My garage robbed....

[4low]

I never thought I'd be posting up this, but it's 3 am, I can't sleep, and I need to find a constructive way to let it out.
 mod'ed

I came home monday night, around 11am, and opened my garage door to wheel the motorcycle I was riding in (not mine), and put it away, I closed the big door, and exited through the man door, closing it, but not locking it, because I intended to come back into the garage shortly, I went inside and said hello to my wife, I went to the washroom, and put my jacket and helmet away, I went back outside about 11:20 or so and saw the back gate was open and as I approached the garage I saw the man door was open aswell, I went inside and found that somebodies, (I imagine more than 1) had removed my air compresser, and 110v wire feed welder.

I took a minute to breathe. This sucked.

I went back into the house and told my wife (who was in bed sleeping) I went back outside to asses the situation, and try to keep a clear mind. I noticed one of my shelves empty. that shelf had all my diagnostic equipment/specialty stuff, compression tester, leakdown, tap and die set, oil pressure tester, etc.
Now I'm a little more choked, I started trying to be objective and see if I notice anything missing but I'm starting to reel. These tools took me YEARS to save up for and pay for. I had these so I could do as good of a job as possible , **. We have a second child on the way, due in 2 1/2 months and we've been concerned about making ends meet. And now this! I quickly looked at the 2 other bikes I had in my garage to make sure they were safe, and grabbed my flashlight and headed to the alley and looked around, dead silence.

I cannot believe that this happened, I do my best to keep a low profile, rarely have the garage door open, for any period of time, I don't boast about having tools or flaunt anything about what I'm doing. I try not to make noise to annoy my neighbors, I do my best to not advertise what I'm doing, but alternatively, whenever a neighbor has asked for help i've done my best to help them, so there are a few people who have known somewhat the contents.

I don't feel safe in my own freakin' house right now. 20 minutes!!! Someone is out there, was watching me? casing my garage? For what? what are they gonna get for that stuff? a few hundred bucks on kijiji? or a pawn shop? It took me YEARS to accumulate pay for that stuff by working honest jobs for an honest paycheck on crappy apprentice wages...., , and some bonehead(s) come and take the rug right out from under me.

This is crap.

Police have been notified, took a statement.

But seriously. does that reinstate the level of "safety" that we are supposed to feel in our houses, in our properties? that we work to pay for?

I feel awfull, cant sleep, and I'm supposed to be at work in 5 1/2 hours.

Awesome.

if you think about it, keep your eyes peeled for a decastar 150E wire feed welder, it's yellow and black. large (around 4ft tall) Red Coleman powermate 150PSI air comp. snap on/mac compression tester/leakdown tester/oil pressure tester/thread restoration kit/ and a complete mastercraft tap & die kit.

I don't think they grabbed anything else in that time frame, it's a little cluttered, I'm grateful they didn't steal the PW50 that I've been working on for my daughter or damage anyone elses bikes. I'm grateful they didn't go into my house and harm my family. But in a way they did, because my wife is scared to leave a door unlocked, and we both feel violated.

Rant off.
Thanks for listening.

[DCJEEP]

Sorry to hear that man.  It drives me nuts  when crap like this happens.  I had a crf50 stolen out of my garage a few years back. 

If your ever in Edmonton drop me a pm.  I have a extra tap and die set you can have.  Might be missing a couple dies but I'll try and get it complete. 

[tubby]

That truly sucks man. I'm sorry that crap happened to you but it does make one wonder about the contents removed. Seems like pretty bulky items for a crime of opportunity  and considering the short time frame. Do you have home insurance to cover the stolen items?

I've been in your shoes and you will feel unsafe and violated for some time. It's best to make your home, garage, and vehicles more secure. I've gone so far as to booby-trap my home . Yes, I know it's frowned upon to hurt some poor thief but I regard them as sub-human and don't care at all if I cripple them . I've put bars on my basement windows, broke over 200 bottles to line under my patio, buried boards with nails so if you jump my fence, put up a few cameras so I can view my garage and backyard and beware of dog signs etc. You see where I'm going with this? Did it make me feel better ? It did for awhile but I'm always looking over my back. The police officer who came to my home to take a statement had his home robbed while he was at work a week before. Guy lives in a newer/nicer neighborhood and the same crap happens to him. crap happens. I just want to make it tougher for some waste of skin to steal my belongings.

I've worked my butt off for my belongings and it makes me sick to have things stolen from me, but it's just material items. My family's security means more. Be grateful that you and your family are okay and be more vigilante in the future.

[NUXJR]

Yeah pretty crappy!!  Glad to hear that no one got hurt.  Back home at the farm electrified barbed wire worked wonders as a deterrent.  We lived close to the highway and had people stagger in once and a while.  They certainly did'nt linger long either   Seem to remember the local RCMP suggesting that if our property was posted NO TRESPASSING it was sufficient warning to 'protect' that property aswell .  Sorry but me am part hillbilly, prolly not a good idea in town .

[Greg-100]

Just a few  thoughts...... someone that lives close..... someone that was in your garage before and they might be back?

I have two trail cams set up in my garage, cheap and efffective.

One in plain sight and one out of sight

Greg

[calltrex]

I don't even pull into my garage if anyone is around

Lights on outside my garage 24hrs a day

My windows boarded up solid with 3/4" wood

I have Those rail things on the man door so you can't open with a pry bar


I still might get alarm system for house and garage and a set of security cameras

[wyattjo]

I don't even pull into my garage if anyone is around

Lights on outside my garage 24hrs a day

My windows boarded up solid with 3/4" wood

I have Those rail things on the man door so you can't open with a pry bar


I still might get alarm system for house and garage and a set of security cameras

Sorry to hear man... some people have no class... I agree with the comment regarding traps etc as they're on your property so deserve what they get for trespassing
I just had an alarm put in my house... I'm with reliance protectron (formerly voxcom) I'm really happy with them so far... they installed quick and offer a lot of features... I can give you a number for the dealer I got it through if you want...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997R using Tapatalk 2

[03Jeeper]

Thieves are the lowest of low along with every other criminal.

Sorry about your bad luck. I hope things turn around for you. If you need some tools, I'd be more than happy to lend them to you.

[jeepgrl]

I still might get alarm system for house and garage and a set of security cameras

If you want to do security and cameras, my hubby does this for a living (his company).  He would be happy to help out a fellow jeeper (and won't gouge you).

[calltrex]

If you want to do security and cameras, my hubby does this for a living (his company).  He would be happy to help out a fellow jeeper (and won't gouge you).

thanks  but don't live in Calgary anymore for now

[4low]

Thx guys for the comments and feedback.

insurance isn't looking too promising, but I'll do as they say and see how it pans out I guess, but there sure isn't going to be direct replacements by the sounds of it. sucks, those guys get the money they want each and every month...I don't ask for much in return.

I plan on making some changes, hopefully with your guys ideas and suggestions I can avert going through this situation again.

I hate thinking it was one of the neighbors/someone close by. It makes everybody a suspect and 99% of the people don't deserve it.
but it's probably closer to home than i know.

I appreciate having a forum to let it out on.

looking forward to not having this affect my mental/emotional state as soon as possible.

Incredible how limiting it is not having some of those tools, realizing that household/other projects can no longer be completed due to this. bummer.

sigh

[AstraX]

The only reason insurance wouldn't cover it is if you had no proof of purchase. They usually want receipts, but will often take packaging/manuals or pictures of it on premises.  Some insurance companies are more anal then others and sometimes the adjusters themselves can be more difficult to deal with, just try to remember they are just doing their job.  One thing that is pretty common right now is they will try and settle your claim by paying you out, which can be anywhere from 10% to 50% less than the replacement value.  Some adjusters will push for this because they are often managed based on the number of files open and their age.

Anyway, hope that helps a little if you do get a claim out of it.

[BUKI]

you will feel unsafe and violated for some time.

I can't even imagine how true this is.  That sucks it's one thing for someone to steal a car off the street, but for some one to enter your premise without premission
list what tools you have lost (even small things), if I have spares your welcome to them.

and another thing Noel said sooo true

but it's just material items. My family's security means more. Be grateful that you and your family are okay

[4low]

yup, material stuff, your right, still affects a fella, glad to have my family to hug and we are still a ok, you are correct, I think it affects me a little more due to how reliant I am on those material things in order to provide for my family/do my job.

as far as proof of purchases, That should be a relatively small problem, I found out, now that I maybe placing my first claim, is that I have 1000 deductable. That along with the values the insurance establishes on the stuff (the way my agent talked, didn't sound like he was too enthused), might not be walking away with hardly any replacement equipment. Time will tell how that pans out I guess.

As for the feeling violated, it's a vulnerable feeling....stinks.....and I honestly have never gone out to my garage/yard as often as I have just to "look" and see. Amazing how often I get a "Quick! go check it out" feeling now.

talking about it online has been helpful and hearing others experiences, makes me feel so "not alone" here's hopin' for a sunny-er future.

[cLAY]

Start hitting the pawn shops. If you find your stuff call the  police and report it. Pawn shops are required by law to hold items for 60 days before selling to make sure they are not stolen.