REDWOOD CEDAR TIMBERS

Product Sales Co, P O. Box 4989 Orange, Ca.92613-4989

Plywood Theft Victims Get Defensive

As the Southern California truck and cargo thefts continue, lumber yards are devising new ways to avoid repeat performanc€s.

Late night June 11 thieves loaded four units of 3/8" CD plywood onto one of Buena Park Lumber's trucks, disassembled the yard's railroad gate and drove out down the railroad tracks, practically passing by a police s0ation. The truck was recovered a few days later, stripped of its radio, tools and load.

Buena Park Lumber, Buena Park, immediately installed low-cost kill switches on their trucks and is considering expanding its alarm beam systern to cover the entire yard.

After burglaries in May and June, Petennan Lumber, Fontana, also began rewiring its fleet's ignitions. They also joined other victims in reporting details of their case to the Lumber Association of Southern California which is compiling a database to aid a special L.A. Sheriff s Department task force (see The Merchant, June, p. 30).

Over Memorial Day weekend, $40,000 worth of hardwood plywood and lumber was stolen from Johnston Hardwood Lumber & Plywood, Cenitos. Dennis Johnston has installed fuel line shut-off, ignition coil wire and steering wheel disabling devices on their vehicles. But he realizes tley're only deterrents to the experienced criminal.

Tim Reynolds, Shale Companies, Santa Ana, considers the key to be irmobilizing your own forklift since the thieves don't bring their own. "If they can't use your forklift" they can't steal your plywood," he said.

Shale now puts The Club steering wheel lock on all its trucks and forklifts, following a $40,000-50,000 plywood heist June 4 in which tlieves used one of Shale's trucks and two from the landscape wholesaler next door. One truck, last spotted over the Mexican border, has not been recovered. Said Reynolds, "My idea for the police is whenever you see a truck delivering plywood at 2 a.m., pull it over."

Southern California

Greater San Franctsco Bay Area

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