We were broke into last night!

[NEWFISHER]

WE WERE BROKEN INTO LAST NIGHT!



But they couldnt get past the interior screen security gate I fabbed up after the extrior door was breached and the alarm sounded! OK, not a thread full of " how to build your truck", but mabey some insight how to keep the cash that funds the build.



We own a small business with 3 employees at a mini mall, my wife runs it and I get the 75 mile commute to the Chevy Dealer daily. She works 7am to 7:30pm 7 days a week from Thanksgiving till Christmas. We get a call last night around midnight from the alarm company, jump into our clothes and race to the store. Front door locked, front screen secure, alarm sounding. I run through the store like a 13 year old playing a point of view war video game and sweep it noticing the rear door open. As I rush to the rear double locked screen door ( which I fabbed 7 years ago with a 110v Harbor fright welder) I am greeted by testosterone fueled and armed Officers. After what seemed like 5 minutes of yelling back and forth with me and my wifes hands in the air, we unlock the metal screen door. They sweep, take notes and leave telling us it happens every year and Merry Christmas.



We call our 24hr locksmith Eddie. His response time is also quicker and while I'm quickly hammering some metal door and protecto plate body work, he gets an industrial dead bolt ready. The bastards pried the protecto plate, pried the door to sill and chisel punched the bolt which broke its mounting point to the lock and it fell out, door opens. The alarm sounds and they try quickly to get past my double dead bolt metal frame screen door with no luck- FU@#&RS! Eddie is quick and in no time we are ready to go home until he says " did the cops check the other doors back here along the backside of the mall?" Nope, we found 5 of them breached. He says every year---especially Christmas day and New Years Day. He re-keyed 56 locals last year, all the same m.o. and all had visa machines gone.



Here's the moral to the story- The thieves are snatching visa machines and trying to grab stored numbers to pilfer later. We leave our cash register drawers open and visible, we will now try to secure the visa machines. Even though the store is armed and running video, they are still trying. For those retail business owners out there, good luck and take precaution.

[GMtrucknut!!]

Thieves are the toothrot on the smile of the world

[mr48chev]

It's good to see that you took the extra security precautions. Have a good Christmas.

[kpdalton]

Its amazing the effort people will go thru to steal instead of using that energy and ingenuity to make it legitimately. I mean, some thieves are really smart & have talent! Maybe crime does pay for the good ones, Idk.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sounds like 2 or 3 layers of security screen doors is the way to go - frustrate the hell outta the EFFER'S.

Glad you didn't get taken and just got a little adrenalin rush out of it all. HOpefully you'll have a more peaceful Christmas Eve and Day now. All the Best!

[71swb4x4]

The most successful and hardest working will have to spend more and more money on security. Security businesses will grow by leaps and bounds in these hard economic times.

[mknittle]

glad to hear they didnt get in too bad the other stores werent so lucky1 Id theft seems to be the biggest thing now days!

[Bierkan]

And a good reminder for all of us to check our credit ratings!

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by Bierkan

And a good reminder for all of us to check our credit ratings!

YES! especially after the Hollidays. We have an outlet mall up here that doesn't take cash anymore, too many thefts and distrust from employees. The only take cards and fuels the fire for the thieves to get smarter.

[Smoke_Dog]

Well we might have to start living in the stores like the peopkle oveseas do!!!!!! LOL

[NEWFISHER]

I would have lots of parking for trucks!
Posted via Mobile Device

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

YES! especially after the Hollidays. We have an outlet mall up here that doesn't take cash anymore, too many thefts and distrust from employees. The only take cards and fuels the fire for the thieves to get smarter.

A guy can get a prepaid debit cards or generic gift cards that have no connection to anyone's name, address or bank though. Some can be reloaded at the original sales point. Good for using at places where you feel things are a bit shaky. I got my wife one for Christmas this year. Saved me from buying something that didn't fit.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

YES! especially after the Hollidays. We have an outlet mall up here that doesn't take cash anymore, too many thefts and distrust from employees. The only take cards and fuels the fire for the thieves to get smarter.

I once had my bank accounts cleaned out then my card maxed out. when I went to the bank the teller asked me if I was in Moscow Russia an hour ago!

[LEEVON]

Our bank account got cleaned out the week of Christmas last year. All the bank could say about their security being breeched was "It happens all the time".

[Highsider]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

Our bank account got cleaned out the week of Christmas last year. All the bank could say about their security being breeched was "It happens all the time".

Might help to know what bank system it was...but probably doesn't make a difference.