Theft
Phil, a friend, told me not to worry about the refrigerator, but about the generator – that’s the item most frequently stolen around here. Well, you know what: that’s what happened to me: I got here late last night, only to find that the generator(s) had gone. Missing were: (a) the good generator; (b) the bad generator; (c) the two gas canisters; (c) the chain and lock that tied them to the post. I did a quick inventory, and it looks like there is more missing, but the house has been left alone. (There is something sacred.)
I am somewhat puzzled: what is a man to do without a generator? I mean, you can’t really live here without, and if someone steals your generator, they are pretty much screwing you the same way the “Bicycle Thief” stole the commuter bike in the famous movie.
The day was spent accordingly, running from hardware store to hardware store to find the best deal. Home Depot had a Yamaha engine (6.2kW) for $1000. Home Depot and ACE had nothing. HPM had nothing cheap, and their Honda engine DeWalt was $2000. A little more than my faint heart wanted to spend.
I am at Home Depot, trying to decide whether the $600 3200kW is sufficient, when a complete stranger tells me there are more generators in the lumber section. I curse the darn store, that has the generators in the lumber section and not in the generator section, and run over.
There you are: four to choose from:
- Higgs & Stratton 8.5kW
- Higgs & Stratton 5.5kW
- Yamaha 6.2kW
- Subaru 5kW
Did I mention the Subaru engine (which is the one stolen) was $599 to the $699 H&S and $999 Yamaha?
In all my bad luck, I am still a lucky guy.
The thieves, by the way, cut the side wires to the gates, and then must have cut the lock on the chain for the generator. The chain itself was a 3/8", much too thick to cut with normal tools.