Jan 10 2005, 10:19 PM
How do we prevent baskets being stolen??
We have tried bending bolts......they have been sawed off...
Baskets ripped out of the ground....
Poles cut....
We have done it all but filling the basket with cement and welding the assembly to the pole..
Being in lansing MI......next to MSU and having our share of riff raff we are beside ourselves and have had over 8 baskets stolen in three years....any help
(locator chips maybe??)
thanx

gnduke
Jan 10 2005, 10:26 PM
read through these threads. Many ideas in here.

Stolen Baskets (http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.php?Board=Miscellaneous&Number=273457&Searchpage=0&Main=49970&Search=true&#Post273457)

Basket theft epidemic (http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=40420&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1)

ck34
Jan 10 2005, 10:26 PM
Tack welding the basket to the pole at the top and the anchor collar (if you're using those) does work. When you cement the anchor or the basket directly in the ground, tap two or three 15-18" rebar angling out into the ground in the hole so the cement chunk ends up with prongs out into the ground. If using locks, use the kind where the shackle has a sheath that barely exposes the lock shank. That pretty much prevents bolt cutters or sawing. Park Depts can get 18 of those locks keyed for maybe $12 apiece.

Nelly
Jan 10 2005, 10:33 PM
Definately try concrete first. If that fails, go for welds. Welding sounds like an excellent plan. The only bad thing about the latter is that you can't move the baskets into alternate positions for tourneys and such. But i'm pretty sure you were thinking of that as well.

We've had more and more stolen from us in the past few years here in Memphis. We can't tell if it is kids, or competitive players who really suck at putting. The reoccuring spots are normally close to a road. A Basket being close to a/the road makes for a fast getaway.

Just curious, where are the locations of yours being stolen from? Near road.. In Woods.. In Open.. ???

Nelly

Jan 10 2005, 10:39 PM
Near roads...and woods...
Though the four that are currently missing are scattered throughout the course
Also what is the criminal charge for stealing a 400$ basket
anybody??

Also never browed enought to see the stolen epidemic thread
sorry

ck34
Jan 10 2005, 10:42 PM
Welding doesn't mean you can't move them. You weld the top to the pole and the collar to the pole. Then use the shackled lock.

Jan 11 2005, 12:14 PM
Electric cattle fencing attached to the pole hole would deter most!

MS

gnduke
Jan 11 2005, 01:06 PM
Explosive dye packs ?

beren
Jan 12 2005, 05:24 PM
One of the posts in that stolen baskets thread also recommended welding a cap onto the pole at the top of the rack, and putting a length of rebar loose inside the pole.
In THEORY, that should mess up any sawblades trying to get through the pole. Now, an oxyacetalyne torch, not so much. But if I see anybody wheeling tanks out onto a course, I'm gonna start to be suspicious... ;)

gnduke
Jan 12 2005, 05:39 PM
If you want to be real mean, you can set the rebar inside the pole with cement or grout. You just need to make sure you have slightly oversized bolts in place before you fill the pole so the hardware can be replaced in the future if necessary.

Mar 01 2005, 10:14 AM
Just ask the parks permission to camp at the course over night with a pelet gun and some night vision goggles. Couple shots to the rear, they won't be back!! :D

Mar 01 2005, 02:45 PM
Just ask the parks permission to camp at the course over night with a pelet gun and some night vision goggles. Couple shots to the rear, they won't be back!! :D

You forgot the 6 cases of beer. :D :cool:

slo
Mar 01 2005, 03:41 PM
I don't believe we've ever had a basket lifted, but you know what the vandals DO take? The 'caps' on the tops of the target's poles. Make from old tennis balls, to prevent scrapes on discs. Can you beleive that?!? What good is 2/3 of an old tennis ball?!?!? :confused:

...so if anybody sees a spate of 2/3 tennis ball activity on e-Bay, gimme a word up...needa catch those perps! :mad:

morgan
Mar 11 2005, 11:28 AM
Dude, nobody steals those. The get knocked off by bad putts, and then somebody thinks they are litter and picks them up.

morgan
Mar 27 2005, 02:36 PM
At Hyzer Creek, the way i made them theft-proof was to shroud the poles in concrete. Dig a hole in the ground 4 feet deep, put a 6 foot galvanized air duct pipe in the hole, so you have 2 feet above ground, fill the whole thing with concrete, and sink the pin in that.

Here are some pictures from Hyzer Creek I took today.

http://www.hoyhoy.com/subweb/theftproofpin.htm

Nobody can steal these pins, if they try using a hack saw the concrete will ruin the saw. If they saw above the concrete all they will get is the upper chain part. That is welded on the pole. The basket itself is also sunk in concrete AND welded on the pole. People would not be able to steal this without destroying it.

morgan
Mar 27 2005, 02:42 PM
Oh yeah those are Strokesaver pins.

Mar 31 2005, 08:56 PM
strokesavers are a really underated basket eh? i love the ones here in ponca :Dthats also a **** good way to keep baskets from being stolen
;)

morgan
Mar 31 2005, 09:32 PM
Underrated? never heard a bad word about them. Best pins ever made.

morgan
Apr 09 2005, 11:15 AM
Strokesavers have 24 chains, 16 outer and 8 inner.

Chainstars also have 24 but it's 12 and 12 which means not enough outer chains and too many inner. Chainstar is the second best pins ever made in my opinion but people like Discatcher and Mach 3 also.

Chainstars have the sliding hanger which is the Strokesaver trademark.

Apr 18 2005, 05:18 PM
Discatchers have 30 chains, 18 outer and 12 inner.

I think???

amdiscgolfer
Apr 18 2005, 06:24 PM
Not sure if anyone has answered your question about the fine/criminal charge - but it does depend on the state/municipality - and how far you want to go with the charges. You would also have to assume that it was done at night.

damage to property (Public or Private)
Theft of Property (Public or Private) (Felony Theft is in the amount of $2,500 or more)
Trespassing

You should be able to go to a local PD (or at least call them (most discgolfers I am sure wont want to walk into a PD on their own accord) to find out. :)

I know this doesnt really answer your question but I think it gives you direction anyway.

Scoot
Jun 22 2007, 12:48 PM
Our local courses have recently been hit with a rash of basket thievery. All the courses that have been hit are on city property, and the authorities have been notified.

We have been trying to come up with ways to keep this from happening. The only things we have come up with are welding the target into one piece, extensive concrete and ironwork to keep them anchored, expensive tamper-resistant locks to keep them in the sleves, and finally serializing each target. All of this together would probably work pretty well, but is very labor intensive and expensive.

Have any of you had similar problems? What did you do to keep your baskets in the ground? :confused:

xterramatt
Jun 28 2007, 02:23 PM
Kansas City does a good job at this. They have long installation tubes that come out of the ground 2 feet or so, then they bore a hole through tube and basket pole, insert a trailer hich lock, and they are pretty much impossible to remove without serious effort. I've found that if it takes longer than 15 minutes to steal something, people tend to find easier "targets". Sorry for the pun.

gdstour
Jul 16 2007, 12:30 AM
I know we enjoy our multiple pin placements here in St Louis ( 3-5 on 4 of the courses) so concreting the poles in the ground kinda sucks, But if they are getting stolen there's not much more you can do. Driving criss crossed re-bar into the holes that are also belled out will help, you would also need to fill the pole with concrete as well to prevent the cordless saws-all from a 3 minute theft!
Oh yeah we weld the baskets and tops to the poles on the Titans, so they just cant chisel off the bolts and get a new pole!!

Bizzle
Jul 17 2007, 12:13 PM
Maybe you can electrify the baskets after dark :D

westxchef
Jul 17 2007, 12:25 PM
Maybe you can electrify the baskets after dark :D


Can you say GLO round!

Fishead_Tim
Jul 17 2007, 12:40 PM
Now that's what I call a "STING" operation! :D

tbender
Jul 17 2007, 12:42 PM
Snipers. Snipers. Snipers.

Bizzle
Jul 17 2007, 03:03 PM
Snipers. Snipers. Snipers.



Ninja's with metal mini's

superberry
Jul 18 2007, 11:02 AM
Problem is...those who want to steal a basket will find a way. It can't be prevented, you can only slow their progress. In nice neighborhoods and well traveled parks I've seen nothing more than a nut and bolt holding the basket to the sleeve. It's probably harder to have two correct size wrenches to undo a rusty bolt than it is to hacksaw through a lock.

Bizzle
Jul 18 2007, 12:25 PM
Problem is...those who want to steal a basket will find a way. It can't be prevented, you can only slow their progress. In nice neighborhoods and well traveled parks I've seen nothing more than a nut and bolt holding the basket to the sleeve. It's probably harder to have two correct size wrenches to undo a rusty bolt than it is to hacksaw through a lock.



Check out this possible solution to sawing the lock.....not sure if they have one for the types of locks used.

http://www.padlockprotector.com/

BadVoodoo
Jan 17 2012, 02:38 PM
As the sport grows in popularity, the problem grows with it.

If you are like me, you take great offense to hearing about baskets stolen from local and public parks. We all suffer for this. :mad:


I'd like to throw out a suggestion, and would ask for serious consideration and discusssion.

- - -

WHAT IF baskets were stamped with permanent ID numbers?

Its not exactly high tech satelite triangulation to locate them, but it would deter theft if they could be positively identified, and provide proof for prosecution.


What would it take?

1. A simple database, to capture the data and generate unique id munbers. (I would think best housed with PDGA as the one and official site.)

2. A request form from the website. If I was a course steward, I could request 9 or 18 at a time.

3. Work with local Police, Fire, or Parks and Rec. departments to stamp the IDs on one weekend. Same method as bicycle registrations. I would think most would like to help to protect public property.

4. Optional.. a warning sign



Thoughts, comments, and more ideas welcome..

cgkdisc
Jan 17 2012, 03:41 PM
Haven't tried it but this technology might be worth it and the network for tracking is already set up: http://www.datadotdna.com/us/brand_datadot.php

BadVoodoo
Jan 18 2012, 08:46 AM
Superberry is right.. "Problem is...those who want to steal a basket will find a way. It can't be prevented, .."

Without electrified barb wire and boobie traps, the problem will always exist.

But I still really like the idea of positive identification on baskets. If not pursued to point of prosecution, it is at least proof of ownership.

If the goal was to sell it, it prevents them from showing up on places like E-Bay and Craigslist.
But most likely, these end up in someones backyard for practice. Only hope for recover there is the snitch factor, but again, it would be provable now.



Perhaps the positive ID idea belongs with the Basket manufacturers.

Each Vendor would have they own id system.
Stamp them with serial numbers before they leave the factory.
And provide a page on their website for product registration.
(what company would not want to collect consumer information?)

This seems like a no brainer to me.

It would only take the voice of the customer feedback to let them know this is a serious request.

tengstrom
Jan 19 2012, 11:59 PM
Electrify the baskets!

Oh, wait ...

underparmike
Jan 20 2012, 11:25 PM
Definitely interesting. Good find Chucky!

jackinkc
Feb 28 2012, 03:00 PM
We have used the metal pin and drill a hole through the basket, and then a trailer type of lock on the end. We use metl sleeves that have holes that align with the basket pole hole that we drilled.

We have had probably close to 5 stolen over the last decade, of which 3 have been returned, because its pretty easy to identify that pole with a big hole in it came from on of the KCFDC courses.

This allows for multiple pin placement within parks. The bigger issue though is the moweres hitting the poles and thus destroying the "sleeve", but replacements are a bag of quickrete, re-bar and $25 pole.....

Bottom line, if someone wants it bad enough they will steal it though....