Preventing break-ins and squatters at addressed off grid cabin property

[arakboss]

Do you think hardening your security to the level that it would take power tools to force entry would be a deterrent? The reason I ask is I'm thinking of getting some way out there land and thought that a shipping container might be enough of a deturent at least to casual thieves.

It might be but cordless angle grinders would probably make short work for the determined. For the casual people I would think it would be a deterrent. In my case I suspect that the person(s) drive by often and made note that I haven't been there in a while. There aren't many people driving by my place in the middle of the night. There are even fewer people who would stop to see what was happening at my place in the middle of the night.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Threads often have multiple, mini, off-chutes of discussion. I wouldn't get too worked up about it.

The price of tea in China is very important.

 

[The Heretic]

My property is in a no mans land for cell service. I used to get 2g but they did away with that. Real time response isn't going to happen. My best bet at this point

Starlink

 

[Bobbygun]

No one knows what you're talking about.

Actually, I think several of us know what he was talking about. I have a sneaking suspicion that you just may have the person he was responding to on your "blocked" list. (The reason I suspect this is because I came awfully close to blocking said individual myself.)

 

[Bobbygun]

Do you think hardening your security to the level that it would take power tools to force entry would be a deterrent? The reason I ask is I'm thinking of getting some way out there land and thought that a shipping container might be enough of a deturent at least to casual thieves.

Our local archery club uses a shipping container for storing targets and tools and such. Unfortunately, it got breached. But, not as often as the other building where stuff is stored. The sad part is, there really isn't that much of value stored there.

 

[American123]

The price of tea in China is very important.

To the people who drink it, no doubt.

 

[arakboss]

My grief is slowly brewing into anger. Do you think it would be unwise to offer a cash reward for information that leads to a conviction of the perp(s)? Or should I move on?

It is not a huge community, population wise and if any of my stuff starts showing up in the area, somebody might talk if they believe a reward is possible. In the reward offer I would ask that all tips be directerd to the Sheriff's office with my referenced case number once I receive it.

 

[arakboss]

With the reward only due if conviction happens I would be comfortable with a $1000 reward offer. The chances of the perps getting convicted from a tip is pretty slim. But it might cause people to keeper a sharper lookout for the items. It might even persuade pawn shops in the area to assist.

 

[arakboss]

If you were cleaning up your place after a break in what evidence would you look for that might help tie somebody to the crime?

What places physical or online places would you search to try and find your stolen items?

 

[oremike]

Cragslist, facebook market place, and garage sales.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

t might even persuade pawn shops in the area to assist.

Not sure how they work in Oregon...
But in Washington pawn shops are required by law to report what they take in on loan or buy outright , and by who ...
to law enforcement.
Andy

 

[The Heretic]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MSLHDX7?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&_encoding=UTF8&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=001174829-20&linkId=45a576dfc1f5024128f8b19e50446dcb&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

[Provincial]

On a more basic level than Heretic's suggestion, a couple of regular trail cameras hidden along access routes may be able to get a license plate number or good enough images of the perp(s) to identify them. Make sure the cameras are hard to find by blending them into the vegetation. Also get ones with good night vision.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I don't think a reward would do anything because the perps accomplices or friends would have to hear about it for it to work at all. I don't know how you can ensure that they hear about it.

Can you put that money towards a hefty gate on the road going in Instead? That will turn most away except for the determined crim I would think. If it's too much work for the potential reward they won't bother possibly.

As a side note, in the past we would say "risk vs reward" as their thought process but anymore that's not really true, at least here. There is almost no risk anymore at least here that's why people will walk out of stores with shopping carts full and dare any employee to confront them. Also even if they get caught they just turn them loose. They have no fear of the law or being caught. So now it's more of a "too much work vs reward" thought process I think.

 

[Tilos]

With the reward only due if conviction happens, I would be comfortable with a $1000 reward offer. The chances of the perps getting convicted from a tip is pretty slim. But it might cause people to keeper a sharper lookout for the items. It might even persuade pawn shops in the area to assist.

I would make "upon arrest" rather on conviction, because cops may not have enough evidence against all the perps, and only get one of them.

I have always engraved my driver's license number into anything of value, tools, etc.
I roll up a piece of paper (usually Tyvek) that has my personal info on it and hide it somewhere on things of value.
In handlebars on bikes/motorcycles/lawn equipment, in air filter housings on anything that has one, inside a tool-inside a toolbox (like rolled up inside a socket, etc.)
You can get those return address labels printed with any kind of info on them for cheap and stick them inside/on the bottom of anything.
If you find something in a pawn shop, you can look where you put the note, but have a pawnshop employee there to verify it wasn't just planted there, better yet have a cop standing there.
No one I know catalogs serial numbers but keeping receipts that have serial numbers (written) on them is something you can do as you buy replacements going forward.
That idea of a high mounted game camera with a sim card is a good idea too.

Sorry you have to deal with this, knowing it was probably a dirtbag neighbor.

.
Edit: Maybe try a couple of these cheap driveway alarms, when they hear them going off when they enter your cabin they won't know if it's connected to another remote somewhere else.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

I use them on my trailer/motorcycle/camper/etc. when staying at a motel because it has a 400-foot range and around the campsite when camping remote.

 

[OldTengu]

Unfortunately, robberies like this are increasing in rural areas simply because most people in those areas work for a living and aren't there for a minimum of 8 hours a day, giving a thief plenty of time to skedaddle.

Once, my stepdad was at home solo (before he passed) and someone was trying to get into the house. My dog, Heidi (a pit/Akita who has also passed), got let out and tore the kid up until the sheriff and the kids dad (a well known gorge area realtor at the time) got there. Takes all kinds, but the point of it is that passive protection (cameras, alarms) anywhere is losing its effect and more frequently you have to have bodies on site to keep things secure.

 

[arakboss]

I would make "upon arrest" rather on conviction, because cops may not have enough evidence against all the perps, and only get one of them.

I have always engraved my driver's license number into anything of value, tools, etc.
I roll up a piece of paper (usually Tyvek) that has my personal info on it and hide it somewhere on things of value.
In handlebars on bikes/motorcycles/lawn equipment, in air filter housings on anything that has one, inside a tool-inside a toolbox (like rolled up inside a socket, etc.)
You can get those return address labels printed with any kind of info on them for cheap and stick them inside/on the bottom of anything.
If you find something in a pawn shop, you can look where you put the note, but have a pawnshop employee there to verify it wasn't just planted there, better yet have a cop standing there.
No one I know catalogs serial numbers but keeping receipts that have serial numbers (written) on them is something you can do as you buy replacements going forward.
That idea of a high mounted game camera with a sim card is a good idea too.

Sorry you have to deal with this, knowing it was probably a dirtbag neighbor.

.
Edit: Maybe try a couple of these cheap driveway alarms, when they hear them going off when they enter your cabin they won't know if it's connected to another remote somewhere else.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

I use them on my trailer/motorcycle/camper/etc. when staying at a motel because it has a 400-foot range and around the campsite when camping remote.

I would pay out for a conviction of even one perp but arrest is too low of a bar. My main motivation for offering the reward would be to get people interested in the case and to lookout for the stolen items. Dirtbags have dirtbag friends and it wouldn't surprise me if a "friend" gave up info on perp(s) if they thought there was an opportunity to "get rich".

I like your ideas on marking items.

I will also look into the driveway alarm idea.

 

[arakboss]

Unfortunately, robberies like this are increasing in rural areas simply because most people in those areas work for a living and aren't there for a minimum of 8 hours a day, giving a thief plenty of time to skedaddle.

Once, my stepdad was at home solo (before he passed) and someone was trying to get into the house. My dog, Heidi (a pit/Akita who has also passed), got let out and tore the kid up until the sheriff and the kids dad (a well known gorge area realtor at the time) got there. Takes all kinds, but the point of it is that passive protection (cameras, alarms) anywhere is losing its effect and more frequently you have to have bodies on site to keep things secure.

With the remoteness of my place, I agree that only bodies on site will prevent determined perps from breaking in. The person or persons that went into my place Sunday night were definitely determined.

 

[oremike]

You said that before you have people on camera checking your door locks before this break in. Recognize any of them? If so you might want to politely talk to them about the posable link between being seen and the break in. People that are up to no good don't like to be seen so you can play on their paranoia. Alternatively if of on camera peeps are having a garage you can very closely examine anything sort of like what you've lost.

 

[OldTengu]

With the remoteness of my place, I agree that only bodies on site will prevent determined perps from breaking in. The person or persons that went into my place Sunday night were definitely determined.

I have 12 buildings downtown that I manage and I can't keep people out of those even with security stopping by and doing patrols every 4 hours. And those turds are just trying to find a place to get high.
If you have stuff people want, have people close to it.
I'm sorry for your investments.