Workshop burgled, now my tools are on eBay

[Blackswanwood]

Have you tried talking to a brick wall, they really do not give a monkeys because they are now the ones wearing the handcuffs and whatever they do they get flak for doing it. You must have noticed how crime seems to be so common on the news these days, without a working justice system that can offer reprecussions for criminal behavior then it just spirals out of control.

I hadn’t read the OP as being a request for an analysis of what’s wrong with the criminal justice system in the UK and am aware of how common crime seems to be. My son is in the Police so I’ve probably a pretty good understanding of the frustration those on the front line feel.

You are entitled to your opinion (albeit I thought the role of a moderator was to keep the forum in a reputable space and cannot reconcile that with your suggestion that the OP breaks the law). My view remains unchanged.

 

[Cobbs]

The right hired labour would be psycho's , ghost in the night that turn horror films into reality for scum bags.

So you're advocating paying one sort of criminal to stop another? Are "pshyco's" any less obnoxious than thieves? Now you're being silly.

 

[--Tom--]

Getting burgled really sucks. Some of the suggestions made in this thread are way off piste.

 

[Spectric]

So you're advocating paying one sort of criminal to stop another?

lets say they are not criminals but a form of public police who have just had enough of scumbags running circles round the police and laughing at them. In some places communities are already paying for there own police to patrol where they live because the police are just not interested.

 

[Cobbs]

lets say they are not criminals but a form of public police who have just had enough of scumbags running circles round the police and laughing at them. In some places communities are already paying for there own police to patrol where they live because the police are just not interested.

Good luck arguing in court that they are not criminals. I would suggest your views need moderating. As I say, I can understand the anger of being a victim, but anarchy is not the answer. And let's not forget, commissioning a crime is just another crime.

 

[scholar]

Great sympathies with this predicament.

You probably do not want to add too many more details at the present time.

I am reminded of an experience a cousin had with a bike that was stolen from the back of a car in a multi story car park. It had some quite recognisable (and valuable) features and it popped up on eBay immediately at a silly price.

The Police arranged with the owner that if the owner bought the bike back on eBay, they would attend and apprehend the seller at the point of the seller taking the money and handing over the bike. I think the principle was that they needed actual evidence of handling the stolen goods. Anyway, it worked - the Police lay in wait while the owner transacted with the seller and the seller was then apprehended and prosecuted.

I imagine the best bet would be to concentrate on one of the more valuable/distinctive items if you can prove your ownership - then the Police should be interested.

Very good luck wit this.

Cheers

 

[Luckosaurous]

lets say they are not criminals but a form of public police who have just had enough of scumbags running circles round the police and laughing at them. In some places communities are already paying for there own police to patrol where they live because the police are just not interested.

Isn’t that how organised crime gangs started extortion brackets back in the day?

They sent some people in to smash shops up and burgle them. Then they sent other people in asking for payment to stop the people smashing and burgling. When they received payment they would leave that shop alone, when they didn’t, they doubled down on smashing and burgling the shop.

I agree with everyone else here. Paying one criminal, to be criminal, is not a sensible solution to being the victim of another criminal.

You may have had a bad experience with the police in the past, but plenty others on this thread have been in a similar position to the OP and attained a positive outcome. The OP has already lost some tools, why risk their civil liberty too?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My mother had a problem years ago and the local copper (whom she knew) said we'll get them, I'll find the law. He did, the scrotes were prosecuted under a law from the late 1800's. If the plod have the will, the laws are usually already there.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You may have had a bad experience with the police in the past, but plenty others on this thread have been in a similar position to the OP and attained a positive outcome.

and more haven't. The police are a joke.

 

[Filament]

Lots of police bashing on here with the oft heard refrain of ‘they’d rather be dealing with the wrong language/taking the knee/dancing at carnival (delete as appropriate) which tends to reflect which papers/online you read rather than reality.
Closer to the truth is very simply a) the numbers of police has been stripped, similar to the army or the nhs so they have little choice but to pick and choose what they focus their finite resources on (and even those of us who have lost tools to burglary would probably rather they dealt with violent crime, rape, burglaries that feature assault etc. and b) so much funding has been stripped out of the courts and the whole criminal justice systems that even those crimes I have just mentioned cannot be tried due to capacity and even if they were, they are no cells (or no staff to keep an eye on the cells which amounts to the same). The vigilante stuff is a disappointing thing to see anyone who isn’t a kid recommend. As has been mentioned it’s supporting other (and demonstrably ‘worse’) criminality (and assumes a **** of a lot of being absolutely sure that doesn’t work either -go round and beat the person up selling ‘your tools’. Sure they are definitely yours? Sure the person your violent criminal is assaulting is the person who stole it and not some poor sod being coerced into storing the stolen goods? Of course you’re not. Congratulations you’re worse than them and costing the NHS and the CPS even more money they don’t have.
As to ‘communities with their own systems for justice’ again sounds very much like Daily Mail/YouTube scare mongering stuff that has little basis in reality but serves to keep frightened people frightened (like the whole ‘London is a war zone, with the police avoiding it and a stabbing on every corner’ which I see a lot from people who have never been/rarely go. But never from those who do.

To the OP. Sorry to hear your story. It feels rubbish and invasive. Key thing is to make your property ‘harder’ than others on the street. Not much else you can do.

 

[Scruples]

When I built my workshop/shed, I bought a wireless alarm system with contact sensors on the doors and a PIR inside. My 6 windows are only 300mm X 1m each and sited high up on two sides. They give adequate light and with better security.

The side door is a hardwood 44mm thick stable door and a multi-lever tenon lock and a strong bolt locking the two halves, together with access to my house.

The main doors are 44mm hardwood with no lock but side fitting bolts to one door and top/bottom bolts to the other. It would be a challenge for any thief.

Recently, I fitted a real camera over the main doors looking out over the drive. Does it work? It might do...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Lots of police bashing on here with the oft heard refrain of ‘they’d rather be dealing with the wrong language/taking the knee/dancing at carnival (delete as appropriate) which tends to reflect which papers/online you read rather than reality.

You obviously don't live near me. Much of crime here - certainly the theft - is committed by a protected minority the police don't touch (and are afraid of).

 

[AndrewG]

Guys I appreciate the emotional support and revenge fantasies but more helpful is the practical advise about layers of protection. Some done, more to consider.

The police have reopened my case and the officer was a carpenter before retraining and keen to help but after two weeks admits he has little time to give and is finding eBay less than helpful. As in many institutions today, good people but under resourced and overwhelmed.

Realistically much of my stuff will never surface and be hard to positively identify. The Festool has serial numbers reported to immobilize.com but there are plenty happy to use them without checking. Generic unmarked tools like Bessy clamps will be hard to positively identify. However
the planes and chisels sold on eBay are another matter as by selling in groups they have made identification even of pretty new tools strong.

So if you have bought a quality tool (Lie Nielsen, Veritas, Ashley Isles, etc) from a 50 mile radius of London in the last 2 weeks and have doubts, DM me the eBay seller and I will tell you if it is mine. Besides a clear conscience the incentive is that within 30days you can get your money back from eBay. Getting the buyer information from eBay post any criminal enquiry will take time and we will only ever catch up with honest people who have a real address on their eBay accounts but we need to dis-incentivise this trade so am determined to pursue where I can.

 

[Filament]

You obviously don't live near me. Much of crime here - certainly the theft - is committed by a protected minority the police don't touch (and are afraid of).

Not sure anything in my post would exactly negate that assertion tbh. Equally, I would ask out of interest whether you have proof of that or whether it’s a case of ‘I just know’

 

[Luckosaurous]

Guys I appreciate the emotional support and revenge fantasies but more helpful is the practical advise about layers of protection. Some done, more to consider.

The police have reopened my case and the officer was a carpenter before retraining and keen to help but after two weeks admits he has little time to give and is finding eBay less than helpful. As in many institutions today, good people but under resourced and overwhelmed.

Realistically much of my stuff will never surface and be hard to positively identify. The Festool has serial numbers reported to immobilize.com but there are plenty happy to use them without checking. Generic unmarked tools like Bessy clamps will be hard to positively identify. However
the planes and chisels sold on eBay are another matter as by selling in groups they have made identification even of pretty new tools strong.

So if you have bought a quality tool (Lie Nielsen, Veritas, Ashley Isles, etc) from a 50 mile radius of London in the last 2 weeks and have doubts, DM me the eBay seller and I will tell you if it is mine. Besides a clear conscience the incentive is that within 30days you can get your money back from eBay. Getting the buyer information from eBay post any criminal enquiry will take time and we will only ever catch up with honest people who have a real address on their eBay accounts but we need to dis-incentivise this trade so am determined to pursue where I can.

How were your tools stored within your workshop Andrew? Once they had broken in was it just a simple case of pick everything up and walk off, or did they have to break into storage cabinets too?

As I said in in a previous post I’m considering investing in big metal storage cabinets to prevent me being a victim again, but I’m not sure whether it would actually do anything to stop a burglar, or whether I would remember to put tools away and lock it when I’m done.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There is no doubt.

Not sure anything in my post would exactly negate that assertion tbh. Equally, I would ask out of interest whether you have proof of that or whether it’s a case of ‘I just know’

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I’m not sure whether it would actually do anything to stop a burglar ...

As my b.i.l. said when he installed a cheap alarm - all I needed to do was to make sure the burglar chose a neighbour's house rather than mine.

 

[Keith Cocker]

The right hired labour would be psycho's , ghost in the night that turn horror films into reality for scum bags.

Big talk - little brain comes to mind!

 

[Keith Cocker]

lets say they are not criminals but a form of public police who have just had enough of scumbags running circles round the police and laughing at them. In some places communities are already paying for there own police to patrol where they live because the police are just not interested.

Do they wear brown shirts?

 

[AndrewG]

How were your tools stored within your workshop Andrew? Once they had broken in was it just a simple case of pick everything up and walk off, or did they have to break into storage cabinets too?

As I said in in a previous post I’m considering investing in big metal storage cabinets to prevent me being a victim again, but I’m not sure whether it would actually do anything to stop a burglar, or whether I would remember to put tools away and lock it when I’m done.

Im conflicted on this point. Some have advised that I should keep all tools in the house. But it was a pleasure to have a workshop with tools at hand ready to use. I also don't want to feel like a tool jailer constantly having to unlock and lock everything. Currently plan to do everything to stop initial entry. But am considering a tool wall with some lockable sections so premium tools are not on open display but can be opened up for access when needed.