Camera thieves!!! How do you stop them?

How do you stop theives from stealing your trail cameras? Any ideas or tips? How about pics of homemade lock boxes?

This is what I do.

Just ordered these for this reason.

http://swfa.com/SpyPoint-Dummy-Surveillance-Cameras-C4504.aspx

good luck with that. . . . .

I stop them by not putting a camera out

its a shame it has come to that. if they want it you cant stop them. they would porably just destroy it if they couldnt steal it.

BearKat, How did they break into that? Did they cut the lock?

There is not a lock, cable, cargo container or much of anything else that you cannot open in a matter of seconds with one of these battery powered tools. Putting a lock on something nowdays is almost a waste of time. Just keeps the honest folks honest.

Get a leafy suit, and wait by the camera. Scare the crap out of them. J/K

It just pains me to think that people steal. But in the end that is exactly what will happen if the SHTF.

I think the lock box is suitable. Most people aren't going to go looking to take one of those with any powered tools. If they are then there's nothing we can really do.

I wouldn't put one out without a cable lock on the camera and a lock wherever necessary to keep the card safe. A camera without anything is tempting to anyone who strolls by. A camera with some form of lock (box, cable, fence jumper) will likely deter the casual theif or trespassing teenager. Like mentioned above...if someone wants it..they are going to get it.

Boy I think it is sad that you have to go to those lengths to keep people off your place. Disgusting.

So far so good with these boxes. No one has damaged or stolen them yet. My BIL had a camera stolen last year on the same lease. After I heard that, I got busy welding. Just finished two more boxes for my other cameras. With locks, cable, paint, and the steel angle iron, I had about $35 per box.

Nice work!

Thanks. Got all four out now. Lets hope the theives look elsewhere for an easy steal.

Great box and well built but they will just take a battery powered hacksaw and take the box and the camera. Cut right behind the box, top to bottom and cut all three bolts. They'll just take it home and get the camera out later. Damn thieves won't be stopped.

Yep, if they want it they will get it. Buddy of mine had one stolen so he said, "I'll show them". He bought new camera and one of those theft proof boxes. Couple weeks after putting it out in same spot he came back and they had cut the tree down and camera and part of tree gone. He sure showed them.

All you can do is to hopefully slow them down or make them think twice.

I've had 3 cameras stolen from two of my properties. Haven't gotten any boxes setup but it's just sad that it's even necessary. People these days just don't care and its sad that this has become the norm..

My Uncle setup another camera really high in a tree overlooking his camera ad eventually caught someone stealing it. You could always give that a shot

This won't stop them but it did allow me to locate my missing camera....

A few years ago my wife bought me a tool engraver from Lowes and I use it to put my initials, name, cell number, etc on everything I own. I have a bad habit of over buying everything and that includes game cameras. I think I am up to about 9 or 10 and didn't even realize one was missing.

Earlier this year I got a call from a pawn shop asking if I in fact sold this camera to Jimmy who was trying to sell it. Guess Jimmy figured sanding on all four sides of the thing would make it look obvious and was just hoping no one would call the number.

The guy at the pawn shop said the kid just ran out when confronted. I told the pawn shop they could just keep it and sell it...so if anyone bought a wildgame innovations camo cam from the pawn shop in greenville with a name and number on it...it's mine. Don't bother calling me, haha.

Damn nice of you.

With a bullet.

If they are stealing cams they are also up to no good elsewhere on the property.
This is just a bandaid for a potential bigger problem. It sucks having to work around someone else's behaviors but at some point you will need to weight the cost of feeding them with new cams and new challenges.
I hope this all works out for you and they are not turning their energy towards feeders, camp equipment or other things.

looks like you need a camera to keep an eye out for your camera! Its a shame that some people have no decency any more. I agree with trahansax, stake out and scare the living crap out of them. j/k....not really, I'd do it. Good luck with those camera cages, and good luck to all of you this season!!!!

Has anyone come up with any ideas for a surveillance camera? It could be fake or real, but needs to be pretty obvious to circumvent them from focusing on the game camera. Maybe something atop a 20' steel pipe?

I lost two in burlseon county last year , both had the thirty dollar lock boxes plus eight buck locks , so i ended up losing forty bucks worth of security for a sixty buck camera .

this year i made a lock box from an 30cal old ammo can , hasp and used 6 3/8 lag screws , put them in the biggest oak , with nasty youpon and underbrush kinda of a pian to get too or even see . Ben up six months with no takes and cost me less than ten bucks to build .

My cusin as a gag after his was lifted got a broke security camera off ebay less than ten bucks , a brinks sign and a freebie busted old flash only camecam. He wired a 2 buck red led and a ninevolt battery to it put it at least 15 feet in the air on a tree ( you can see the led ) and nailed the brinks sign at the base put the dummy camera on a tpost with bungy cords right in the center of the clearing and also no takers

shoot them!!!!

Fill the box with tiny ziplocks of mercury fulminate. Wait for a loud bang when they attempt to open it.

(Obviously a joke, I don't advise hurting people)

Bad thing is you can set up cams to catch them but if you dont know them they will get away with it. Hmmm maybe a claw trap under the cam! That would get their attention! And if asked why it was there those damn raccoons were climbing the tree and eating at your cam!

they make a Covert Black Ops Cam that will take pics and text them to your cell phone. and if you have it in a good lock box then maybe you can at least have the pics on your cell if they do wind up taking it and destroying the camera.

Remember those model rocket kits for kids? Yeah...

Step 1: Purchase the Ignition Housing

Step 2: Drill out the game cam box to allow the "arming key" to be able to be inserted / removed when you are there (preferably on the bottom of the box out of sight)

Step 3: Put up a sign that states "WARNING: TOUCH AT YOUR OWN RISK."

Step 4: Bundle a bit of black powder into shrink wrap ball and stick the Rocket Igniter into the black powder ball

Step 5: Hook up a trip switch for when the door opens

Step 6: Throw your lock in the trash & enjoy.

*Note: This post if for entertainment purposes only. Do not attempt to enjoy this.*

If the unabomber had not been caught, he could make something that would stop 'em.
I really like Kobeer's suggestion.