Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Ok. They stole the batteries, I replaced it and fabricate a protective cover for it. They cut the steel pry open the cover and stole the batteries again. Anyone has any ideas to protect the batteries. No space to move the truck inside. They go around the area and steal batteries from all trucks in the area. There were lots of hanging locks and chain on the battery compartment this weekend.:x~:-x~:mad:
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

If they are stealing multiple batteries, this more than hooligans causing mischief, and they are selling the batteries to some scrap yard.

It seems pretty simple to make a silent alarm that is triggered when battery voltage is removed, to report the crime in process with a cellphone.

JR
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

spray the new ones with something sticky/gooey or super greasy and hopefully they'll go find someone else's clean battery to take.
next step is pyrotechnics :)

Jason
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Ok. They stole the batteries, I replaced it and fabricate a protective cover for it. They cut the steel pry open the cover and stole the batteries again. Anyone has any ideas to protect the batteries. No space to move the truck inside. They go around the area and steal batteries from all trucks in the area. There were lots of hanging locks and chain on the battery compartment this weekend.:x~:-x~:mad:

Put an airbag inside the hood. When the hood opens, it deploys. :p
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Too bad booby-traps are illegal.........

Maybe an exploding dye-pack would be allowed?

Ask your local cop shop.
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Oh man, that sucks but a fun little project could be had here: Simple circuit to detect loss of voltage, relays a signal to a module located in your building that then plays very loud gunshots over a couple of speakers. Then, just follow the doodoo trail to find the little scumbags.
 
Oh man, that sucks but a fun little project could be had here: Simple circuit to detect loss of voltage, relays a signal to a module located in your building that then plays very loud gunshots over a couple of speakers. Then, just follow the doodoo trail to find the little scumbags.

First put up a no trespassing sign so it is criminal trespassing, then sleep in the truck with a firearm of your choice. I don't think you will have an issue for long.

Sent from my DROID RAZR
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

You don't have to get exotic in this, just do what everyone in the area of my old shop did (SoCal)

-Chain link fence (tall) around your truck parking area with roll-open gate section.

-Really bright lighting -permanent streetlight-grade stuff on roof or high on building -not motion detector either, just always on. (And stupid-bright -don't be conservative in this)

-Obvious (real) security camera (large all-weather enclosures) with red LED and warning notices.

-parking truck in a way to minimize accessibility to the battery-box -such as hard-up against a short concrete wall -make it really difficult to squeeze a person in there

-worst-case scenario -wire them with a forklift type connector and build a tray with handles to just remove them and lock inside if necessary. Having a custom height cart to slide them onto and wheel into shop makes this even more easier.

Alarms are a waste of time, everyone is so tuned to ignore them now. Don't bother with booby-traps, (in blue-states that will just get you sued)

A properly-welded belly-box type enclosure will make them give-up when coupled with the other difficulties listed above. Make it so they'll have to do real damage to get anything (-or just make them want to steal the whole truck and then your insurance takes care of the rest. :razz:)
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

You don't have to get exotic in this, just do what everyone in the area of my old shop did (SoCal)

-Chain link fence (tall) around your truck parking area with roll-open gate section.

-Really bright lighting -permanent streetlight-grade stuff on roof or high on building -not motion detector either, just always on. (And stupid-bright -don't be conservative in this)

-Obvious (real) security camera (large all-weather enclosures) with red LED and warning notices.

-parking truck in a way to minimize accessibility to the battery-box -such as hard-up against a short concrete wall -make it really difficult to squeeze a person in there

-worst-case scenario -wire them with a forklift type connector and build a tray with handles to just remove them and lock inside if necessary. Having a custom height cart to slide them onto and wheel into shop makes this even more easier.

Alarms are a waste of time, everyone is so tuned to ignore them now. Don't bother with booby-traps, (in blue-states that will just get you sued)

A properly-welded belly-box type enclosure will make them give-up when coupled with the other difficulties listed above. Make it so they'll have to do real damage to get anything (-or just make them want to steal the whole truck and then your insurance takes care of the rest. :razz:)

How many replacement batteries can I buy for the cost of all of that? :razz:
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Is your truck park at your personal shop or in an Industrial Park?

Have you thought about putting Property Labels on batteries? If the battery looks new with a property ID tag on it, that should raise some suspicion at the scrap yard.
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Alarms are a waste of time, everyone is so tuned to ignore them now

+1, I won't say that alarm's are a complete waste. We had a break-in at our retail spot and after reviewing the surveillance footage I was able to determine that the perp was able to get in, grab what he wanted and get out before the alarm would have even sounded, I believe the glass triggers set the alarm of instantaneously, but door triggers have a hold period.
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

You're not going to remove a truck battery quickly in a smash and grab. If they expect an alarm upon removal of power, they might leave the cables connected till last, but petit criminals are not the cream of the gene pool, so not deep thinkers.

Paint it pink, grease it up... make it undesirable if you can't effect electronic counter measures.

This reminds me of the old joke about how to get a new battery free. Steal one from a wealthy neighbor's car, and when that car owner replaces it with a new one, swap out the new one, for his old one. I didn't say it was a funny joke, just a little non-linear jocular thought process.

JR
 
Re: Stolen Truck Batteries for the second time!

Further reinforcing my comment about his cognitive capacity.

While real life is not like CSI, hopefully they catch the puke, with his own crime scene video about to go viral.

JR