Crime Spree in Pike County!

Van and Steve got to the farm on Thursday afternoon to do a few chores.  They thought it was unusual to find the main cabin door unlocked.  They later noticed that the mandoor from the driveway to the barn was unlocked.  When they went to the coffee can to pay themselves for their time, they were surprised to find it empty - there was supposed to be $280 in there.  Van gave me a call at that point and it started to occur to us that there had been somebody in the barn and cabin  - we had been robbed.  Eventually we discovered the following stuff to be missing:

1.) a Stihl 009 chainsaw
2.) a Stihl 029 Farm Boss chainsaw
3.) a Husqavarna 338xpt chainsaw
4.) a Dewalt cordless tool kit with a drill, reciprocating saw, batteries, charger, and a bit/driver set
5.) my PSE Nova compound bow (whisker bisket rest, stabilizer, quiver, etc)
6.) $280 cash
7.) the fake security camera from above the mandoor in the barn

Van called the sheriff and filed a report with Sgt. Dan.
My theory is that we left a window unlatched in the dining area.

Probably this window.  Van found the screen out of place but the window had been closed and latched.  There was a smear on the glass.

This cabin door has a dead bolt on it.  Van found it unbolted but there is no question that I locked it with a key on Sunday.  Also, the light beside the door was on.  This is a light that we never use and can only be turned on from inside the cabin.

This fake camera is over the double doors - it was not touched.

Sorry about the finger in the picture.  There was another fake camera above this mandoor - it is gone and this door was unlocked.  It remains locked via a deadbolt all the time.

It seems to me that a single person came either on foot or atv.  They found the window unlatched and entered the cabin.  They didn't take anything from the cabin (at least that we've found so far).  The tv, food, alcohol, binoculars, etc were all in the cabin untouched.

So he unbolted the cabin door, went into the barn (turning on lights), found the smaller but more expensive stuff, and took what he could fit on his atv.

It's interesting because all of my machines were sitting there with keys in the ignition.  On his way out, he takes the camera over the door he uses.


No evidence of vandalism or partying - seems to be a single person taking what he can carry on his one atv.  But now he's been thru our cabin and our barn and has probably taken inventory - will he be back?

I met with two alarm companies on Saturday and we will have more defenses for the next time.  In the interim, I moved a deer camera up to watch the driveway/door area.  It's an infrared flash so it isn't too obvious but if the thief sees it, he could just take it too.

View from the trailcam of Steve's truck.

Overnight shot - apparently that light over the door flickers on and off.

Here I am coming out in the morning to check the card.

We're changing a few things in how we leave the place and we should have a better security/monitoring system in within a week.