I had my van broken into a few years ago and it about broke me. I can't describe the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you discover your livelihood is stolen from you. I've spent thousands in the last few years to protect my trade but I still sleep uneasy at times knowing if they want what you have they will take it if they are determined enough and what is just as sickening is the fact they do it knowing full well the law won't catch them 99% of the time.
My uncle is a photographer and drone videographer. While he was in a mountain in the french alps they stole all his gear in the van. Even if you have insurance they almost never full refund you. Also, you waste so much time buying every single piece of kit again and setting it up. Devastating.
Not necessarily. Like bank scammers who get people on the inside of banks, my first thought (after thinking what you thought) was that it might be someone in the travel business, as they are the people who know when you're going and when you're coming back. The CCTV could be scouted quite easily, and this is quite a specialist crime. So while I agree that it does seem likely that it was someone close to him, it may be a lot more organised than that perhaps. It seems like a lot of effort and skill for someone to go through just once as an opportunistic crime.
That’s what I thought as well. Smells like an inside job, someone that knows them or a neighbour. Did they leave by the field at the back as well? Carrying all those tools by hand or parked up a vehicle in the field? Maybe there is video of the vehicle entering the field? Coming in randomly to miss the CCTV angles is possible, but unlikely
Well you can scan it with your phone to see if there's any security cameras or motion detection so not necessarily but the pictures might have given them a clue there's no need to have pictures of where you are
Well you can scan it with your phone to see if there's any security cameras or motion detection so not necessarily but the pictures might have given them a clue there's no need to have pictures of where you are
Dogs provide prevention though not cure. Look up videos on dogs being tested on protecting houses. My dobby is awesome at barking and being alert to anything weird though I'm not sure she'd actually do anything stopping someone unless they were attacking me.
@@blogobre That is the truth. I saw a documentary about this a few years back. It was pretty much only some really tiny lap dog types that actually attacked the burglar. The "big" dogs made a lot of noise, but didn't do anything. I think you need trained dogs for this.
Agree, they will be back. Mostly because they know your going to replace your tools and they know the layout. Thieves hate dogs, lights. And being seen. Good luck.
Sorry to hear of your aggro, also to all trades out there, NEVER buy 2nd hand tools unless you know 100% they ain't nicked, Any doubt about the seller kick the oik out.
I’m more surprised that you got any response from the Police..recently my neighbours motorcycle was stolen from what they thought a secure garage in their garden… it was fitted with a tracker that clearly showed its stolen location the Police refused to get involved wouldn’t even attend the crime scene and warned my neighbour not to try and retrieve his motorcycle from the location..Broken Britain 2024.
I'd like to see any evidence of this. If this is true simply report it to the papers. Also there is nothing to stop them going to the bikes location. So go and ring the police on your way there. Do you have any idea how bad it would look on the police if you had a recording of them doing anything you have said and then as the owner you have to go it along.
@@TheWebstaff Yeah I'd agree that above comment is more hear say than truth, friend had his caravan stolen from a so called secure compound, tracker failed to update but did after a two days, he supplied the tracker info to the police who went to the address, put a drone up and took pictures and asked if it was his van which he confirmed and they went in and got it back. What was annoying is the "person" said he was looking after it for a friend and didnt know anything about it being stolen so the police did no more, what happened to "handling stolen property" 🙄 Caravan had been trashed inside as it was clear they were trying to find the tracker 🤬 Took the police over 4 mths to give the caravan back due to "forensics" wanting it but they didnt appear to do anything either.
@@TheWebstaff it is 100% True do you seriously still believe that the papers are interested in stories like this.. My 85 year old neighbour had an attempted break in earlier this year they tried to force her patio door but were maybe disturbed and made off.. 5 months after it happened a young police officer knocked on my door asking if I had seen or heard anything suspicious.. I said when last night and she said no it was 5 months earlier,I gave her my mind and told her I was disgusted at what this country has become,and asked her if this was some sort of joke.
On the flip side if the thief or other thieves are watching this they will know he is no longer an easy target and is on alert so are less likely to bother trying to break back in.
They are too busy. So they prioritise crimes they think they can get convictions on or serious crimes. Unfortunately break-ins normally don't meet either of those criteria. If you want your break-in investigated you need more police who don't have simple conviction targets.
I used to work for insurance company repairing stuff like this it was a eye opener. Regards your door i would strengthen up the hinge side with hinge bolts etc All the best Graham
Best thing I can recommend is those lockable boxes a lot of sights allow you to keep them on sight. Obviously residential is different. One thing I would say (no racism just facts) if a traveller sight sets up near be extra careful with your tools I don’t care if it offends people! I care for fellow tradesmen!
One of my mates had a dewalt chopsaw nicked from a busy site in Milton Keynes. It was chained up in a locked container, in a 'secure' compound with lights, alarms, CCTV, and security patrols....and yet in broad daylight the thieves cut their way into the compound, used a grinder to access the storage boxes and waltzed off with thousands of pounds worth of tools! Never caught!
I used to wonder whether that was a stereotype. Then I saw travellers set up next to a supermarket. And then I watched them, one after the after, mostly the pre-teens and teens, run out with armfulls of stuff, electronic, bedding, food.. sweets.. one after the other.. every few seconds.. Security just about powerless.
I had my workshop broken into a few years back and they cleaned me out of all the hand power tools in there including a new Hilti road breaker which wasn't a light piece of kit. My work shop sits on a farm and to avoid detection from the farm house, the thieves took everything they stole across a ploughed field to a gap in the hedge some 200 yards away. I know this because the wheel barrow of mine they used was retrieved from there. That must have been some effort. The night it took place was very wet and windy so I guess they knew few people would be about. They couldn't get into the office area because I fitted a solid fire door and made it almost imposable for it to be jemmied open by putting racking tight against the side of the frame. Also I hung the door to open out which meant it couldn't be kicked in. What I didn't bank on was them coming through the ceiling. That's been addressed by fixing reinforcement mesh across the joists and the main doors they gained access from have been replaced with steel doors with two security mortice dead locks. The truth of it is, you will never stop them, just slow them down.
My old van got robbed twice in 3 months, just replaced all the DeWalt gear and it went again. The van was sold and my new festool gear sleeps in my hallway every night near the radiator.
At the Hounslow heath car boot there were dozens of sellers all with hundreds of tools and most of them were so marked up with names of the owners and nothing The car boot has now banned their sale so that's at least something
yes..... a little gang of roma and irish and all controlled by one main guy . facebook market page is the biggest place to see stolen tools . Amazing how many "nomadic" types had tens of thousands worth of tools for sure every week . facebook dont care
Camera's sent me alerts. My home was being burgled in real time while I was on the phone with the police. They refused to treat it as an emergency and failed to turn up whilst robbery was in progress. Fair enough it wasn't life or death but they could've had the jump on the culprits and had my permission to smash down any doors or windows to catch them. This isn't an isolated incident, it's somewhat of a policy for the police these days. We're on our own and thieves know it. This type of thing was unimaginable 30+ years ago.
Fyi. Speak to a local security firm and ask them for a retainer. Won't cost too much, they may even do it for free (with a high call out fee) if it happens again ring them.
If the police had caught them in the act, it may have cleared up s few more burglaries they may have committed then raided their homes to see what they had, then they wouldve felt violated! I've had 3 problems in the past & the police wouldn't attend, I even saw a burglar coming out of a neighbour's house on my way to work, bloke got away but got a good look at him, woman told the police I had seen him but did absolutely nothing, didnt even bother knocking on my door!
Got myself a set of letter/number punches. You can heat those up with a torch and melt your name in your tool casings. Also you can use the punches to punch your name into the metal parts of your tools. Not going to prevent anything, but at least they can't get your name of it.
I saw a previous Skill builder video on this (or it may have been Bald Builders) so I went a bit over the top. I have a spread sheet with all my tools, serial numbers, colour , date bought etc + photos. I have engraved them all with my post code, sharpi penned them, ultra violet penned them and then marked them all with smart water (+ my TV's, computers etc) this has a DNA registered to me and comes with stickers that are on my van and every piece of plant - costs around £60 for 100 or so items, it can not be rubbed or washed of and can only be seen via UV
I built a tool lock up. Basically I used 50 mm steel reo sheets and steel framed and welded a corner of the shed to include above head and steel door . Concealed the hinges and used an angle grinder proof lock. I wanted to electrify it but the wife would not let me! I live rural as well. I feel your pain.
Sorry to hear this! For the alarm. You might want to consider adding the following - A Klaxon Master Blaster (internally) & a Smoke Cloak (If they can't see it, they can't steal it!)
@@carforumwanker especially when they're used in an enclosed space ;) For more disorientation you could also add a strobe internally, whilst the smoke cloak is having a field day!
I know someone, a Tradesman; who has opened up power his tools and installed an Apple AirTag. If its not going to fit, remove a little of the support material within the handle etc... If it's to loose, pack around itwith a little fire retardant foam. You could get your tools back and land them in Prison. Totally deserved.
I don't even know what you're trying to say. People can't act normal towards each other because they decided so? More polarization is probably not the solution. Also, crime rates show a stable downward trend.
Losing your tools and your livelihood is one thing, they can be replaced eventually, and hopefully any potential income lost can be earned back, but the thing I find the worst is the mental anguish caused, the thoughts of ‘will they come back’, ‘what lengths will they go to’ etc. It’s not the same I know, but we’ve recently had lads coming up our drive trying car doors all down the street. Horrible, worthless scrotes the lot of em!
Had the same last April. My workshop is isolated, secure, well built and protected by CCTV and PIR lights - all useless. Why? Because they were average quality, poorly located (by me!) and most importantly they were passive. What do I mean by that? I’ve studied the 2 burglars actions (on CCTV) and identified how they defeated my systems with such ease. Each security gadget worked independently of each other and nothing worked as part of a system. A good security system must be multi-layered and dynamic not passive. PIR lights - useless, they just ripped them off the wall; CCTV - useless, they pulled their hoodies tight to conceal their faces; locks - useless and the surrounding frame was inadequate. So now (obviously without giving details) my protection is sturdy, good quality, multi-layered, dynamic and much more difficult to attack. It’s both physical and electronic and everything works together. Even if one thing fails or is smashed / attacked there are several back up layers. It’s 24/7 and works even with power failures. Due to good police work they were caught and are now a ‘guest’ of His Majesty. However my equipment was probably sold for a song to someone who has not a clue what they’ve bought. These bad guys are good at what they do - it’s their ‘living’ so learn every time they break in. When the police present the evidence they learn. New security gadgets are bought by them and they experiment and adapt. They recce and use Google Earth. They know access routes and escape routes. They go prepared. They share knowledge and experience. They mustn’t be underestimated. They are scummy arseholes yes but they are not dull. “Give them an inch..” as the saying goes… So put thought into your security system and make it active (not passive) and multi layered.
That's someone who knows you, or your nieces friends, they have seen your camera set up to know your blindspot and the fact it wasn't alarmed. Hope you find out either way
As a man you get really p...d off and want revenge, but what you dont realise is the effect it has on the wife/women. They become afraid to be home alone.
I had all my tools nicked years ago ,police were bloody useless as they started to make investigations two weeks after they were stolen . I even told the police who I suspected and they did nothing,and in those days I couldn’t afford tool insurance. It’s devastating when any theft happens.
My garage in Ilkeston Derbyshire was broken into 2 years ago, the window removed and took approximately 10 k worth of building workshop tools. It is devastating. Stay strong ...it takes time till you feel comfortable in your home again
Tip: on top of your precautions….open the tools clamshells and other interior parts….engrave and UV mark INSIDE, so if you manage to id a tool being sold, you can have it opened and prove it is yours…Then hopefully start a chain of discovery.
So sorry about this news mate. I’ve got every tool I own from Hilti, Makita to Bosch in metal tool boxes and locked in garages and sheds with good quality locks. Unfortunately these thief’s are the Bain of the building industry and second hand shops don’t help at all.
Be very careful that when you have replaced your tools they don't come back in a few weeks/months to do the same again. Also, put a SECOND door or grill INSIDE of the outside door
In fairness to Plod, people have unrealistic expectations as to what they are able to do. Today we have social media (unlimited and free data for criminals to use, plus a way of selling the stuff for free) and a criminal justice system unfit for purpose.
I used to do new stores and Refits for Homebase about 25 - 30 years ago. They had the ‘master blaster’ alarms and they were uncomfortably loud in a 35,000 sqft space. When they tested them. Put one or two in a small workshop with a battery backup Incase they take out the power, nobody will stick around.
Makita have a new thing coming out where you code your battery tool and charger so they only work with each other, so if someone nicks your driver and you still have the charger they wont be able to charge the battery and that driver will not accept any other battery plugged into it and you end up with a useless tool.
@@johannes.f.r. if crime is being ignored by police, and people dont bother reporting it cause they know its a waste of time, then yeah, stats will show a drop where no drop exists.
Here’s a wee tip - and this isn’t practical for small tools but larger ones that you can open up, toolboxes, even your van or shipping container or whatever - buy some Apple air tags. They’re pretty cheap. Then watch some RUclips tutorials on how to remove the loud speaker from them. It only takes a few minutes. Now if someone steals something with a tag in it they’ll eventually get a notification on their phone saying an unknown AirTag is following them and they get the option of making it beep so they can find it. This is an anti stalker thing. Anyway this way they won’t be able to find it and even if they do at least you’ll get a precise GPS location of when they do. It’s a small price to pay and a lot cheaper than any other tracker. I have them hidden on my bike even. Now there’s a fair chance that the police will be too lazy to approach them even if they have a location but that doesn’t stop you going round with the boys 😉
5 transits have been robbed locally , one had 14k worth of high end gear robbed , they left all the cases as thats where people hide the Apple air tags . The sliding side door has a small hole drilled in it , exactly the same place in each robbery so probably a template used and a simple angled tool used to open the "deadlocked" doors . If you have a sliding door transit , fit a padlock and hasp inside it , it will defeat them for long enough that they will go onto the next one .
My Son works for one of the biggest companies in the UK and their vehicles are constantly targeted when parked up in the yard with extensive CCTV etc etc etc, they have been instructed by management to leave their vehicles unlocked as the damage caused to the vehicles is more of an inconvenience to what is being stolen, the cost of these thefts is being paid for by you and me. The police are simply not interested.
The catalytic converter was stolen from my vehicle shortly after Google street view was updated to, for the first time, show my vehicle parked in front of my home. It may be helpful to have your home shown on Google when it is on the market but otherwise remember that criminal gangs also use Google for planning.
Serves you right for not burying it in a bunker underground. Dont you know the dangers of relying on law and order? Im very sad to see this. Ive had it happen to my family and friends before as well and every assjack comes out to blame the victim. I hope you are in the position to replace the loss without disfunction.
Had my van stolen. Luckily I took some tools out. Years worth of other stuff was in it. Never herd a thing from the police after I reported. Just a crime number for insurance.
It’s absolutely out of control atm. Every few days recently I’ve been hearing of multiple vans being broken into in a night and the police don’t give a F. They’d care more if you injured these thieves or whatever than they do about the honest man getting his livelihood stolen. It’s an utter disgrace
someone had a lot of information about your property , most you could get from google maps satellite mode. But what really gets me is that they knew the position of your cameras. i imagine they’re been to your property before.
I have a boarded workshop like in the video but behind the boards are 8’x4’ sheets of galvanised steel sheet. Nice surprise for anybody prying the boards off!
Having items stolen is an inconvenience and a PITA. The main issue is, the thought of your privacy being invaded and as Sam said, the thought that they may come back. It also rattles around in your head that a friend/someone you know may have been involved.
I really feel for them. a few years ago my brother on his way to a job, realised he'd forgot something, called into a well known DIY chain, in there less than 5 minutes came out and his van had been emptied of all the saleable tools. He saw the store CCTV they were in and out in less than a minute. The police weren't interested even though the registration of their van was clear on the CCTV, they just said it was probably a fake reg!!!
Sorry to see. A thick Hawthorn hedge behind that property and a proper dog would likely be the best protection as well as keeping the outside permanently lit. Sensors and cameras unfortunately aren’t enough these days. Horrible times.
No good. The thieves will just come through his neighbours neighbour's back garden and into his. Will he keep his dog outside in the snow and frost? Huskies are expensand need a lot of running.
Had our campervan stolen off our drive almost 3 years ago, full of all the kit we bought over the years to enjoy camping trips with our friends. Ba**ards! I feel for you. Police were less than useless (my dad and friends were coppers). We daren't get a replacement as don't feel safe anymore.
I feel for you Sam, after the last time I had everything taken I gave up trying and just went for a completely different line of work. I hope you manage to get back on your feet. 👍
I build guitars but have over 40 years in computing and one of the biggest things you can do is get a hardware firewall and only use cameras that work on ethernet, never use wifi as that is how they knew where your blind spots where. Oddly I know Capel, been to the summer fair there! Edit: Meta data - You mean 'EXIF data', knowing that makes it easier to remove
Same happened to us; only Makita hand tools taken. My personal view is that internet delivery drivers are the issue here. During the day, when my workshop door is open, they will often come inside and leave the package on the worktop rather than walk all the way up to the house. Some of the drivers that come here I wouldn't employ in a million years, and I often wonder how much vetting goes on when these types are interviewed for jobs. In rural locations, the police are no deterrent for pikies who have eyes everywhere, so the only solution is strong physical security first off, backed up by some passive alarm. It's not pretty, and it's a pain in the arse constantly fussing about locking up, but it's the only way. We were lucky, they only made off with £400 worth of hand tools; it could have been MUCH worse.
I recently had my shed broken into and things stolen. Make sure you really secure it before storing anything of value again. Chances are they'll be back when you replace the tools.
@SkillBuilder I suggest supplementing your system for tool identification with the same system used in warehousing to manage the movement of stock and reduce theft. Install RFID chips under the rubber or plastic grips of the power tools. Each RFID chip has a globally unique id and, by recording that id and the tool it is installed in you can identify your tools from a short distance with a RFID scanner.
I'd be adding that fog stuff they use in banks and shops, soon as the alarm is activated fills fhe place up with fog can't. Bet it's costly but worth it in the end
Good call on the image metadata and Facebook if you want to hide your address. If your address is not already plastered over advertising, I would also recommend using your accountant's address as your registered office if you're a Ltd company and / or get a virtual office address in your area, as a local address is often important when customers are deciding to hire a trade.
There is a gang that went round the villages of Cambridgshire start of the year. Over the course of a week two of ours vans got broken into and I know another 28 tradesman who got done in that week. Van had deadbolts, reifonrced doors, alarmed - just increased dammage done breaking in. All my tools were marked, micro dotted, registered. Lots of people got CCTV footage, same black VW golf going round, same 3 thugs in balaclavas. Police don't care. Go down car boot you will see hundreds of tools for sale, blatently for sale. Police do nothing. Needs to be some radical legislation: If you can't provide proof of purchase, confiscate everything from car boot.
Had this happen to my boss, he replaced the tools, 3 month's later they came back & stole the replacement tools. To stop thieves, put up a fence with trellis on top & plant holly or fast growing prickly perenials under the fence. Use smart water too. Lastly if it were me I'd wire a high voltage transformer to any metal on locks & windows, damn the consequences.
Goshhhhhhhhhhh, So sorry to hear of this happening to you, it's a nasty feeling I have suffered myself and similarly to your situation, I called the police and they never turned up. I hope you do recover from this disaster.
I DNA marked my hybrid Specialized bike and some tw@t pinched that. Thankfully the police caught him, but the bike was gone. You really have my sympathy, chap. You could put some steel grills over your windows.
That seems like a massive flaw in the DNA system. It only works if the tool (or bike) is found, and I don't imagine the police are going to be out hunting them down. Unless I'm missing something?
I hope the thieves didn't injure themselves breaking in. Perhaps a broken finger, for every missing tool ? Perhaps some frame bolts on the hinge side too ?
It's possible that when you were out on a job that your work van was marked with a gps tracker. Easy to track back to your home or workplace. Then, scope your property and leave a tracker on the family car. When zero movement and/or parked miles away, they have a clear opportunity to steal.
Sorry to hear this Sam, angers me so much when hard working honest people have their property taken by scumbags, as well as the obvious financial cost of replacing tools and improving security there is also a huge time cost to getting back to where you were before. Plus the horrible feeling strangers have been on the property. Wishing you all the best buddy.
You can use UV pens to mark your tools without being obvious for easier certification. Some tools have serial numbers which are unique, though you need to record them. These serial numbers are not always removed. Air tags [or similar] are one way to track stolen goods. Easily hidden inside empty spaces of tools. There's also GPS tracking devices. Unfortunately the police only act on easy to solve and serious crime. Since the evidence you have is low they would probably consider that it's not worth their time or money putting resources into as it's a low probability of an outcome.
Found out my electrical wholesaler for 15 years broke into my van and stole my tools. I even helped him for years and thought he was a friend. Cranbrook in Debden Broadway will never shop there again. No insurance. Company finished have to work for other people. 5 years paying for it and mentally I’ll because it.
This is why i find the Festool service good service, when you buy a new tool, go online and register it with proof of purchase. will it stop theft, no definately not, but if at some point someone takes it to a repair shop, it will come up as stolen, also you have proof of purchase, model type to give to your insurance. Get rid of the motion sensor and buy a WI-FI Cam, they are not expensive and you have 24/7 surveillance.
@@SkillBuilder If somebody pinched your tools you will be after a new set. And you'll likely be buying the same make again as you're used to it / have batteries etc. So it's about profit.
As you already have the "getting your data off of the web" in hand and have already got the attension of the local toe rags... Put extra cameras inside your workshop pointing at the doors and/or windows and make sure these send their recordings to another location. Theifs will not be able to spot these cameras in advance and there's a good chance you will get a closer look at any faces should this happen again. Look into a "presence sensor", a smart bulb and smart routine that can alert you in the house or anywhere in the world for that matter. Smart door and window contacts etc. Each of these has its merits. And you are also one of the best people to know the weaknesses in your own security. How would you get around the things you already have in place and break into your own property, start fixing those things because if you can spot them so can others with enough time and access.
Nice round up of that workshop and the sort of security they need to bypass now! Of course once anyone makes enough security to deter the sneak thief, then the thug types know it is worth going in when you are there alone, or just a lone relative, and straight making them open everything and help load it up for them! Next door to me is a farmyard. One evening very late I saw a vehicle lights in there on my house cctv. I think the odd angle grinder noise through it faintly, attracted my attention. After looking at it for a bit I went out with a torch and headed to that barn they were round the back of, at the doors, and they must have seen the light coming and a car sped out past me. So was lucky in many ways, saved the Big machine in there being taken probably. Locks had been angle grinded through, doors open. One barn opened only had a heap of grain, the other a major handling machine. Nothing you can do but raise the stakes. Place I worked at a long time ago was held up by men with guns, and they 'welded' their way into a safe, after most staff and I had gone home, fortunately for me.
I’ve had a lot of stuff stolen from me over the years, Lorry’s broken into and one stolen completely,have always been dissatisfied with the response from the police, never once did they visit the crime scene, just asked me to come in and make a statement, pretty useless if you ask me.
I feel gutted for you bud . All my mates who have had it happen to them went through again , when the scum came back for the new tools you purchased after about 4-6 weeks
Twice I’ve had my van robbed , it’s sickening when you come out in the morning and the tools are gone ..I despise the scum that do this I’m pleased to be retired , this was a constant headache worrying about thieves watching your every move ..
It is a very cruel crime to steal a man's tools. Often many of them are irreplaceable, not sold any more, or not as good. Using them for months/years, you develop an attachment to them that is as old as the hills.
Devastating news!! I completely understand how mortified they are, we had similar circumstance where my workshop was broken into twice within 2 weeks - clearing what they had left the previous time. I didn’t expect it would occur again, but that seems to be what stats shows. They gained entry to my property from the open farm fields where the rear of my garden overlooks. Quite similar to Sam. They gain entry by breaking the glass window. I had to change window with shatterproof perspex. Approximately 6-7 months after, a police officer attended with a goody bag containing an array of security devices e.g locks, bolts and uWatch subscription+cameras , selectDna etc. The biggest change to be honest was to grow a hedge, obscuring the likelihood of untoward individuals scouting properties from the fields. It does mean we also forgo the beautiful scenery.
![I bought them all so that you don't have to! [video 589]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9SHIrwWMiz8/mqdefault.jpg)
![I bought them all so that you don't have to! [video 589]](/img/tr.png)
I had my van broken into a few years ago and it about broke me. I can't describe the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you discover your livelihood is stolen from you.
I've spent thousands in the last few years to protect my trade but I still sleep uneasy at times knowing if they want what you have they will take it if they are determined enough and what is just as sickening is the fact they do it knowing full well the law won't catch them 99% of the time.
My uncle is a photographer and drone videographer. While he was in a mountain in the french alps they stole all his gear in the van. Even if you have insurance they almost never full refund you. Also, you waste so much time buying every single piece of kit again and setting it up. Devastating.
Don't leave your tools in your van is the answer.
@@lksf9820yeah keep mine all in packout system so easy to take in and out van
Hasp, staple and padlock is no good against bolt croppers. Speaking from experience !
And yes, they came back 8 days later !
They knew you would be on holiday and knew the location of your cameras, must be someone that knew this, friend of a friend.
Not necessarily. Like bank scammers who get people on the inside of banks, my first thought (after thinking what you thought) was that it might be someone in the travel business, as they are the people who know when you're going and when you're coming back. The CCTV could be scouted quite easily, and this is quite a specialist crime. So while I agree that it does seem likely that it was someone close to him, it may be a lot more organised than that perhaps. It seems like a lot of effort and skill for someone to go through just once as an opportunistic crime.
Another option of course is that it is another local builder who is looking to crush the competition. Sad to think of, but an option nonetheless.
Sounds like the thief might have been familiar with the property if they knew where all the cameras were.
That’s what I thought as well. Smells like an inside job, someone that knows them or a neighbour. Did they leave by the field at the back as well? Carrying all those tools by hand or parked up a vehicle in the field? Maybe there is video of the vehicle entering the field? Coming in randomly to miss the CCTV angles is possible, but unlikely
Well, all they need to do now is watch this video to know where all of the new sensors and cameras and such are.
Sounds like someone who knew you or has visited your site before it they had dodged all the CCTV and knew you were away.
The niece 😂
I agree 100%
Well you can scan it with your phone to see if there's any security cameras or motion detection so not necessarily but the pictures might have given them a clue there's no need to have pictures of where you are
Well you can scan it with your phone to see if there's any security cameras or motion detection so not necessarily but the pictures might have given them a clue there's no need to have pictures of where you are
...or were clearly told what to do and when so it would be easier and quicker to get that fraud insurance money
Two big dogs sorted my issues out straight away. 😎👍🇬🇧
Yes he needs 2 dogs especially if he lives in the country side.
Dogs provide prevention though not cure. Look up videos on dogs being tested on protecting houses. My dobby is awesome at barking and being alert to anything weird though I'm not sure she'd actually do anything stopping someone unless they were attacking me.
@@blogobre That is the truth. I saw a documentary about this a few years back. It was pretty much only some really tiny lap dog types that actually attacked the burglar. The "big" dogs made a lot of noise, but didn't do anything. I think you need trained dogs for this.
@@blogobre Yep, the right type of dog is important. They are the best early warning device, everyone has dogs on rural property's here in Australia.
If you train a German shepherd properly it will do a lot kore than just bark. But they can’t be pets they have to be guard dogs.
A sad day. Be careful because these scum will be back for your new tools
Agreed. They wait for insurance to pay out and go back. Get a German Shepherd dog. Or perhaps a Belgian Malinois.
@@user-cm3jn3of6dMalinois are great dogs.
SCUM I couldn’t have put it better myself 👍
Agree, they will be back. Mostly because they know your going to replace your tools and they know the layout. Thieves hate dogs, lights. And being seen. Good luck.
@@user-cm3jn3of6dthis 👍
Sorry to hear of your aggro, also to all trades out there, NEVER buy 2nd hand tools unless you know 100% they ain't nicked, Any doubt about the seller kick the oik out.
I’m more surprised that you got any response from the Police..recently my neighbours motorcycle was stolen from what they thought a secure garage in their garden… it was fitted with a tracker that clearly showed its stolen location the Police refused to get involved wouldn’t even attend the crime scene and warned my neighbour not to try and retrieve his motorcycle from the location..Broken Britain 2024.
I'd like to see any evidence of this.
If this is true simply report it to the papers.
Also there is nothing to stop them going to the bikes location.
So go and ring the police on your way there.
Do you have any idea how bad it would look on the police if you had a recording of them doing anything you have said and then as the owner you have to go it along.
@@TheWebstaff Yeah I'd agree that above comment is more hear say than truth, friend had his caravan stolen from a so called secure compound, tracker failed to update but did after a two days, he supplied the tracker info to the police who went to the address, put a drone up and took pictures and asked if it was his van which he confirmed and they went in and got it back. What was annoying is the "person" said he was looking after it for a friend and didnt know anything about it being stolen so the police did no more, what happened to "handling stolen property" 🙄 Caravan had been trashed inside as it was clear they were trying to find the tracker 🤬 Took the police over 4 mths to give the caravan back due to "forensics" wanting it but they didnt appear to do anything either.
@@TheWebstaff it is 100% True do you seriously still believe that the papers are interested in stories like this.. My 85 year old neighbour had an attempted break in earlier this year they tried to force her patio door but were maybe disturbed and made off.. 5 months after it happened a young police officer knocked on my door asking if I had seen or heard anything suspicious.. I said when last night and she said no it was 5 months earlier,I gave her my mind and told her I was disgusted at what this country has become,and asked her if this was some sort of joke.
@@PhoneVidoes This is Fact NOT hearsay as you accuse.. time to wake up fella to the reality of what our country has become.
@@tommytee8387 more like broken police
After going through that I’m not sure my first move would be to make a RUclips video about all of my new security additions 🤔
I was sat there thinking yeah, they know what you've added now and how to avoid it.
@@stevenrobinson5864 same thing I was thinking!!!
Wouldn't you think one of his mates would have told him what a dumb idea making that video is?
Ha. Yes but it's also giving the guy some peace of mind that he's thwarting repeat theft. So probably worth it to him emotionally.
On the flip side if the thief or other thieves are watching this they will know he is no longer an easy target and is on alert so are less likely to bother trying to break back in.
Stealing a tradesman’s tools should be a capital offence.
Plod are useless too, too busy policing Facebook and X. 😡
They are too busy.
So they prioritise crimes they think they can get convictions on or serious crimes.
Unfortunately break-ins normally don't meet either of those criteria.
If you want your break-in investigated you need more police who don't have simple conviction targets.
They're too busy fining motorists for doing 5mph over the limit. That earns money, catching crims doesn't.
I used to work for insurance company repairing stuff like this it was a eye opener.
Regards your door i would strengthen up the hinge side with hinge bolts etc
All the best
Graham
Best thing I can recommend is those lockable boxes a lot of sights allow you to keep them on sight. Obviously residential is different. One thing I would say (no racism just facts) if a traveller sight sets up near be extra careful with your tools I don’t care if it offends people! I care for fellow tradesmen!
Good idea with lockable boxes, but for home base, bolt them to the floor.
Secured by design lock chests are the only ones worth the salt
Rural isolated property? Hello bolt cutters/angle grinder. Nothing is properly secured especially with no ears and eyes around.
One of my mates had a dewalt chopsaw nicked from a busy site in Milton Keynes. It was chained up in a locked container, in a 'secure' compound with lights, alarms, CCTV, and security patrols....and yet in broad daylight the thieves cut their way into the compound, used a grinder to access the storage boxes and waltzed off with thousands of pounds worth of tools! Never caught!
I used to wonder whether that was a stereotype. Then I saw travellers set up next to a supermarket. And then I watched them, one after the after, mostly the pre-teens and teens, run out with armfulls of stuff, electronic, bedding, food.. sweets.. one after the other.. every few seconds.. Security just about powerless.
I had my workshop broken into a few years back and they cleaned me out of all the hand power tools in there including a new Hilti road breaker which wasn't a light piece of kit. My work shop sits on a farm and to avoid detection from the farm house, the thieves took everything they stole across a ploughed field to a gap in the hedge some 200 yards away. I know this because the wheel barrow of mine they used was retrieved from there. That must have been some effort. The night it took place was very wet and windy so I guess they knew few people would be about. They couldn't get into the office area because I fitted a solid fire door and made it almost imposable for it to be jemmied open by putting racking tight against the side of the frame. Also I hung the door to open out which meant it couldn't be kicked in. What I didn't bank on was them coming through the ceiling. That's been addressed by fixing reinforcement mesh across the joists and the main doors they gained access from have been replaced with steel doors with two security mortice dead locks. The truth of it is, you will never stop them, just slow them down.
As a spark thieving a man’s ability to make a living is a hanging offence
My old van got robbed twice in 3 months, just replaced all the DeWalt gear and it went again. The van was sold and my new festool gear sleeps in my hallway every night near the radiator.
Don't worry, Dewalt is expendable
At the Hounslow heath car boot there were dozens of sellers all with hundreds of tools and most of them were so marked up with names of the owners and nothing
The car boot has now banned their sale so that's at least something
yes..... a little gang of roma and irish and all controlled by one main guy . facebook market page is the biggest place to see stolen tools . Amazing how many "nomadic" types had tens of thousands worth of tools for sure every week . facebook dont care
Camera's sent me alerts. My home was being burgled in real time while I was on the phone with the police. They refused to treat it as an emergency and failed to turn up whilst robbery was in progress. Fair enough it wasn't life or death but they could've had the jump on the culprits and had my permission to smash down any doors or windows to catch them.
This isn't an isolated incident, it's somewhat of a policy for the police these days. We're on our own and thieves know it. This type of thing was unimaginable 30+ years ago.
Fyi.
Speak to a local security firm and ask them for a retainer.
Won't cost too much, they may even do it for free (with a high call out fee) if it happens again ring them.
If the police had caught them in the act, it may have cleared up s few more burglaries they may have committed then raided their homes to see what they had, then they wouldve felt violated! I've had 3 problems in the past & the police wouldn't attend, I even saw a burglar coming out of a neighbour's house on my way to work, bloke got away but got a good look at him, woman told the police I had seen him but did absolutely nothing, didnt even bother knocking on my door!
Got myself a set of letter/number punches. You can heat those up with a torch and melt your name in your tool casings. Also you can use the punches to punch your name into the metal parts of your tools. Not going to prevent anything, but at least they can't get your name of it.
I use a soldering iron to engrave
@@HighWealderand they'll use a soldering iron to melt it flat.
@@pingo9105put it on the inside of the molding?..
marking tools is useless unless you happen to find it again, which you wont. Lots of these tools just get shipped abroad.
I saw a previous Skill builder video on this (or it may have been Bald Builders) so I went a bit over the top.
I have a spread sheet with all my tools, serial numbers, colour , date bought etc + photos.
I have engraved them all with my post code, sharpi penned them, ultra violet penned them and then marked them all with smart water (+ my TV's, computers etc) this has a DNA registered to me and comes with stickers that are on my van and every piece of plant - costs around £60 for 100 or so items, it can not be rubbed or washed of and can only be seen via UV
I built a tool lock up. Basically I used 50 mm steel reo sheets and steel framed and welded a corner of the shed to include above head and steel door . Concealed the hinges and used an angle grinder proof lock. I wanted to electrify it but the wife would not let me! I live rural as well. I feel your pain.
Sorry to hear this!
For the alarm. You might want to consider adding the following - A Klaxon Master Blaster (internally) & a Smoke Cloak (If they can't see it, they can't steal it!)
Master blasters are MENTAL !
@@carforumwanker especially when they're used in an enclosed space ;) For more disorientation you could also add a strobe internally, whilst the smoke cloak is having a field day!
@@astplatinum I had 2 fitted in a building .They "play with the brain" for sure .
@@astplatinum I actually installed this (A 1500 watt strobe and a sirene horn) in my former small AV rental space 😅
I know someone, a Tradesman; who has opened up power his tools and installed an Apple AirTag. If its not going to fit, remove a little of the support material within the handle etc... If it's to loose, pack around itwith a little fire retardant foam. You could get your tools back and land them in Prison. Totally deserved.
Young plumber on site got done last week. £3000 pounds worth of Milwaukee tools gone he was devastated hardly notice the entry point on his van
Those hasps and staples on the main door need changing for something CEN rated. The current ones are not even hardened.
i think realy that the police should do something when we call them not have to turn our house into fort knox.
@@eddjordan2399 We live in that country though, so you have to. No ones helping you in the UK.
Time to make politicians accountable, for the society that they have created.
Agreed
I don't even know what you're trying to say. People can't act normal towards each other because they decided so? More polarization is probably not the solution.
Also, crime rates show a stable downward trend.
Johnson gets to fail upwards. No hope of accountability there!
@@johannes.f.r. propaganda is a powerful tool. Research history,
@@PracticalAV especially after recent admissions at the inquiry.
Losing your tools and your livelihood is one thing, they can be replaced eventually, and hopefully any potential income lost can be earned back, but the thing I find the worst is the mental anguish caused, the thoughts of ‘will they come back’, ‘what lengths will they go to’ etc. It’s not the same I know, but we’ve recently had lads coming up our drive trying car doors all down the street. Horrible, worthless scrotes the lot of em!
The police said, unless hurty words have been said on Facebook, there is nothing we can do.
so true... pathetic UK police only want to take the knee and suck muslim cock
was about to write the same thing now
Lice
You know they didn't say that lol
@@georgelfc1 you know that that was a joke based on the fact that they do arrest people for Facebook posts. lol
Had the same last April. My workshop is isolated, secure, well built and protected by CCTV and PIR lights - all useless. Why? Because they were average quality, poorly located (by me!) and most importantly they were passive. What do I mean by that? I’ve studied the 2 burglars actions (on CCTV) and identified how they defeated my systems with such ease. Each security gadget worked independently of each other and nothing worked as part of a system. A good security system must be multi-layered and dynamic not passive.
PIR lights - useless, they just ripped them off the wall;
CCTV - useless, they pulled their hoodies tight to conceal their faces;
locks - useless and the surrounding frame was inadequate.
So now (obviously without giving details) my protection is sturdy, good quality, multi-layered, dynamic and much more difficult to attack. It’s both physical and electronic and everything works together. Even if one thing fails or is smashed / attacked there are several back up layers. It’s 24/7 and works even with power failures.
Due to good police work they were caught and are now a ‘guest’ of His Majesty. However my equipment was probably sold for a song to someone who has not a clue what they’ve bought.
These bad guys are good at what they do - it’s their ‘living’ so learn every time they break in. When the police present the evidence they learn. New security gadgets are bought by them and they experiment and adapt. They recce and use Google Earth. They know access routes and escape routes. They go prepared. They share knowledge and experience. They mustn’t be underestimated. They are scummy arseholes yes but they are not dull. “Give them an inch..” as the saying goes…
So put thought into your security system and make it active (not passive) and multi layered.
That's someone who knows you, or your nieces friends, they have seen your camera set up to know your blindspot and the fact it wasn't alarmed. Hope you find out either way
This is saddening. This is Sam' life and income and someone has just taken it away in a flash. I hope you can regain these, Sam.
As a man you get really p...d off and want revenge, but what you dont realise is the effect it has on the wife/women. They become afraid to be home alone.
These bastards are literally taking the food out of our mouths. I had my tools stolen from my van many years ago. It is absolutely devastating.
I had all my tools nicked years ago ,police were bloody useless as they started to make investigations two weeks after they were stolen . I even told the police who I suspected and they did nothing,and in those days I couldn’t afford tool insurance. It’s devastating when any theft happens.
My garage in Ilkeston Derbyshire was broken into 2 years ago, the window removed and took approximately 10 k worth of building workshop tools. It is devastating. Stay strong ...it takes time till you feel comfortable in your home again
Tip: on top of your precautions….open the tools clamshells and other interior parts….engrave and UV mark INSIDE, so if you manage to id a tool being sold, you can have it opened and prove it is yours…Then hopefully start a chain of discovery.
Unlikely to work as they'll never be seen again, if they do they'll be owned by someone who legitimately bought them.
Absolutely gutted for you Sam. So sick and tired of hearing this happen to decent people time and time again. 😮💨
So sorry about this news mate. I’ve got every tool I own from Hilti, Makita to Bosch in metal tool boxes and locked in garages and sheds with good quality locks. Unfortunately these thief’s are the Bain of the building industry and second hand shops don’t help at all.
Be very careful that when you have replaced your tools they don't come back in a few weeks/months to do the same again.
Also, put a SECOND door or grill INSIDE of the outside door
In fairness to Plod, people have unrealistic expectations as to what they are able to do. Today we have social media (unlimited and free data for criminals to use, plus a way of selling the stuff for free) and a criminal justice system unfit for purpose.
Connect a 127 decibel siren inside the workshop connected to your alarm system.
I used to do new stores and Refits for Homebase about 25 - 30 years ago. They had the ‘master blaster’ alarms and they were uncomfortably loud in a 35,000 sqft space. When they tested them.
Put one or two in a small workshop with a battery backup Incase they take out the power, nobody will stick around.
Makita have a new thing coming out where you code your battery tool and charger so they only work with each other, so if someone nicks your driver and you still have the charger they wont be able to charge the battery and that driver will not accept any other battery plugged into it and you end up with a useless tool.
Another reason why Makita are the best 🇯🇵
The thieve is known to this guy, possibly a friend.
Reflection on the sad state of modern society.
That crime rates keep falling?
@@johannes.f.r. if crime is being ignored by police, and people dont bother reporting it cause they know its a waste of time, then yeah, stats will show a drop where no drop exists.
@@johannes.f.r.rising from those at one end of the dulux colour chart
Here’s a wee tip - and this isn’t practical for small tools but larger ones that you can open up, toolboxes, even your van or shipping container or whatever - buy some Apple air tags. They’re pretty cheap.
Then watch some RUclips tutorials on how to remove the loud speaker from them. It only takes a few minutes.
Now if someone steals something with a tag in it they’ll eventually get a notification on their phone saying an unknown AirTag is following them and they get the option of making it beep so they can find it. This is an anti stalker thing. Anyway this way they won’t be able to find it and even if they do at least you’ll get a precise GPS location of when they do.
It’s a small price to pay and a lot cheaper than any other tracker. I have them hidden on my bike even.
Now there’s a fair chance that the police will be too lazy to approach them even if they have a location but that doesn’t stop you going round with the boys 😉
5 transits have been robbed locally , one had 14k worth of high end gear robbed , they left all the cases as thats where people hide the Apple air tags .
The sliding side door has a small hole drilled in it , exactly the same place in each robbery so probably a template used and a simple angled tool used to open the "deadlocked" doors .
If you have a sliding door transit , fit a padlock and hasp inside it , it will defeat them for long enough that they will go onto the next one .
My Son works for one of the biggest companies in the UK and their vehicles are constantly targeted when parked up in the yard with extensive CCTV etc etc etc, they have been instructed by management to leave their vehicles unlocked as the damage caused to the vehicles is more of an inconvenience to what is being stolen, the cost of these thefts is being paid for by you and me. The police are simply not interested.
The catalytic converter was stolen from my vehicle shortly after Google street view was updated to, for the first time, show my vehicle parked in front of my home. It may be helpful to have your home shown on Google when it is on the market but otherwise remember that criminal gangs also use Google for planning.
Serves you right for not burying it in a bunker underground. Dont you know the dangers of relying on law and order? Im very sad to see this. Ive had it happen to my family and friends before as well and every assjack comes out to blame the victim. I hope you are in the position to replace the loss without disfunction.
Had my van done years ago, had nothing left, not even a tape
Had my van stolen. Luckily I took some tools out. Years worth of other stuff was in it. Never herd a thing from the police after I reported. Just a crime number for insurance.
It’s absolutely out of control atm. Every few days recently I’ve been hearing of multiple vans being broken into in a night and the police don’t give a F. They’d care more if you injured these thieves or whatever than they do about the honest man getting his livelihood stolen. It’s an utter disgrace
someone had a lot of information about your property , most you could get from google maps satellite mode. But what really gets me is that they knew the position of your cameras. i imagine they’re been to your property before.
Go to some of these car boots and there's often people selling lots of used tools, they always make me wonder where they're from.
Build your workshop in Brick with steel doors, Separate alarm for the workshop.
I have a boarded workshop like in the video but behind the boards are 8’x4’ sheets of galvanised steel sheet. Nice surprise for anybody prying the boards off!
Having items stolen is an inconvenience and a PITA. The main issue is, the thought of your privacy being invaded and as Sam said, the thought that they may come back. It also rattles around in your head that a friend/someone you know may have been involved.
I really feel for them. a few years ago my brother on his way to a job, realised he'd forgot something, called into a well known DIY chain, in there less than 5 minutes came out and his van had been emptied of all the saleable tools. He saw the store CCTV they were in and out in less than a minute. The police weren't interested even though the registration of their van was clear on the CCTV, they just said it was probably a fake reg!!!
Walk into any Cash Converters it'll be full of tools marked with company names.
Sorry to see. A thick Hawthorn hedge behind that property and a proper dog would likely be the best protection as well as keeping the outside permanently lit. Sensors and cameras unfortunately aren’t enough these days. Horrible times.
No good. The thieves will just come through his neighbours neighbour's back garden and into his. Will he keep his dog outside in the snow and frost? Huskies are expensand need a lot of running.
Had our campervan stolen off our drive almost 3 years ago, full of all the kit we bought over the years to enjoy camping trips with our friends. Ba**ards! I feel for you. Police were less than useless (my dad and friends were coppers). We daren't get a replacement as don't feel safe anymore.
I feel for you Sam, after the last time I had everything taken I gave up trying and just went for a completely different line of work. I hope you manage to get back on your feet. 👍
Thank you. Hope you are well!
I build guitars but have over 40 years in computing and one of the biggest things you can do is get a hardware firewall and only use cameras that work on ethernet, never use wifi as that is how they knew where your blind spots where. Oddly I know Capel, been to the summer fair there!
Edit: Meta data - You mean 'EXIF data', knowing that makes it easier to remove
I bought an engraving tool and put my surname and post code on tools, both in metal and plastic parts.
Same happened to us; only Makita hand tools taken. My personal view is that internet delivery drivers are the issue here. During the day, when my workshop door is open, they will often come inside and leave the package on the worktop rather than walk all the way up to the house. Some of the drivers that come here I wouldn't employ in a million years, and I often wonder how much vetting goes on when these types are interviewed for jobs.
In rural locations, the police are no deterrent for pikies who have eyes everywhere, so the only solution is strong physical security first off, backed up by some passive alarm. It's not pretty, and it's a pain in the arse constantly fussing about locking up, but it's the only way.
We were lucky, they only made off with £400 worth of hand tools; it could have been MUCH worse.
I recently had my shed broken into and things stolen. Make sure you really secure it before storing anything of value again. Chances are they'll be back when you replace the tools.
@SkillBuilder I suggest supplementing your system for tool identification with the same system used in warehousing to manage the movement of stock and reduce theft. Install RFID chips under the rubber or plastic grips of the power tools. Each RFID chip has a globally unique id and, by recording that id and the tool it is installed in you can identify your tools from a short distance with a RFID scanner.
Padlocks are super-easy to lockpick, the Lock Picking Lawyer demonstrates repeatedly. The Euro kind are the best.
With power tools , batterys open up the case /shell or switch handel and put a label inside.
I'd be adding that fog stuff they use in banks and shops, soon as the alarm is activated fills fhe place up with fog can't. Bet it's costly but worth it in the end
My dad had his garage broken into, its such a mess I think they couldn’t be bothered going through all the junk and left empty handed
This ^ along with hiding your tools and making it dark so they can't see does work.
Sorry to hear about your situation... not sure explaining the security improvements you have made should be detailed in this video. All the best.
Good call on the image metadata and Facebook if you want to hide your address. If your address is not already plastered over advertising, I would also recommend using your accountant's address as your registered office if you're a Ltd company and / or get a virtual office address in your area, as a local address is often important when customers are deciding to hire a trade.
There is a gang that went round the villages of Cambridgshire start of the year. Over the course of a week two of ours vans got broken into and I know another 28 tradesman who got done in that week. Van had deadbolts, reifonrced doors, alarmed - just increased dammage done breaking in. All my tools were marked, micro dotted, registered. Lots of people got CCTV footage, same black VW golf going round, same 3 thugs in balaclavas. Police don't care. Go down car boot you will see hundreds of tools for sale, blatently for sale. Police do nothing. Needs to be some radical legislation: If you can't provide proof of purchase, confiscate everything from car boot.
Car boot sales, even if banned the tools would just be sent abroad.
They will take the shed apart to get in. They did with my shed. 🤷🏻♂️
I inscribe all my power tools using a soldering iron it melts in deep to the body plastic.
Jesus, the path the thieves took and the methodical removal of the window was downright surgical.
Great to see Sam , shame about the circumstances .
Look forward to the garage build 👍🏼🧱
Had this happen to my boss, he replaced the tools, 3 month's later they came back & stole the replacement tools. To stop thieves, put up a fence with trellis on top & plant holly or fast growing prickly perenials under the fence. Use smart water too. Lastly if it were me I'd wire a high voltage transformer to any metal on locks & windows, damn the consequences.
Put a camera or two inside the workshop.
They normally come twice, what they really want are the insurance replacements.
Goshhhhhhhhhhh, So sorry to hear of this happening to you, it's a nasty feeling I have suffered myself and similarly to your situation, I called the police and they never turned up. I hope you do recover from this disaster.
I DNA marked my hybrid Specialized bike and some tw@t pinched that. Thankfully the police caught him, but the bike was gone. You really have my sympathy, chap. You could put some steel grills over your windows.
That seems like a massive flaw in the DNA system. It only works if the tool (or bike) is found, and I don't imagine the police are going to be out hunting them down. Unless I'm missing something?
Had my van broken into twice and police didnt come till day after on one and never turned up for the other but did give me a crime number! Useless
I hope the thieves didn't injure themselves breaking in.
Perhaps a broken finger, for every missing tool ?
Perhaps some frame bolts on the hinge side too ?
One million visitors have got to survive some how , and there just aren’t enough barber shops to go around bless um
Take the time to mark the plastic with a soldering iron and melt markings into the plastic. markers can be rubbed off. A bit of a pain I know....
It's possible that when you were out on a job that your work van was marked with a gps tracker. Easy to track back to your home or workplace. Then, scope your property and leave a tracker on the family car. When zero movement and/or parked miles away, they have a clear opportunity to steal.
Sorry to hear this Sam, angers me so much when hard working honest people have their property taken by scumbags, as well as the obvious financial cost of replacing tools and improving security there is also a huge time cost to getting back to where you were before. Plus the horrible feeling strangers have been on the property. Wishing you all the best buddy.
You can use UV pens to mark your tools without being obvious for easier certification.
Some tools have serial numbers which are unique, though you need to record them. These serial numbers are not always removed.
Air tags [or similar] are one way to track stolen goods. Easily hidden inside empty spaces of tools. There's also GPS tracking devices.
Unfortunately the police only act on easy to solve and serious crime. Since the evidence you have is low they would probably consider that it's not worth their time or money putting resources into as it's a low probability of an outcome.
had my van done eight times over the years mate....... i feel your pain..... you need some dogs......
Found out my electrical wholesaler for 15 years broke into my van and stole my tools. I even helped him for years and thought he was a friend. Cranbrook in Debden Broadway will never shop there again. No insurance. Company finished have to work for other people. 5 years paying for it and mentally I’ll because it.
This is why i find the Festool service good service, when you buy a new tool, go online and register it with proof of purchase. will it stop theft, no definately not, but if at some point someone takes it to a repair shop, it will come up as stolen, also you have proof of purchase, model type to give to your insurance. Get rid of the motion sensor and buy a WI-FI Cam, they are not expensive and you have 24/7 surveillance.
Never use Wi-Fi security, always hardwire. Wi-Fi can be hacked.
Companies should collaborate with tile or apple to add tracking capabilities. Would be game changing.
We have seen a lot of resistance from powertool companies to do anything to reduce thefts. Go figure
@@SkillBuilder If somebody pinched your tools you will be after a new set. And you'll likely be buying the same make again as you're used to it / have batteries etc. So it's about profit.
But if one manufacturer did this then they would well millions and other companies would be forced to follow
Awful, sorry to hear it.
Just be cautious, you've also taken us all on tour of a lot of your new security set up..
As you already have the "getting your data off of the web" in hand and have already got the attension of the local toe rags... Put extra cameras inside your workshop pointing at the doors and/or windows and make sure these send their recordings to another location. Theifs will not be able to spot these cameras in advance and there's a good chance you will get a closer look at any faces should this happen again. Look into a "presence sensor", a smart bulb and smart routine that can alert you in the house or anywhere in the world for that matter. Smart door and window contacts etc. Each of these has its merits.
And you are also one of the best people to know the weaknesses in your own security. How would you get around the things you already have in place and break into your own property, start fixing those things because if you can spot them so can others with enough time and access.
Nice round up of that workshop and the sort of security they need to bypass now!
Of course once anyone makes enough security to deter the sneak thief, then the thug types know it is worth going in when you are there alone, or just a lone relative, and straight making them open everything and help load it up for them!
Next door to me is a farmyard. One evening very late I saw a vehicle lights in there on my house cctv. I think the odd angle grinder noise through it faintly, attracted my attention. After looking at it for a bit I went out with a torch and headed to that barn they were round the back of, at the doors, and they must have seen the light coming and a car sped out past me. So was lucky in many ways, saved the Big machine in there being taken probably. Locks had been angle grinded through, doors open. One barn opened only had a heap of grain, the other a major handling machine.
Nothing you can do but raise the stakes. Place I worked at a long time ago was held up by men with guns, and they 'welded' their way into a safe, after most staff and I had gone home, fortunately for me.
"Straight making" ? You can only do so much to prevent them
I’ve had a lot of stuff stolen from me over the years, Lorry’s broken into and one stolen completely,have always been dissatisfied with the response from the police, never once did they visit the crime scene, just asked me to come in and make a statement, pretty useless if you ask me.
I feel gutted for you bud .
All my mates who have had it happen to them went through again , when the scum came back for the new tools you purchased after about 4-6 weeks
Twice I’ve had my van robbed , it’s sickening when you come out in the morning and the tools are gone ..I despise the scum that do this I’m pleased to be retired , this was a constant headache worrying about thieves watching your every move ..
It is a very cruel crime to steal a man's tools. Often many of them are irreplaceable, not sold any more, or not as good. Using them for months/years, you develop an attachment to them that is as old as the hills.
Devastating news!! I completely understand how mortified they are, we had similar circumstance where my workshop was broken into twice within 2 weeks - clearing what they had left the previous time. I didn’t expect it would occur again, but that seems to be what stats shows. They gained entry to my property from the open farm fields where the rear of my garden overlooks. Quite similar to Sam. They gain entry by breaking the glass window. I had to change window with shatterproof perspex. Approximately 6-7 months after, a police officer attended with a goody bag containing an array of security devices e.g locks, bolts and uWatch subscription+cameras , selectDna etc.
The biggest change to be honest was to grow a hedge, obscuring the likelihood of untoward individuals scouting properties from the fields. It does mean we also forgo the beautiful scenery.
Check the local car boot sales. That's where all this stuff goes.