Crime

WFM

Well-known member

Equipment
L3800
Apr 5, 2013
1,177
483
83
Porter Maine
A friend of mine 72 yrs old lives a few towns away. Has a long driveway and is very very hard of hearing. Never locks his doors or takes out his keys in his trucks. He sleeps upstairs with door closed, window open. He woke the other morning his bedroom door was open, so he got up went down stairs and see his cat was outside at the patio door. The cat sleeps inside. Then he saw his wallet on the sofa open, money gone, then his gun cabnet open and his rifles gone, one was his dads 1940 35 mariln. The shotguns and .22 rifles still there.
He had been robbed.
Keep your doors locked.
 

jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
Sorry to hear about your friend. That seems like someone knew exactly what they were looking for, and relatively speaking were very nice to him. Or they plan to come back for the rest.
 

motionclone

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L345DT with Lp mower, forks and grapple thumb, Bobcat 337 Midi Ex
May 4, 2018
1,398
992
113
Maine
A friend of mine 72 yrs old lives a few towns away. Has a long driveway and is very very hard of hearing. Never locks his doors or takes out his keys in his trucks. He sleeps upstairs with door closed, window open. He woke the other morning his bedroom door was open, so he got up went down stairs and see his cat was outside at the patio door. The cat sleeps inside. Then he saw his wallet on the sofa open, money gone, then his gun cabnet open and his rifles gone, one was his dads 1940 35 mariln. The shotguns and .22 rifles still there.
He had been robbed.
Keep your doors locked.
Having the doors locked just means youll have to replace a door or window when you get robbed. Im in Maine too and there is a 99.9% chance the thief is a local or a relative on pills which means he wont be too hard to find. Tell your friend its time to go hunting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572 box scrape, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,488
3,508
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Used to be break-ins in rural areas and churches were pretty rare. Not now. Alarms, cameras, and locking doors may not stop them but they make it a less attractive target and the locked door helps buy a little time to react in an appropriate manner if you have the misfortune to be home at the time. Personally I’m partial to shotguns if locks, cameras, and alarms are ineffective but there are other viable options.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
Your friend did nothing wrong and is exactly what we did 60 years ago, but this ain't 60 years ago. Also "nothing wrong" ain't right in today's world. It's not his fault that he got robbed, but we owe it to ourselves to be proactive and to take basic steps to protect and secure ourselves and our property.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

sheepfarmer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
4,440
654
113
MidMichigan
The only thing he did "wrong" in today's world is not have his guns in a secure gunsafe so as not to contribute to the ones held by criminals and fruitloops. Except maybe for the one under his pillow in case of emergency.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Old_Paint

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610SU, LA535 FEL w/54" bucket, LandPride BB1248, Woodland Mills WC-68
Dec 5, 2020
1,540
1,425
113
AL
The biggest thing he did wrong was not having a 180 lb Alsatian to EAT a trespasser, or landmines to blow a leg off during the retreat, or SOMETHING to make the would-be burglar the next morning's headlines, with photos showing the coroner putting several bags in the wagon. He grew up and lived in a different time when it was a lot easier to trust people because there used to be consequences for the untrustworthy.

Dirtbags abound. Pity it's illegal to shoot folks that deserve it. "He needed killin' anyway" used to be a valid defense in Alabama. Whoever did this knew he was hearing impaired, I'd almost bet on it, and probably someone that he's talked to at some point in his life. I'll also wager their life ain't worth spit if he gets to them before the cops do.

Hopefully he had the serial numbers on the guns and if one pops in a pawn shop, there will be video to go with it. Hope LEO's catch the scum and he's stupid enough to point a stolen weapon at them. All it will take is ONE unique weapon get an idiot caught. If they're not complete idiots, though, they'll dump the rare stuff in the river so they don't get caught with it.

There's no describing that feeling of violation to be robbed that way. Since he was in the home, and since firearms at some point were in the possession of the robbers, it became armed robbery, not burglary. At least that's the way it works in Alabama. Hope the law is similar in Maine. Makes it a lot easier to get air-wasters off the street that way.

Seriously, the old fella really needs to consider some kind of security measures, especially with his hearing impairment. I know he wants to trust everyone, but I think it's just been proven that not everyone can be trusted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

mcfarmall

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota M5660SUHD, Farmall C
Sep 11, 2013
1,377
1,648
113
Kalamazoo, MI
I lock everything and trust few. If you want to steal my stuff, you're going to work to get it. I'm not paying insurance on my house and vehicles because I'm generous, and I've never heard of a B&E claim being denied.
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Thats pretty ballsy to come in a home with the owner there. And yes after we were cleaned out, cops said it had to be someone that knew what they were looking for. Sometime later my wife said her sisters doper son stopped at the house looking for scrap so he could sell to by dope. I asked her why she didnt tell the cops, or me. Her words were if I told you, you would have gone hunting. It is a shame the dopers have no remorse, toward who they steal from , be it family or strangers. I really feel for the old boy
OH and before I forget, we learned this the hard way. If you have anything of value, art, jewelry, firearms, anything. Talk to your INS agent and get a rider policy for those items, the cost is only pennies, other wise the INS company can say sorry it wasnt insured and you are out.
 

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
Today's mentality tends to blame the victim for somehow being at fault for not preventing what happens.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

sheepfarmer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
4,440
654
113
MidMichigan
Today's mentality tends to blame the victim for somehow being at fault for not preventing what happens.
I hear you Magicman, and blame the victim is not my real intent. There is a fine line between knowing you have an "attractive nuisance" and doing something to prevent innocent victims from harm as best you can, e.g. fencing your swimming pool, knowing that bigger kids will climb that fence, but at least toddlers will be kept out, and saying not my problem. I hate it that there are so many thieves, druggies, and just plain mean folks around. But we can each choose how much energy we want to put into self protection and what kind. I think gun owning, dynamite owning, horse owning and dog owning all come with responsibilities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
I hear you Magicman, and blame the victim is not my real intent. There is a fine line between knowing you have an "attractive nuisance" and doing something to prevent innocent victims from harm as best you can, e.g. fencing your swimming pool, knowing that bigger kids will climb that fence, but at least toddlers will be kept out, and saying not my problem. I hate it that there are so many thieves, druggies, and just plain mean folks around. But we can each choose how much energy we want to put into self protection and what kind. I think gun owning, dynamite owning, horse owning and dog owning all come with responsibilities.
And the vast overwhelming majority of gun owners take their responsibilities very seriously.
Penalizing everyone for the actions of a tiny portion of the population (who would all be executed in Bill's World) is another failed liberal policy/attitude.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
Oh no, not directed toward anyone but just a general observation. I have seen that mentality blame a woman for being raped.
 

random

Well-known member

Equipment
L3301, bucket, backhoe, grader, plow, harrow, cultivator
Nov 2, 2020
717
401
63
NC
"Has a long driveway and is very very hard of hearing"

I'm curious how long of a driveway. Mine is a mile, with nobody else on it.

From what you describe, it definitely sounds like it was targeted to me. Not just a random robbery.
 

motionclone

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L345DT with Lp mower, forks and grapple thumb, Bobcat 337 Midi Ex
May 4, 2018
1,398
992
113
Maine
My daughters middle school had a policy that if a locker didnt have a lock on it, they would dump the contents on the floor in front of the locker, the argument being that without a lock, it was the same as having all the contents in full display for anyone to see and take.

So they did this to my 13 yo daughter and her stuff was dumped on the floor for all to see, like feminine products etc. That embarassed her real bad and she didnt want to go to school so I called a meeting with the principal about it.

At the meeting was me, the principal and the 3 teachers that practiced "locker dumping"

They argued with me about the importance of locking things up and carried on justifying their position about "locker dumping" One teacher, Miss B, was especially nasty about the whole thing and didnt seem to care one bit about my daughter being embarrassed and humiliated.

So I grabbed Miss Bs purse sitting on top of the round meeting table and dumped it out in the middle to everyones surprise and horror. Out came feminine products and about 5 bottles of prescrip pills for everyone to see.

No lock i said. Same as having its contents out in the open right?



Anyway, I leave my stuff unlocked, keys in all my vehicles, toys , tractor etc. Even out in public i leave my keys right in my trucks .

Cant let dirtbags and scum dictate how you live.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users

WFM

Well-known member

Equipment
L3800
Apr 5, 2013
1,177
483
83
Porter Maine
I'm sure it must of been someone who knew his hearing is shot and his best friend golden died a few years ago. I hope now he gets another dog.
I have had a gun safe for a few years now sitting not bolted down. This spring Kittery Trading Post was having a safe sale 40% off. I got a new bigger 40 gun safe fancier and better fire rated. I got it home removed the bottom skid and called my buddy to come give me a hand and bring your hammer drill. We drilled the cement floor and used the lag kit that came with the safe. Now the thief will need to work at it to get it out.
Our fine governor now is passing legislation to decimalize drug arrests. Your cocane or heroin or pills , go to treatment or pay a $120. fine. No *&%$. really.
Maine's really going to hell.
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Cant let dirtbags and scum dictate how you live.
I understand the sentiment, and maybe even approve. But leaving easy targets almost seems to be a reward for them.
I would do the same if I could just wait for the POS and give them what they deserve, but in our F upped society, I would go to jail.