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Another level...

Daver

PMA Member
A little background...last year, from the end of January until the middle of April, there was a flurry of break-ins and burglaries in the area where my farm is located in SE Iowa. (My cabin was one of the early targets and I lost a fair amount of hunting and trapping equipment from that episode, learning a valuable lesson not to leave anything of value in my cabin, even though it was well locked, etc.) We have many excellent neighbors and great friends in this area, but we also obviously have a negative element present too.

Other neighbors also experienced similar "smash and grab" burglaries too last year during this time period. Then the break ins stopped and had not occurred again...until just this past week. Presumably the same people are involved this year, but that is not for sure. The most recent development in this story comes from just a few days ago when one of my neighbors had two permanent blinds stolen, along with several trail cameras.

Please see the pics below, one of the blinds was a fairly new Lick Creek blind that was mounted on top of a custom built 10'+ tall platform! (The pic below is of the actual blind, on the platform.) The thieves went through a locked steel gate at the road and traveled back through an access lane about 1/4 mile to where they removed the very heavy blind and then drove it out. (BTW, this has been reported to local law enforcement.)

With the height of the platform and the weight of the blind, it is thought that at least 3, and likely 4-5, or more, people would have been involved in this heist. We believe there were two trucks involved and one of them may have been damaged on/in the bed or rear side walls as the very heavy blind fell into the back of the "getaway" truck.

They also took another blind, smaller and more lightweight, from a different area of the farm. Incidentally, the thieves had to drive in a different lane to reach that blind.

So the sophistication level and daringness has risen on behalf of the thieves...and consequently the neighborhood is now uniting to find the culprits more so than ever before. This all happened in NE Davis County, a little south of Selma and a little west of Douds. Any information that anyone can provide would be very welcome...and quite likely worth your while $$$$$$.

The thieves did not find all of the cameras in the area and based upon a review of various SD cards, we believe this theft took place from a little after 11:00P on Thursday, 2/25, to about 12:30A on Friday, 2/26. We have some solid clues that we are following up on in the meantime, but we would really like to catch up to them sooner, rather than later.

So if anyone knows of, or possibly saw, any suspicious activity in that general area right around those dates and times, please PM me. OR...if anyone knows someone that suddenly has two nice, used blinds that did not come from a store OR happened to see some deer blinds in the back of a truck after midnight Thursday rolling down the road, etc...we would appreciate any tips along those lines too.

Turtle Blind
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Lick Creek blind
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Wow, that's pretty brazen! Odd situation for sure; makes a guy think the culprits are locals based on the amount of work required and knowledge of the hunting ground and blind locations. Hope you catch the scumbags!
 
someone knew the farm well enough to navigate after dark to exactly where they wanted to go as well as camera locations.
 
someone knew the farm well enough to navigate after dark to exactly where they wanted to go as well as camera locations.

True, we definitely suspect that they had been on the farm in the daylight. Our thoughts are that they were first shed poachers and/or coyote hound hunters for various reasons.

We also think they may have removed all of the bolts to the blinds in the daylight and then returned in the dark to finish the job.
 
I'd lay money on coyote hunters who have been through the farms before.

They definitely had been on the ground, as trespassers, prior to the theft, there is no way that they would know where these blinds were without having been there previously. Coyote hunters, and/or shed thieves, is a very definite possibility, actually a near certainty.
 
Not that hard to find stuff now with Google Earth and drones. I hate both.You need the cell phone cameras.
 
True, we definitely suspect that they had been on the farm in the daylight. Our thoughts are that they were first shed poachers and/or coyote hound hunters for various reasons.

We also think they may have removed all of the bolts to the blinds in the daylight and then returned in the dark to finish the job.

I would suspect they did everything in one night. Nobody makes a second trip if they find blinds. You would be surprised what they can carry. A few battery operated Dewalt impacts with a few sockets and bolt cutters and they can wreck havoc. We actually lost land after hunting it for 10+ plus years because people were stealing stands and when that didn't keep us from hunting the area they started stealing the land owners cattle. I'm going with everything happened in one shot.
 
Not that hard to find stuff now with Google Earth and drones. I hate both.You need the cell phone cameras.

FYI...My neighbor did have a cell camera out...that is the one they did NOT take with them...they just smashed it to pieces on the spot and left it. Harrumph!

But your point about Google Earth and drones is valid.
 
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I would suspect they did everything in one night. Nobody makes a second trip if they find blinds. You would be surprised what they can carry. A few battery operated Dewalt impacts with a few sockets and bolt cutters and they can wreck havoc. We actually lost land after hunting it for 10+ plus years because people were stealing stands and when that didn't keep us from hunting the area they started stealing the land owners cattle. I'm going with everything happened in one shot.

Could be...but it seems likely to us that they found the blinds in the daylight, probably while shed poaching or whatever and then came back at night to steal them. And since they got almost all of the trail cams, I really don't think they would have been so efficient if their first time in was in the dark.

It's also possible that they saw them last year and came back this year to round them up...
 
Could be...but it seems likely to us that they found the blinds in the daylight, probably while shed poaching or whatever and then came back at night to steal them. And since they got almost all of the trail cams, I really don't think they would have been so efficient if their first time in was in the dark.

It's also possible that they saw them last year and came back this year to round them up...

Can they see the blinds from google earth?
 
Can they see the blinds from google earth?

Yes, but you would have to dial in to the max setting and then look very carefully to see them, as there are scattered cedars in this area too that look an awful lot like a blind from above. I knew what I was looking for and exactly where I was looking for them on aerial maps and it wasn't easy to find them that way...but it would be possible.

I will add that the property owners found NO sheds on this property this spring and suffice to say, that is highly improbable unless someone else got there first.

Added - also, while the blinds were visible on Google Earth, I don't think you would have been able to tell from that view that these blinds were elevated. They came with two trucks, prepared to do battle, the Lick Creek blind in particular was a VERY TOUGH job to get that one down. It took 4 men and a tractor to get it up on that elevated platform. I am pretty confident that they had to have been there in the daylight at some point prior to the theft...but I cannot say for sure on that.
 
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Local law enforcement knows who their dirt bags are. I would think a call to them may shed some light. Also, if there was a pause in burglaries the goof(s) were probably in jail. If you have a suspect query the county criminal records to see their history.
 
I can see why people often take the law into their own hands in this situation.

Law enforcement has been involved in this situation and also the ones last year. FWIW, these thefts have occurred in Davis and Van Buren County, so both Sheriff's Departments have been involved, as per where the theft was.

As far as taking matters into their own hands...:D :D let's just say that the neighbors and I seem to be placing a higher priority on this than the local deputies. :D :D
 
Sad. I hope you catch the punks.

I know firsthand that the shed poaching in absolutely ridiculous in that area. I'd bet they went in shed poaching and found the blinds. Some real lowlifes.
 
Common criminals rarely are described as genius. They will likely be caught for some petty theft. You might never find out who did this but I bet who ever did will eat plenty of meals served though a small hole in a door at some point in his life.
 
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