As some know, I live in AZ and have my deer-hunting/investment diversifying/bug-out quarter section in McIntosh County. On 28 January, my medical marijuana grower neighbor texted me to let me know she’d noted my main gait chain hanging loose. I had another neighbor I’d given gate keys to check on the issue. He reported somebody had cut the gate chain. He also reported my pole barn doors were closed, but a skinny guy (not him) could have squeezed in on one side of the door (hangs on rollers).
So, for the last 5 weeks I’d not known if I’d been robbed or not (of tools, ladder, spray rig, blind, etc). Potential positive points regarding the chain cutters were that they’d bothered to muscle the gate shut when they departed, and if they’d gotten into the barn, they shut the light off (based on my electric bill). Thankfully, my brother-in-law from KS wanted to go hog hunting. So, I made him a set of keys for the gate, barn, etc. and mailed them. As best I can tell from his description of the barn contents, nobody but corn-eating *****/opossum had been in there. He swapped out my “best Tractor Supply had” chains and locks with some that are friggen bodacious (log chains that look to be 1/2 to 3/4” thick). It would be easier to cut the metal gates than the chains and new locks. I’ve also asked another neighbor who runs cattle beside me to keep his eye on the two gates into the land.
Someone on foot could have just climbed the gates or squeezed through the barbed wire to enter the property. I figure whoever cut the chain wanted to take a truck onto the property to see if there was anything easy to tow off, or maybe they just wanted to see two sides of the MJ farm much better.
After that tale of woe, what should a distant land owner do? I’ve posted No Trespassing signs on the gates, and between my neighbor with the keys (trading bailing my pastures for his cattle for mowing my driveway, primitive RV site, and trails) we try to make the place look occupied. I’m considering having a 10x40 High Cube steel container with the best locks available delivered to supplement the barn, maybe even buy and dismantle the MJ farm to make the area less “interesting”. Also going to add some more security/trail cameras. Also plan on rigging the barn doors to be tighter via hardware at multiple heights. Won’t mess with the barn too much as somebody could just cut the metal or dig under it.
Any other ideas?
So, for the last 5 weeks I’d not known if I’d been robbed or not (of tools, ladder, spray rig, blind, etc). Potential positive points regarding the chain cutters were that they’d bothered to muscle the gate shut when they departed, and if they’d gotten into the barn, they shut the light off (based on my electric bill). Thankfully, my brother-in-law from KS wanted to go hog hunting. So, I made him a set of keys for the gate, barn, etc. and mailed them. As best I can tell from his description of the barn contents, nobody but corn-eating *****/opossum had been in there. He swapped out my “best Tractor Supply had” chains and locks with some that are friggen bodacious (log chains that look to be 1/2 to 3/4” thick). It would be easier to cut the metal gates than the chains and new locks. I’ve also asked another neighbor who runs cattle beside me to keep his eye on the two gates into the land.
Someone on foot could have just climbed the gates or squeezed through the barbed wire to enter the property. I figure whoever cut the chain wanted to take a truck onto the property to see if there was anything easy to tow off, or maybe they just wanted to see two sides of the MJ farm much better.
After that tale of woe, what should a distant land owner do? I’ve posted No Trespassing signs on the gates, and between my neighbor with the keys (trading bailing my pastures for his cattle for mowing my driveway, primitive RV site, and trails) we try to make the place look occupied. I’m considering having a 10x40 High Cube steel container with the best locks available delivered to supplement the barn, maybe even buy and dismantle the MJ farm to make the area less “interesting”. Also going to add some more security/trail cameras. Also plan on rigging the barn doors to be tighter via hardware at multiple heights. Won’t mess with the barn too much as somebody could just cut the metal or dig under it.
Any other ideas?
