Petty theft :(

Last evening when I was just doing my rounds in my garden, I did not see a few items in their places (I had dumped). All the items missing are of Iron that I had kept for various things. Almost junk, but not completely. Esp. a couple of very old steel things(heavy) are the ones I really miss. They were solid. One was a car tire opener and the other was the heavy handle of 'sphagetti-like' rusted machine (maybe 80 yrs old). They were not of use but had kept them for decoration. The others are smaller things -losing them does not hurt me. What I worry in future is that this thief may enter again (I know he has done it in the early morning Sunday or Saturday) to steal some other things like the tripods and pipes I have used to support some vines. All that thief will do is sell them at a junkyard for peanuts. Even some pieces of mesh have been taken away. I know he is not a big thief, but I simply hate someone like that one trespassing into the premises. My uncle (who lives in a portion of the house) saw a young man standing just outside the side door. As soon as he opened the door early in the morning at around dawn, this fellow jumped the 5-ft high compound wall and gallopped away before he could see his face. It was on Saturday and perhaps that was his second visit and in his next visit, he seems to have packed off. At first, I doubted my neighbour's sevant who has been living there (in the owner's absence for the last 3 days). I even inquired the tenant about it last evening and I was convinced that he was not the culprit. I had done some detective work at the place of theft and there were no signs to prove trespassing from my neighbour's side. I have packed off my watering cans, plastic pots and a few pipes that lay outside all these years without any fear. Now I have to think twice in keeping useful things out. I always keep my tools inside. I know such things happen there too. But the feeling is awful. Of losing things. That prevented my sleep and I was worrying how to go about it in future. Once bitten, twice shy.

This may sound stupid but can you set up an alarm system with very noisy things? So that if this person comes back it will make a big sound? Or even better get outside lights that are activated by movement. You can buy the light itself wich is a bit expensive or they actualy now have a little set up where a piece gets screwed into the socket then the light bulb in that and a seperate motion sensor so you can move it in the direction you need it.

You've had a theft problem before, haven't you? But I think it was plants last time. I could be wrong. My memory isn't what it used to be.

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. People can be so selfish at times...to take what isn't theirs. It may be a long-shot, but I hope that it is returned to you.

This is horrible. The plus side is that they're not valubles... well, I mean that it's more of an annoyance and a worry than actually a financial loss. Wait, but that's not good either.

Maybe he/she's a klepto. They have fake security cameras that you can put up to scare people off.

I'm so sorry Dinu. it's hard to lose things that are yours, even if they aren't very valuable. :(

Dinu, I know just how you feel, violated!

We were broken into when we first moved here from NH and lost about $500 worth of computer software, paper, etc.

About a month later they returned while we were in the house, we were in the back with no lights on in the front. When we went to the door they jumped back in their car and took off. We have had a security gate installed since then and we've had no more problems but I still sleep with a loaded revolver on my bedstand at night.

I hate a thief, don't you? They're cowards and lowlife. Hope you can put a stop to it.

Judging by the nature of materials lost (Iron), I would point my finger at one of those that collects and sells them at a place called "Gujri" (junkyard). They buy such things, usually for recycling. Others are sold for a profit. So this guy must be from that network. All my plastic items are left behind. That bloody fellow was selective. He has chosen what fetches more. He has displaced certain other things. So far I have been lucky that a few of my tripods and such things in use are not touched -perhaps he has left something for his next visit. This is a worry to me. And it is difficult to know when he comes and from which side. The most likely place is near the side compound adjacent to the street to where he can pass them on to a 'colleague'. The iron gate makes a bit of a noise and so he probably chooses to climb the compound. I had planned to put some barbed wire on top of it but this work has been kept postponing. Now you see what happened! Now that @#@#@#@ knows where is what, he may visit again. Fingers crossed in worry!

Any way you can borrow or rent a big dog? A big quiet dog until this jerk actualy get into the yard and then goes after the rear facing side of this person as hes going back over the fence? I know you can rent security dogs here but Ive never looked into it so have no idea of the expense and dont know if that option is available to you.

Doggies are out of question. We are not used to having pets and we are so much afraid of them even when we visit friends' houses. I'm not too sure about rented dogs here.

I'm thinking of tying a thin thread across, connected to a bell inside the house. So, if a person touches it, the bell should fall and make a noise.

Smilin32, your memory is right, the last crime I reported here was of a few plants.

Well it was a thought, the bell is a good idea, make it big enough so you can hear it and maybe use fishing line, its thin light and dosnt break easy.

Can you perhaps rig a line that could trigger a flash bulb as if a camera went off? Even if you don't have a picture of him, he might think you do and stay away.

That's such a shame, Dinu. Someone ventured right up onto my mom's porch and stole an old pot from her. Her house sits at the back of their double lot, and the thief had to go right up on the porch to get the pot. :S

I think barbed wire sounds really good for your wall, that AND a noise-maker of some sort.

put you up an electric fence.......

i would use bob wire too as i do. trust me a few bloody cheeks and they will get the idea.

another idea. here in the usa they make a dog bark thingy. it barks really loud when they get in its motion detector thingy. alot of my single women friends have them as they live alone.

it is crummy someone is doing this too you. hopefully the bobwire will catch them in the act of crossing.

electric fence sounds good too.

This morning I noticed the culprit's right-foot print in the soft bed (it had rained for the past few days). I think he had tried to take the bare hang-pot stand that is beside my pond. But he has failed, because the hook does not come off the horizontal pipe. He seems to be of medium height. The toe is smaller than the rest.

I will try the fishing line for that bell. Let me see if it is available here as we are not located near coast lines.

GW, it is annoying how these blooming fellas take things that seems to be out of their reach and interest.

The flashbulb idea too is good. Let me see how I can work it out with the help of my other friends who know some electronics.

Is your thief barefooted? How about some cacti strategically placed?

I thought of cacti but it becomes a hindrance to me as well! Yes, definitely he was barefooted - I still preserve his "fossilised" mark in one of my flowerbeds.

Last week I had been to my garden-friend next block. He was telling me about thefts similar to mine. He has a 9 foot high compound wall to a narrow lane. He owns a workshop and he keeps odd things there in the yard. He ha lost a good copper tube and a couple of other little things just at the time when my thefts were taking place. So, he presumes that it is the handiwork of this boy's gang. There is an open ground opposite to his house where a lot of boys play cricket in the evenings. So what some boys do is, throw the ball inside the premises, request the owner and asks for the ball to be searched. These are the likely boys that come and watch/search for any thievable things. Anyway, ever since he was caught, all my things remain in tact, though I had moved in many of the iron/steel objects of his interest and they were all saved. I plan to move them back to their places one by one. Together, they really look like junk!