each time you park it. Relying on the key is nearly useless since almost any JD key will turn it. ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-07-02          131640


I'm amazed how adept and cunning those dope heads can be. I used to worry about all my stuff. I disconnect the critical limit or interlock switches that allow it to run or even start. Short of that, I ended up making sure they're heavily insured. Murphy's Law says that if you insure it they won't mess with it. Don't insure it, and it's outta there!


Just remember any cordless saw with a carbide blade will slice through even the strongest, hardened chain or lock in seconds. Don't believe me? Try it. And chances are they stole the saw too--probably mine.


Over the past 7 years I've had at leaset $25,000 in hand tools and larger stolen and never recovered. I want to come up with a telemtry system similar to the radio collars wildlife managers use to track wildlife. I can envision the radio being somewhere in the equipment where they would never find it. And don't get me started on LoJack---or LoJoke as I call it. ....


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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2006-07-02          131641


Unfortunately, around here the "very rural" areas are the worst for meth-heads. The small towns aren't too bad about getting stuff stolen; it's the outlying areas that are in danger. Fortunately, we hardly ever have any of the organized crime rings that (rumor has it) use rollbacks and winch equipment up on them.

Also it is usually four-wheelers that get stolen instead of tractors. Occasionally, we hear of a tractor that is run into a pond or some such nonsense, but seldom stolen outright.

The best you can do is slow them down. We usually take a battery cable off, turn off the fuel, and if it is going to be a while before it will be used, take off a front wheel and take it with us. If it is a gasoline engine, take the coil wire or take off the distributor cap and take the rotor with you. Other than that I like the chain through the wheel idea.

And get it insured.

Good luck,
Bill ....


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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2006-07-03          131644


People repeatedly stole tools from a site where a new house was being built by a friend of ours. Funny thing was they tried to sell these tools in the morning to area contractors. After this last theft one of the guys on the job site said - "oh yeah - there are some guys that tried to sell us the same tools that were stolen". Didn't take long for the cops to pick all these guys up. Found all the tools in a garage just down the road from us. Unbelieveable. ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-07-03          131647


Bill: About two years ago our local Tractor Supply Co in a fairly rural area on the out skirts of town had a similar incident with a rollback. This store had about $30,000 in go-carts, lawnmowers, rototillers, etc. all chained together that was gone in a matter of minutes. Oddly, the store managers are responsible for coming up with the right ideas to prevent this kind of loss---the store manager was not happy that he would not get his bonus for that year because of that one event. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-07-03          131648


My CUT has one of the many levels with safety switch's that some how became slightly out of adjustment. I thought this was a very good hamper to someone who does not know this tractor for starting it, so I left it out of adjustment.

If you have power at the shed and there are people near by you can install a motion detector with light and siren. If it is easy to reach it really is of little value. If no one near by would pay any attention, it would help them steal it at night.

When you wall up the shed that does not remove all danger either. I suggest you do a search for different ideas and experiences already posted here.

This past Saturday morning between 1 and 2 AM a person broke into a couple's house. The gentleman of the house some how managed to run him off, probably had gun in nightstand. The intruder decided to break into the house across the road which was the son of the first couple. The son use to sell guns. The intruder will not be a repeat offender as the two strike law was enforced. Still under investigation.
....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-07-03          131651


KT: We must have the same tractor with the switches losing adjustment!

What will really slow them down is removing a wheel, preferably a rear one. Lower it to the ground and take the jack so as not to help them. It's best to take the wheel if you can. If you leave the wheel and take the lug nuts, just remember they have three other donor wheels to remove lugs or nuts.

But as other posts have stated they will strip off parts they feel are resaleable---some end up on e-Bay (hoods, grilles, levers, etc.)

As I've mentioned before I'm in Miss. cleaning up the hurricane. Two months after the storm there were a lot of trucks, trailers and bobcats stolen every night. One day I reported a brazen Louisiana State Trooper we caught looting during the day behind the car lot where we were staying---he asked me to use my bobcat to load his illegally gotten gain (a big generator) into his trailer! When a Miss. tropper showed up she asked me about my bobcat. I asked her why she was asking. She told me that the night before they had somthing like 60 bobcats and 30 trucks and trailers stolen---in ONE night! And this place isn't that big! ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-07-03          131658


Go to previous post by Murf and see what he uses on job sites. I think they are the containers used for over seas shipping but I am not sure. Some of those containers or rentable. They are also buyable. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-07-04          131668


As Kenneth mentioned we have been using shipping containers quite successfully for a number of years now.

Since we needed a way to ship our equipment to remote jobsites anyways it was a natural choice and they work very well.

We have them a little customized though, each one has 12 volt lights, and an alarm system including tracking device and auto-dialer connected to a cell phone.

Since we have been using them we have had a few attempted break-ins, but nothing stolen.

The problem we found with even using fenced compounds was those same dope-heads who couldn't get it stolen would either strip it in place, or just vandalize it. By putting it out of site they don't seem to bother with it, and go looking for an easier target instead.

Best of luck. ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-07-04          131698


Dope heads like targets of opportunity. Out of sight, odds are out of their mind. I like Murf's idea. I like the guys that remove wheels. But if they can get to the wheel, it will be gone.

Things have quieted down here a bit since the state passed a law that you can only buy pseudoephedrine containing medicines by presenting ID and signing for it. That's a ket ingredient for meth. It's cut the # of meth lab busts down by over 75%. It also means less stolen anhydrous, etc.

With the high metal prices, we are having problems with homes under construction being stripped of the wiring. Even had one low life steal the metal medalians from a cemetary.

If they really want your tractor, they will get it. Just like a motorcycle. Have it insured and take a few measures to ward off the opportunistic thieves. The guys on the board have some good ideas for that. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-07-05          131707


The one thing we have found over the years is that nothing gets done habitually, unless it is *easy* to do.

If removing the wheels, or jacking the machine up a few feet onto timbers is the anti-theft method, chances are it will not get done regularly.

We also discovered that minor stuff, spray-painting, slashing, and bashing, usually happens on weeknights, not weekends. The police tell us the same thing, on the weekends kids find activities and friends to keep them amused, it's when they get bored on a weeknight they cause trouble more often than not.

Other than lowering the ROPS, nothing is required for locking the machine in a container.

Besides, our containers make a heck of a racket when they are tampered with, so nobody hangs around long, or comes back for a second visit either, too much attention!!

Best of luck. ....


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