Backhoe nearly stolen...

hunterdan

hunterdan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Location
Morganton,NC
Went to property yesterday to install a new stick cylinder on backhoe and when I got there it was sitting outside my gate. The property is pretty secluded and hoe was out of sight from Rd. I imagine it was one of the crew that poured my footers a week ago. They cranked it with a cat key drove out to the Rd and ran right over my mew gate uprooting both post. I'm very thankful that they did not get it and it makes me wonder what went wrong with their plan? I can see where they had a tractor trailer ready to haul it away.I was going to leave it there and wait in the bushes for a chance to ruin there day but decided to haul it home as I'm going to sell it. When we get the shell done I will be staying overnight to protect our home. I hope some thief gives me an excuse to actually use my 5.56 and night vision scope.

Summary; People suck
 
Fuck a thief! Let them die a slow painful death. I have been the victim of theft before.
 
braxton357 said:
Surprised you don't already have a few game cams out.
Click to expand...
Yep...I can bury things with the backhoe. The crew was one white guy and 5 Mexicans that spoke no English..well one spoke some English. When I shook their hands one of them was really not wanting to shake my hand and kept a dirty look on his face the whole time. I told my wife that I'm going to buy some bear traps for them to see. If they ask what they are for I'm going to tell the English speaking one of them I hunt thieves and am placing them around my perimeter. Yes, I know I sound racist but I'm just a realist...

Money is tight but I am going to get a good camera that emails immediate activity. I could have lost a 25-30K machine.
 
I'm curious about the key. I don't know anything about backhoes and big equipment like this. Do they not use an individualized key like a car? I always wonder when I see them just sitting out places where they're easy to get to.
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm curious about the key. I don't know anything about backhoes and big equipment like this. Do they not use an individualized key like a car? I always wonder when I see them just sitting out places where they're easy to get to.
Click to expand...


Most keys are pretty universal because generally speaking, many different operators use the equipment and a universal key makes it easy for any operator to have a key. Newer machines are getting a little less like this but are still fairly common keys.
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm curious about the key. I don't know anything about backhoes and big equipment like this. Do they not use an individualized key like a car? I always wonder when I see them just sitting out places where they're easy to get to.
Click to expand...
Most if not all, at least CAT, used the same key. Bigger equip they'll pull the bus bar to the battery if leaving it. Jumper cables solve that.

I have absolutely no knowledge of a skid pan that got moved once that was in our way. :)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
rockcity said:
Most keys are pretty universal because generally speaking, many different operators use the equipment and a universal key makes it easy for any operator to have a key. Newer machines are getting a little less like this but are still fairly common keys.
Click to expand...
kaiser715 said:
Most if not all, at least CAT, used the same key. Bigger equip they'll pull the bus bar to the battery if leaving it. Jumper cables solve that.

I have absolutely no knowledge of a skid pan that got moved once that was in our way. :)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
So clearly the price being paid for this convenience is security.
Maybe I'm paranoid but how hard are the locks to change? I'd think for an owner w/ limited users that would be a good investment.
 
RatLabGuy said:
So clearly the price being paid for this convenience is security.
Maybe I'm paranoid but how hard are the locks to change? I'd think for an owner w/ limited users that would be a good investment.
Click to expand...

All the ones I've ever seen were just threaded into a hole in the dash and had some spade connectors on the back to make the electrical connections. Operated more than a few that were normally started either with a screwdriver or by actually hot-wiring it.
 
It isnt something typically this big, but most rental equipment has a key pad to start the machine. Could possibly do something like this... Or disconnect the battery and somehow lock the compartment so it couldnt be accessed.

I agree that good cameras and insurance are likely the easiest/best ways to protect the property. I suspect, if he didnt think he was caught, he might try something again.

hunterdan said:
Yep...I can bury things with the backhoe. The crew was one white guy and 5 Mexicans that spoke no English..well one spoke some English. When I shook their hands one of them was really not wanting to shake my hand and kept a dirty look on his face the whole time. I told my wife that I'm going to buy some bear traps for them to see. If they ask what they are for I'm going to tell the English speaking one of them I hunt thieves and am placing them around my perimeter. Yes, I know I sound racist but I'm just a realist...

Money is tight but I am going to get a good camera that emails immediate activity. I could have lost a 25-30K machine.
Click to expand...

If you say that there looked to be a truck to haul it, I wonder who else was involved. I am not around home construction often, but generally i dont see can Mexicans driving something large enough to haul the backhoe.
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm curious about the key. I don't know anything about backhoes and big equipment like this. Do they not use an individualized key like a car? I always wonder when I see them just sitting out places where they're easy to get to.
Click to expand...

Keys are typically supplied by the engine manufacture, these engines are rated for construction equipment. I have kubota, Hatz, lofa, cat, cummins keys for the equipment I work on.
 
If you say that there looked to be a truck to haul it, I wonder who else was involved. I am not around home construction often, but generally i dont see can Mexicans driving something large enough to haul the backhoe.[/QUOTE]

I listed this backhoe on cl and I have half a dozen waiting to see it after clean up. 4 are Spanish and want to ship to Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. I thought they might be scammers but a friend who is in the business sells primarily to these same foreigners. He says they always pay in cash and rarely haggle his prices. Supposedly a used cat brings near double overseas....
 
Newest machines all have a key pad... But if you use the machine you know the key code and can operate the equipment. We had a job trailer broke into with our own excavator because the keys are all the same pulled the side of the trailer off and stole all the tools kept inside

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Put up signs saying "Smile, you're on camera." I don't know what that translates into Spanish, but I would put it in Spanish too.
 
I will neither confirm nor deny that the key for the lowest and cheapest model residential John Deere lawn mower will start their most expensive 1000 series tractor...

Owners are rather shocked when I arrive with a key ring with five or six keys on it and drive away with their mower or 5000 series tractor. These are the same keys that you can purchase over the counter with zero proof of ownership. But you didn't hear that from me.
 
I know a company that had a machine stolen. It was insured, but still the hassle of paper work, insurance co., loss time to get another machine to the job. Owner has installed a Low-Jack type system!
 
yes, most all same brand equipment in a target market will have similar if not the same keys. the idea is that having same key for given product line is easier to move around and have multiple operators with out having a myriad of keys to keep track of.

Forklifts, same thing, each lift comes with a pair of keys, a fleet of lifts, if they have keys at all, will be keyed alike (as well every other lift of that brand) some places to add key pad controllers to enable/disable certain functions or set speed restrictions and access.

Fleet vehicles are many times also keyed alike (many large police dept's do this for easy access to squads on or off duty)

it wasn't that long ago that for any given brand of automobile, a set of 8-10 keys would get you into and most times also allow you to start and drive. Transponder keys have made that less of a thing anymore.
 
/\ yep locked my keys in my 01 Chevy a couple years ago guy walked up and unlocked it.

Equipment keyed alike makes since if you have a large job 10-20 pieces of equipment. Construction sites usually have a fence if commercial. And it's kinda hard for someone to load up equipment and hide it fast

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
kaiser715 said:
Most if not all, at least CAT, used the same key. Bigger equip they'll pull the bus bar to the battery if leaving it. Jumper cables solve that.

I have absolutely no knowledge of a skid pan that got moved once that was in our way. :)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Jeff B said:
Keys are typically supplied by the engine manufacture, these engines are rated for construction equipment. I have kubota, Hatz, lofa, cat, cummins keys for the equipment I work on.
Click to expand...
Komatsu uses the same keys too,at least the ones I've ran.See if it has an ignition or similar fuse that would keep it from starting if pulled.
 
1-tonmudder said:
Komatsu uses the same keys too,at least the ones I've ran.See if it has an ignition or similar fuse that would keep it from starting if pulled.
Click to expand...


Run a toggle switch on the fuel shut off solenoid. Done that on several pavers
 
I'm starting to understand why so many older folks are disgruntled. They have been dealing with thieves, liars and people of little character longer than me. I used to start folks at 100% and let them work their way down from there. Now I start at 0% and they can earn my trust. Sad that I have been looking at all my acquaintances as possible thieves...

That said...I think older folks with a great disposition deserve more admiration and appreciation.
 
Back
Top