How do you increase security at pickup locations?

Howdy everyone, so recently I've gotten a couple apartment complexes that save appliances and scrap for me and I've been having problems with my scrap walking away from me at one location. Competition in this town is very saturated and the last time I went to grab what they had, another scrapper had already picked it up. As far as I know I'm the only one who has permission to take that stuff and the supervisor told me other scrappers usually get trespasses when they are on property. How do I prevent people from taking these? Thanks yall

Usually just a no tresspassing sign, sometimes a gate latch without a lock is enough, or if your material is behind something not visible to trolling in a truck it will usually be left alone.

A recommendation to the apartment manager about the benefits of a security system for his residents would be a strategy. Renters love the sense of serenity when apartment buildings can monitor activities. These systems are low cost and even if they did not want to go that route, signs advertising security cameras would make most think twice. That would be my first choice in an urban area.

In a rural area the best security system is based on numbers. .22, 9, 10, 12, 16, 20, 30, 30/30, 40, 45, 222, 223, 25-06, 30-06, 410, etc. It is not the use of the numbers that is intimidating, it is not knowing who is carrying what number. Thanks to the 2nd amendment, most mind their own business.

Disclaimer: Two solutions were offered and the NRA was not mentioned so I assume this is not political in nature.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

A recommendation to the apartment manager about the benefits of a security system for his residents would be a strategy. Renters love the sense of serenity when apartment buildings can monitor activities. These systems are low cost and even if they did not want to go that route, signs advertising security cameras would make most think twice. That would be my first choice in an urban area.

In a rural area the best security system is based on numbers. .22, 9, 10, 12, 16, 20, 30, 30/30, 40, 45, 222, 223, 25-06, 30-06, 410, etc. It is not the use of the numbers that is intimidating, it is not knowing who is carrying what number. Thanks to the 2nd amendment, most mind their own business.

Disclaimer: Two solutions were offered and the NRA was not mentioned so I assume this is not political in nature.

Sign on my father in laws garage door " This property is protected by Smith and Wesson three nights a week- You guess which three ! "

Revolvers...

I'd agree work with them tell them to keep it behind something or give them a sign to put on it - probably both.

I would bet whomever took it had no malicious intent and wasn't trying to steal, they probably just saw a scrap appliance by a dumpster and snagged it and figured it was "free game" since it was being thrown away.

I know recently I had an arranged pickup (Craigslist) of a scrap very large metal desk and it was in an apartment complex, on the way finding the apartment, I saw a stove next to a dumpster in the apartment complex, it was missing all the elements and the copper was cut off - nasty looking scrap oven. I loaded it up. Someone passing by in a car stopped to help me even - I appreciated it even if I was fully prepared to load it myself as normal. If some other scrapper was supposed to take that oven, how could I possibly know?

I like to scrap and don't like when people steal, but I am not a drug dealer, I am not going to shoot someone or even threaten to for trying to take my scrap metal, although I do see the importance of protecting your regular routes especially if this is your means of living - but the key is making sure other scrappers know it's not intended for them.

Put DOWN the chain link fence, leave your gloves on and walk away slowly with your hands in the air... *sound of gun cocking*