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Trying to stop truspassers

3

37chief

Well-known Member
Location
California
I was mowing yesterday, I could see the owner had trouble with cars driving on the land and causing ruts. So I see a board with nails where they enter. That looked to me like a law suit waiting to happen. Any thoughts? I don't like to mow fields that are smooth one year, then some yahoo goes in with a vehicle when the ground is wet, and makes deep ruts, or even worse when they get stuck, and the tow truck gets stuck. It makes for a very rough ride. Stan
 
(quoted from post at 15:49:30 08/12/14) I was mowing yesterday, I could see the owner had trouble with cars driving on the land and causing ruts. So I see a board with nails where they enter. That looked to me like a law suit waiting to happen. Any thoughts? I don't like to mow fields that are smooth one year, then some yahoo goes in with a vehicle when the ground is wet, and makes deep ruts, or even worse when they get stuck, and the tow truck gets stuck. It makes for a very rough ride. Stan
Click to expand...

I know in my state it's illegal to place traps like that.

Rick
 
You would have to research the laws in your state.

Keeping people off a privately owned section of land can be a real problem, when the owner wants people to stay out. There is always this sense of entitlement by those who trespass.

Boards with nails, the nails bend over, sure it can work, but something more substantial will work much better.

As I understand the law here in NYS, and you have to realize its ones interpretation to an extent, if the land is conspicuously posted, the owner has the right to expect people will stay out, so if someone does drive a vehicle in and gets a flat tire, I don't see how an owner is in any way responsible. That's the basic premise, vehicle and traffic law applies with ATV's 2403 - forget the subsection, as well as penal law.

The above regarding the signage being posted conspicuously. to me, means that if I place real tire spikes out there, and someone who is clearly trespassing, their vehicle is disabled, I am responsible, prove it ! I have the expectation the signs will be obeyed, well that's what the law says.

In my situation, I try to handle these problems without having to resort to aggressive means, and I don't really have much trouble, but I have employed the above devices and have seen the results, when theft occurs, signs were vandalized, stolen and fences were destroyed.

If people are so determined to violate the law, then they will be met with further determination to stop them in their tracks, its just how it is.

Liability, your flat tires are my problem and you broke the law, I don't get that, you have no right to enter said property, its clearly posted, if I am nice I may add a warning that certain devices are employed in undisclosed places, if you cross this line, its at your own risk.

Now if you stretch a thin cable across a known path, or otherwise employ booby traps that kill or maim, that's another ball game, I don't see that being very wise for any reason at all.

I find its best to see what is going on, and take the appropriate measures, most times its a simple conversation, other times you may want to be extremely careful, not be seen, observe, I've seen locals overrun a friends place, and it got real ugly, very dangerous and a very uneasy place to be.
 
Aboard with nails sounds like a good idea. Think about it, as long as the land is posted to keep out, no trespassing, etc, a set of "spikes" would be no different than what they use in urban parking lots to keep cars from entering through an exit. The only difference, if you want to call it one, is they would flatten tires coming and going because they don"t fold down for the vehicle to exit.....
 
Is the property posted? Is there any kind of fence and a closed or locked gate?

I'd be worried about hitting another unseen trap with your mower or a tractor tire.
 

The boards are just construction debris, maybe fell
off a truck, you know how people don't always secure
their loads. Or at least that's what a friend of
mine said. Somebody had a tire ruined in that
episode. This was in a surburban yard, not a field.

KEH
 
Unfortunately laws are only as good as the Sheriff and DA you elect to enforce them and we've gotten to a point where the elected officials will loose more votes by enforcing the law. The owner has a right to keep trespassers off of his property, but he'll have to catch them himself and when the elected officials and their unionized deputies won't do squat he might have to resort to civil action. Then the discussion comes down to is it worth spending the money?
 
Lot of row-crop farmers down south put a stout metal pipe in the ground on each side of the drive, fill it full of concrete, and weld a good heavy log chain to one side, and a ring to the other, so you can padlock it shut. Seen a guy forget to open it and it stopped a 150hp Jack Sheep in its tracks. Imagine what it'd do to a pickup if they tried to ram it to get in? Catch 'em red handed that way.

Mac
 
Yeah, its a good thought, but probably trouble just the same. Personally, I don't have a problem with the nailed boards or the explanation that some poacher dropped his boards, but the world doesn't revolve around me. When I purchased my first home and the home owners insurance guy sat me down and explained my policy, one thing jumped out at me was that some uninvited person onto my property was covered by my policy. "Huh? Covered by my policy? Why?", is about how that went. He explained for example, that if some kid rode a bicycle up into my driveway and fell or crashed into my PARKED truck, etc, that I was responsible, legally, because it would happen on my property, but my policy covered it. Again, although I personally don't have a problem with the board or your reasoning, the property owner will be the one to pay. There was a news story a few weeks ago about some some fella in Wisconsin that got into trouble for doing almost exactly the same...a nailed board in his bushes that people kept cutting through. Some kid cutting through stepped on it, cried foul, and the home owner got into trouble, and now there is a very specific law very unfriendly to property owners there because of it.

I'm 100% behind property owners and owners rights, but who am I?

Mark
 
I mentioned this on another post about fuel theft.

Several years a go a farmer I knew was having trouble with people steeling fuel. The farmer put spikes across his drive way. The problem came when he called the fuel truck to refill his tanks. The truck got there BEFORE the farmer could remove the boards. There was a real fight for a while between the farmer and his fuel supplier. In the end the farmer had to pay for the tires.
 
Years ago on a farm I use to rent I had a similar problem with people pulling off the road and driving into a field to get to there party spot. I talked it over with the owner and he agreed with my idea. I had posted signs and put a gate up with a chain and pad lock on it. That weekend they just drove over the gate with there 4x4 trucks and made a mess in the field as well. Called the law they came out did there thing and said there was not much they could do about it, BULL CRAP!

This is ware my idea came in. 8 feet behind the gate was an old 3ft 30ft long colvert pipe that was getting bad. I put up 2 new 12' gates up with new No Trespassing signs up with one in the middle "DANGER" "OPEN TRENCH" KEEP OUT! Next came the back hoe and I dug the pipe out putting the dirt behind the gate in a nice pile. Well Friday night the farm owner called me and told me to come over, And I did. Cops were there as well as 2 tow truck and the life squad and a raft of parents all ------ off. I told the cops that I was going to press charges aginst the 2 drivers of the trucks that drove over the gates and over the dirt piles that ended up nose first in a 4 foot ditch. Cops wanted to know why I dug the pipe out? Simple I didn't want to get sued by a trespasser if the pipe collapsed while they were crossing it, So I am going to replace it. Well I figured if I put up new gates and pad locked them up good with the new signs and a 4'x8' DANGER OPEN TRENCH KEEP OUT Sign up in the middle and the dirt piled up behind the gates no one would be dumb enough to come in here. What more could I do? I asked them. Not a thing said the Captain in charge. 10 boys got arrested and had to pay for the damages they caused to me and to the land owner. Oh I never did put the colvert back in and there party spot quickly grew over in rose brushes I planted. I never had any more problem with trespassers after that.

Maybe that is what he needs to do. Bandit
 
Thing some of you guys are missing is that a guy goes in there with 2-3 grand in rubber and rims and has problems because of a spike board, then has to call a wrecker, you don't think he's going to sue? Then you are going to at least have to pay for a lawyer. You hope you can convince a judge that someone just dropped that board. But that's a gamble. And if he files against his insurance that company is going to come after you. Or even worse. Family traveling and little Jonny has to take a leak. Dad pulls over and says go pee in the edge of that field and little Jonny steps on that spike board. In some states you are going to jail for that. Plus add in charges of child endangerment.

Now that's not saying it isn't fun to think about doing that but you better make sure of the legal side in your state before you do it.

Rick
 
Your tax dollars educated me and many others on this forum in ways to stop this I'm sure. Needless to say however, those methods are frowned upon.

So, take a play out of the Psy-War-Ops Playbook.

Post a sign that reads:

NO TRESPASSING
RAW SEWAGE LAGOON

Just a thought....
 
Takes the fun out of being a property owner doesn't it? May as well leave the door unlocked and a note telling where the valuables are hid.
 
My uncle had the same problem back in the 80s, He knew who was steeling gas but he couldn't prove it. He bought another tank (on legs) just like he had that was full of rust and added more to it. He put 5 gallon of gas in it and a 5 pound bag of sugar and 1/2 filled it with water. He had fuel delivered to the good tank and told the guy to act like he was putting fuel into the other one and he did. He left the pad lock open like he had forgot to lock it. Early next morning the kid up the road new car was broke down just up the road from my uncles place. He never had that problem again. Bandit
 

Just put up a no trespassing sign that says

Warning shooting range for the blind, enter at your own risk.
 
I've often wondered how to get a few skunks to take up residence in the party area? That ought to get the partiers to move on!
 
I bought 12 wildlife cameras. They take a picture when anything trips the sensor. It even works in the dark. When I did catch vehicles on the camera, I took the pictures to the police station. I also took 4 of the pictures, had them blown up to 32x48 in black and white and posted them on the entrance as well as on a friends lawn in town for 1 week. Last I heard, I was the talk of the town because I know who "they" are, and I can find them. the police knew who 3 of the offending 11 were right off the bat. The rest, they found within a week. I win. No one had to get hurt and no tires or vehicles were destroyed. Now I have a reputation for being the guy who did that and the rumors started flying about all the other things I apparently "did."



Muahahaha! I'm so evil I think it drips off me.
 
I went to chase a hunter off once and he told me he was going to sue because i interfered with his hunters rights!
Hunters are ok as long as they ask and use gates and dont cut wires or leave a mess.
Im not sure of this but if you put up a warning sign or no trespassing sign its the same as putting up a mean dog sign you know there is a danger there and if you dont correct it and somebody gets hurt you are responsable because you knew there was a danger and didnt correct it .a good way to make a rich lawyer.
I put up leased property signs and give the rights to hunt to somebody i know and trust that way if somebody comes on you have more going for you
 
A good fence and a heavy gate will do wonders plus No Trspassing signs to make it all legal,if you know who it is thats trespassing in my state you can get a No Trespass noticed served on them by law enforcement and if they come on the property its Crininal Trespass.I live in the South where trespassers tend to have less rights than in Yankee country it seems.
 
I really do not understand why we as land owners have to put up signs telling others to stay out or off. It's obvious the tresspassers know darned well it is not THEIR land, and they have no right to be there. This is exactly what is wrong with this country, no one is responsible for their own ignorant actions. I NEVER go on someone elses property without permission. I do not even like going up someone's driveway to ask them about it, then again, I prefer my privacy and get really irate wiht idiots that have the nerve to come on my property and look at my stuff then be stupid enough to ask if it's for sale? My normal response is do you see a fricking sign? Followed by get the he ll off my property.
 
A lawyer would have a field day after his client hit that chain. Any lawyer around here or quoted in a farm magazine publication will advise for a full gate that is readily visible at a distance.
 
I told one of em who was stuck in my hay field after tearing around the field that my 1955 was in the next field over and if he wasn't gone by the time I got back with the tractor, his pickup was going to get crushed and become fill for the mudhole. Don't know how he got it out, but he was gone by the time I got back with the tractor. Had him arrested anyway. The judge got me $800 towards the damage to the field. Myself and all of my neighbors have dirt bkie/ATV trails running through our property. The vast majority stay on the trails and everyone gets along fine for the nost part.
 
Also ask them what would they feel if you did what the just did to there lawn or went in there house after say cleaning the barn ? Food for thought
 
These spiked board ideas remind me of the guy who put up a sign by his watermelon patch that said;

"Warning - one of these melons has been poisoned!"

Next morning he found another sign beside his that said;

"Now TWO of them are poisoned!"
 
(quoted from post at 09:13:22 08/13/14) A lawyer would have a field day after his client hit that chain. Any lawyer around here or quoted in a farm magazine publication will advise for a full gate that is readily visible at a distance.
Click to expand...
Paint the chain orange. And hang a no trespassing sign in the middle of it.
 
Thing I did to stop trespasser and vandals was cameras. Hard to deny when on camera tipping bee hives or driving on the field. Never had to call the police, no problems in quite a while. I suppose a new crop of juvies will show up some time.
 
Yeah, how would these same yahoos react if you went to their house, drove up in their lawn, stopped and build a campfire right in the middle, threw out a dozen beer cans, then rutted up the lawn on the way out?

Gene
 
Trespassers or vandals , a board with nails is mild compared to what my dad did years back. He was tired of people going out and tearing up his hay field . They thought it was fun to go in with a vehicle and spin circles (cookies / broadies ) in the field . There was one way in ,and one way out. They usually did the most damage when the alfalfa was at least a foot tall and ready to cut. Dad got an idea one day and we pulled an old wore out 4 section drag harrow out of the weeds and welded the spike bars at an angle . Took it to the field entrance and laid it upside down . Dad caught the culprit in less than a week. Dad went in for coffee and the normal daily b/s session one morning . One of the guys was complaining how many tires the kid was going through on his car. My dad"s only comment was:" Maybe he will learn to drive where it was designed to be drove." Word got out from there and we never had much trouble ever again!
Jeff.
 
The trespassers are likely NOT illegals, or useless welfare city bums. They are rural and small town born American citizens that know the difference, and have no respect for you, your rights, or your property. Many are the children of the people you went to school with or now go to church with.
Some are the adults. Many have nothing and see no harm in using yours.

The police could do something, but that would require making an effort.
 
People have tried remedies such as that and have lost in court after an incident had occurred. A gate is probably not much different in cost versus a chain hefty enough to matter then it is the matter of heavier posts to support it. I put a gate up at a farm entrance and can rest more peacefully because of it. Some of the local dipsticks are hard up for cash so I refuse to leave anything knowingly to chance.
 
I live on a well traveled road if there was someone working at stealing my gates I'd get a call real quick not to mention once the gate was down they'd have to deal with the dogs
 
If I did that then I'd be the one that runs it over next time. Let the grass grow up around it and here I come pulling in and forget all about it. And I hate gates, other than the ones for the cattle. The biggest loser if I put a gate out is myself because I'm the one who has to jack around with it every time I want in/out and then the keys are in the wrong vehicle when you need in. I guess we are lucky around here because I never have any problems.
 
Try using branches off a locust tree. The thorns would do the job you want and remove you from looking guilty.

Nails in a board is a liability waiting to happen. Can't see how tree branches can be your fault. wink.
 
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