Stolen Tools

[trippintl0]

Hey guys, I'm in Garland, TX (Near Dallas, TX). Woke up this morning to find my van had been broken into last night. If any of you guys visit pawn shops or whatever please keep an eye out for these tools:

Testo 550 with hoses (~$400)
Smith Versa-Torch Oxygen Acetylene with yellow regulator protectors ($450)
Fluke 161 multimeter (120)
Fluke 902 (150? dont remember)
Klein multimeter amp clamp (dont know model) (120)
Veto ProPac LC (Christmas present from wife , maybe 150?)
DTEK Select leak detector (370)
Yellow Jacket 41 gauges with hoses (120)
JB gauges (didn't pay for these found on a roof)
Yellow Jacket Vacuum Tree with two 3/8" black vacuum hoses and a 12" 1/4 vacuum hose (~300)
SureFire Saint headlamp (150? Christmas present from my Father)
Husky 3-drawer toolbox (35)
Ridgid flaring tool ratcheting (the awesome one) (150.00)
Imperial pinch off tool, tubing benders, swaging tools (100)
Lots of awesome hand tools - mostly Klein, ChannelLock - at least 500 prob more

Also stole some of company's stuff - 2 drums R22, 1 drum 404a, 1 drum 134a, all the soft copper tubing, THHN wiring.

I'm estimating about a $3000 - 3500 loss for myself. Not counting company's stuff. I already spent 2000 today buying tools, and I didn't go back with digital gauges, just some yellow jacket analogs for now.

For those religious please pray for our family as we are expecting twins in December and we have been saving our money for a MiniVan. Now all that money is spent on replacing my tools.

I installed hockey-puck locks on the van today. I am also considering an alarm with an indicator on the remote key fob to alert me.

The theft happened last night while we were asleep. The van was parked directly outside of our bedroom window in an apt complex, barely 6 ft away from our bedroom window. We have lived in the apt complex for 4 years and never anything stolen. (We even accidentally left our car door wide open one night a year ago and nothing was touched. It's not a bad neighborhood.)

They punched out the locks in the driver side cab door and the rear cargo door. Didn't even damage the plastic handles, just punched out the locks and opened it up. It looks too dang easy. It's frustrating emotionally and it is frustrating since we have worked so hard saving up money. But we are trying to be positive and move on.

Of course we filed police report, too. Thanks for your help.

[xpuser357]

Truly am sorry for your loss, I alway`s lock my doors where ever I go. Everybody at the shop tease me that I lock it up like fort knox. Missing tools cost money that you do not have lump sum. But collecting through the years it is not so bad. I leave tools on the job, that is where I go crap where is it!!
I will go out and buy what I need. all is good until I land at same place I lost tool and find it. Then I have extra. I only buy pro tools.You are only great as your tool is.

[Texas-Tech]

Don't forget some mesh over the rear windows. That's how they got me in New Orleans, popin out the drivers side door lock so I have a 1/2" insulated armored cable through the door inside.

[knave]

Sorry about the stolen tools... Nothing will truly stop those guys... If they want it, they will get it....

Good luck with the twins....

Evan

[hipsterdaddyo]

I live in the metroplex too, and will keep a look out. Did you initial or put your name on your tools? I hope you get them back soon. It's the worst when something in taken from you.

[trippintl0]

Yes thanks for my reminding me. I put my initials 'DM' on almost all of my tools, scratched them in on most tools although a few I just used a sharpie.

[Robertjn2000]

I feel your pain.

I'm a year out of school and had my service truck stolen about 4 months ago. I got the truck back within 9 hours of reporting it stolen. Not a tool left in it! (not even the empty fluke meter boxes with the manuals in them) Glad I had my Veto LC in the house that night, they still got about six grand in tools though.

Nothing worse than a thief.... except a thief who steals the tools a man makes his living with!!

[Kaleun494]

That's why I would bring the Testo, Fluke, and a few other tools in the house with me every night.

[cchc]

I got a new van about 3 months ago. I had remote door locks and an alarm installed on it for about $500. I know it wont stop a pro but it will stop the crack heads. my other van is going to the shop to have it done when it slows down a little.


$500 is cheaper than than a van load of tools.

And it gives little peace of mind.

[Frostmonkey74]

Loosing your tools sucks! I've had mine stolen a couple if times! It hard to collect all the tools you need for this trade, let alone having to do it a second time or third!!!! Fortunately now i work for an outfit that insures our tools, and installs alarms in our trucks along with puck locks!!

Hope you fund your tools! Remember karma us a mean evil b#%*# shell catch upto the thevin bastards eventually.

[Inficon_TekSupport]

Good afternoon,

I have read your post, and as a reprasentative of INFICON I would like help you out if you are still in need of a D-TEK Select. Please respond to me so that we can get you squared away. Thank you and best of luck to you and yours.

[len]

Do they still hang thieve's in texas?sorry for your loss brother.anything i can do let me know be more than glad to help out.

[Greend88]

I feel ya, haven't had any tools stolen but we've had a band of thieves recently pop up stealing stuff out of the neighborhood. Some crackheads check this, they stole a gas tank off my three wheeler but left all the copper and scrap coils laying next to it. Neighbor is building a privacy fence cause they been stealing crap load stuff from him. Wanting to put a electric fence charger on a piece of pipe and a camera so I can catch the suns of b's.

[sgraefe]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

My buddy told me of an experience that he had. He was on a rooftop of a tall 1 story building. Just tall enough that a 28' ladder was just barely tall enough. Anyway, he was on top of the building doing a service call. Next thing he knows, a group of nare-do-wells have knocked down his ladder and were stealing all of his tools from his truck. They just unloaded the whole truck as he watched, unable to get down. Cops didn't arrive in time. They were in and out so fast.

So, I heed his warning. I take my Phones with me everwhere. I also have all of my tools engraved with "Stolen If Pawned" along with my Drivers License number. Was told by a LE friend that atleast that way I will have a slightly better chance of getting my stuff back.

[rusty1217]

One time my van started messing up. The boss had me take it to the shop and take his truck home. Loaded my tools up on it. Nice pick up with service bed and extra boxes on top. Set up for refrigeration work. He kept his tool boxes in the bed which is where I put mine. We never locked any of the boxes, we lived in bfe. Parked it right in front of my house. I took the meters out of our boxes and locked them in the cab because it looked like rain that night. Next morning the truck was wiped clean. One of the bosses boxes was full of Snap-On tools. I was scared sh!ttless going into work.

[rusty1217]

Luckily the insurance covered all our stuff.

[trippintl0]

Thanks for the offer to help! What is your name so I can call Inficon and request to speak to you?

[tbirdtbird]

Thanks for the offer to help! What is your name so I can call Inficon and request to speak to you?

Careful....

[Inficon_TekSupport]

Please e-mail me at I understand you may be trying to help but all email addresses must go in your profile otherwise the BOTS crawl the site and slow it down, considerably. We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

[kiwireeferman]

Really sorry to read of your misfortune, I lost everything 12 years ago and was totally devistated. Good luck on maybe finding some of your gear.

Good on ya Inficon, really nice thought.