Game Camera Stolen...need advice

[crazyfarmer]

i'm not so sure anyone would be able to get at that camera on the tree wihtout having a ladder.....unless they are a tree climber

look at it this way.... if you got it up the tree, they can get it down the tree the same way

All the saefty things only stop a honest thief

[footprint]

I feel for you, for sure. I had a similar thing happen this spring. I have 25 acres of bush in Haliburton County. I have my trail cam set up in the middle of nowhere, and thusly have never considered locking it up. Well, I went to check it and it was GONE. It was set up about 40 yards from a fence line, so I walked up to talk to the new property owner (he just moved up from the city last yet, only met him once).

I didn't want to accuse him, so my intent was to simply inquire as to whether or not he had seen anything unusual in the area. I knocked on the front door..no answer. So, I went around back to knock on his patio door, and as I'm about to knock, I SEE MY CAMERA ON HIS COFFEE TABLE . He had even taken the time to download the manual off the internet.

As he wasn't home, I decided to call the police. As I was talking to the cop, the fella shows up. Long story short, I got my camera back, but didn't charge the guy. Primarily, I have to put up with him living next door.

But perhaps more upsetting, here is what the cop told me: if I were to press charges, the guy will deny taking it from my land, he will hire a lawyer and charge ME with trespassing (by knocking on his door).

Bottom line...even if you did catch him....who knows what would happen?

Sorry for the long rant!!

Footprint.

[mikej]

that's a real sickening story footprint , it almost sounded like the thief could have been made out to be the victum sorry to hear

[Hi5]

...............................

But perhaps more upsetting, here is what the cop told me: if I were to press charges, the guy will deny taking it from my land, he will hire a lawyer and charge ME with trespassing (by knocking on his door).

....................................

Footprint.

I don't know what country you call home. Let's just say that if it's Canada, the police officer was trying to get out of doing his job--either because he was friendly to your thief, or, just plain lazy.

You don't commit trespass unless you remain on the property after being ordered to leave by the owner or someone acting under his authority. If he has his place placarded with "No Trespassing" signs and you enter, that also would be trespassing. EVEN IF YOU DID trespass, that is not a Criminal Offence. In most provinces that could only result in a trifling fine, such as a parking violation. It's VERY unlikely someone would hire a lawyer to prosecute you for trespassing.

If the guy had been charged with a criminal offence, he would have likely been compelled to take the witness stand to explain how he came into possession of your stuff. If he didn't testify, he would likely have been convicted based on the circumstatial evidence, which was certainly very strong.

You have a criminal for a neighbour, and, sad to say, a lazy or crooked cop "serving" you.

[mikej]

haliburton is in ontario on hwy 118 which runs from bancroft to bracebridge

[DirtyGun]

As many have already stated, it's best to just accept the loss and move on. I don't use trail cameras for the simple reason that even on private land, they're targets for theft. I lost the first one I ever bought and haven't purchased one since. I've also lost three ladder stands and a ground blind.

The ladder stands last year hurt the most, since it was a property that two other gentlemen were hunting and we had worked quite hard on making things work for everyone (schedules made, shooting lanes cut, etc.) and then some low-lifes screwed it up for all three of us by stealing three of my stands and four belonging to the other two guys (and no, it wasn't them that took them).

My ground blind walked away two years ago after I had left it out. I always pack mine out now.

If a no good low life dirty thief wants something of yours, they'll take it...it doesn't matter how many locks you put on it.

And the worst part of it is that the person that took your property is a member of the hunting community. They're a low life, but still someone who calls themself a hunter.

I take solace in the fact that there is a much bigger judge than this world can produce that those low lifes will have to answer to when their days are done.

[Pydpiper]

...............................

But perhaps more upsetting, here is what the cop told me: if I were to press charges, the guy will deny taking it from my land, he will hire a lawyer and charge ME with trespassing (by knocking on his door).

....................................

Footprint.

If he has his place placarded with "No Trespassing" signs and you enter, that also would be trespassing. EVEN IF YOU DID trespass, that is not a Criminal Offence. In most provinces that could only result in a trifling fine, such as a parking violation. It's VERY unlikely someone would hire a lawyer to prosecute you for trespassing.

If the guy had been charged with a criminal offence, he would have likely been compelled to take the witness stand to explain how he came into possession of your stuff. If he didn't testify, he would likely have been convicted based on the circumstatial evidence, which was certainly very strong.

You have a criminal for a neighbour, and, sad to say, a lazy or crooked cop "serving" you.

Trespassing is a minor offence, as stated, but trespassing when it involves theft is a very different scenario. Same as trespassing while in possession of a firearm.
Wandering through the woods on land that isn't yours is minor, wandering through the woods with stolen property and it is a very different offence, add a firearm to the mix and there will be no slap on the wrist.

[footprint]

...............................

But perhaps more upsetting, here is what the cop told me: if I were to press charges, the guy will deny taking it from my land, he will hire a lawyer and charge ME with trespassing (by knocking on his door).

....................................

Footprint.

You have a criminal for a neighbour, and, sad to say, a lazy or crooked cop "serving" you.

Sadly, correct. The cop stated that since I had peered into his windows, that could be construed as trespassing. To be honest, I was so shocked and upset that a "neighbour" would do this, I just wanted to move on. And I know...ultimately, I should have locked it up, but I'm a small town guy....I didn't grow up with the default notion that your neighbour will go out of his way to steal your stuff. I naively have some amount of faith in the goodness of one's fellow man. Saddens me, but it won't make me bitter

[mikej]

Sadly, correct. The cop stated that since I had peered into his windows, that could be construed as trespassing. To be honest, I was so shocked and upset that a "neighbour" would do this, I just wanted to move on. And I know...ultimately, I should have locked it up, but I'm a small town guy....I didn't grow up with the default notion that your neighbour will go out of his way to steal your stuff. I naively have some amount of faith in the goodness of one's fellow man. Saddens me, but it won't make me bitter

if there were more people around with your type of views we'd be a lot better off, sadly people seem to be becoming more and more like your neighbor

[Hi5]

............................... The cop stated that since I had peered into his windows, that could be construed as trespassing..................

That is utter, total, garbage.

Trespass is being on someone else's property against the express wishes of the owner or someone who has his authority. Peering into the windows doesn't make it any more of an act of trespass. If it happened incidentally to knocking at his door, it's not even a privacy issue.

If it happened at night, under circumstances where you reasonably could be concluded to be a "Peeping Tom", that could be a different problem.

You got stuck with a cop that either was lazy, ignorant of the law, or dishonest.

Sorry to highjack the thread, but this makes me angry. It's bad enough to have to put up with crooks next door, but we should be able to expect more from our police.

[one shot scott]

I know some on this forum who are law enforcement, please dont take offence. But this is considered small potatoes, Not worth a cops time.

As for theft deterent in the woods: I have found that if you make it so that they have to get tools from home and than go back to your stand/camera etc, then they SLIGHTLY less likely to steal your stuff. It does not prevent the really determined thief though. Mark your stuff in a way that you can identify it if it is stolen, and hope it never happens. I have come to realize that some theft is sadly going to happen now and then. All part of hunting in the woods just my opinion.

[footprint]

Sadly, correct. The cop stated that since I had peered into his windows, that could be construed as trespassing. To be honest, I was so shocked and upset that a "neighbour" would do this, I just wanted to move on. And I know...ultimately, I should have locked it up, but I'm a small town guy....I didn't grow up with the default notion that your neighbour will go out of his way to steal your stuff. I naively have some amount of faith in the goodness of one's fellow man. Saddens me, but it won't make me bitter

if there were more people around with your type of views we'd be a lot better off, sadly people seem to be becoming more and more like your neighbor

Thanks Mike

[Chris Dillard]

Having been a City Policer Officer for 10 years and a Federal Officer for the last 61/2 years your responding officer sounds like he's what we call in law enforcement as a "ROD". That being Retired On Duty. Sorry for your bad experiance most officers arent like that but unfortunately some are.

[mikej]

retired on duty, thats a good one