They came looking for tools but left with a face full of water.
Tools are the lifeblood of a lot of trade workers in Fresno, California, so when a rash of tools and other items were being taken in the middle of the night from the back of people’s trucks, Porterville resident Katie Camarena decided to do something about it. After rigging up a motion-activated sprinkler and aiming her security cameras at the back of her truck, it wasn’t long before she caught one would-be tool thief with a spray of H2O.
Check out the video for yourself below.
Since her video’s gone up, it’s been viewed over 4 million times and counting.
In the video shot we can see a Chevrolet Silverado parked backwards with its bed wide open for anyone to take a peek inside. Towards the back of the truck bed is a lockable tool chest, common on a lot of workers who opt to keep their tools there instead of hauling them inside every time. Thieves, knowing that workers don’t always lock their trunk tool boxes, stroll on by and pop them open, taking whatever’s inside.
Katie’s also placed a motion-activated sprinkler mounted in a bucket towards the back of the truckbed. Attached to the sprinkler is a water hose, its origin hiding behind the truck.
But, to a would-be tool thief, it also looks like a very expensive tool worth an investigation.
We see some kid ride up, in the middle of the night, to their truck to presumably peek inside. Before he can look, he’s blasted with water. Knowing the owner’s are on to this type of behavior, he books it. The sprinkler just doesn’t spray, it’s also frighteningly loud.
Katie kindly also linked to the same motion detector she bought if anyone wants to copy what they’ve done. Priced at around $70, it’s cheap insurance to deter anyone and everyone who might want to gander at anything on their driveway.
A blast of water is harmless and should deter most potential thieves.
Do you have a problem with tool thieves in your area? What do you think about this deference method? Do you think you can improve on it? Let me know in the comments below.
