Locking down pit grates

[Keith Baker]

I welded some bolts to the sides of the pits and laced cables through the grates and back to the bolts. This won't stop them, but maybe it will slow them down a bit. If they have to take longer, they may go somewhere else.

If this doesn't work, I'll replace the next ones with fiberglass. The wash is 22 years old, and I've had it 15 years. This is the first time this has happened.


PS:
I tried to attach 2 JPEG pictures with this. I thought I followed the instructions, but it said that the upload failed. The JPEG files are about 2.0 MB each. Can anyone explain in terms i might understand what went wrong.

Keith

 

[MEP001]

The photos have to be smaller than 2MB, and they require approval before they'll display. There is a photo gallery here you can use, or you can upload them to a hosting site (I use imageshack.us which is free) and it will provide you with a forum link so they'll display within your post.

 

[borumrm]

We had 4 grates stolen from one of our washes last night .... just ordered the fiberglass to replace them with as the metal would end up costing more and then would probably just be stolen again. Been a bad month with all the rain and storms and now have spend a couple of grand on new grates.

 

[JJJakubowski]

Ain't that just grate

Hello, Keith:

Could you please send me the photos that you attempted to post on the Forum? My email address is:

jjjsscwn@comcast.net

Within the last couple of months, I've been getting a LOT of reports of grate thefts from around the country. It's like an epidemic!!! Which is surprising. I had thought that scrap metal prices were way down. I'll have to check to see if scrap is up again. Altho' it might be a matter of the Obamaconomy making more people more desperate.

Add to that the fact that we're getting into BBQ season. And there are those who consider pit grates perfect for building DIY BBQ pits/grills.

Whatever the reasons --- really solid lock-downs or fiberglass grates keep looking like something many should consider.

JJJ/SSCWN

 

[MudMoney]

Here in Montana scrap metal is $ 120 a ton,local recycler is paying $100 per car or pickup and they will remove the fluids and tires just haul them in as is.Aluminum like crushed cans are 40 cents a pound.Metal is going to keep rising for now.

 

[mjwalsh]

I welded some bolts to the sides of the pits and laced cables through the grates and back to the bolts. This won't stop them, but maybe it will slow them down a bit. If they have to take longer, they may go somewhere else.

If this doesn't work, I'll replace the next ones with fiberglass. The wash is 22 years old, and I've had it 15 years. This is the first time this has happened.


PS:
I tried to attach 2 JPEG pictures with this. I thought I followed the instructions, but it said that the upload failed. The JPEG files are about 2.0 MB each. Can anyone explain in terms i might understand what went wrong.

Keith

Keith & others,

It seems like we need to have some type of a legal connection or protecton with the scrap yards that is maintained with law enforcement. Similar to what the pawn shops have to do with a picture of each customer & ID to help prevent stolen goods from being brought in. Everytime the scrap yards allow something to be weighed for their payment there is a pretty thorough inspection done anyway of the specific material etc on the brought in load. The license & description of the vehicle could be required to be recorded also.

That way a quick call to law enforcement would yield a much more straight-forward & do-able result & recovery could even happen before the actual crushing occurs ---- if a time lag was avoided.

If enough car washes would be united in their request --- it would help!

MJ

 

[Keith Baker]

Keith & others,

It seems like we need to have some type of a legal connection or protecton with the scrap yards that is maintained with law enforcement. Similar to what the pawn shops have to do with a picture of each customer & ID to help prevent stolen goods from being brought in. Everytime the scrap yards allow something to be weighed for their payment there is a pretty thorough inspection done anyway of the specific material etc on the brought in load. The license & description of the vehicle could be required to be recorded also.

That way a quick call to law enforcement would yield a much more straight-forward & do-able result & recovery could even happen before the actual crushing occurs ---- if a time lag was avoided.

If enough car washes would be united in their request --- it would help!

MJ

MJ:

Omaha scrap yards are supposed to get ID from anyone selling materials to them. But they really don't care whether they deal with crooks or not. If receiving stolen iron that isn't traceable helps keep their profits up, then to most of them that's good business.

As far as your comment in the other post about cameras, I see your point. I have a friend who has cameras lose his pit grates. We could not see into the bays far enough to actually see them being stolen, but did see the car that was probably involved. The police could not help him. However, he did see the vehicle on the street a couple of days later and followed it to a local salvage yard. He called the police and they questioned the guy, but nothing could be proved, so they let him go. The only thing my friend gained was getting the word out that he had cameras and he was watching. We locked his grates down too. I don't feel that I have had enough losses over the years to warrant the cost of buying and maintaining cameras.

Keith