Theft of mining equipment.

[Bejay]

A pair of my mining buddies/ and a claim partner(s) have had their mining equipment and camp trailers stolen right off the claims. Both were occupying different claims but set up within 1000 yds of each other. Anyway, long story short: Using/utilizing trail cams the identity was determined and a pair of culprits were caught. Most of the equipment had been sold but one of the camp trailers was still pretty much intact. (they would strip them down and part them out). After about 5 months a Federal prosecutor called my friend/partner and said they were throwing the book at the pair. It happened on managed Federal Lands and they were Federal Mining claims and the amount added up to Grand Theft. The prosecutor told my buddy that each could get up to 50 years in the big house. After further investigations the prosecutor stated he felt there was a ring of thieves and that the two who were caught were just the tip of the problem.


It is nice to hear that a Federal Prosecutor has/shows no mercy for the thieves. Of the two culprits one is pretty much penniless but the other has a house and property...which he says he feels can be attached to retribution. A Federal Crime was committed. It is nice to know someone has the miners backs. Now it is a wait and see what finally happens.


So Clay...you know the mining partner:....Jack.

There was also a such a pair of culprits in the Rich Hill Az area and it would be nice to clue those two guys in on the consequences of mining equip theft......just saying!


Bejay

 

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[rodoconnor]

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[Bejay]

Our District attorney was seeking more tax funds and our county jail could not afford to house criminals so the DA went on the radio stations and announced they would not seek criminal punishment for theft. Needless to say that made things a lot worse.


It is nice to see that my buddies are going to get some satisfaction. If theft criminals get no punishment we are left to deal with the situation as best we can. I won't get into all the possibilities but deterrence seems to be the best resolve. Cameras and noise systems work wonders.



Bejay

 

[mendoAu]

Yes, I know this is the internet and I rarely put my butt on the line (cough, cough) but just remember the Iowa farmer many years ago that got sued for shooting the thief that entered his barn in the legs with a wire tripped shotgun, and upon leaving the courthouse the farmer was asked by reporters if he would do anything different if he had a chance...his reply: Yep, aim higher.

 

[Capt Nemo]

Well going back to the Bible would solve a lot of this! Under the Law, a man caught stealing between sundown and sunup can be killed by the owner. Between sunup and sundown, he must repay the owner seven times what he stole.

Might try asking the judge to go biblical on them!

 

[russau]

ANY boobie trap is ILLEAGLE IN ALL STATES! And you would be prosecuted for just having one if found! just think of the innocent person that tripped one , now how would you feel about it??

 

[Bejay]

A boobie trap that I like to use is a boat air horn and a trip wire...(monofilament fishing line....a hook or two might be frowned upon but it is amazing how much fishing gear is out and about the rivers and streams). When it goes off it lasts awhile and it usually scares the culprits off. You can rig the trip wire to many different things. Loud noise is a real deterrent.


Bejay

 

[wildminer]

Trip wires can be useful in a non lethal manner for sure. I like the air horn idea as loud noise and light are a thief's worst nightmare. I have used a bucket of beer bottles perched precariously above an old bathtub and attached to a trip wire hooked on to a political yard sign that was being vandalized. After the crash and noise after dark they never came back. Glad I didn't take it to the next level and implement my military experience. I HATE THEIVES!

 

[Darth Placer]

A bit concerned about what I have read on this thread.

Case in point I was accused once of stealing a pump. I was Highbanking one day on my own. Was approached by three prospectors with anger in there eyes. One of them lost a Harbor Freight 2" that they stashed in the woods or just left out for the next days run. I was using the same pump so they immediately assumed it was me that stole it.

I was in the most traveled part of the creek next to the parking area... so that helped a little. The only saving bit was my gatorlocks were reversed male/female and my layflat was newer. After reading this thread I cringe on what might have happened if the setup was more identical looking.

What if that stolen gear was sold to someone who didn't know it was stolen?

Seriously if you spot your stolen gear just call the police, file a report, get your gear back and walk away with a clear conscience. Two wrongs don't make it right.

Place identification marks, write down serial numbers, and take pictures of your equipment. It helps when something like this does happen.

 

[N-Lionberger]

People shouldn't be stashing equipment in a public area like you described its going to walk LOL they might consider getting a cheap cable lock, I will leave gear out at my spots for months at a time if I worry about claim jumpers I'll chain it up as well as camo it up, when I left my dredge by itself I would chain it, cover it with a camo tarp, weigh that down with sticks and rocks then throw a camo net on top for good measure. I also have all my gear painted a distinctive shade of green and its all covered in clamper stickers.

 

[mendoAu]

Yes, I know this is the internet and I rarely put my butt on the line (cough, cough) but just remember the Iowa farmer many years ago that got sued for shooting the thief that entered his barn in the legs with a wire tripped shotgun, and upon leaving the courthouse the farmer was asked by reporters if he would do anything different if he had a chance...his reply: Yep, aim higher.

Guess I better clarify that IN NO WAY was I advocating the use of such a trip wired shotgun. Hopefully the part about "upon leaving the courthouse"....was noticed. However I did locate this interesting little item while checking out perimeter devices: https://fithops.com/products/12-gau...dDtzxrrmBovtStxCr-oimM0-MJUbzIO4aAlPLEALw_wcB

 

[wildminer]

Cool......and it would make a good gopher getter too!

 

[Hoser John]

Here in shasta,trinity and other counties thieves are out in hours and right back at it. In the news everyday as they say jails are full so 10-20-30 charges a year is nothing anymore. Stealing cars, car jacking, robbery and zip right back out on the streets. On the tv and paper daily sic sic sic. Everything I had stashed/locked/covered,the fires took, so stashing is risky too. John

 

[russau]

Sorry to say BUT ! as our economy gets worse expect this to get even worse! Prepare for it !

 

[Underburden]

thieves will still be thieves regardless of a failing or robust economy or their lame excuses.

 

[63bkpkr]

It hurts to have your property stolen! It pays to have ALL of your equipment clearly identified (vibrator marker, painted, photographed, etc.) as it makes it easier for you as well as the police to verify who the rightful owner could/might be as one tactic is for the thief to claim you've sold it to them or that someone else sold it to them. Thieves are quick to lie as well as make it sound plausible so protect yourself ahead of time!

To date I've never had problems with Humans IN the NFAR canyon. Lots of problems with bears and So Far my noise maker has gotten them to leave and not return. However I also carry in case Any animal will not take no for an answer. What I carry pierces 3/8" thick steel plate at a 21' distance, I've confirmed that it is very powerful by firing at an 8" diameter pine tree and it went through it and buried into the pine tree in back of it. However, this beast is so strong that were it to hit any human being their chances of surviving are very limited.

Why other than bears do I carry this, once at the two wheel drive parking lot at the the top of Sailor Flat 4x4 Trail my car was stolen. That parking spot is a significant distance from the now paved road and when my hiking partner and I reached where the car should have been we were soaked by rain and sweat from the hike up from the river And it had been snowing since we passed the Trinidad Mine. My friend and I could have died from exposure thanks to these thieves who used my car for thefts from campers and from the logging operation that was going on at that time.

In addition to my noise maker I also carry a small bottle of Cayenne Pepper, the bottle's lid screws off quickly for use. Either "Deterrent" that I carry will cause significant injury to anything that has eyes however, if it comes to me or something else coming out alive then it will be myself. This is not a comforting thought! Defending myself from harm or thieves activities which could result in harming me is not free of remorse or from potential legal action, I must choose my actions if and when that moment arrives. Be prepared is my best advice!.....................63bkpkr

P.S. - none of the states on the west coast like their citizens owning firearms! Why, because we can defend ourselves from Any type of Thief. The Colonists proved that too the British!

 

[Bejay]

So the mining equipment thieves are doing hard time. In addition to my buddies mining equipment and camp trailer; the thieves were caught with an extensive amount of stolen logging equipment. There is no honor amongst thieves; for once the jig was up they confessed and ratted on each other in order to get their sentences reduced. My buddy is unsure how he will get his retribution from the thieves...which was ordered by the judge to occur. They are serving time in a Federal Prison.


Bejay

 

[63bkpkr]

Unfortunately, from what I've heard, those places only turn them into hardened crooks. I hope they choose a better way of life. Be prepared - protect yourselves: cameras is what come to my mind but of course a good one with a large memory card will cost and then two to three are needed for different angles.....63bkpkr