My first season and every plant was stolen.....suspect my nieghbor but I have no proof. I was looking for some idea's on how to protect my crop...Fenceing is really my only option...I have small children so a dog is out of the question. I have motion sensor lighting but didn't hook it all up in time,besides the lighting would also cause problems with budding cycle. I wanted to fully enclose the whole garden with fenceing but dont know which would be more effective....I know if they want it bad enough no matter what you do your crop is at risk....just need a few ideas. I would like to hear some of your idea's.....growing inside isn't an option for me and I would like to keep cost of fence down....
Plants stolen-Security questions
- Thread starter FATMAN812
- Start date
HempsterDufus
New Member
Sorry to hear that 
Were they in the ground or in pots?
In the ground you can affix chicken wire to steaks that are driven a couple feet into the ground at a height where it can't just be reached over. This will only be a speed bump to the heist though since it can be easily cut. However, often if it is a hassle or involves more than uprooting or cutting the plants the natural fear of taking too much time and getting caught will deter your typical pot thief. I have found that anything that makes the thief think that you might be alerted to their presence is more than enough. I surround with chicken wire as mentioned above and actually hang strings with cow bells painted black (or soda cans with pebbles or coins in them) along the top of the chicken wire because it makes a ton of noise if someone is messing with or pulling the wire. I actually started that for deer but busted a "friend" trying to steal my girls last year. I have also hung a trail cam that you can buy at any hunting shop or online that snaps pics with a flash anytime someone passes in front of it. The flash will scare them off and if not you'll have a pic. Camouflage it well.
I have found no negative effects on flowering from my security flood lights either, mine are set to stay lit for 15 minutes at a time.
For the ones in pots or 5 gal. buckets you can get a little more medieval
I take the vinyl weather stripping you would buy for doors and windows, I pierce them every inch with the little razor sharp nails that are used in carpet tack strips (readily available at your local hardware), essentially creating a strip of nails that you can affix under the the top lip of the pot where thieves would first grab it. Again, this worked for me with a pot on it's side one morning and visible blood on the white vinyl strip. With five gallon buckets I have a friend who uses duct tape to tape nails along the bottom of the bucket, anyone who grabs them at night is in for a surprise.
I don't know the legal ramifications if someone gets injured by whatever method you choose so that's something to consider. Also, someone who gets hurt is going to be pissed and probably anonymously report you to the cops anyway if you're growing where you aren't legally permitted so have a plan to move your girls as soon as something would happen.
The best deterrent is to keep your mouth shut about your grow. If I had been wiser in my youth and had just shut-up I would have never had to take such stupid and drastic measures.
Were they in the ground or in pots?
In the ground you can affix chicken wire to steaks that are driven a couple feet into the ground at a height where it can't just be reached over. This will only be a speed bump to the heist though since it can be easily cut. However, often if it is a hassle or involves more than uprooting or cutting the plants the natural fear of taking too much time and getting caught will deter your typical pot thief. I have found that anything that makes the thief think that you might be alerted to their presence is more than enough. I surround with chicken wire as mentioned above and actually hang strings with cow bells painted black (or soda cans with pebbles or coins in them) along the top of the chicken wire because it makes a ton of noise if someone is messing with or pulling the wire. I actually started that for deer but busted a "friend" trying to steal my girls last year. I have also hung a trail cam that you can buy at any hunting shop or online that snaps pics with a flash anytime someone passes in front of it. The flash will scare them off and if not you'll have a pic. Camouflage it well.
I have found no negative effects on flowering from my security flood lights either, mine are set to stay lit for 15 minutes at a time.
For the ones in pots or 5 gal. buckets you can get a little more medieval
I take the vinyl weather stripping you would buy for doors and windows, I pierce them every inch with the little razor sharp nails that are used in carpet tack strips (readily available at your local hardware), essentially creating a strip of nails that you can affix under the the top lip of the pot where thieves would first grab it. Again, this worked for me with a pot on it's side one morning and visible blood on the white vinyl strip. With five gallon buckets I have a friend who uses duct tape to tape nails along the bottom of the bucket, anyone who grabs them at night is in for a surprise.I don't know the legal ramifications if someone gets injured by whatever method you choose so that's something to consider. Also, someone who gets hurt is going to be pissed and probably anonymously report you to the cops anyway if you're growing where you aren't legally permitted so have a plan to move your girls as soon as something would happen.
The best deterrent is to keep your mouth shut about your grow. If I had been wiser in my youth and had just shut-up I would have never had to take such stupid and drastic measures.
- Thread starter
- #4
They were all in the ground and 2 of the plants were over 10 Ft tall and had just started budding ......why would they take plants that havent started budding yet ? my nieghbor(AKA) meth head hasnt been seen for days seen they were stolen....funny thing is I reported theft to police, and to my surprise they gave me a case number and filed it as grand theft...also told them about my neighbor....dont suspect anything will come of it but your advice sounds good I love the bell ideas.....thx.
HempsterDufus
New Member
Dude, I hope you're permitted to grow where ever you are lol. Every year here there are stories of people being arrested and charged with cultivating for reporting pot plants stolen. 10 ft. is tall but can still be done cheaply and discreetly with chicken wire, get someone you trust to help out.
As far as why, because most people don't know anything about our beloved plant. I had someone steal a few of mine out of the ground a few years ago when they were only a few months old. A surprising # think you just smoke the leaves, such a waste.
As far as why, because most people don't know anything about our beloved plant. I had someone steal a few of mine out of the ground a few years ago when they were only a few months old. A surprising # think you just smoke the leaves, such a waste.
- Thread starter
- #6
Yeah I'm a card holder in Ca. so I can grow up to 6 plants.....still surprised that cops let me report them stolen.....lol case number and everything only in Ca. lol so chicken wire coverd in black cow bells and anything eles I can find that will alert me......I live next to freeway....they came over freeway wall , trail of leaves leading to freeway dead give away. I pretty sure it was my Meth head nieghbor haven't seen him or his car since they were stolen.....he still lives at home and he's almost 50....lol
I might know here you can get a few of these....
Bud stankalot
New Member
I might know here you can get a few of these....
Hog's got the right idea.
Wingman420
Commercial Cultivator
I have a friend who also lost his prize plant to a neighbor who is also growing but could not prove it. I advised him of security cameras and he went to BJ's or Sams club and bought a setup with 4 cameras with a dvd recorder. He used an old tv for a monitor and sees all cameras in a split screen and records everything. The police told him this is the only way they could arrest someone is if they could see it on tape. There has been no problem since then. He also uses barbed wire on the inside of his picket fence to deter thieves and has tons of noisy junk strategically placed throughout the property to use as an alarm. 
There's actually land mines used for paintball warfare that could be deployed. Whichever neighbor is stained blue...BINGO 
I like the cams for security too. I found my 4 cam dvr w/ night vision @ Harbor Freight for $250 w/ a coupon. I also use a solid 8' wood fence, camoflauge plantings, and i keep my plants in pots. I move them around and I keep them apart so if one is snatched the others will hopefully be safe.
I too have a jack wagon pill poppin meth freak for a neighbor. The best thing i've found for him is fear. He's basically scared to death of me and goes the other way if we cross paths. We've had boundary & theft issues in the past , not over my plants or anything like that but I basically made it clear to him that if I ever find him on my property he will leave on a stretcher.
I like the cams for security too. I found my 4 cam dvr w/ night vision @ Harbor Freight for $250 w/ a coupon. I also use a solid 8' wood fence, camoflauge plantings, and i keep my plants in pots. I move them around and I keep them apart so if one is snatched the others will hopefully be safe.
I too have a jack wagon pill poppin meth freak for a neighbor. The best thing i've found for him is fear. He's basically scared to death of me and goes the other way if we cross paths. We've had boundary & theft issues in the past , not over my plants or anything like that but I basically made it clear to him that if I ever find him on my property he will leave on a stretcher.
1234a5678b
New Member
Try putting in some blackberries, roses, etc. Anything with thorns. That should mark them up enough for identification. If you find out who the parasite is, get a Taser and some 'Bear Spray' (R.E.I. in the hiking/backpacking section, if there's one near you.) Once you dart them with the Taser, every time you pull the trigger, they get a 5 second shock. Alternate shock and spray and you can subject them to an electrochemical water boarding. Be careful though, this has resulted in in custody deaths at the hands of law enforcement. The common link in the deaths has been the combination of the taser/spray application in conjunction with the subject testing positive (during the autopsy) for cocaine or methamphetamine.
2Tango4mango
New Member
well, my first thought with plants that tall is to grow trees around the obvious points of view. As in anywhere you can see neighboring anything, grow something that gets tall and bushy quickly, like certain bamboos or a big shrub of some-kind. Personally, I've always used pines cause their wide, tall and thorny. You should definitely get the fencing. Just remember that if you can see them, they can see what your doing, plus they already have incentive. Get some mines, bear traps, heat seeking missiles and barracudas for extra security, cheers.
