# They got me....



## Devil (Nov 10, 2008)

Well last night they got me.... Someone stole 3 tombstones one with a skull head popper, scarecrow, and a groundbreaker zombie. Just another a**holes in the world..!


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Sorry to hear about that Devil. I was just talking to my wife about that earlier today. I have a few props out I am worried about that I can't nail down. I think if someone did that at my home, I would just tear everything down as I would be so pissed off. Hopefully you keep your display up and don't let them get you down. 

maybe it is time to invest in a camera system.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

That just bites, Devil


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Oh Devil, what a downer!


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

My condolances. that just STINKS


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## silentskream (Sep 20, 2012)

so sorry 

i don't understand why that would be a good idea.. especially for homemade items - it's not like they can display them in their yard, they'll be seen, and you'll instantly know that they're yours.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Damn...that is bad news, Devil. Why is it that these jerks never steal or damage Xmas displays? Sometimes you hear of public Xmas displays being vandalized, but rarely do homes get hit, it seems.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I'm half expecting this to happen to me. I'm so sorry that you got burned.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

That just blows. Sorry Devil. Haven't had it happen yet, and hope that it doesn't...It has to be tough, you spend your time and effort (not to mention cash) creating something and some Sh!tball comes along and has ZERO respect for it and you.


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## craigfly06 (May 11, 2012)

I am sorry to hear that, bunch of jerks ( would finish that but keeing it clean!) Now do you call the cops for that , or would that be a bigger pain? should dish out a little old fashion Justice!!


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Do you have any game cameras (with infrared flash) you can set up in your yard?


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

...Or perhaps a sign 'Under Video Surveillance' My main thought is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...though this would assume the knuckleheads can read. You can find fake cameras for a few bucks a piece as well.

My personal favorite could be a Tesla Coil hooked to a motion sensor...nothing like an 8 foot bolt of lightning to scare off the thieves, or at least stop them in their tracks....permanently!


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

or the Denver jockstrap!


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

sorry to hear this. 

had it happen to me last year. Some neighborhood kid stole my Jigsaw puppet. I made a sign that stated 'Stolen: Jigsaw puppet. Please return.' Put it out near the road, where Jigsaw once sat. Some other neighborhood kids saw the sign and squealed him out. So, I made a new sign: (btw- he returned Jigsaw a week after H'ween.)


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

silentskream said:


> so sorry
> 
> i don't understand why that would be a good idea.. especially for homemade items - it's not like they can display them in their yard, they'll be seen, and you'll instantly know that they're yours.


Devil, with this in mind, I hope you filed a police report. With the uniqueness of your props, if you see them on display anywhere, you call the police and take them to where your items are found. The person in possession of the props at the time can be charged with receiving stolen property. Also make sure you provide a dollar amount of what the items are each worth. This shows the level of the theft in the eventual prosecution. *Report it*! Take action! It also adds to the crime stats in your neighborhood, possibly influencing police presence.

Sorry to hear you got your things taken.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

just wrong!


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

That is pure evil. I'd make a police report. I Ihope you get your stuff back.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

That's just such a crappy thing to do....kids day off, so they go raid someone's yard...nice.

I'd put up a sign...some kids have to have this stuff stashed in their room & are telling their parents it came from a friend.....


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Devil, sorry to hear you were a victim of thieves. I agree that you should file a police report. Give them pictures of what was taken.

We haunters need a graveyard version of this:


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

I keep thinking I want to mache one of those pet ID chips into all of my props!


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

Oh I am so sorry to hear that! Sadly I think that is something most of us fear. Its such a shame that a few risk ruining it for all.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You need a lojack installed on your props.
Sadly, you've learned why many haunters don't put there stuff up til Halloween, and then basically sit with it all night.
File the police report, and give them photos, dimensions, etc., to make it easier to identify. It's probably kids from another neighborhood who want to do up their own yard, or maybe some Goth who decided they need/want some cool stones in their room or something.
Really sad though.


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## AngelaCop (Oct 8, 2012)

my condolences


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Sorry to hear that Devil. It is one of the reasons why I'm happy to be living in the middle of nowhere.... Hope you get your stuff back somehow.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Sorry this happened to you. I live in fear of this every year and don't put much of anything out until Halloween day and then it all comes back in that night. Last year, for the first time, I had the entire graveyard set up the day before to set lights, etc.. It got late and I was too tired to bring it in so went to bed hoping it would all be there the morning of the 31st. Came downstairs half expecting things to be missing or trashed and nothing was touched. I'm not sure I would do it again. This is something we all live with and no matter the neighborhood, all of us are at risk. Forge ahead, put out the rest of your stuff and enjoy Halloween. Don't let these bastages get the best of you!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Spooky1 said:


> Devil, sorry to hear you were a victim of thieves. I agree that you should file a police report. Give them pictures of what was taken.
> 
> We haunters need a graveyard version of this:
> 
> Trunk Monkey - YouTube


OMG I love this video!

Devil, I'm really bummed that this happened to you. Keep your chin up and carry on!


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## Anda (Jun 20, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear about that, Devil. I hope your stones are found and the thief or thieves are put in thumb screws. :madkin:


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

I'm investing in camera's when i get (IF) i get my tax refund in 2013. It's worth it and you can get small night vision camera's to hook up and record to a vcr super cheap! My parents did this and they spend hardly anything on em. But it's a good investment if you have props you put a lot of time in or props you went and bought at a ridiculous price haha


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## studiokraft (Feb 7, 2012)

This will be our 2nd year of really doing it up for Halloween. The first year we had a pretty nice display and set it up on Halloween day and took it down that night. 

This year is a much more elaborate display and I am concerned that I will be able to get it set up in time, so I have a plan to set up things like footings and supports the day before and then the rest on Halloween Day.

I do wonder from time to time if we are just being paranoid, but the thing is that unlike some of the other displays in the neighborhood that are made up completely of store-bought inflatables and blow molds we put a lot of time and effort into custom props (like many on this forum) and don't want to take the chance of them being damaged or stolen.

If our display gets any more elaborate I will need a solution like cameras or tesla coils to keep ne'er-do-wells out of the display.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I just saw an article from a house about 10 minutes from mine that had their display stolen, or the main parts of it. Then a police blotter shows another house about a mile from mine with several of their props stolen. Gaa... now I am paranoid. Might be buying a camera or two this week. 

Devil. Did you put a sign out asking for your props back yet?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

The only drawback to cameras is that even IF you can identify the perpetrator, it doesn't prevent the actual theft or damage, and once it's done you're SOL. They may act as a deterant, but that's about it.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You might also look at neighbors who are radically against Halloween or your display in particular. Items may have been taken to just stop or ruin your display.
Cameras are or may be a help but you need to pursue the thieves once things have been taken or damaged.


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

Sorry to hear about this Devil!

This is why I setup my display in my backyard (fenced) and only let people walk through on Halloween night. This year, I am setting up a countdown display in the front yard, so we'll see if anything happens to it.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

wow yeah that does suck..i would patrol the area..it is likely it is someone nearby..but they might be smart enough not to put it up yet. maybe ask some neighbors, who knows, they might have thrown it out in someone else's garbage. any dumpsters nearby? even check out a local cemetery maybe.
I am lucky ..have not had anything taken in the 15 yrs here not even a smashed punkin.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

or check this out 
http://www.howcast.com/videos/1130-How-to-Make-a-Trip-Wire-Alarm


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## MommaMoose (May 15, 2010)

So sorry Devil. Filing a police report sounds like the best thing to do. It might even send a patrol car around every once in a while. I just hope it doesn't dampen your spirits to much.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

I am sorry to hear that it happen to you Devil. I know how you feel it happen to me many years ago. I remade the things I wanted remade and did them better. Good luck in the future with your stuff.


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Sorry to hear bout your losses Devil. I think Copchick's advice is sound. Report it to the police.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

Devil - again, I'm very sorry this happened to you. My condolences to you.


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## epoweredrc (Aug 6, 2012)

CreeepyCathy said:


> sorry to hear this.
> 
> had it happen to me last year. Some neighborhood kid stole my Jigsaw puppet. I made a sign that stated 'Stolen: Jigsaw puppet. Please return.' Put it out near the road, where Jigsaw once sat. Some other neighborhood kids saw the sign and squealed him out. So, I made a new sign: (btw- he returned Jigsaw a week after H'ween.)


Thats such a good post lol great idea.
I think im install a electric fence around my yard ha ha.. my tombstones are cheap and mostly free did buy some at dollar tree there staked down but be easy to take if someone really wanted
Ild be pissed if someone took one of my props jason vorhes or my zombie or a skeleton


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

That Blows. Sorry to hear that. We make this stuff for fun for all, and some punks gotta go and ruin it. My thoughts were like Lord Homicide's, the game cameras can be found at Radio Shack and some other stores that stock hunting supplies, around $30-$50. I the dark in a tree or something, they'd never know it was there. 

My Father used one to try to bust a mailbox basher, in the end it didn't help however, as he did the next best thing - caught them in the act! They broke out there own truck window, and almost left one of there buddies behind in their haste to escape! Dad never had trouble since. XD

Which leads me to think, and electronics pros out there, could one build some kind of an alarm that could sound inside the house (likely a wire ran in a window) that was set off by a motion detector? It would be silent for the punks, until the angry haunter busted out the front door, wielding axes and firearms.. lol


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## epoweredrc (Aug 6, 2012)

Depend on how big ur yard is you could use driveway alarms my parents have one on there driveway it goe off in the house but anything can trip it the cats dogs are always making it go off.... 
Dad has some x-10 products with that youcan make sound go off inside and have light hooked up to come on maybe a big flood light coming on would scare em away


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## smileyface4u23 (Apr 1, 2008)

Devil - I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you.


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## Lambchop (Jan 28, 2011)

Arrrrgh! boils the blood doesn't it? Sorry man.


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

I have done a Christmas display for a couple of years now. Sadly, theft (and more often vandalism) is a big problem. 

Some of the larger Christmas displays can cost tens of thousands of dollars. I have nearly 6 grand wrapped up in my small display.

A lot of the larger displays now have high def/low light CCTV systems. When you have years invested in a display along with several thousand dollars, spending a few hundred for a CCTV system is cheap insurance.

I have learned 2 things from other's that have done this. Go high def or don't go at all. Low resolution pictures really do not show who the person is. And 2, make sure people know that the display has video recording. I have heard of one guy going so far as to have a monitor outside showing what one of the cameras is seeing.


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## CoolDJTV (Jun 28, 2011)

crap. sorry to hear that.


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## spinachetr (Nov 9, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your loss. The very first night of the very first year I put stuff out I had some punks kick my countdown tombstone in half. I chased them down the street with a golf club using every profanity I knew and some I invented on the spot. I then screamed at the girls these boys where following (who didn't run). Hopefully, they got the message that I am a psychopath (I'm not really I'm a probation officer) who is not to be messed with. I now also have 6 video cameras hooked to a DVR watching over my front yard. The kids know I have the cameras because I post videos of them on our communty's facebook page when they walk past my house after curfew or when I caught them on video trying to break into my neighbor's pool. Knock on wood that nothing else has happened....now watch.


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## TarotByTara (May 22, 2012)

Oh jeez that really sucks, Devil.


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## Cal78 (Aug 20, 2012)

Last Year they Hit The Neighbors where i use to Live, The Stupid thing is Everybody In The Hood Knows what they Look Like, and the Thieves only Walked them Down about 10 Houses Around the Block and Puthem In their Own Front Yard.


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