And that what I get for helping people

Management & Operations
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So this is a long story but at the beginning of last season a guy I have known since grade school came to me. He had gotten out of rehab turned his life around or so he said. He did really good all summer I even helped him buy a truck, and fi d a place to live. Jamie would even fix him Togo boxes for dinner when we worked late and breakfast when we worked weekends.After vacation I got home to find my welder, a 4gpm pressure washer, metal break, a complete set of Milwaukee tools, and a handful of other stuff was missing some of it turned up at a pawn shop lucky for me I knew the pawn shop owner and I engrave FF4H on everything. It really sucks to have your stuff stolen. Its was worse to find out who did it.

I’m only posting this story to remind everyone to keep records of your stuff take the time to document your tools pictures and most importantly the serial numbers of everything if you dont we might end up in the same boat.

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Dude I hate that, truly I do. Everyone deserves a second chance, BUT as old crusty Sarge used to say " the best indicator of future action is past actions"

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Sorry to hear that @Firefighter4hire. Glad to hear you were at least able to get back some of the stuff. In the end it’s his loss.

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Oh that’s bad part I cant get it back till after they find him and we go to court. He pawned a 1700 machine for 100 bucks. Luckily he didn’t take any of the big machines. To be honest I would have been happier if he had pawned my welder I got lots of pressure Washers but only one welder

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Wow that sucks.

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I’ve been lucky knock on wood of little things missing, Sorry man, Its tuff to hear that man. I do the same thing for our guys, And eventually they all go back to the darkness. I’ve even have a dude I’ve known since 2005 that’s been through hell n back with me and lived in a tiny house on my property for years, He never stole but he’s got 6 more months to go in drunk camp. We talk once a month now. It’s hard on the heart for sure.

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So I’m assuming you can’t get a hold of the pawn tickets to buy it back for $100 ?

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I can deal with alot if things but I cant deal with stealing. Maybe he will get clean in jail. I hate to say it but he be the last second chance I give out.

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Unlikely, They usually get worse and better training to hide their mess.

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He is to chicken to even face me and now he is on the run. Since I filed charges its evidence till it’s over. I feel like a a##hole for having to do it. But I gave him a chance he told me he would bring my stuff back like a moron I believed him he never showed. He would have gotten away with it if he didn’t pawn it himself or take it to that particular pawn shop. Luckily I knew the pawn shop guy and he called me to ask why someone would be pawning one of my machines

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I know. I still have hope for him I guess.

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Wow man that’s lucky on your side! I mean, really unlucky but lucky in the end. Sorry you’re going through that!

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No good deed goes unpunished.

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I didn’t get stuff stolen from me…but I also hired a friend from school that was going through a rough patch and did me dirty.

Don’t hire people you know!!

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I guess it was better he did it to me than someone else. Life will go on. Just make sure you guys document your equipment down to the smallest stuff

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Get home from a long over due vacation, LORD knows yall deserved it and come home to that. I’d stomp a mud hole in that character ! I hate a thief.
Hows the wife dealing with it ?

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Well I didn’t tell her the whole story yet.Her dad had a stroke this morning so I figure I would wait. She knows some equipment is missing she doesn’t know who took it. But she is going to be pissed. He should be more scared of her than me.

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That really sucks man. Would any of your insurance policies cover it? I have 30k extra coverage on the pw truck for everything that’s bolted on. I have utility bins with tools in the bucket truck that have insurance coverage. If it was stolen from the house your homeowners insurance should cover it. If you rent can get renters insurance (if you don’t have now will be good for future). Just trying to help think of all the ways to get reimbursed. If even one of these ideas help that would be awesome. I will take your advice and engrave my stuff that’s an excellent idea.

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Oh yeah insurance will cover what’s not recovered after court case that in va could take a year or more to complete. I would have been better off if he had sold it to someone and never got caught then no court case no evidence insurance pay out then move on. I like to try do the right thing but it keeps biting me in the behind

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Your state might be different but in Florida the pawn brokers won’t lose money. I’ve had a ton of stuff stolen over the years . Straight from the police officers mouth. “ if you want your stuff back you’ll have to pay the pawn ticket “ the court’s down here don’t require restitution to be paid as part of there sentence. My miller welder has been recovered twice . From the same scum bag pawn shop .
Point of the long story is . Just go pay the pawn ticket and get your stuff . If you can in your area

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