That's terrible, mcmann! It IS hard to know who to trust, isn't it? Before I got to the last line of your post, I was thinking, "I would give the landscaping guy a little something to keep an eye on the place." But now that you wrote what you did, well ---- ?

Look at it this way, at least the guy got caught when he did!

Oh how I hate a thief! What makes it worse, he was someone you paid for several years & he took advantage of the knowledge you weren't there all the time. The sleazy BUM!

Whoa!! That is infuriating. I don't know if I would have prosecuted or not. Probably yes. I'm rather territorial.

I should drive up to my woodland property and find out what's going on there. At one time a hunter built a platform in a tree (I forget what they're called) to hunt on that property. We tore it down, but who knows what goes on when we're not there? I count on the bears to keep strangers in line, but they tend to hibernate on the job.

I think I'd trust the landscaper, mcmann, since he called you in the first place. If he wanted to also steal your trees/wood he could've piggybacked off the other guy and you never would have known the difference.

I'd for sure be finding a different plow man.

alisande, they're called a 'deer stand' around here.
McMann I think you can trust the landscaper too. He didn't have to give you a call at all. Not want to get involved, so to speak.
Leslie

Thanks, Leslie. Yes, that's it.

I agree that it's likely you can trust the landscaper.

I would have insisted that the thief return either the actual wood or the money he got for it. What a nerve! I hope what he cut down doesn't ruin the look of your property TOO much, McMann.

I would hire that landscaper to be my "eyes" and reward him somehow for alerting you to this.

I cross paths with ugly, mean, foolish, lying men at times and it is very frustrating, but can you imagine being *married* to something like that? Yikes!

Rose

I would have made him plant two new trees for each one he took....and not small ones.

There are people like that in the world, but I think they are in the minority. Kudos to the landscaper for being observant and taking the time to give you a call.

I live between two ranches. Some riff raff moved down the street and started throwing junk over the fence on the back ranch property. The ranch is so big it would be a while before the owner realized there was a junk pile.

We called the owner and he called the Sheriff. I don't know what happened, but they stopped throwing things over the fence.

Gayle

Thank you to everyone for suggested that the landscraper showed he could be trusted. I think you're right - he could have helped himself. We could offer to pay him to drive by our place and keep an eye out. And since he lives less than a mile away it wouldn't be difficult. And my husband said that the landscaper mentioned that his son in law plows too. So maybe that will work out.

The trees he cut down are on the side of our property and once the stumps are cut down they won't be noticeable. We did ask for the wood back but he returned less than 1/2 a cord. My husband doesn't want to insist because we are in a vulnerable situation - he could sneak back and vandalize our home. You can't see it from the street.

Now if only the game warden would catch the guy who has been poaching in our area. The warden told us that there are 2 of them and they're not afraid to hunt at night either.

I know exactly how you are feeling. .I used to never think I could shoot a person. .I don't feel that way anymore. My parent's lived on the family farm that my grandpa bought back in the early 1900's. .My dad died of a heart attack. .right after he died and my mom had to come back to the city house to stay off and on. .people started stealing. .they even stole my dad's truck, backed it right up to the back door and loaded it with things out of the house, along with their two other friends and their trucks. We built these huge fences and gate out of oil field pipe. .they just tied onto it with chains and drug it out. .we could not keep the theives out. .then one day they burned the house to the ground along with the garage and tried to set the big really old barn on fire but it didn't burn for some reason. So now that is all we have left, the barn. .I hate thieves. I am so glad someone was watching out and caught your's before he cut down any more of your trees. Debbie. .

If there is an incident report, take him to small claims court and make him pay for the damage. Request also that he is not to set foot on your property without prosecution. Can you get anything on record where he is not to come within so many feet of your property?
I have really lost my trust in people with a couple of things that happened this past year. No more feeling sorry for someone or taking them for their word and anyone doing work for me better have references even if a preacher!!!
Lynn

My parents use to have a summer home in VT and live the rest of the time in IL. Every fall/winter they would have furniture stolen from the house. They finally tracked part of it to the guy who was their handyman. Some of the furniture were antiques. So they only bought junk from then on. The same thing happened to my aunt & uncle down in FL who were there only for the winter. That is the problem with having vacation property unless you pay someone to housesit when you're not there.
Clare