Went down to the yard to unload a truck this morning. When I went to put the battery in I noticed a huge space I said something is missing so it took a few seconds to realize I was looking at the fan on the Detroit Gone was the radiator, radiator shroud and the transmission cooler.` During the summer I had the joy stick linkages stolen on two machines. I was wondering if it was kids. Now I know I have become a parts depot for someone with the same machine:guns:guns I had two machines there and if you looked at them both you would have taken the other radiator and tranny cooler. The machine the stole the parts from was a bit more covered so I think it was stolen in daylight hours. I have insurance but it sucks to be robbed. So next purchase is the game cameras for security. Any further feed back on them is appreciated. I know we talked about them before and a few said they were buying them. Can't wait to see what the parts cost!:Banghead
Sorry for your misfortune, do you think they were stealing the parts to use or for scrap? I would try to find someone in your area with the same machines? Of course I know you are in New York so that would probably be impossible to track down, however, do you have any former employees that knew where the machine was and have possibly went to work with a competitor with Lulls? The game cameras are a good idea, they work better in conjunction with a half starved pit bull chained to the machine, would make for some funny pictures:drinkup, just trying to cheer you up!
We have the same problems here in farm country also. Everytime I leave the place I wonder if we will be broken into. I had 150 gallions of deisel stolen a month ago from my balk tank. and 100 gallions of gas. I lock all my machines up while there at home and park them well off the road when logging somewhere plus lock them up. We also have been considering a game camera and hiding it in a log pile or something like that. A fellow north of me had one of those cameras that give a live picture on his computer, he gets up here a while back and theres no picture so he walks back along a fence row behind his house and here someone during the night stole it off a tree he had it locked to. Final drives from crawlers and farm machinery has been stolen this past year. a 7 up man came in a trucks parts place while I was there and was telling about 18 catalatic converters cut off there fleet of vans the night before. I always wanted to print up two big signs for the drives saying, [ If you don't buy timber, cut timber, truck timber your tresspassing ] but my wife says everyone thinks I am over the edge already and that would just put the frosting on the cake
if your get a game camera be sure to get and infared type so there is no flash even at night that way they dont even know the camera is there , sorry about your misfortune
One of the hardwood log wholesalers I purchase firewood from had people stealing wood from his pile in the woods. He set up a camera and got full colour pictures of buddy loading the wood onto his truck. He just called the cops and buddy fessed up when they showed him the pictures. I seen one of the pictures and it was clear and very incriminating. Also I might add everytime I think of catching someone messing with my gear I keep thinking about The Bear Jew in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS:deadhorse
I think it is someone with the same machine. On Long Island they are 95% Lulls for telehandlers here. I bought this http://www.trailcampro.com/reconyxrc60horeview.aspx So I spent $779 it will be worth catching a thieve and it is made in America. Batteries last months and rechargeable, takes 10,000 pictures. I bought the camera, 2 sets of batteries, battery charger, got free 4 gig card, and security box. There are a million places to hide it in my yard:naughty. I will call the dealers to see if anyone priced a radiator tranny cooler recently. The whole thing I guess sells for under a grand from looking at prices on line for a newer machine. I'll get a estimate for fixing it all for insurance then probably do it myself. I was going to make door for the side of the machines soon as my job ended and I have time. I was going to use only paddle latches like on a truck tool box. Now I will back it up with a padlock on the inside so if you don't have a key it will be a bitch to even cut. If the camera works as claimed I will get another for the job site. Not many know where my yard is but a crook evidently does. Hope he's not on this forum :spaz It was no scraper. It is a small world and I will put the word out to masonry suppliers drivers, bricklayers and laborers in my business. I'll offer $3,000 for info leading to an arrest and be smiling when paying it.:bash I'll post pic's tomorrow when not so tired and review the camera here when I get it. I can't imagine being so desperate to have to steal parts worth a grand.
Maybe put a camera by a driveway or entrance road, someplace so you get a pic of their vehicle.
Warning Sign I like "Autocars" idea of a sign I remember one on a ramshakle house near near an airport stating " Do you believe in reincarnation? Well, break in and you're gonna find out"
I'll see how this camera works and then get another one or two to cover there entrance.
I hate a $*&# thief! I don't care whether it's for parts or for scrap. It's my stuff, it ain't yours! I say thieves should lose a finger for every conviction, wouldn't take long for them to figure out they won't even be able to hold a fork to feed their worthless selves, much less steal something. I hope you catch the worthless POS Speedpup. :yup
I'm sorry to hear about this, hope you can catch those responsible. The cameras are a good idea, a tall fence is a start and a loyal(answers to you and only you), big mean dog is good as well. Out in the country one can get away with being blunt about trespassing; I have actually seen signs such as "I don't call 911" painted in large letters inside a set of crosshairs or "No trespassing, trespassers will be shot, surviving trespassers will be shot again" in big clear lettering right at the property entrance. I've also had good luck in high traffic areas that see a good amount of police, parking in well lit places were theoretically it'd be easy to spot some thieving loser.
We had four chains and binders stolen from our tilt trailer last week. Got them on the builders security camera, big tan suburban. The quality was so poor you couldn't see their faces nor read the license plate. Police probably wouldn't do anything anyway because it's "petty theft", unless you include the cost of the driver comming back to the yard for more chains and the cost to go get new ones. I don't know what can be done short of setting bear traps with a little straw for cover...
I've heard a strategically placed 870 with 00 can be quite effective....
Building down the road has video but it is so poor it is not worth anything. I haven't been to my yard in a week or more so I don't even know when it happen. I will give this new camera a bunch of hope. I'll try it at home ASAP then send it to the yard. Twenty years ago when I got the yard there was a dog left their (Scout) but I ended up taking him home to live. I may be able to find out if anyone has had radiator problems through the grapevine. Commercial masons who use block have two suppliers so if they see a reward posted they may not feel so good going back. Then again the can't be very bright being a thieve. I am as thick as they get, play to win, and never give up. I will persist with this for years and things in my business usually surface sooner or later from loose lips. I hope some money offered will loosen them faster. I can't even look at the pictures today to post them.
Put the word out at the lumber yards, too. Framers uses lulls alot, too.
This MAchine is Gaurded by shot -gun three nights a week !!! You guess which three !!!
one other thing to consider is a crooked mechanic...... You take the lull in for repairs.. he says 3 grand for new.... or 500 for used... well being thrifty you say used... he has told you there is a bone yard in the area.... that has ton of used parts for lulls
Tons of more destruction in the yards next to mine last night. I'm in a ruch but will post later.
The yard next to me has some boats and cars the other yard has a Mack with roll off body, and 2 excavators. payloader, and track dozer. Three men came back last night and they were caught on video. They were there around midnight for 45 minutes left for a half hour and then came back again. Unknown when they left as they didn't past the cameras. They started the Mack and let it go into 2 cars, 1 truck, 4 boats until it stopped with a boat trailer in it's grill. The turned the track loader loose into a shed and wrecked that then got the dozer stuck in the mud. They smashed the windows in some equipment and another guys 10 wheel dump parked nearby. Far as I can see nothing I own was touched this time. Crime scene police came today so no clue what will happen probably not much. Can't see anyones face in the videos. One person not related to the 3 at night came during the day 4 pm Sun. and carried something away like a battery and he had a white face mask and a hood over his head. Great situation. ointhead Insurance company Travlers tells me they may not get the police report fr 45 days so I should get it Then they ask me for proof of ownership and I have no clue where that is after near 20 years. The parts are not available to to fix my machine so now I need to fab up a tranny cooler and radiator, rad mount, and rad shroud. No clue how insurance will handle that. They they started about prorating the damage. It is not a tire or wear item so I have no clue. I was nice today to insurance Co. but the crap will hit the fan with them tomorrow. So after 20 plus years paying Travelers and they treat me like an idiot. Thanks for listening.
Well when they get through prorating it,you might have to go steal some parts.I have been through prorating.Talk about thieves.
I managed a small tourist RR some years ago. A garbage truck hit and ran our "low clearance" bridge and thanks to a sharp cop, the perpetrator was caught. His insurance comapny said, we're going to depreciate your 75 year old bridge and pay you about $15,000. I told her that it might have been 75 years old but was as good as the day it was built. I also told her that you will pay full repair cost or our insurance company WILL meet you in court. She sputtered and protested mightily but finally wrote a check for the full amount $75,000. Don't give up easy.
I won't go down without a fight.
I have always felt the same way, do I reaily have insurance or am I justing paying the dollars to say I do. Everytime I turn around there sending a memorandum saying they know longer cover a item and I need another policy. Bull crap I am sick of all big bussiness !
Adjuster comes tomorrow/
Good luck with the adjuster. First you get robbed by a thief in the night, then comes the robbery by the suits during the day. Just remember more money gets stolen with a pen than with a gun.
I guess they have to pay to have it transported to a repair facility? That cost me 400 each way. Need to loop the oil and coolant system to get it on a trailer also.
:cussing insurance companies! They sell us "protection" from bad things that could happen. You pay and pay but there is no protection when bad things happen. Insurance is the modern day version of the protection racket. :guns
they are most likely stealing the radiators and trans coolers to sell to the scrap yards. I live in NY too and Ive had a few man hole covers stolen.
he took hours on the machine so I guess there will be a prorating BS.
I understand prorating wear parts such as a tire. But most of yours (all except hoses?) were what I'd consider "hard parts" that should not be subject to pro-rating. As that even 20 years old, they were performing up to the level they did when new and you had not scheduled them for replacement anytime soon. Yes- I can see an adjuster trying this with you, but dig your heels in and argue the points. It was a hood, cooler, and radiator- all parts that were working. Not a tire that visibly can be half worn out. Maybe they can go buy you some pro-rated parts to replace the ones you are missing! Otherwise just make it like it was before the incident, no better, no worse.
To much time on my hands the last few days got me thinking about a movie I saw a few years ago called Tommy Boy. They sold brake shoes and this one fellow they called on said he loved gaurantee's. I laughed to myself when this crossed my mind becaue he said . We like to feel warm and fuzzy thats what a gaurantee dose . So I guess thats way we by so much insurance we want to feel warm and fuzzy only to find out it isn't worth a hoot just like a gaurantee !
I would end my next conversation with travellers with something along the lines of " either spend $1000 and fix my machine or loose many 1000's over the next 20 years when i change companies and start spreading the word about your worthless insurance all over the internet. Its surprising how fast and far word can be spread that way. If you dont believe me, just do a search on google for 613C caterpillar scraper or for Appell equipment company in galva Illinois. They screwed me back in early nov...and its already very easy to run across the warnings about them..and ive only just begun. You can sure do the same with travellers. I used to have ins with them...but not any more. Good luck on your dealings with them. Main thing...is dont accept any offer that you dont think is fair...drag it out for how ever long...and use the magic words with them...those words being..insurance commisioner. In fact, if they dont do right...call the ins comish and see what they can do...you might be surprised. I used to own a auto body shop, so had to deal with ins companies a lot..and their victims.
To pickup machine and repair machine it is $4000. They have to modify newer style rad/tranny cooler from Lull. I did find one being parted out on ebay for a JD so I may get the tranny cooler/rad, support brackets and shroud to modify. That may not be bad the fan seems about 3-4" lower on the Detroit than a JD. No police report yet after 6 days Just picked up 840 bucks in 1/8 sheet steel to enclose 3 machines (12 doors) one was done years and I will just put a pan on the bottom of that one and the other 3. Spent 130 on paddle latches and will spend another 160 in pad locks for the inside of the covers as paddle latches are not the strongest. Then all my time to fab it up. I got the steel panels pre-cut from the steel guy. Then near $800 for the first game camera and another to follow if this works good. To catch someone that would be priceless. Add some paint and time Welding supplies and and and where does it end? Tackle Traveler Mon They have insured the four machines since 86, 86, 90, and 91. No worry on their part when they cashed all the checks for 20+ years. They knew who owned the checks.
thanks for all the tips and support:notworthy
I had a claim refused by a well known Canadian insurance company a few years ago. The insurance company's refusal came after we paid many thousands in premiums for insurance for many years. After turning down the claim, the agent had the insensitivity and gall to brag about how well the company had done that year. It turns out that employees receive bonuses based on how much profit the insurance company makes in a year. That was news to me. Whose interests do you think the adjusters and agents represent? The company's name misled me into thinking that the company was owned by the customers/members. It ain't so!! After they turned down the claim, I switched companies. Everytime I hear one of their ads on the radio, I have an overwhelming urge to puke, or at least break or throw something!
Based on my experiences with them.... Made these myself.
I don't see what you did, did you change the colors of his eyes, or change the txt color? lol
what was there reason for not paying?
It's a long story, but you asked. I bought a collector car and had it shipped from the US east coast to western Canada. The carrier I hired specialized in hauling new vehicles, and they were a little vague about insurance for a collector car. The value of the car also was above their insurance limit. So, to be on the safe side, I took out a special shipping policy from my usual insurance company. They understood where the car was, who was hauling it, and how they were hauling it. I also gave them full details on the car, including the serial number. This was a special policy to cover damage en route. The car ran well when loaded in the US, according to the driver who loaded it. He worked for the shipping company, and we talked to him later on. He hauled the car to Toronto where it was safely unloaded. It then spent a couple of days in a storage compound in Toronto, before being loaded going west. While in Toronto, something happened to the car. The manager of the compound in Toronto phoned me one morning and said something had happened to the car and they were bringing a mechanic in to look at it. He was very vague about what happened or the damage. Later that week, before the car arrived here, the manager of the Toronto yard quit his job and we could not reach him after that. The suggestion of joyriding and racing came up later. But who knows. Anyway, the car arrived here in non running condition with a blown engine. It had a broken block, chewed up push rods, a snapped clutch linkage, sheared oil line, and other mechanical damage. This was on a matching #s four bolt Chevy big block. The carrier refused responsibility. So I put in a claim with my insurance company. They "investigated." After a few months they said that they could not establish what happened and refused to pay. Like someone said, insurance makes the customer feel good. Just hope that you don't have to find out if the insurance is good or not.
Lastest is I call police to get police report Sun. They say it is not ready yet a week later. Call today Mon. they say you don't get one for stolen parts Called insurance company and told them to do want they want and get it themselves.
Are the police telling you it's not a crime to steel parts??:beatsme You'd better believe there would be a report if someone stole the radiator out of one of their crown vic's. You might want to go to the local cable news with this story. You'll probably find an interested reporter who might help get the word out about that $3000 reward.
They are saying there is no written report. I really don't want to start with the cops. Insurance company can fight it out with them. Now the mechanic won't even call me back and send the estimate he promised Sunday. Another shop has also failed in this regard. :beatsme Machine has the boom out and down and is blocking my entire yard, I can't even tow it in the position it is in. Guess I'll have to solve this myself as usual. Now I need to find a fab guy for metal radiator supports and shroud. If my friend Ray didn't die last year I would not have one problem he would of fabricated up everything better than factory.:Banghead What do you look under for fabricating shop?:Banghead
Gave the estimate to the insurance company today. Guy was late with estimate but sent it now. Cost was 3275 to install modified New Lull components (rad. tranny cooler, shroud) and 950 to pick up and deliver. Adjuster seemed not to panic but who knows:beatsme He was looking for parts but came up with no prices or parts. He was asking if it was 4WD, how many speeds forward and reverse:beatsme:beatsme:beatsme No clue where that is going:Banghead
My guess is.To find out how much this machine is worth so they can total it.Pay you then take the machine to the auction.To get some if not all their money back.
They cannot show me one sold for the claim price of 4,000. or near it so no clue how it could be totaled. They may find a way They didn't mind the premium based on 20,000.
They never do.I have all ways thought it crooked.You buy a new car,machine etc.Buy insurance then you need to buy gap insurance in case it is totaled.Gap covers difference between what is owed finance co.and what insurance co.thinks it worth.Or blue book.Pl us what ever you buy keeps depreciating but insurance keeps going up.
Well Travelers finally sent their estimate over. The estimate is a few hundred higher than mine plus he said he had nothing in for shipping the parts. Now I need to get the machine fixed as it is killing me knowing it is not working and ripped apart. I will be making side panel doors for all the Lulls and a belly pan to protect the radiator, tranny cooler, and batteries which locked now. Yjanks for the ideas, support, and ears.:notworthy Hopefully it looks like the insurance company will be fair. That said I don't have the check yet but it looks like I will be happy. They should still be happy after 20-18 years of premiums on these machines with no claims. Camera works great in the dark so I will set it up soon and see what happens. Pinning down the mechanic seems to be the next problem.
Getting 4200 from Insurance company may do some stuff myself like load and move and loop the system to get it on my friends trailer. probably save myself the deductible which was 500. I think I know who did it through the town grapevine. Guys father is a scapper and the 22-23 year old's friends are dirt bags. Police say we have no proof so they won't even talk to them. May be better to just get them in pictures next time. Pay backs are a bitch :bash:bash:bash Should be running tomorrow and on the trailer. Side pane will be made this weekend or at least well under way. Thanks:drinkup
the thieves are probaly dirty little rats you will never know unless you hang wiyh the wrong crowd,probaly a jerk off mechanic that steals parts and fixes others machines and gets paid for it,note not all machanics are jerkoffs so if u r one its not about u,just saying theres losers in every trade. sorry about your loss i've been taken myself. best of luck with the cameras dont delay get em,i sugested the same for a friend of mine who's gravel pit kept getting the fuel ripped off when it was 4.25 a gal,funny thing is when i mentioned that idea to the guy that was running it for him said it would never work, but the mentioning of that sure had an impact on the theft cuz it never happened again. things that make you go hmm?
Couple of big dogs will fix your theft problem
Thought you might like this. Guy gets a call in the middle of the night from his alarm, so races to his yard and catches thieves red handed. In the ensuing melee one of the thieves gets a broken leg and the other is restrained until the Police get there. The owner is then arrested for assault. Anyway after some time it goes to court and he gets let off and burglars get tiny fines. Now this has appeared on You tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujqzWYMITYM&app=desktop Graham
That is a good story. Thanks for sharing it. It is too bad a broken leg is all they got, but if it was much worse, he might not have gotten off.