Alley Poachers

[BillyBall]

I live in Chicago and we have groups of "alley poachers" that roam the alleys looking for bottles, clothes, etc.. I always try to let them "do their thing" and not really bother them, God knows what that may lead to, but recently the poachers have been a bit more aggressive and destructive. For example, lots of tipped trash cans left in alleys and reports of items such as chairs and tables being stolen out of backyards and a neighbor actually had his garage broken into.

I guess my question is, do you just let the poachers do their thing and wait for the winter to "thin the herd" or do you actually confront someone with absolutely NOTHING to lose?

So far, I have to believe that the cold Chicago winter is the way to go. Any thoughts?

:texan:

[OUHOMER]

tough call. I think when the winter comes i would hook up the water hose and spray the hell out of them. But thats just me

[StoopTroup]

If I was gonna alley poach, I'd move to Beverly Hills.

[proud gonzo]

I live in Chicago and we have groups of "alley poachers" that roam the alleys looking for bottles, clothes, etc.. I always try to let them "do their thing" and not really bother them, God knows what that may lead to, but recently the poachers have been a bit more aggressive and destructive. For example, lots of tipped trash cans left in alleys and reports of items such as chairs and tables being stolen out of backyards and a neighbor actually had his garage broken into.

I guess my question is, do you just let the poachers do their thing and wait for the winter to "thin the herd" or do you actually confront someone with absolutely NOTHING to lose?

So far, I have to believe that the cold Chicago winter is the way to go. Any thoughts?

:texan:I think at that point they cross the line from alley poachers to thieves, which is not cool. of course, I don't know that confronting them would really be a great idea in either case.

[BillyBall]

I think at that point they cross the line from alley poachers to thieves, which is not cool. of course, I don't know that confronting them would really be a great idea in either case.

Thats my dilemma, I dont know if calling the cops would actually result in anything other than irritating an already uncomfortable situation. And Im not exactly Charles Bronson so....

[FirstandGoal]

The problem with doing nothing is that it seems as if their behavior has escalated and nothing is in place to keep them in check. They have now started to violate boundaries by "scavenging" on private property.

If I found myself in your situation, what I would more than likely do is call the local police and let them be aware of the situation. Maybe even ask if someone could keep an eye on things.

[BillyBall]

The problem with doing nothing is that it seems as if their behavior has escalated and nothing is in place to keep them in check. They have now started to violate boundaries by "scavenging" on private property.

If I found myself in your situation, what I would more than likely do is call the local police and let them be aware of the situation. Maybe even ask if someone could keep an eye on things.

I agree, thats why I feel being "proactive" is the best approach.

I live next to several bars and restaurants so I would think that these would be the people that would help keep an eye on things, the problem is that most of the problems occur between 7am and noon.

Also, the Chicago cops really dont seem to care about much of anything unless someone is murdered or there is a camera in their face.

Maybe I can lie and say that I am somehow related to Mayor Daly

[olevetonahill]

God made Man . Sam Colt made em equal !
Oh wait you said chicago

[Petro-Sooner]

Are these homeless people? If so, what would they need with lawn furniture??

[BillyBall]

Are these homeless people? If so, what would they need with lawn furniture??

I think its just anything that they can sell. I would assume they are homeless but can not guarantee, I havent asked for any credentials. ;)

[Jimminy Crimson]

BB gun

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Are these homeless people? If so, what would they need with lawn furniture??Wouldn't you rather sleep in a lawn chair than a cardboard box?

[Whet]

Best solution - move out of 312 or 773! Go to 630....

We lived in the Loop, at Dearborn and Lake, so I understand your issues. Luckily, the dregs could not get into the building, but it was something we had to deal with when we went out on the weekends or late evenings, when all of the workers went home. Lower Wacker is a different world..... From there, we moved to Lincoln Park area, along the lake front, but that too had similar issues, as well.

Cops won't do anything about the alley poachers and if you would try to control it yourself, you would be the individual in trouble with the Chicago cops, alley advocates, and you may even have Jesse protesting your actions. Do you recall the wacko that set the fire in the hallway of the apartment building in a couple of winters back, that killed a resident or two? The arsonist, a "conflicted" homeless person was not thrown is prison, but given "treatment." So, you got to ask yourself, what kind of whacko is in your alley doing these things? Crackhead? Loony Toons "homeless" person, or a cop on the take?

Our solution was to move to the burbs and ride the train into Chicago for work, then leave at the end of the day.

Although, we do miss the nice restaurants in the city, we don't miss the crime, traffic, CTA busses\EL's, searching incessantly for parking spaces, and the panhandlers....

[BillyBall]

So the cold winter has done nothing to starve off the bastages...

2 nights ago we got our garage broken into and a neighbor had his car completely trashed. Stolen radio, anything of value in the car, and then to top it off they ****ed in it. I was staying at my gf's house so my car was not in the garage or the same **** would have happened to me.

This is why I can see how some people advocate mass killings...

[Ike]

So the cold winter has done nothing to starve off the bastages...

2 nights ago we got our garage broken into and a neighbor had his car completely trashed. Stolen radio, anything of value in the car, and then to top it off they ****ed in it. I was staying at my gf's house so my car was not in the garage or the same **** would have happened to me.

This is why I can see how some people advocate mass killings...



I recall once reading an article once about car theft deterrent systems in South Africa. Apparently, at the time, the law was such that you could basically do anything to your car to prevent thieves from getting in, including causing bodily harm. One such alarm system was wired to flamethrowers positioned under both doors.

But my favorite, by far, was the guy who didn't make any modifications at all, but instead kept a half full bottle of whiskey in the glove box and laced it with cyanide.

While having such a thing in your car could get you in trouble if you get pulled over, I wouldn't think there would be anything wrong with having such a thing in your garage would there?

[yermom]

that is HARSH

i'm more of a urine kinda guy myself

[Ike]

that is HARSH

i'm more of a urine kinda guy myself

It's more of a suggestion, or a starting point. But yes, I am a mean person.

I imagine that in the litigious society in which we live, where a would-be burglar can sue a homeowner for injuring himself in their home, that there is something that would make such a thing a liabilty for someone. For instance, you'd have to also keep your kids (or the neighbors kids) away from it. But I wonder, if you could still get the same effect if you put said bottle on the top shelf of a shelving unit, behind a sign that said "Danger". I imagine you could...

[C&CDean]

I went to school with a kid who lost an arm and most of his shoulder from a shotgun blast. He broke into a cabin in the mountains, and the old man that owned was tired of getting broke into, so he wired up a 12-gauge to the cabin door. Dude broke the window in the door, reach inside and turned the handle, then started to pull the door when BOOM!! no more arm.

I think he got exactly what he deserved. It's the risk you take when you decide to be a thief.

[BigRedJed]

...But my favorite, by far, was the guy who didn't make any modifications at all, but instead kept a half full bottle of whiskey in the glove box and laced it with cyanide.

While having such a thing in your car could get you in trouble if you get pulled over, I wouldn't think there would be anything wrong with having such a thing in your garage would there?
I don't know, but you might ask the bar owner who got tired of his place being broken into about ten years ago and wired a trap inside his window to 110v juice. The drug-addict crook broke in, got fried, and the cops damn near tried the shop owner for murder. If memory serves, the scumbag's relatives got a bunch of money in a civil suit.

My advice: either confront said scumbags with a weapon at the ready, so that you'll be able to make a pretty reasonable self-defense claim if the criminal takes exception, or better yet, call the cops.

[yermom]

or get a big ugly dog

[Mixer!]

But this is Chicago we're talking about.


Remember what the cops did to that Dr. Kimball guy a few years ago? ;)

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/593/hfordbiocc0.jpg