vehicle tampering while afield

[traveler]

I've left vehilces in remote, and not so remote, locations hundreds of times, as have most of us I'm sure. And most of the time it's not a problem. We do the old "keys under the tire, or bumper, or where ever more often then not. BUT...there have been times. Had a lock screwed up by what was probaby a screwdriver while parked down in the holiday inn parking lot in Racine (big surprise, right?) Lost a spare and a battery a few years back at a landing down by Brainerd (cut the battery cables rather then useing a wrench, thanks jerks). But the all time winner was about 15 years ago at a remote landing on the Mississippi down by camp ripley. We landed the canoe and headed upriver, passing a group of innertubers floating down. Tubers were unusual for that stretch of river as it's kind of wide and flat there, but we didn't think anything of it. A few hours later we float back down, and as we round the bend we see the back end of my car sticking up in the air, the whole front end submerged! Kind of surreal, we just floated up to it and stared at it for a minute. When we got on shore the bare footprints in the sand told the story. Unlocked car, stick, drunken innertubers. Unhappy campers we were, got to walk 2 miles home. We called the sherriff and filled him in, all the good that was likely to do. That evening we get a call from the DNR telling us we better have it out of there in the morning or they'd be fining us! Talk about insult to injury. We broke a come along the next morning trying to get it out, had to call a tow truck to winch it out of the mud. We did catch some walleyes though...

[Deitz Dittrich]

I am a school teacher in the Chisago Lakes School Dist. And had put my boat in at South Center Boat access. Very near my house... Anyway, I had landed my boat, under the watchfull eye of some former students of mine. Only to return and find all the lugnuts gone from one trailor tire.

[Guest]

Sounds like you forgot to do one thing before you left your vehicle... to put the open box in the front seat that is plainly labeled "CAUTION - LIVE TEXAS RATTLE SHAKES".

Yep, It is a shame that we can not leave autos and boats un attended. Survelance and alarm equipment should be standard on vehicles that cost $20,000.00 and up.

I wanted a Hummer... realllllly bad.

I opted out for a 2003 GMC Savana Van custom Explorer which cost about the same money. I spent about $46,000.00.
I could not think of leaving a Hummer parked in some access for vandals to "tamper" with... I kept seeing that image in my mind. I would not be able to leave it.

I think I can leave my van....

I have rigged it with several devices to deter tampering, vandalism, and theft.
I have a remote fuel cut off that disables fuel when I park it.
I have an alarm that has a power horn under the hood... sounds like a civil defence siren. It is very loud and very anoying. I have a motion detector that sets that off if so much as a bug lands on the windshield. Thunder will set it off!
I have a digital infrared camera built into the rear view mirrow, that will snap photos of an intruder... as soon as they sit in the driver seat. It is hooked up to wireless internet. It calls and sends images to my cell phone.
I have a special oil on the door handles and the steering wheel that shows up under certain lights... that can help identify anyone who has entered the vehicle. This stuff is clear, permanent, and lasts for weeks.
The VCR-DVD flat TV is rigged to "blow" if tampered with. It would be nasty!
I have posioned coated coins in my ash tray.
I installed a steering wheel lock that is charged with 2,000 volts and will knock you on your arse if not switched off before you take the gear shift in hand!
I also hire a watchman to accompany me and sit in the distance, watching my van... he has a cell phone and is a 7th degree black belt in Ti-Chee-Schawn.
And... I have licked the steering wheel all the way round!
I hope I am covered!

Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

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Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[Fisher Dave]

I had the battery stolen from my truck at Parley a few years back .. the only other guy on the lake was rowing back to the access (I was duck hunting) on a calm day when his trolling motor died.. My jumper cables were stretched out in front of my truck and my hood was unlatched when I returned to the access. It was obvious he tried to jump his battery off mine and it didnt work out .. he took my battery.

At a Wildlife Management Area just north of Shakopee about 10 years ago someone smashed out my window to take an aftermarket Tachometer off my dash.

Where Minnehaha Creek goes into the Mississippi (where you park at top of hill) I lost a window to idiots that had to have my CB radio and 50 cents in pennies (not rolled) out of the snack tray.

These days I do not lock my vehicle anymore .. if people want in they will get in regardless .. this way I dont have to replace windows and deal with broken glass in the cab.

Dont leave anything of value in your vehicle..

[IFallsRon]

We fished on some remote lakes on the NW corner of Rainy Lake. We'd drive west of Fort Francis to Lake Despair and park at a fairly busy landing that was in full view of a resort store and many other year-round homes. We got pretty used to checking the trailer lugs after finding them all loosened following one trip.

[Granny]

We were doing some crappie fishing on a little lake up north and as we were walking back to the truck a guy leaving backed into my friends truck. We could hear the two trucks hit. We ran up to the landing and this truck just kept on driving away as a guy in the back looked at us. We packed up our stuff and were heading back on the trail when we found the other truck that these guys had drove out there. It must have broke down or something. We searched the whole truck and got some info on the owner. We left them a little note reminding them that a hit and run is a felony and we would be contacting the authorities if we did not hear from them soon. My buddy got a call later that day and the guy said he was sorry and he would pay for any damages.

[dfv87]

I guess I shouldn't even complain about door dings at the landing...LOL at the Van from He!!... Sorry to hear about so much dump happening to everybody. Do me a favor and watch out for my stuff at the landing and I will keep an eye out for you all also!

[Guest]

This June while Pre-fishing for a tourney on the Whitefish Chain, we saw something that was quite disturbing. Toad and I pulled into the access to find a fairly new auto with every window smashed and every pannel dented beyond repair. The jerks who did this used a stolen bucket of golf balls and apparentlty tee-d off into this car.
Later I talked to the poor woman whos car it was. She had been camping on one of the islands. Tough way to end a trip.
Later that evening, Toad and I returned to do some more fishing. While at the access, a car load of young kids drove up and started to look into the water where most of the balls ended up. Seeing that this seemed more susspicious than normal, I jotted down their lic. #. They even had the gaul to ask us where we were going to fish and how long we were going to be out...hmmmmmmm.
Anyway, nothing happened to us, but if it had, we had a good idea of who did it.

[can it be luck?]

Catch'n, are you really who you say you are? Agent 007 or Batman maybe, with all those high-tech gadgets. If you whistle, does your vehicle come? Poison coated coins, cool. I'm mkeing some right now. I'm useing the poison that soaks through your skin. Ooops!! Spilled it on my hands! I'll let...............heeeeeeeelp, is that you Grandma? My eyes are getting blurry. I think I'll lay down for a while, real tired....

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http://groups.msn.com/canitbeluck

[Northlander]

Had my spare cut out from under my truck. Sad part was I think I went all the way to Canada and back before I realized it. Could have been gone for who knows how long. Good thing I didnt need it. Sounds like this happens a lot on the newer fords, cut the cable and run out with the new spare. Have you checked your spares layely?

[shadrapla]

we were camp at one campground (north of kenora onatrio) someone broke camper and stole all foods (which we bring foods for 2 week) on 2nd day of vacation so we have to drive one hour to store and buys foods

[Granny]

Northlander,
Thanks for the info, if I need a spare I know where to get one real easy j/k. Did you find a new boat yet? Paul said we still need a couple guys for b-ball??????

Later, Granny

[united jigsticker]

Shad sounds like you were at Wilsons.

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[IFallsRon]

Speaking of spares, the prank last fall in the St. Cloud area was to steal the spare off the back of mini-SUVs and one of the tires off the vehicle. This happened on a friend's Honda in his driveway. It took a couple weeks to get replacement wheels.

[chunkytrout]

A little trick I learned from a friend. On the back chasis of your $450 stereo, simply solder on a few trebles. OOCH!!! Broke his window but they didn't get the stereo.

A little blood on the carpet though

[Guest]

Post a sign on your dash when you leave your rig.

"I have rifle with a scope, I can see my rig"

Print this on a target silhouette with a few rounds in the center.

That will cause them to think twice.....Yup.

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 10-10-2003).]

[City_Slicker]

Me and my buddy were going down to the pier at Big Birch and we left a couple rods in the back of the truck and a old timer stopped us and told us we better put our rods in the truck cause kids just drive up and snatch stuff. Sure enough there were kids driving up all day looking around for stuff to snatch.

[toenail]

traveler,
that Racine is a bad place for Mn
fisherman. I had a bad experience
there. I got down there on a Saturday.
My friends had been there since Thurs.
They went home on Sunday and I stayed
until Tuesday. confused yet ?? anyway
I didn't wanna pay motel for 2 nights
alone so I stayed in my PU topper back
in the Holiday parking lot. It was a
25 degree night all wraped in my mummy
bag, someone broke into the back of
my truck when I was sleepin in it.
He scared the dump outta me, but I
think he was quite shocked himself.
It seems like the crooks feed on the
Mn fisherman. 3/4 of the parking
lot has Mn plates. And they were just
druling when this hick from Duluth
got there. I've heard many bad stories,
downstream in the park mostly. But if
you hit it right on that river you can
have a dynamite trip. Remember to park
nearest the front you can, don't leave
any gear visibly out in the open, and
lock your vehicle.
later,
tony

[traveler]

Tony, I drive a full size van and have spent a few nights "camping" in the area of the root. Good advice, although luckily I have not been bothered. The fishing keeps bringing me back! I usually head down by the breakwall If I'm spending the night. Some casting, and then that area is well lit and well patroled all night. Guess they don't want the hoodlums messing with the boats. And the bonus is the kings (if they're around) tend to be in good shape if you can hook em' down there.