I wondered who would leave a locator out here....

**TheCableVine** · May 10th, 2010, 11:40 PM

A short while ago my co-worker was working late and in the middle of a locate. While swingin' the receiver around the signal suddenly stopped. She was a few blocks from the transmitter so she got in her van and headed for the transmitter to see why it stopped. As she approached the hook up point she noticed a guy was looking around and then bending down where the transmitter had been stashed. She coupled onto the fiber coming down the pole and then slid the transmitter into the bushes where it was kinda hidden. This guy pops up again, looks around and then comes up with the transmitter. Tami pulls up and asks what the hell does he think he's doing. It is an older guy with a beard, longhair, and driving a shitty pick-up truck. He looks at her and gives a surprised look and asks if the transmitter was hers. She say yeah it is and she's in the middle of working. He apologizes and says to her "I wondered who would leave a locator out here on the side of the road"

This story is kinda funny for two reasons. One, the guy was obviously trying to steal it and knew exactly what he was stealing and then acted dumb when he got caught. Two, Tami has already lost a transmitter by leaving it somewhere and when she returned the next day it was gone. For her to explain that she lost another one WHILE LOCATING with it would be kinda funny.

Personally, I would have called the cops and charged him with attempted theft. Tami just blew it off as a chance you take when locating away from your equipment.

**Goldenboy** · May 11th, 2010, 06:42 AM

Maybe she'll have to get a bike lock and lock the transmitter to a pole or sign. I know these locks are easy to cut but they make it so if someone wants to steal the transmiter they have to also have a bolt cutter on them.

I've personally never had a transmitter stolen. I have thought about it before when I'm hooked up to a fiber and then drive 3 miles away to do the locate. Sometimes the transmitter will sit by itself for over an hour. Hell they put GPS in our trucks why don't they put it in our locators and laptops then if they get stolen the cops will know exactly where to find them.

**sprayandpray** · May 11th, 2010, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

Maybe she'll have to get a bike lock and lock the transmitter to a pole or sign. I know these locks are easy to cut but they make it so if someone wants to steal the transmiter they have to also have a bolt cutter on them.

I've personally never had a transmitter stolen. I have thought about it before when I'm hooked up to a fiber and then drive 3 miles away to do the locate. Sometimes the transmitter will sit by itself for over an hour. Hell they put GPS in our trucks why don't they put it in our locators and laptops then if they get stolen the cops will know exactly where to find them.

OhLord! I can see it now - USIC running checks to see if we turned on our locator at each site and making sure we didn't leave it turned on too long, therefore wasting batteries! Or, checking how many key strokes at each locate to make sure we weren't unnecessarily wearing out the computer too fast. Please don't give them any more ways to micro-manage us!!!

**Mke** · May 11th, 2010, 09:37 AM

I have had my fair share of tweakers try to take the transmitter, not even knowing what it is. Unfortunately there is very little the police can do when it comes to that situation. All they probably will do is run the tweaker for warrents and if he has any they might take him, but they won't charge him with anything.

The situation I hate is Inducing in a parking lot, and a parking lot attendant picks up the transmitter, tosses it in the back of his truck and starts to drive away. Took me 45min and Two angry phonecalls to his manager, but it hasn't happened since.

I've also started to put my transmitter into the vaults or handholes when applicable and closing the lid on top of it. that way it won't walk away.

mke

**AULupstate** · May 11th, 2010, 09:45 AM

When I worked up-state I NEVER had a problem with ANYONE trying to gank my equipment.

No though working down-state and in some of the places I go ones head has to be on a swivel with 360' situational awareness. These assholes here will steal ANYTHING that isn't nailed down.

Oh and not to mention the 'BOMB SCARES'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**ProfessionalLocator** · May 11th, 2010, 09:56 AM

I have had one transmitter stolen. Had it hooked to a transformer and walked maybe 50' around a corner when the signal stopped. Walked back and it was gone, that fast.

There are some people who will steal anything just to be stealing it.
I have no doubt that transmitter was later thrown away.

Many people will not touch a transmitter because of the wire hooked up to something, They think they will get a shock if they touch it.

I found one transmitter, brand new, left on a site by a previous locator. They had not retrieved it by the time I was done so I taped a note to a pad-mounted transform with just the manufacturer name and my phone number. An hour later I got a call from a very relieved locator.

**Paint'n & Flag'n** · May 11th, 2010, 03:10 PM

python cables help quite a bit and are much harder to cut than bicycle cables.

**GPGrasshopper** · May 11th, 2010, 05:21 PM

Never had one stolen, but I did have a pipehorn box fall victim to a truck that ran off the road.

Smashed that puppy up good. I brought as many pieces as I could find to my supervisor and he gave me a new one.

**locatethis** · May 11th, 2010, 08:31 PM

I had the misfortune of leaving one behind a time or two! It's always the last locate of the day and the farthest away from home. But each time when having to waist time to retrieve it, it was always there. It's the initial shock when you open your truck at your first locate and you can't believe your eyes, no transmitter!!!!!!
As far as thieves, I had a laptop and cellphone snatched out of my truck. It took seconds and i was only 50 feet away. I could'nt believe it. I now lock my laptop and truck even if I'm stepping 2 feet away!

**ProfessionalLocator** · May 11th, 2010, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by locatethis

I had the misfortune of leaving one behind a time or two! It's always the last locate of the day and the farthest away from home. But each time when having to waist time to retrieve it, it was always there. It's the initial shock when you open your truck at your first locate and you can't believe your eyes, no transmitter!!!!!!
As far as thieves, I had a laptop and cellphone snatched out of my truck. It took seconds and i was only 50 feet away. I couldn't believe it. I now lock my laptop and truck even if I'm stepping 2 feet away!

I also once had someone get inside the cab and steal the cell phone. If it is so hot that heat for the laptop is a problem I have a second key so I can lock the door with the AC running. This is especially a problem during nighttime emergency locates when shutting down the truck could kill the battery with all the lights on. Spending the money to have spare key made is worth the peace of mind.

**ohlocator** · May 11th, 2010, 08:57 PM

A couple of years ago I had a Cop knock on my door at about 3 in the Morning. Apparently one of the local Meth-heads and his Girlfriend had broken into my Car and rummaged through it. While I was looking through my Car to ascertain what was gone I asked one of the Cops "Did they break into the White Pick-up over there?" (Company truck of course) The Cop replies "oh is that yours too?"
Turns out the little S.O.B. had stolen the R.D. out of the back. At this point the Cop informs me that the Genius had been observed breaking into cars by another resident of the Complex who had called the Cops. By the time the Cops arrived the Meth-Heads had moved on to the Sub-division next door. After the Cops had spent about 10 Minutes talking to the Caller the Meth-heads drove back by the Complex in plain view of the Cops and the Resident who had made the Original Call. The Meth-Heads were pulled over about 500' down the road. When I identified the R.D. to the Detective onsite he asked what they normally go for. I quoted the normal price of an R.D. 4000 T10 and he broke into a big grin and explained that at that price he could charge the Meth-Heads with a Felony. So long story ,short the little S.O.B.'s Girlfriend testified against him and he got to spend 6 Months as "Bubba's new Friend"

**OVUS1** · May 12th, 2010, 09:51 AM

When I started back in the mid-80's, the phone union guys (CWA) were pretty militant about contracting locates. I was swinging my Dynatel 573A on a long copper run out in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden the signal just died. I figured batteries so I started hoofing it back to my transmitter. About half way back a phone truck goes by and the tech hollers something at me when he went by (this was in Mississippi so no telling what he yelled at me). When I got back to my hookup point the transmitter was gone - poof - disappeared. Even though I can't say for sure where it went, I am pretty sure it didn't just disappear on its' own.......

Never lost another one since then...........

**yahoo** · May 12th, 2010, 08:48 PM

never had one stolen down this way!!!! but had a cell phone ganked!!!!

**TheCableVine** · May 12th, 2010, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by OVUS1

When I started back in the mid-80's, the phone union guys (CWA) were pretty militant about contracting locates. I was swinging my Dynatel 573A on a long copper run out in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden the signal just died. I figured batteries so I started hoofing it back to my transmitter. About half way back a phone truck goes by and the tech hollers something at me when he went by (this was in Mississippi so no telling what he yelled at me). When I got back to my hookup point the transmitter was gone - poof - disappeared. Even though I can't say for sure where it went, I am pretty sure it didn't just disappear on its' own.......

Never lost another one since then...........

This is another reason I HATE unions. Their unjustified anger is directed at the wrong people. Don't get mad at the locator, get mad at your own company, they are the ones who contracted the work out. (Sorry for the mini-rant)

**paintitnow** · May 12th, 2010, 11:37 PM

Years a go I think it was Milwuakee a ;locator was locating and someone jumped out at the light and grabbed his laptop out of his truck. Cls had one guy who left his Rd on his tailgate and drove away. Supervisor was none to happy. I have left the transmitter hooked up to a transformer and got home and realized i left it. I lived an hour away.