Firewood theft. This an ethical way to deal with it?

[NetWareHead]

This was debated amongst the guys here at work and I figured it would make a good topic for a forum poll.

Due to the severely cold winter, some people around here that heat with firewood are noticing theft from their woodpiles. One of our coworkers commented that near him, there have been reports of people having not just a few pieces of wood stolen, but their entire wood piles gone!

So we started talking about what effective ways we have to deal with such a crime and the usual install cameras, fence, lock up the wood pile in a shed were tossed around. One coworkers tells a story he heard about a guy he knew who was so fed up with someone stealing firewood, he bored some holes in some innocent looking logs and filled the holes with explosive. Whether it was actual explosive, fireworks, firearm propellant etc... I don't know. He sealed the hole with a cap and some glue and the tampered logs now blended in with the rest of the firewood. Anyway the point of his story was that the guy one day heard a bang, followed by smoke coming out of a nearby house and then firetrucks were soon seen on his street. The guy who planted the explosives stayed quiet about what he did but theft from his woodpile ceased after that.

So the poll question: Is is ethical to plant this kind of boobytrap to deter theft?

I'm on the side that this is an occupational hazard of a thief and you deserve anything coming to you if this is the path you choose to take. Stealing firewood is like stealing food and some people around here, especially those with big noticeable woodpiles heat exclusively with wood and have no alternative heat sources. The aforementioned people who had their entire piles stolen were royally fucked when they got home and saw no more wood!

The counterpoint was presented by a coworker who did not approve of doing something that could harm innocent people aka what if his kids were in front of the woodstove when the explosives detonated? He didn't think it was ok to do something retaliatory on this scale over firewood especially when it could harm others. Poll for your voting...

 

[Phoenix86]

This was debated amongst the guys here at work and I figured it would make a good topic for a forum poll.

Due to the severely cold winter, some people around here that heat with firewood are noticing theft from their woodpiles. One of our coworkers commented that near him, there have been reports of people having not just a few pieces of wood stolen, but their entire wood piles gone!

So we started talking about what effective ways we have to deal with such a crime and the usual install cameras, fence, lock up the wood pile in a shed were tossed around. One coworkers tells a story he heard about a guy he knew who was so fed up with someone stealing firewood, he bored some holes in some innocent looking logs and filled the holes with explosive. Whether it was actual explosive, fireworks, firearm propellant etc... I don't know. He sealed the hole with a cap and some glue and the tampered logs now blended in with the rest of the firewood. Anyway the point of his story was that the guy one day heard a bang, followed by smoke coming out of a nearby house and then firetrucks were soon seen on his street. The guy who planted the explosives stayed quiet about what he did but theft from his woodpile ceased after that.

So the poll question: Is is ethical to plant this kind of boobytrap to deter theft?

I'm on the side that this is an occupational hazard of a thief and you deserve anything coming to you if this is the path you choose to take. Stealing firewood is like stealing food and some people around here, especially those with big noticeable woodpiles heat exclusively with wood and have no alternative heat sources. The aforementioned people who had their entire piles stolen were royally fucked when they got home and saw no more wood!

The counterpoint was presented by a coworker who did not approve of doing something that could harm innocent people aka what if his kids were in front of the woodstove when the explosives detonated? He didn't think it was ok to do something retaliatory on this scale over firewood especially when it could harm others. Poll for your voting...

Build a pipe bomb out of wood?

What could possibly go wrong.

 

[highland145]

Should have filled them with the power that makes smoke bombs. Safe and effective. And no dead children.

 

[vi edit]

Explosives is a bit much. Any way you could add something that would color the smoke...say bright red as a signal that would still be noticable and not necessarily dangerous?

 

[DesiPower]

Thief might have sold it to someone, the clueless buyer would be an innocent victim.

 

[brainhulk]

Fill them with black powder or m80's. Those guys deserve to die a fiery death

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I would wholeheartedly endorse lethal booby traps to prevent theft, but not in the manner suggested. Too high a chance of innocents being hurt. Maybe use a proximity fuse on the explosive so that it goes off once it's moved x-feet from the woodpile. Let it blow up in the thieves hands, not in their kids faces.

 

[NetWareHead]

Thief might have sold it to someone, the clueless buyer would be an innocent victim.

That is a possibility but realistic only if someone was stealing entire wood piles. The guy who built the log bomb was noticing a few logs missing every few days, someone was just stealing to burn most likely and not to sell to others.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Didn't someone get banned for proposing booby traps to protect their car?

 

[vi edit]

Another option is to mount a trail cam (what hunters stick on trees to photograph deer) near the pile. It's motion activated and has a night mode too. Then you have evidence to show to the cops anyway.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd say yes, but sadly you could probably get sued over it. Probably safer to just lock up the pile somehow to make logs very difficult or impossible to take. Maybe some kind of cage built with welded rebar. Throw a high voltage sign on it for good measure. Actually, if you do electrify it and put a sign, I wonder if you could get away with that.

A log filled with a bunch of shot gun shells sounds way more fun though.

 

[slag]

I would wholeheartedly endorse lethal booby traps to prevent theft, but not in the manner suggested. Too high a chance of innocents being hurt. Maybe use a proximity fuse on the explosive so that it goes off once it's moved x-feet from the woodpile. Let it blow up in the thieves hands, not in their kids faces.

Right. that would be so easy to implement too. Not to mention, what if he brings his kids over there at night to help haul the wood home?

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah, covering the outer logs with black powder will make you laugh heartily at the thought of setting them on fire.

**POOOOOF***

 

[NetWareHead]

I would wholeheartedly endorse lethal booby traps to prevent theft, but not in the manner suggested. Too high a chance of innocents being hurt. Maybe use a proximity fuse on the explosive so that it goes off once it's moved x-feet from the woodpile. Let it blow up in the thieves hands, not in their kids faces.

That puts you at a liability when someone has hands/fingers blown off on your property. Better to let the casualty happen on someone else's property. And better to let the evidence of bomb burn up in a woodstove instead of scattering across your backyard.

 

[Genx87]

Putting explosives into the wood opens you up to liability.

If you want a good way to get back at them. Soak the wood so when they toss it on the flame smoke will ensue for hours.

But I suggest storing the wood so as not so easily stolen.

 

[NetWareHead]

Should have filled them with the power that makes smoke bombs. Safe and effective. And no dead children.

Explosives is a bit much. Any way you could add something that would color the smoke...say bright red as a signal that would still be noticable and not necessarily dangerous?

Meh, would only work in a fireplace. Someone who is stealing wood frequently most likely has a stove and is actually heating. Fireplaces are more for ambiance than for real heating. I know, generalizations...

If you lit a smoke bomb in a wood stove, the draft would carry it away. it wouldn;t ave the effect of flooding the house.

And what if I'm not there to see the red smoke and identify the neighbor? Or the guy is not looking at his stove or outdoors when the smoke is being produced... Kind of a wasted deterrent...

 

[smackababy]

I don't think deadly booby trap is the best coarse of action. Not only is that illegal, it is incredibly stupid. I would suggest using a snare trap of sorts. That way, you can catch and release if it some a person you'd rather not kill, and if it is someone you want to shoot, you can and then claim they tried to buglarize you!

And, I am using buglarize from now on, just to upset those who stood against it!

 

[dank69]

You are fucking retarded.

 

[highland145]

Putting explosives into the wood opens you up to liability.

If you want a good way to get back at them. Soak the wood so when they toss it on the flame smoke will ensue for hours.

But I suggest storing the wood so as not so easily stolen.

 

[highland145]

Who left the P&N door open?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Ethical? Sure.

The right way to go about it? Hell no...

 

[DrPizza]

Man traps are illegal. If caught, you're in a hell of a lot more trouble then the person you caught with your trap. I agree with the camera. In addition to the camera, perhaps a coloration that will result in a particular type of smoke. If you're going to do something to the wood that's damaging, well, no, I can't think of something that would keep you out of trouble.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Another fun prank: Spray foam.

See if you can get an entire can of Great Stuff within a log. You'd want to take a log a bit bigger than the can, slice it in half on a table saw or something, chizzel it out so it's hollow and put the can, and make sure it's tight so it does not move inside. Close the log back up with wood glue.

Oh man, the mess that would make lol.

But because of all the legal crap, probably best not to do anything. Unfortunately today's laws protect thieves. You just need to make it harder to get to.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i hate thieves but thats a terrible idea

 

[rudeguy]

if someone is desperate enough to steal wood, then they need it more than me. Yes it sucks but its wood, its free. Write it off on your taxes but don't put someone's life in danger just because they are trying to stay warm.