Workplace ethics...unwritten rules.

[Rmarsh]

My job requires that I have a complete set of hand and power tools with me at all times. If I'm going to be working at a job for two weeks or more, instead of hauling them all out of the truck in the morning then pack them all up and back into the truck at night, I lock them up in one of those large steel jobsite boxes. If you pack them correctly they can hold a #^&#^&#^&#^& load. The padlocks are recessed so they cant be cut with a bolt cutter. So a locked tool box in a locked house should be safe right?

I get to work one morning and a coworker meets me outside and says "don't go in there". "What happened"? I say ...."they got your tools" he replied. I go take a look and find that the jobbox door had been cut open, probably with an angle grinder, and peeled and bent back and all my tools ....gone.

My heart sank like a stone....got back in my truck and drove off.
Took a while to sink in......I'm useless without my tools. Some of the hand tools were passed down to me from my grandfather.
As to the thieves...police were called...reports filled out....that's it.
I have my suspicions but no proof....
Took me a whole day to sit down and do a list of what was taken.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Rmarsh

My job requires that I have a complete set of hand and power tools with me at all times. If I'm going to be working at a job for two weeks or more, instead of hauling them all out of the truck in the morning then pack them all up and back into the truck at night, I lock them up in one of those large steel jobsite boxes. If you pack them correctly they can hold a #^&#^&#^&#^& load. The padlocks are recessed so they cant be cut with a bolt cutter. So a locked tool box in a locked house should be safe right?

I get to work one morning and a coworker meets me outside and says "don't go in there". "What happened"? I say ...."they got your tools" he replied. I go take a look and find that the jobbox door had been cut open, probably with an angle grinder, and peeled and bent back and all my tools ....gone.

My heart sank like a stone....got back in my truck and drove off.
Took a while to sink in......I'm useless without my tools. Some of the hand tools were passed down to me from my grandfather.
As to the thieves...police were called...reports filled out....that's it.
I have my suspicions but no proof....
Took me a whole day to sit down and do a list of what was taken.

I know the feeling all too well... an incident just as you described put me out of business as a marine mobile mechanic... forced a young father ( me) with 4 kids to have to go work for someone else while I waited for the insurance company to drag their feet...that was many years ago...I decided it was "safer" to work for some one else and never pursued working for myself again.. every tool I use belongs to me..I couldn't even venture a guess at the value of everything I've collected over the last 40 years... it's just easier( a little safer) to be at the same job site every day.. 23 years in my case... thieves suck!

[spence]

Originally Posted by Rmarsh

My heart sank like a stone....got back in my truck and drove off.
Took a while to sink in......I'm useless without my tools. Some of the hand tools were passed down to me from my grandfather.
As to the thieves...police were called...reports filled out....that's it.
I have my suspicions but no proof....
Took me a whole day to sit down and do a list of what was taken.

This really ticks me off by the way. There aren't many left that take the pride in their craft like you do.

[Dick Durand]

Originally Posted by Rmarsh

My job requires that I have a complete set of hand and power tools with me at all times. If I'm going to be working at a job for two weeks or more, instead of hauling them all out of the truck in the morning then pack them all up and back into the truck at night, I lock them up in one of those large steel jobsite boxes. If you pack them correctly they can hold a #^&#^&#^&#^& load. The padlocks are recessed so they cant be cut with a bolt cutter. So a locked tool box in a locked house should be safe right?

I get to work one morning and a coworker meets me outside and says "don't go in there". "What happened"? I say ...."they got your tools" he replied. I go take a look and find that the jobbox door had been cut open, probably with an angle grinder, and peeled and bent back and all my tools ....gone.

My heart sank like a stone....got back in my truck and drove off.
Took a while to sink in......I'm useless without my tools. Some of the hand tools were passed down to me from my grandfather.
As to the thieves...police were called...reports filled out....that's it.
I have my suspicions but no proof....
Took me a whole day to sit down and do a list of what was taken.

Theft is always a heartbreaker, and so much more when your means of making a living are usurped.

[basswipe]

I know the feeling(s) all to well Rmarsh,been in the game a long time myself.

I have no problem working on the same site as someone who does not speak English,just don't "try" to talk to me and stay away from my #^&#^&#^&#^&.

Many years back a couple of idiots moved my Titan sprayer while I was off the job for a few days.They unscrewed the hose from the machine and left it that way and left the gun laying on the floor...gun seized.They also removed the #^&#^&#^&#^& from the paint it was in and of course the paint slowly made its way out onto the floor...piston seized.

I also will no longer work alongside anyone that does heroin or smokes crack...they don't just steal,they can also get you killed.

[Rmarsh]

Yes...Besides the thousands of dollars of tools stolen....I lost income as well. It was a huge task to remember and list everything that was taken, then go purchase all new tools. I liked my old set of tools much better by the way, better made and broken in, worn smooth by my hand.
It's too bad that our justice system treats stealing like a petty crime. The rewards of stealing are great...the punishment.. not so much. Besides that law enforcement can't bother to investigate.
No wonder it is so rampant. I'm not one to take justice into my own hands.......not yet......almost there.

Years back, most of our houses were plumbed with copper pipe.
Went down to the basement one morning and noticed something amiss. Yep.....all installed copper pipe was gone, again... went outside and saw that they got the installed ac condenser unit too. Another "Unsolved Mystery"

[FishermanTim]

I'd say that's grounds for your own form of justice, since the system couldn't be concerned.

Maybe a broken limb that would take them out of business!

[Rmarsh]

Tim....I have to realize that the thieves are everywhere....nothing I can do to stop it. Like zombies...eliminate one and there are a thousand more. Besides...the truth is I am a non-violent person and would never hurt anyone physically ...except in self defense.
Unfortunately it has become a cost of doing business which gets passed on to the customer. I wonder if the average person understands that my wages have to cover the cost of the amount of money I spend on tools.

[FishermanTim]

OK, so the "accidental" limb injury is out.

How about if they just "happen" to get pulled over for suspected DUI?

Surely there has to be some way to resolve the issue short of something that would conflict with your personal ethics?

When it comes to scumbags that steal a person's livelihood, the punishment never seems to be sufficient.

Hope you can replace whatever was stolen, or maybe even retrieve some of the tools.