Trail Cam Thiefs...

[Vikings_59]

Hey Guys,

I had my Cuddeback trail camera stolen by a tresspasser on Dec. 10th.

At 5:30 pm, I saw a flashlight going through my woods. Thinking he was muzzleloader hunter tracking a deer, I drove out to the woods, and was going to offer my help, and spot light to help him track the deer. As I drove out to the woods, the tress passer quickly got into his truck and shut the door. I pulled up next to him and asked if he shot a deer, and he nervously said "nope, im just walking back from my deer stand" I asked him what woods he was hunting, which he said he was hunting my neighbors woods. Early the next morning, I drove out in the dark on my 4-wheeler to check my cam to see if he walked in the path of my camera and sure enough it was gone. My camera was on the tree the day before at 2:30 pm and gone the next morning after he walked through the woods. I filled out a police report, gave them the make of the vehicle etc. The case ended up going to a detective who ID'd the guy who was in my woods. Unfortunately he did not go to the guys house, he only called him on the phone to question him. The guy admitted he was in the woods hunting and was just walking through the woods late because he lost track of time when he was hunting (sunset that day was 4:31) I talked to the guy at 5:45. Unfortunately, because I did not physically see the camera in his posession, I cannot pursue further charges, I can only watch a-sales-site and the police can run the serial numbers in a database to see if the guy pawns it.

Does anyone have a specific product or technique they use to "protect" their cams from thieves? I am thinking of buying a camera that sends images directly to my computer automatically and putting it in some sort of lock box. Anyone have something they use that works great? Heck, I would even be willing to set up a giant bear trap to snatch the SOG...

Also, heres some advice, make sure to write down your serial number from your Camera, and save all your receipts.

Thanks guys,

[critterman]

had mine stolen too now i chain and lock them to tree. if they want it bad enough they will still take it but hopefully it will deter them.

[hockeybc69]

Mount it high up in a tree angled down.

[Musky Buck]

Lovely, boy do some people love to steal. In the towns I live in if the thieves would stay away from copper tubing,pipes, etc. our new high school could get finished sooner and the McDonald's could've opened on time not to mention the icehouse break-ins, my neighbors getting robbed, guy down the road dogs were taken out of kennels etc. It's hard not to lose faith in people when you get daily reminders not to have faith and trust like you once could. Another neighbor the day of his dad's funeral, funeral out of town, guess what you bet stole every gun he and his father had. Hard to get any lower than that. With your trailcams, good luck and definitely set them higher up if you feel there's a 1% risk of it being heisted. It's just another thing that has some value so they take it and have 0 conscience.

[nofishfisherman]

I think the best you can do is get it set up high up in a tree so that its harder to see and hard to get at. It might also be advantageous to do so from a deer stand point (debatable I guess).

Then lock it to the tree as best you can.

And then buy the type that automatically sends you the pictures. That way if someone does see it, and does climb up to get it, and does find a away to unlock it, then you have evidence of exactly who is to blame.

You might even want to leave a little sign on it saying that the photos are automatically emailed to you so that the theif knows that he's being caught red handed. Assuming he can read he might think twice about following through with the theft knowing you have the photos already.

[InTheNorthwoods]

Try and pursue criminal trespassing charges, it sounds like he admitted being on your property unlawfully (or, if you are really upset, you could pursue suing him for civil trespass in small claims court for the value of the camera and any other damage he may have caused).

As for the Cuddeback, take comfort in knowing it will probably not function correctly for the thief...

[muskiemanAD]

We had 2 cams stole 2 or so years ago. We were almost positive it was the neighbor that lives out there. Well he liked to walk our maintrail out to the back field. We bought a cheap camera and straped it to a tree with multiple straps. Then hid a good IR camera and faced it to the cheap camera. Well we went back a month later and the camera was gone, looked at the pictures on the hidden one and found in fact it was our neighbor. Went to his door with phone in hand and asked for all the cameras back or we would call Sheriff after denying it for awhile he finally gave them to us. Its been a pain to deal with him since but you stole from us!!

[TonkaBass]

Muskieman! Thats awesome! Way to get him redhanded! Now you know how he is...

[paul pachowicz]

Too bad there isn't a way to rig those things so they blow up when the culprits open them.

[huntnfish]

I had one stolen this year after being in the woods 1 day. It was a cheap camera but it still really ticked me off. The day I put it up I told a buddy that its not doing any good sitting in my garage. I am almost positive who took it but after talking to some law enforcement friends they said the only way to prove it is for him to admit it and we all know that's not going to happen. I mentioned it to the land owner and he said he meant to tell me to make sure my stuff is locked up. He's had 4 cameras and 3 ladder stands stolen in the last 5 years. I'm tempted to drop the cash on one that will send me the pics just to catch the SOB. After talking to some people, it sounds like this guy is no stranger to the cops.