Well about 4:30 this morning I was awoken by the sound of my trusty dog barking his little head off. I got out of bed and look out side to see the doors to my shed wide open. I was in a state of panic, thinking that my baby might be gone. I quickly got dressed and ran out side, baseball bat in hand, only to see my quad sitting about ten feet from the shed. Thank god, I thought. I checked the shed to see if anything else was missing. Luckily nothing was. I then checked over my quad for any damage. None. I am glad I had my lock on the rear sprocket or they may have gotten away with it. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Go to the hardware store and buy the biggest, heaviest lock you can find and put it around the rear sprocket. It is really not noticable unless you are looking for it. Anyways back to my story. I looked around and saw no signs of anyone. I went back to the shed to check things out. The light that was on the outside of the shed was mysteriously off. I checked it and the light bulb was half way out. Then I looked at the lock on the door. It was still locked, the hasp was simply unsrewed from the door. The funny thing is, the screws are the type with the square hole instead of the phillips. Who would have thought to bring along a square headed screwdriver? This makes me wonder if it was someone that I know. This is the second time this has happened. The first was a few years back, someone stole my Blaster, we recoverd it about a year later. This makes me so mad!!! Who ever it was is lucky I didnt catch them, because I was ready to use that baseball bat that I was carrying. By the way, I called the cops and they did what I guessed they would do. NOTHING!!! All I heard from it was, "I'll file a report". I am just glad that they didnt get my toy , but it irritates me that someone would steal someone elses quad just because they dont have the money to go buy there own. I work hard to pay for my toys and I'll be damned if someone is going to just come along and take them from me. Get off your lazy a$$, get a job, stop collecting your welfare check, and buy your own damn quad. Sorry for that little outburst, but it really erks me, thats all. I guess my dad was right when he told me, "Locks only keep an honest man, honest." I am going to talk to the insurance company today about getting my quad insured.

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Jayson Blough '99 Banshee, '97 Warrior, '96 Blaster Yes I like Yamaha



[This message has been edited by jblough (edited 09-09-1999).]

 

Hope you carry insurance !
At my place we use a steel cable to lock the three quads (Scrambler 400, Trailblazer & 400EX) together & to a trailer.
Also, it sounds like it was someone you knew the way they backed the bolts out. Could you maybe go through the wall with a bolt and nut the other side?
Last, to each his own, but if I were you I'd buy a gun. This has happened to you twice now. What if you would have caught a couple of guys in the shed. Remember crooks are desperate. I know I'd feel a lot more secure if I had my 357magnum or my 12ga with a couple of bigass 31/2 inch sheels loaded in it. I know you can't just shoot anyone
But they may try to fight or run if they see a bat, where if they see a 12ga with a 28inch barrel looking at them they will probaby wait while you call the cops !
Or at the very least they sure as hell wouldn't attack you if you caught & scared them.
I know all about the BS gun banning bandwagons. Don't listen to all the crap you hear. For example... Take out the inner city violence and black on black crime and the United States homicide rate is lower than Englands. Something to think about.
You need a sign on your shed that says "Insured by Smith & Wesson."
c-ya,

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Andrew Thomas

'99 Scrambler 400 & '99 Trailblazer, both with RCR mods.

 

One more thing. We have a couple of motion detector lights that work great. You can find them for under $20, plus the cost of floodlights.
c-ya,

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Andrew Thomas

'99 Scrambler 400 & '99 Trailblazer, both with RCR mods.

 

Jayson,sounds like you did all the right things so far..Torx screws, lights, locks, etc.
Insurance is always a good investment, but that only comes into play AFTER the fact & generally doesn't cover all your investment. Maybe an alarm system on your shed would be a better immediate PREVENTATIVE solution and would also protect other items in the shed as well. Unlike a car or truck, your quad (s) are likely never left unattended elsewhere, so a good loud alarm system might be the way to go.
As a firearms enthusiast, I would hesitate to reccomend that you arm yourself without some training in the use of such, plus a knowledge of the legality in your state of using, or even pointing a gun at someone unless you can prove a threat to your life.
Even so, if you were found justified in shooting someone, you're almost certain to face a civil lawsuit by the victim or family, & often they win. It may not be right, but that's the way it is today.

THE AZ HARD PACKER, calmiller@kachina.net

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save your riding area! join the Blue Ribbon Coalition online @www.sharetrails.org

 

Two points.

1. Just because the screws were taken out does not necassarily mean it was someone you know. They may have reconed your shed earlier and found out the tools they would need.

2. Hot_shoe_cv is correct. Shooting someone in your shed is not reason for self-defense. Unless they are armed, you will surely get into some sort of trouble. I would have yelled out to the shed and warned any potential criminals the (A) your armed, (B) your calling the cops. Hopefully this will be enough to scare off a would be thief.

You think its hard protecting your personnal property now, try it while incarcerated.

Roostking

 

I have one of those locks that you actually have to have it unlocked to get to the screws. I've seen those cheap made locks that all you have to have is a screw driver and presto, you've "unlocked" the building, and your in. The Motion Sensor lights are a good idea. If you can, aim one of the lights toward your bed room or living room window. That way when they get set off you will see the light. Another thing i do is back my pick up right up against the door to my shed and lock my truck up tight, so to get to my T-wolf they have to steal the ol' truck. I dont think i could give that ol' truck away. hahaha

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Jeremy Cross

1993 Yamaha *turbo* t-wolf

 

All of you have wonderful ideas about crime prevention. I've always had a chain-length fence around my shed with two rottweilers inside but after waking up to barking dogs and seeing a man run out of the driveway iv'e locked all my gates up. the point is if someone wants our toys bad enough they will get them (sham how things are these days) but whoever wants my EX better be strong enough to throw it over a 5ft fence.hahahaha

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I bought a new lock setup today. The hasp covers the bolt heads. I also used carrage bolts, bolted from the inside, instead of screws. The lock is different to. It looks like a hockey puck, in the back is the pin that goes in the hasp. No chance of cutting this thing off. It is about 3 inches thick of case hardened steel. I am now in the process of buying a motion detector that sets of an alarm inside my house. Tommorrow I will be at the insurance office bright and early. Also tommorrow I will grind out the screw heads on the hinges so they cant be taken out. What a busy day, today, Fort Knoxing my shed to protect my toys. Hopefully I never lose the key to the lock! I am just glad I got up in time to stop this scum from getting away with my baby. Thanks again.

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Jayson Blough '99 Banshee, '97 Warrior, '96 Blaster Yes I like Yamaha



[This message has been edited by jblough (edited 09-09-1999).]

 

Guys,
I never said to shoot anyone !!! In fact in my post it says you can't just shoot anyone. All I said is if you sneak up on a couple of guys messing around it's better to have a gun in case you do get them backed in a corner. They will be lees likely to attack you to escape if you are holding a gun. The look of a gun is usually enough to end any type of attempt at violemce without so much as a shot being fired.

But if you do shoot someone, shoot every shell in the gun, it shows you feared for your life...
c-ya

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Andrew Thomas

'99 Scrambler 400 & '99 Trailblazer, both with RCR mods.

 

Lets not forget about the dog, good boy fido.

I would recommmend getting rid of that king sized bed and replacing it with a twin, enlarge all the doors from outside to your bedroom and park that sucker next to your bed.

OR, get a Polaris (you can read as much or as little into this as you want)