Texas Hunting Forum

Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess

Posted By: Ricochet83

Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:12 PM

So i get to the lease on friday to walk in to the cabin and see the back door wide open and the place in complete Shambles. Everything is tossed around and on the floor. So i immediately know what has happened i have been hit. So i start assessing the situation and it is apparent what they were looking for as they flipped all the mattresses and raised the opening on the attic craw space and took everything out of the closet. The also tossed the pantry entirely so ok they were looking for guns. However we do not leave weapons there just in case this were to happen. This is southern live oak county so i think illegals. However all my canned goods are untouched bottles of waters left. Liquer on the fridge ignored so i start thinking as i am looking and wow they didnt take anything must of been kids. So i start cleaning up no point in calling the SO according to landowner since nothing broke and nothing taken. I get the whole place cleaned up and get ready to go pull sd cards. I start looking for my boots and i can not find them. I call the wife to ensure i had not brought them home the weekend before and she says no i left them under the nightstand. Ok so i am looking and looking and cant find them oh well they made off with my boots not a huge deal. Then it hits me da*n i left my grandfathers buck woodsman from the 60's in its sheath that he gave me 6 months before he passed away in 2010 in the boot. They got that to. Thats the one that hurt the most. So i look harder and they also took 2 spotlights and heres the weird part i had an old metal box with dividers that i had a boat load of nuts and bolts and washers in and its not where i store it. Dam* they took that what the hell do they want with that. Then i am looking and i cant find my 2 sded plano see through tackle box full of self tapping screws of a wide variety of sizes. So what i am getting at is who the hell stealls nuts and bolts and self tapping screws and boots. The knife i can understand. But the left everything else including a pair of 700$ night vision binoculars. What do you think poachers or kids or what.
Posted By: dkershen

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:17 PM

Doesn't make much sense. I'm still leaning towards illegals. If they took boots, did they take coats or other cold wear gear?
Posted By: TurkeyHunter

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:26 PM

Tweakers?
Posted By: rytheguy84

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:30 PM

Are you close to a highway or if your secluded might look into to people who have known about the place or have been there because it sounds like they knew what they were looking for
Posted By: rytheguy84

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:30 PM

If it were illegals more clothes and water and stuff like that would have been taken
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:43 PM

Didnt leave any cold weather clothes down there just bring them back and forth however there were all kinds of blankets and quilts and stuff that were just trown aroun but not taken. Highway is only about half a mile away and the county road runs about 100 yards in front of the camp house.
Posted By: rytheguy84

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:48 PM

Deffiantly not illegals then and sounds more like someone who has done it more then once just by the places that were tossed, I would definitely call on this one just to see if its happening any where else around you
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 05:55 PM

Yes, NEVER leave guns in your cabin or trailer at the deer lease. I also hit garage sales to find tools and other items that I might wish to keep there. That way if the get stolen, the loss is less.
Posted By: SniperRAB

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 06:00 PM

Not illegals
Have the time it's locals or the ranch hands
Posted By: Double Naught Spy

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 06:00 PM

Trying to make heads or tails out of what was taken is trying to make heads or tails out of my shopping list for Walmart. I buy what I need or want and don't buy a lot of other stuff even though I have the money for it.

Not illegals, or they would have gotten food and clothing.

Not tweakers, or they would have gotten everything worth trading and selling.

Seems like poachers would have taken the NV binos.

So they took boots (with a knife secreted inside), spotlights, and a box of nuts and bolts?

Notice they didn't take anything readily traceable, hugely expensive, but everything they took was useful.

I am betting it is a local.
Posted By: banderabound

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 06:16 PM

Nuts and bolts gives them weight at the scrap yard???
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 06:39 PM

yeah i figured it was locals as well but it was pretty ridiculous. Landowners comment to me was if they come back and you are there dont worry we have a bulldozer and an excavator so do what you got to do. Really like LO like like.
Posted By: Mr. T.

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:00 PM

I was hit three years ago at a lease in San Saba. All the trailers down a county road was hit the same Tuesday night. They were caught, it was two local teenagers who had dropped out of school. I don't know what happened to them as all they did was mess up my place like yours obviously looking for guns, so I did not stay in contact with the sheriff. We never leave anything such as guns or expensive coats, etc at the trailer. It's a pain carrying everything back and forth all the time, but that's what one has to do in this day and age.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:02 PM

I agree Mr. T with this being the first year on the lease we had determined bring everything of importance back and forth just to make sure
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:16 PM

Sounds like some local teens since they seemed to be more into grabbing and go, and get out fast, and afraid someone might drive up on them.
I can see taking the nuts and bolts since it's probably a pain for them to have to drive into town getting them to work on their atv's and other projects.
The scope might have been left because they forgot it in their hurry to get in and get out.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:21 PM

and from the time line the landowner was there on thursday until 630 or so doing some gate work and cattle stuff and when he left everything was ok then we got there about 5 on friday so they had a tight window to get in without being caught but they probably knew that also.
Posted By: DENTPUSHA

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:30 PM

Do yall have ranch hands? Some of those guys will help themselves to anything they want if they need to fix something. Maybe some hippies trying to live off the land out there. Kinda weird they left some of those other things.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 07:45 PM

no ranch hands the land owner does all the work out there himself and he is a very stand up guy.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 08:29 PM

Very odd, maybe someone that moonlights as a contractor of sorts? I'd think about a TC on the cabin s well
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:03 PM

i am taking 2 down this weekend to put up in hiding to get some pics if it happens again
Posted By: dogcatcher

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:19 PM

They probably never opened the tackle box, they just figured it was fishing gear and it was good to go.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:21 PM

Originally Posted By: dogcatcher
They probably never opened the tackle box, they just figured it was fishing gear and it was good to go.


Good thought DC up

I bet they will return, it was tooo easy 1st time around. That is the main reason I'd file a report with the SO.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:31 PM

yeah i have thought about that as well. Western i have considered still filing a report anyways just to have SO aware. if they come back they will be dissapointed because we brought back with us this last weekend even more stuff so they wont have anything to take.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:47 PM

I'd report it, as far as you know, they caught them the day after at another burglary and saw your "stuff", or have "suspects" and are working a case and any information has potential to be a case maker. Also lets them know what and where things are going on in their jurisdiction.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 09:58 PM

good point. would love to get my grandfathers knife back doubtful but would be nice.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 10:16 PM

Originally Posted By: Ricochet83
good point. would love to get my grandfathers knife back doubtful but would be nice.


Would be worth it for that reason alone. May check the pawn shops that are close, doubt they'd pawn a good knife, but you never know, they could be that stupid..
Posted By: ddmm

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/18/14 10:28 PM

talked to the Sheriff and Game Warden in Mills county this weekend. They've been having a large number of deer camp break-ins in and around Mills county. They indicated you should always give either of them a call and report it, regardless if you think there is
any evidence they can find them. Something like this, if they come across some 'bad' guys and locate a knife, they might be able to trace it back to you for proof of ownership.

probably took the boxes not knowing what's inside, not wanting to waste time. Once they figured out the 'nuts and bolt's the boxes probably got tossed.
Posted By: shaggysnack

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/29/14 01:58 AM

I think I would hang a game camera or two around the property and maybe one inside. Even if it isn't usable in court, you maybe able to get a photo good enough to recognize somebody and then...
Posted By: Nogalus Prairie

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/29/14 03:17 PM

It stinks-hope you get the knife back.

I used to have them come through the old farmhouse on my place every couple of years or so. First time they got a chain hoist, a couple of trail cameras, and a "Lonesome Dove" sign.

Since then, we leave nothing of value there. Can tell when they come through because stuff will be moved around. Must be the same folks because they haven't come back in a while since there's nothing to steal that they can use. I leave boots and clothes there but they never bother them.

It's a shame you can't leave stuff but it's just the way it is.
Posted By: changedmyname

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/29/14 05:01 PM

Probably some kind of worker that was originally looking for guns but when he didn't find any went ahead and took what he could use at work.
Posted By: Erathkid

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 11/29/14 05:14 PM

Call the Sheriff... mad
Posted By: buck-snort

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/02/14 12:44 AM

Have had this happen a couple of times on or lease. Based on what has been taken of ours (snake boots, heaters, mud grip tires, bb guns, cofee pots, etc.) It's pretty obvious to me it's other hunters taking what they need for camp.
Posted By: jdk1985

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/02/14 11:19 AM

It's a dang shame people resort to this kind of thing. Sorry you lost your knife (and boots, etc). Sentimental items can be worth a lot more than $-signs alone.

The SO needs to know about it, whether they can do something or not. It might help them put some pieces of the puzzle together.
Posted By: Swoop5000

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/10/14 09:40 PM

I'd still have called the police because it's a burglary, even if they had not taken anything.

I'd set up a trail cam somewhere.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 03:01 PM

we did call the sheriff and made a report the following weekend. Then fast forward 3 weeks the sorry pieces of carp came back and bunged the main gate open and opened the cattle pen gate and left that open to try to let the cows get off the property and stole the landowners four wheeler. So the land owner called the second time. Seemed malicious so we all started thinking about it and they had a worthless couple live there for about 2 weeks 8 months ago before they were fired as they were supposed to be in charge of the cattle. So since the pad lock on the gate had the code entered and opened and the first break in to the house there was no forced entry we are thinking it was them and they had a copy of the key and remember the combo that it was probably them. told the sheriff this info and he said he will look into it. Only problem is word around town is this couple is still around they are just transient so to speak with no residence just kind of bounce from hotel to hotel when they have money. Trail cam is no in place and if it continues we have offered to the landowner to foot the bill to have surveillance cameras installed with a dvr. we shall see
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 03:03 PM

pad lock has been changed now and we will also be installing new deadbolts on the house as well.
Posted By: taco bender

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 04:21 PM

i hope you catch those p.o.s
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 04:25 PM

yes me to. I like the surveillance camera idea and feel we may do this one way or the other just for some added comfort on our behalf and landowner loves the idea since we offered to foot the bill for it.
Posted By: redchevy

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 04:27 PM

Sorry to hear it. My guess is you wont ever really know what all they took until you go to look for that one item you hadn't thought of before.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 04:45 PM

Seems like they would probably had to sale the 4 wheeler for spending/meth money? AND I bet they didnt go far to do it.
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 04:52 PM

i agree. I am still noticing random stuff that makes no since missing each trip such as bag of rat bait, dryer sheets and cleaning supplies these people are really dumb.
Yes they couldnt havent got much for it though because it was an older polaris 250 pos 4 wheeler that she left the keys in. Luckily my diesal mule was parked right next to it but i take the keys with me and chain the front and back to the power pole braces under the owning so they couldnt get mine.
Posted By: Western

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 05:16 PM

They aren't looking for the "big score" I'd imagine, just a few dollars to get their "bump" or pay for a room.

Once I was in a Autozone parking lot checking my oil when a fella came up and offered a nice little air compressor for $20, it was a small contractor style AC that was new and worth a couple hundred I was looking at it suspiciously and started to walk back to my truck and cops came from everywhere! The guys had stole it 2 blocks away out of a guys front yard confused2 2 blocks!!
Posted By: Ricochet83

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/11/14 05:19 PM

Idiots. If these worthless people only invested as much time into being productive citizens as they do into being POS they would be much happier i am sure avoiding johnny law and what not. but i guess the world needs all kinds to go around.
Posted By: 10pointdoe

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/12/14 01:38 AM

Put a sign on the door. Enter at your own risk. This place is booby trapped with bomb materials.
Posted By: TexasOutfitters

Re: Got hit by thieves (kinda) I guess - 12/12/14 03:52 PM

Originally Posted By: Western
I'd think about a TC on the cabin s well


This X2.

It's sad you have to put in so much work to monitor the place but that's what I would do.
TC high in a tree angled down so can't easily be seen.

And for more security, add a 2nd TC to monitor the first TC.
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