# What have you had stolen from you a job site?



## ram360 (Jan 16, 2013)

Weird thread I know. Recent events have lead me to wonder. I left my 18' utility trailer at a job for two days while I was out of town. I use it to haul debris. Parked in the drive, house was vacant and return to find it missing. Trailer had a lock on it. Obviously prob should not have left it but it wasn't a bad area. Just curious to see if someone else had some bad luck with stuff walking off. Cops took a report but they are worthless. :whistling


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## redwood (Dec 5, 2007)

Your lucky, I had a enclosed job trailer stolen with 30 K of tools in it. I had a hitch lock and the wheels were chained together.

Yes, the cops were worthless. The trailer was recovered empty a month later in a commercial area. Not found by the police, but by a tenent that looked in it and found a set of plans that we had done. It had sat their for a month. Someone had spray painted over our logos. I called the police, thinking that they would at least check for fingerprints, but they didn't even get out of their car. Case closed, they said.

Trailer today after I took goof off to the spray paint.


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

It seems to me that regardless of what security you put on your trailer, if someone really wants it, they'll find a way to take it. Sorry to hear about that.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

If you can name it, it's been stolen! Full bunks of wood, extension cords, tools at lunch saw while I was in the back of house The other day I was up on top of a school with the access through a locked room and up access ladder. I still rolled up all the 10g. extension cords and hoses Here I got a pic of the neighbors house. You will note the Pink Hurst:blink: the little house in the back with the roof with a few more years on it:laughing: and the junk yard:laughing:


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## redwood (Dec 5, 2007)

On another occaision, maybe 15 years ago, we were remodeling a Round Table pizza and we had radial arm saw (remember those), chained to a steel column. Someone drove through the glass entry doors and took the saw.

If they want it, and no ones watching, they can get it.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Nothing.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

To much to list. Finally got the last of my stuff replaced from when our job site was broken into


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I have had a few things taken. The lowest was when someone tromped through thick mud to take a 10ga lead cord. I remember saying "Nobody is gonna walk through all that mud to take our cord"

We generally don't do much work in bad neighborhoods, and when we do we certainly don't leave any equipment or materials unsecured. Both times that our gang box was hacked, it was in million dollar areas. Pretty much just leave cords, hoses and nails in the boxes.


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## Roofcheck (Dec 27, 2011)

Ever consider taking the detachable emergency brake plug in (for lack of better word). Locks the axles up tight. 

Back in my new construction roofing days an open trailer apparently thought to be a community trailer. Boys, meet Rex, my 140lb Rotty. He was a baby unless tied to that trailer or riding in the his truck. RIP big boy.


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## Builder Butch (Jan 30, 2012)

I had a 16' trailer stolen 10 years ago but it was insured. I've had 3 latters lifted right out of the bed of my truck on 3 different occations while parked at the home depot. wildest was when ding some framing and I had a 150' of cord pulled froma temp pole. I layed the saw down for a second and went back to make another cut when I seen a guy 100' away pulling my saw by the cord. I gave chase but he was fast. If I would have caught that punk! well lets just say I'm glas I did'nt. lol


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

Working in Detroit in a building taking lunch. Guy walks in asks if we are hiring. Boss said no and as he walked out his buddies ran in , grabbed a bunch of tools and ran out.

Another time in Detroit again we were parked in a closed parking lot. Hauling tools out to the van. Locking the van on every trip in and out. Next trip out the window ws busted and the van cleaned out of every power tool. Nobody seen anything.

Redwood I understand your pain about the po po being useless. I had a witness, names and address of who broke into my shed and where the tools were. Police said by the time they get there the tools would be gone. They didnt even write up a police report on it. Said to call the insurance co. 

They will pull you over for doing 5 mph over the speed limit, but to acually go out and catch thieves, drug dealers, or gang members requires to much effort for them.


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## Unger.const (Jun 3, 2012)

Just a thought has anyone used the dewalt remote alarm system ? It has a gps system to tell you where it is and can keep you informed of motion sensing as well as things like humidity levels I'm pretty impressed with the literature. Was wondering if anyone has used it?


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## Workaholic (Feb 3, 2007)

Biggest thing I have lost was a 190 spray rig when I was starting. In the long run it was a minor loss that taught me not to leave crap on a jobsite.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Unger.const said:


> Just a thought has anyone used the dewalt remote alarm system ? It has a gps system to tell you where it is and can keep you informed of motion sensing as well as things like humidity levels I'm pretty impressed with the literature. Was wondering if anyone has used it?


Yep I run it. Have done for the last few years and I wouldnt do without it now for the minimal costs a month. Attach it to a tool you know will be one they will take if they do break in. That way if they leave the trailer and take the tools then it's with the tools. Set the alarm to silent for all settings and set sensitivity to as high as possible. As soon as that thing moves it will send you a message which tells you it's moved. You can then request a locate by sending a text to the alarm saying locate."the alarm name" and it will send you an exact address or you can bring up bing maps thought the web page and track it on the maps.


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## joethepainter (Dec 1, 2012)

In 11 years, nothing yet.


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## wazez (Oct 25, 2008)

4 sets of scaffold and some screw jacks.......:sad:


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## ESSaustin (Mar 27, 2010)

I own six 5x2x2 Greenlee strong boxes, left over from when I used to GC. I welded about 4' of chain to each to lock ladders to. I remember several mornings showing up to jobsites to find the doors kicked in, and those boxes have saved me. 
Just before the market collapsed, I was really considering purchasing a 20' connex sea container for tool storage. I can pick one up for about $1200, and a flatbed rollback wrecker (Jerrdan) can transport them. Still thinking about getting one for tool storage on demo jobs.


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## BCULP2 (May 31, 2006)

The strangest things I've had stolen from a job site was sod that already laid and a porta potty.


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## Sabagley (Dec 31, 2012)

On the last job we had six boxes of nails stolen. 
The lumber package was dropped late afternoon, the nails were gone in the morning. 

And an already planted decorative pine tree.


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## Sabagley (Dec 31, 2012)

BCULP2 said:


> The strangest things I've had stolen from a job site was sod that already laid and a porta potty.


Porta potty????? They must have been adding a master bathroom.


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## BCULP2 (May 31, 2006)

Sabagley said:


> Porta potty????? They must have been adding a master bathroom.



Yeah, it was found a few weeks later a couple miles away. Someone literally stole crap from our job. :laughing:


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## donerightwyo (Oct 10, 2011)

This is a story one of our guys told, so it may not be true.:laughing:

They were shingling a high roof when all of a sudden there was no air to the guns. One of the guys walks over to the ladder that had been laid on the ground and helplessly watched two kids pack there compressor down the street.


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

One time, while working for Habitat for Humanity, we had rented one of those Pods. The moving/storage container things.

In there, we kept the volunteer boots/PPE (if volunteers didn't have their own), plans, snacks for volunteers (halloween sized chips/candy bars, granola bars, fruit), the coffee/coffee maker, bottles of water, and other miscellaneous stuff. No tools. It had two pad locks on it. We came in one day to find the door kicked in, and all the chips/candy bars missing. We were guessing kids, as there was a bunch of new boots in there that could of caught decent cash at the pawn shop but they were still there. Kids only wanted the snacks.

Little  ....


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

we were hungry:sad:and stoned:thumbup:


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

a brake on a sweet old style tapco stand,that thing was all over the state and was robbed a mile from my house


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

Never had anything other than a dust mop, broom and dustpan. Was in an occupied house 1/2 mile off a rural dirt road. Customer had no idea where it had gone.... Since then we leave almost nothing on any job overnight.


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## Alska101 (Dec 31, 2008)

My guys steal time every day...lol


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## Alska101 (Dec 31, 2008)

I had a hammer stolen buy my father in law or should I say out law.. i and that hammer was with me from day one in construction.. 16 years I had it and still can't get the same fell with a new one......


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I've been pretty lucky. I've had bunches of small hand tools go walking from my bags, but just as many move in. :whistling. One of those weird balance of nature things I suppose. :whistling

We did have a saw and other gear go missing while we were working 20 feet and one foot around the corner of the building from our trailer. Nice vacation home site. We even saw the guy walking away with it, but knew him and thought he was carrying his own tools. Never saw him again. 

As for the worst was when I had my tool box on the job and it somehow never made it to my truck, after I put it in there. :blink: I had a large crew and nobody knew anything. It had my Granddaddy's tools and my tool kit from the service in it. :sad: I had traveled and lived with and ran that crew for two years and was heading home to work in the shop. I didn't have much to do with them after that. Jackwads.


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## Carpenter eyes (Jan 10, 2012)

Sliding miter saw, stand and ridgid compressor in philly. 

Knocked out the window on the back door, unlocked door and walked right out the front of the place.

Cops were useless


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

I lost a real nice generator a few years ago, it was nearly new when grew feet and walked away.

A bricklayer I spoke with last week said his crew is working on a site, cutting some openings with a Stihl 14" cut off saw, the guy set it on the scaffold, took a couple steps from it and a crook picked it up, pulled out a knife and said to the bricklayer, "Do you need this?"

The boss bought a replacement saw, next day, same thing only this time the guy (a different crook), supposedly pulled a gun!


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

tgeb said:


> I lost a real nice generator a few years ago, it was nearly new when grew feet and walked away.
> 
> A bricklayer I spoke with last week said his crew is working on a site, cutting some openings with a Stihl 14" cut off saw, the guy set it on the scaffold, took a couple steps from it and a crook picked it up, pulled out a knife and said to the bricklayer, "Do you need this?"
> 
> The boss bought a replacement saw, next day, same thing only this time the guy (a different crook), supposedly pulled a gun!


It would be a different story if the crew was armed. Any time I go to a crappy area, or out in the middle of nowhere I'm packing. If I had a gun that is.


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

My buddy and I were laying out an apartment complex in northern California about ten years ago. We could snap and plate and detail a fresh top in two days, and there was a framing crew right behind us who could frame it up in two days. They would really get to breathing down our necks if it rained and we couldn't snap lines, since they were sleeping in the half-finished buildings and working all day no matter the weather. 

One morning we walked over to talk to the superintendent about something and my buddy took his belt off and left it behind. He didn't think anything of it because we only really carried a couple of things. We didn't even pull a saw out of the truck until we were spreading plate, and I know the most expensive tool I carried was my tape measure. But my buddy had bought a Stiletto a couple weeks earlier and gotten careless with it for the first time. Sure enough, when we came back it was gone.

He started screaming over at the framers. Something along the lines of, "Listen up you [email protected]$#%s, my new hammer just went missing. Now we're going to go to lunch and if it's not here when we get back, we're going home. By this time tomorrow you #[email protected]$%$%s will be out of work." I asked him why he was bothering, because most of those guys didn't even speak English. He said, "They understand enough." So he left his bags right where they were, we went to the Chinese joint down the road, and when we got back his hammer was laying right on top.


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## Ninjaframer (May 28, 2011)

We were walkin out of the gas station one time and saw some Latino fellas pullin out with a drink on the roof of there truck- started yelling at em to get there attention, one jumped out with one of our nail guns and ran over and threw it in the back of our truck.


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## SixHoeBob (Jan 26, 2013)

BCULP2 said:


> The strangest things I've had stolen from a job site was sod that already laid and a porta potty.


I stole a ****ter from the Turd Burglar, (One of my part time employers) for use at our party shack out in the boonies. The thinking was our women should have some of the modern amenities. The crack whores would pee outside along side of it. They said that the seat was too cold. By the end of the winter there were only five lonely floaters in a sea of blue liquid. I returned it to the Turd Burglars line up, floaters and all.


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## A1PW (Mar 19, 2013)

When I first started my pressure washing business I had everything mounted in the bed of my 04 nissan frontier. I went fishing at my local pier (get some advertising time in while I fish) and was having a good fishing trip. 

When I was leaving I could see my tool box was wide open as walking up to my truck. They took evey tool in the tool box (no power tools just misc hand tools and what not in milk crates and tool boxes), hoses from reels, gas cans, and the gas cap to my washer (they were prolly mad they couldnt get the washer unmounted from the truck)

After over 2 hours of dealing with the cops the verdict was to contact my insurance company. Live and learn


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## 11678 (Jan 11, 2007)

Borrowed buddy's 24 foot ext ladder many years ago for factory job. Finished job, put ladder on racks and went in for check. Came out ladder gone ! Passerby says guy walking down street with ladder went that-a-way. Had owner call cops, followed guy, who had now dumped ladder behind a store, down street. He was so busy watching me follow him,he walked right into fender of police car that stopped to cut him off from crossing street.:clap:


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

11678 said:


> Borrowed buddy's 24 foot ext ladder many years ago for factory job. Finished job, put ladder on racks and went in for check. Came out ladder gone ! Passerby says guy walking down street with ladder went that-a-way. Had owner call cops, followed guy, who had now dumped ladder behind a store, down street. He was so busy watching me follow him,he walked right into fender of police car that stopped to cut him off from crossing street.:clap:


Nice, I use snowboard locks to lock ladders to the rack, it will atleast slow them down.


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## renov8r (Feb 16, 2013)

I've had various tools stolen from me over the years. 

First time it happened I was flipping this house on the side. Nothing major to the outside, just inside was almost a complete gut. It was a backsplit. So I had the main level, second level and the 3 step down den complete. All that was needed was to finish off the basement. Customer was doing thanksgiving dinner at the house. After working a long week (12am nights) and doing proper clean up of the basement I was exhausted. I knew the people for years, to my family they are friends but they are related to one of my uncles. So I decided to leave some tools over night thinking what could happen, well I come back 2 days later and my 14.4 DeWalt cordless and 10" Delta mitre saw gone. Sad to say it was my mistake, leaving it there, but its even more sad because I know the people who were going to be there for dinner so I know who it was. 

I had my uncle steal some tools from me while I was flipping his place. Says I took his tools. Not sure what hand tools of his I took because he didn't have any. All the tools that were used were mine and his boyfriend tools. I did all the major things and they did the DIY basics. Slowly while working there some of my stuff went missing. 

Most recently, I've been working on a store remodel. Installing suspended signage, panting, demolishing and erecting new aisles, basic repairs, painting, etc... I've had 2 cordless drills and 2 harnesses taken from me while working there. 20V Max DeWalt and 12V Ryobi drill and impact combo kit that I would use for small assembly jobs.


The lesson I've learned over the years is don't leave anything expensive laying around. I take all my power tools with me and the most I will leave is like a hammer or screwdriver and the ones I will leave are usually the lifetime warranty stuff I've purchased which was bought on sale usually around the 50-75 % mark so it easy replace if it goes missing.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Windows, doors, cabinets, carpet.....

All after they were installed....:jester:

oh ya and tools also.....:whistling

It is my understanding that there was some good old fashioned street justice dispensed after some of the items were recovered..:whistling:thumbsup:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

My fricking lunch. When I was working on the tracks I looked down the street at the house I started on and there he was eating my sandwich. Big ole black lab, I caught him red pawed. His master did buy me lunch so it wasn't too bad. That was back in the day I was young and thought the biscuit ***** (lunch truck) sold good food.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> My fricking lunch. When I was working on the tracks I looked down the street at the house I started on and there he was eating my sandwich. Big ole black lab, I caught him red pawed. His master did buy me lunch so it wasn't too bad. That was back in the day I was young and thought the biscuit ***** (lunch truck) sold good food.


When the DWBs were working out on the west side we'd buy our break off the roach coach in the morning. It was like this " Hey Red where did you but our break:blink: under the stairs, look at that dog he got our break" As the little mut that was homeless and hanging around the track for years trotted off with our break bag in his mouth:laughing:.


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

steex said:


> He started screaming over at the framers. Something along the lines of, "Listen up you [email protected]$#%s, my new hammer just went missing. Now we're going to go to lunch and if it's not here when we get back, we're going home. By this time tomorrow you #[email protected]$%$%s will be out of work." I asked him why he was bothering, because most of those guys didn't even speak English. He said, "They understand enough."


Yeah, it's funny how they understand English when they want to. 

I was working with a company that used temporary immigrant labor and sometimes they would borrow something from me like a ladder or a drill. Then they would disappear for 20 to 30 minutes and come back empty handed with amnesia or they would start mumbling in Spanish as if they didn't understand what I was talking about. 

Long story short, they figured out how to get their "borrowed" stuff back to me without incident.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

tedanderson said:


> Yeah, it's funny how they understand English when they want to.
> 
> I was working with a company that used temporary immigrant labor and sometimes they would borrow something from me like a ladder or a drill. Then they would disappear for 20 to 30 minutes and come back empty handed with amnesia or they would start mumbling in Spanish as if they didn't understand what I was talking about.
> 
> Long story short, they figured out how to get their "borrowed" stuff back to me without incident.


Yea, I once came back from the lumberyard and walked up on a worker by surprise, that was not suppose to speak English. That SOB was singing a song by Uncle Cracker. This is what I heard him sing: 

Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away


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## Unger.const (Jun 3, 2012)

tedanderson said:


> Long story short, they figured out how to get their "borrowed" stuff back to me without incident.


Waiting with baited breath for the longer version of how the law was laid?


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

thats not an uncle cracker song bro


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## chewy (May 23, 2010)

I've had my cable rods nicked from inside one of our panels, that was over a days wages gone just like that. Now every tool I have gets packed up and taken home everyday and when I take smoko and lunch my veto gets padlocked closed and I take my rig with me. Its a lowlife scumbag that steals a mans ability to earn money away from him.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

VinylHanger said:


> It would be a different story if the crew was armed. Any time I go to a crappy area, or out in the middle of nowhere I'm packing. If I had a gun that is.


These guys were working in SE Washington, DC. :blink:

They would probably get more jail time for having a firearm than if they beat the crap out of the thief with brick.

Maryland is not much better, If you have a gun in your vehicle it better be, 
1. unloaded
2. locked
3. on the way to or from: the gun shop, shooting range, or hunting trip.


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

griz said:


> Windows, doors, cabinets, carpet.....
> 
> All after they were installed....:jester:/QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

steex said:


> thats not an uncle cracker song bro


No it wasn't originally, but it was what was on the radio when he was singing it


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Uncle kracker, the song and singer he was singing to in my post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8itvQSruCE&sns=em


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> Uncle kracker, the song and singer he was singing to in my post
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:clap:








...


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> :clap:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I figured you would jump in here DWB. Did someone mention music?


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

I brought the band out:laughing:


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## Mavis Leonard (Mar 13, 2013)

nothing


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## Dmitry (Aug 23, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> Yea, I once came back from the lumberyard and walked up on a worker by surprise, that was not suppose to speak English. That SOB was singing a song by Uncle Cracker. This is what I heard him sing:
> 
> Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
> I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
> ...


I guess even some birds can speak English too.


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## trowlan1 (Feb 6, 2013)

Californiadecks said:


> Uncle kracker, the song and singer he was singing to in my post
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8itvQSruCE&sns=em


Just saying.....


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## JDavis21835 (Feb 27, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Yea, I once came back from the lumberyard and walked up on a worker by surprise, that was not suppose to speak English. That SOB was singing a song by Uncle Cracker. This is what I heard him sing:


Pretty quick and simple way to get most guys to habla, No habla inglish, no pay check.


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

Youngin' said:


> It seems to me that regardless of what security you put on your trailer, if someone really wants it, they'll find a way to take it. Sorry to hear about that.


Yep, locks are made to keep honest people honest.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

I had a real nice k2 mountain bike taken out of the back of my truck at the jobsite, way up in the woods, where no one but people on the job would have seen it. The same day, my boss had a bigfoot 10 1/4" wormdrive stolen, and it just so happens that a guy came up to collect his last check before heading off for California, so I'm pretty sure I know who took both items. I filed a police report, but that would only help if he tried to pawn it in Montana. 

On another job in Cody WY, we had a bad blizzard blow in, and did a very quick (and not very thorough) roll up and got out of there. The next day, we found several goldschlager sample bottles all over the jobsite, and one of my 100' air hoses was missing. There were a couple tools left out in our haste to get out of there, including a framing nailer, but the airhose was the only thing we could determine was missing.


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## tyb525 (Feb 26, 2013)

Got my lunch stole by a dog too. I looked the other way for a minute, he grabbed it off the table.

One job I was there by myself, putting down new flooring in a kitchen. I wheeled the fridge just out the door onto the porch.

I went to grab lunch, came back and it was gone! The fridge wasn't visible from the road either. Guess who bought a new one, the police were of no help.


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