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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:24 am
by mickavalon
Unfortunately loads of builders buy from these guys, loads stealing to order, so I suppose it's up to us as a collective to try and stop it by having a go at the guys who do buy, but I bet a large percentage of guys on here have done it at some point.
I'll admit I did years back, bought something nicked from a hire shop, not something I brag about, but I've never done it since. I've had numerous guys over the years offering this and that, but unless I know it's origins I leave well alone.
An old buddy of mine practically kitted himself out with black market kit (kitchen fitter) and then one day on site a bloke got a bit upset with him when he recognised a Hilti Drill my mate was using as one that was nicked out of his van the week before form the car park on the site they were working on!! Got very heated and eventually the Police were called and he got done for receiving. Also lost the contract, and won't probably be working for that Balfours again, so quite an expensive drill really. He would've been better off buying it straight and he'd of got a warrantee as well.
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:09 pm
by London Stone Paving
I did it myself once Mick as well going back a few years. A month later my whacker plate and rotovator was nicked off the back of my transit van. I deserved that and I learnt a good lesson. Bad Bad Karma 
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 10:12 pm
by rab1
anyone that steals a mans tools is the lowest of the low and the people that buy them are lower. 
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:38 am
by mickavalon
No sorry Rab mate, but Paedo's, rapists and murderers are the lowest of the low, thieves and receivers are just thick opportunists that make life sometimes a pain, on a level with gangsters and drug peddlers, yeah they make you angry, but they're not the lowest.
We've all, I would imagine done silly things that would make us blush now we're (allegedly) wiser, but are the toe rags that stole Haggis's gear any worse than a tax dodging rich guy or a profiteer, I don't think so.
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:42 pm
by lutonlagerlout
wise words there mick
i have been drummed that many times it doesnt bother me anymore
its nothing personal
I have never, and never will by hooky tools
my auld fella did in the past and a similar fate befell him as yourself mick
I do believe in a bit of karma and to that end will not do to others what i would not like myself
(exemption for watford fans of course)
LLL :laugh:
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 4:21 pm
by mickavalon
I have a guy who does a bit for me, mainly Drives, but recently his drinking's getting worse, clients have begun commenting on it, so it's a matter of time before I'm asked to take him off site. He only ever wants cash, which again as a legit business is problematic, and now he's recently started trying to sell me dodgy goods off his Pub cronies, started with some PPE gear and cleaning products from a guy who works for the council, next it's a Stihl saw. I've told him I'm not interested but they keep showing up.
I've told him Friday to sort the Drinking, cash and the dodgy mates on site or he be gone, he said yeah, and then feckin asked me to front his car insurance as he's had his license rescinded and has never had insurance!@*%@ What can you do, he has no concept of his wrong doing.
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:34 pm
by rab1
Fair point but I just feel stealing a working mans tools is stealing the food from his family.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:57 am
by local patios and driveway
I will admit ive bought tools that im pretty sure were stolen, you dont really consider it at the time but you are creating a demand that will eventually kick your own arse. Had a level a few years back, took it in for a new battery and they took it off me with a warning... It was hss, they took it back and didnt prosecute. That was £400 down the pan.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:02 am
by DNgroundworks
I bought a brand new belle wacker plate years ago (cue Mick G) for £300.00 of ebay, drove to doncaster and met the mush. He opened his garage and it was full of swag. Bought a brand new honda ec2400 generator also and a f/r diesel plate off the same guy.
But....all the stuff he was selling was brand new? couldnt of been working mans stuff?
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:00 am
by GB_Groundworks
we used to know a guy in salford who bought and sold tools, had a lock up yard you had to buzz into. we had one of our sites hit and he had some of our stuff back in a week, at a charge lol.
had the gypos a few years ago pull up with a brand new 1 ton hi tip dumper on a new trailer, wanted a grand cash for it, like thanks but no thanks, all our gear goes on the insurance so any dodgy serial numbers would be no good.
in the last 10 years we've probably had close to £60k of gear stolen, some recovered most not. or damaged in the act of being stolen, 2x1.5 ton mini diggers, 1 back, 1 x 3 ton made it as far as the back of a wagon till the ran and left wagon and machine in the road, 3cx broken into twice, new glass twice and new starter motor, telehandler new door and dash ignition(and they shit on the seat), 1.5 ton breaker, 4 or 5 whackers, 1 pedestrian roller, 1 dumper driven off site and into the local off license, that was a fun call at 1am, 1 x 7.5 ton truck broken into new door locks, ignition etc, a couple of mini digger buckets, 4 or 5 stihl saws, hilti core master set, kangos, hand tools, £3000 bunble of copper pipe, 4 boilers and all radiators out of 4 new builds over a weekend, (inside job, plumbers labourer copped for that and got 18months)
a rover 200 we'd bought for a labourer to get him back on his feet, that was another fun one 3 am call from the cops thing abandoned at Sale metrolink station, got in it to steer it onto the trailer and there was a 12" knife in the door pocket.
my l200 got hit twice, tom tom, drills and drivers, battery jigsaw etc its the cost of doing business, but my dad and the lads have a lax attitude to security, herras fencing held together with old bits of wire rather than clips etc, mini diggers left in view and not at least made difficult with other machines. they are learning now that the harder you make it the more likely they'll go steal someone elses stuff haha.
few years ago i sketch together some designs for a mobile security sytem based on a lighting trailer with cctv all done wirelessly but the technology wasnt upto it, i see jcb and others have these system now 
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:13 am
by local patios and driveway
Blimey giles, your insurance must cost a fortune! Got to have cctv, pir lights, a big dog etc etc. sounds like your yard is an easy target.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:26 am
by GB_Groundworks
only claimed on the minis so its not that bad, the rest we just took on the chin
our yard has never been touched, its attached to mum and dads farm behind large electric gates, a 60 foot deep ravine and a few acres of fields so that is as safe as anything.
all that is from sites weve been developing over the years, when you are on a site for 1 year + its not feasable to not leave stuff on site. we have steel containers etc but they been cut into before...
Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1334482140
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:49 am
by michaelthegardener
i had a strimmer nicked once .... i turned round :rock: turned back and it was gone talking 20 feet awy at the most still i bought the next model up and the insurace paid the full ammount even though i told them the new un cost more :rock: that dont happen often dose it 
worked out well for me really think the clutch wa on the way out on ot anyway :laugh:
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:58 pm
by haggistini
Still waiting for the insurance to be sorted and my fecking truck got swiped last night the fecking tw*ts!!!
Recent service,tyres,and some gear in the back!
I'll never get a reliable old truck like that now for what shite money they will offer me FCUKING gutted!!
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:20 pm
by Dave_L
What, the whole truck went????
