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bajaespuma

bajaespuma

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I don't know if this is the correct forum for this, but today, as I was working on my two new Asko machines and my KitchenAid KDS-16 in my driveway, 3 different groups of people in 3 different pick-up trucks stopped to ask me if the machines were trash and if they could take them. One guy banged on my front door to get my attention. I explained to them all, very loudly, that if a machine was up next to the curb that it was for trash but that ANYTHING close to my house or in my driveway was my property and not to be taken.

 

I've had vintage appliances stolen from my driveway, close to my house by people who collect scrap metal. The local police told me that in this economy (you know, post Bush/Cheney let's give everything to our super-rich friends and f**k the rest of the country and then blame Obama for not cleaning up our mess fast enough), a lot of people are making money with the metals that make up our favorite things. Apparently copper (no surprise) is hot and so is aluminum (big surprise). I'm going to have a large sign made to discourage this. Most of these guys are honest and literally scavenging to make a living and I wish them well. I'm worried about people who drive by when I'm at work. I'll have to be more careful about covering the machines with tarps and that sign.

 

Watch your treasures folks. Scavenging is big again.
 
What city? I'm in Springfield, Mass., and I'm always checking Craigslist (items wanted). Seems to be a lot of scrappers posting from New Britain. I haven't had any problems here, but I have made a real effort to move any metal from the backyard and into the cellar. Out of sight, out of mind.
 
This has been going on at some level for years, though it may very well be getting worse as the U.S. economy continues to tank. My parents have had things stolen from their yard on a regular basis for as long as I can remember. Most recently, some large and very heavy steel fence posts were taken from their driveway(I know,dumb place to leave them) by a roving scraper. My mom has had numerous planters and yard statues taken, and in the past when my folks had fruit trees growing in the front yard, on several occasions they came out in the morning to find them picked clean. What can I say, some people throw morals out the window when they think no one is watching.
 
Well...

Posting about scrappers stealng stuff and turning it in as if it was their own, right forum. We have the problem bad here at the shop and I have lost several nice machines over it. Recently, we installed cameras and have turned a few over to the police and now the problem has slowed down slightly. I also hate seeing a nice vintage machine posted on C/L and calling only 20 mins or less after it posted and the scrappers have already been there and gone. I feel your pain, Ken! Speaking of pain, how about Darwinism at work with the really dumb ones attempting to steal copper electrical lines from utility bunkers and poles and forgetting about that silly thing about high voltage...

 

However, working in the political angle (and not so nicely, either...) into the rant is not really appropriate for this forum...

 

RCD
 
Even way up here.

Copper is the big thing thieves are going after. Some have been so brazen to try and steal it from the power sub stations. I am reading now on the local news that summer people are coming back to Maine and finding all their wiring and plumbing stripped out of their places. New law passed says scrappers have to be paid only by check and everything is verified with ID'd, etc at recycling places. At least more ways to catch the jerks. So far it has put some in jail where they belong.
 
When It Came Time To Replace The Dead Friedrich AC

With the newly purchased on debated about what to do.

Knowing scrap prices toyed with the idea of waiting for the weekend and hauling the thing out to a yard in Brooklyn or NJ along with some other metal one has laying around. Old AC's like mine had tons of copper and aluminum and one has seen scrappers literally beat units placed on the street to bits to get at the good stuff. One homeless man several weeks ago trashed a AC our dumb "super" put out for rubbish without informing Sanitation department so they could come and take way the coolant. Anywho the next thing one heard was this loud "hissssssssssssssss" as the daft man broke apart the cooling system to get at the copper but also let out the Freon (scrap yards here won't usually take ACs unless they have been certified as properly drained). As this was happening right in front of my house did protest most loudly. Stilly man's only reply was "It's nothing... I've been doing this for years....".

Anywho in the end decided to contact a nice Spanish couple that one observed roving the area a week before on a scrapper run. They came at 1AM in the morning to collect the AC (talk about prompt reply to a text, *LOL*) and were that glad to have it. Considered any potential funds loss my donation to the poor plate for that week. Besides had the thing been put out for Sanitation to come around and remove Freon, it would have met the same fate as the unit above, if not taken whole by someone else. At least one had the choice of who benefitted from my largess.

Sealing Metal For Scrape:

Just this past month local power company "Con Edison" reported someone was actually stealing their manhole covers. Yes, those big heavy cast iron manhole covers were being stolen right off NYC streets. Several days after the story was placed on the media to help solve the mystery a man was caught and arrested. Turns out he had a drug problem and was selling the stuff to scrap yards for funds. He was caught when person or persons observed him using a large construction type vehicle to lift/remove manhole covers. IIRC the same man,or maybe it was/is someone else is also stealing the metal tree bed liners that are used on NYC street trees.

In short nothing is sacred. About two months ago a Long Island cemetary worker was arrested after a rash of thefts of metal urns placed by family members at graves. Some people had it happen to them several times as no sooner than they replaced one stolen urn it would go missing. When the caught the guy he had a good supply of the stolen urns at his home.

Personally I say one deals with this the way it's done on the other side of the Mason-Dixon. Get yourself a Glock, Gatt or firearm of choice and put up a sign saying basically so and that tresspassers will be shot. Like Susanne Sugarbaker says: "Sets the tone for the whole evening...". *LOL*
 
Yessa Laundress

Thats the way we deal with it here too as there are almost 3 firearms per person registered in the state. The problem is being at home when it happens and hope they dont steal your weapons if you're not. Some people are now using the cameras and alarm systems. But the old tried and true theft deterent is a big mean dog.
 
If these people asked, they were presumably honest. Much of the metal thievery around here is done by meth addicts, if my AC repairman is to be believed. Their big thing is raiding farms for old tractor attachments and taking outdoor AC units from churches.
 
"The local police told me that in this economy (you know, post Bush/Cheney let's give everything to our super-rich friends and f**k the rest of the country and then blame Obama for not cleaning up our mess fast enough)," OK that's it! You liberals are really starting to foam at at the mouth about Obama's failed policies!Who was responsible for the making homes affordable program? Democrats! That was the start of this hole mess we are in right now!I cant stand the F**k Government and the EPA and save the planet people! Take your hands off our washers and dishwashers! This president flip flops and lies about so much it makes me want to puck. OK now I am looking for a kds kdi or kdc to replace my new GE dishwasher that takes forever and uses little water.
 
I guess my post about scrapping in Thread Number: 40567 should have been placed here.

And Rob, they all do. Don't get yourself in such a state.
 
Watch Out

Stealing scrap metal.

 

My partners car restoration business has even had whole cars stolen at night by scrapers. So far we have been lucky at our warehouse, but when we have been working there some days and if I set something out front to make room you can see the guys in old PU trucks circling around, a few have stopped and asked. One afternoon we set a steel staircase out back to make room while we were remodeling and Wayne was there working and his dog Abby. Later Abby started carrying on so he opened the back door and two guys were carrying the staircase toward the parking lot. The dog took off after them and Wayne made the guys carry it back to where it was, Guns are never the answer to any problem.

 

This is the correct forum to discuss vintage appliances being stolen and Kens statement about the increase in stolen items being attributed to the bad economy caused by the Bush-Cheney years is just a simple statement of fact like saying Maytags were built in Iowa. Robs rant on the other hand should be moved to Dirty Laundry.
 
This is the correct forum to discuss vintage appliances being stolen and Kens statement about the increase in stolen items being attributed to the bad economy caused by the Bush-Cheney years is just a simple statement of fact like saying Maytags were built in Iowa. Robs rant on the other hand should be moved to Dirty Laundry.

I do agree with others that this is the correct forum to discuss the possibility of vintage washers and other appliances being stolen, but I cannot move one single post in a thread to Dirty Laundry, it's all or nothing. So if this thread become a political football I'll have no choice but to move it to dirty laundry. So please keep it civil and leave out the "liberals bla bla bla". Thanks guys.
 
On CL, here in Portland.... every 4th or 5th used washer ad is from scrappers wanting to pick up your machine for free. Thank GOD I don't have a warehouse or large barn space and disposable income at my disposal, because I'd have "Top dollar paid for your used washer or dryer" ad running on CL and you'd find me on an episode of "HOARDERS" in a year, up to my neck in Lady Kenmore transmissions...
 
machine stealing

At the appliance company where I work when we deliver a new machine if we leave the old one outside while we are installing the new one on more than one occasion we have come out and found it gone or someone loading it on a truck so we dont leave them alone anymore.I no longer see machines by the side of the road anymore or not for long.This isnt doing us collectors any good.Just think of how many beautiful vintage machines we are losing to these vultures.Barbarians.
 
No, no, no, not what I meant to stir up...

I didn't post this to generate anger against the scrappers (they are neither the cause of the predicament we are all facing {my other point, whether you like it or not}, nor are they bad people IMHO) they are simply working folks who are trying to survive in bad times.

 

What I was trying to say was, if you're like me and work on your machines in the driveway or the yard, be vigilant and maybe post some signs or alert your neighbors, because there seem to be lots and lots of these entrepreneurs working the neighborhoods and you could, like me, lose some precious machines if you're not careful. What surprised me was how many were out on the hunt on one particular day. Yes, some of these guys get a little bold and grabby but in the real world I wouldn't expect these people to think that what looks  like garbage to most people is actually a vintage treasure. Give them a break. If you want to get angry at somebody, well, ....
 
up to my neck in Lady Kenmore transmissions...

Sorry, I had to check to make sure it wasn't Gordon posting that...
smiley-laughing.gif


 

If you really want to make a point with the "bad" scrappers, then when the police take a report of the machines that were stolen, make sure that you base the value on what it's worth parted out, not just as a scrap piece. We sell used parts as well. A used transmission for $75, motor for $50-100, timers and control boards and so on. So, when done, the $25-50 (misdemenor) machine stolen is now more along the lines of about $250-400 (possible felony) in used, sellable parts, per machine taken. These crooked scrappers, who think that IF they get caught it will be "just a slap on the wrist then out and back to business", suddenly get gut checked by the reality of it being a bit more serious...

 

RCD

 

P.S. A big "Hear! Hear!" to Robert and Tim!
 
The problem is the thieves that take plumbing and wiring that's being used.  An old appliance to most people is scrap.  Be thankful for the people that try and sell or give an item to someone before allowing a scrapper to have it.

 

Many scrappers will watch for items for you if you ask them.  They're not bad, just the thieves that steal plumbing and live wiring.
 

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