Stolen Equipment: Upper Sandusky, OH

Well Mr Sirveyr, as a fellow Michiganderian (or whatever they call us), seems like a good reason not to go to Ohio. Been there, done that, want my tee shirts? I'm 2X now, but have some XL's from the good old days

Hope you get your stuff back. That really sucks that people would steal your tools, and really don't have that much of a clue on how they work or what they are (that's Ohio folks for ya....lol 😉 Maybe they do have that clue, but I doubt it?

I'm curious about the level of security that was in place. Was the equipment in a locked toolbox, or in the locked cab (or both!)? I've always considered a locked cab to be reasonably safe for short-term storage, but after reading recently about another CA surveyor whose cab window was smashed and gear taken while he was in a mall store, I've been padlocking equipment cases that won't fit into my toolboxes and cabling them to the seat frame. Certainly not foolproof, but it should slow down -- if not defeat -- a smash-and-grab artist.

No matter where we'd go the equipment came into the room at night. It never spent the night in the truck when we were in town and it sure wouldn't spend it in there in an un-secured parking lot.

We always take the equipment into the room. Our previous vehicle was an H3, that was a little harder to get into, and not so apparent that it had equipment inside. Now we have a Silverado with a cap on the back, that is probably easier to break into. We work a lot of out-of-town, using rental vehicles. But, I still bring all of the $$$ stuff in every night.

One thing...I have never had a logo on my vehicles. To me, that just tells a thief that you probably have expensive stuff inside. We are always undercover (unmarked). I do have a couple of magnetic signs but I have not used them in probably 10 years.

That is what drugs has done to this world. Steal to support a habit.

I always try to select a motel that I can park right outside the room, even if it's a fleabag motel. I hate those hotels that all the rooms are accessed from inside halls. I still take all the instruments inside but just the tripods, rods, bipods ect can be several thousand dollars.

James

US 23 is a main line between Detroit and Columbus. I will keep my eyes open for any equipment that pops up in the near future.

I have only lost one instrument-a Trimble 4700, antenna, and tripod, about 10 years ago. Not from a truck but I set it up as a base. The local police said it was likely crackheads. Stealing the tools a man uses to make a living is so low it doesn't even register. People who do that need to be put away.

I am known as the most OCD person when it comes to security and double checking locks. The cab and the rear cap are normally locked...except for this time. One side cap door got "unlocked" when I thought I was "locking" it. I also take the S6 inside and have the Pelican 1500 cases chained to the bed of the truck...except this time. This was one of those times that I got side tracked and failed to do stuff the way that "I always do". Dammit! I'm sick about losing the equipment, but I am even more sick because I just plain failed this time. I am not the type of person to let this kind of stuff happen.

Aloha Sirveyr:
So sorry read about the theft! I pray that you'll find them. Might want to contact the local survey equipment dealers so that they can keep an eye out too.

Are the equipment insured?