Anyone ever had a dish stolen?

[unclezippy]

Hello all,

4 years ago, I moved into a new duplex, and my landlord refused to let me do a proper install of my transplanted Dish 500. Attached is a photo of my solution: The Porch Dish, which had lived in place for 4 trouble-free years since the move…

…until some *******s carried off all 75 pounds of it (cables, SW21, et al) in a daring 7-9PM burglary last night, without making a sound (at least that we could hear whilst watching a DVD on the other side of the living room window).

Sidebar -- there was a previous theft attempt about three weeks ago – IN BROAD DAYLIGHT – but a neighbor spotted the hoodlum, gave a shout, and he took off. I gotta assume it was the same meth-addict who just HAD to have a Dish 500 for the holidays, ignoring both the Superdish and the DirecTV unit across the cul-de-sac.

I haven’t gotten to do much research on the replacement process beause of the weekend and the coming holidays, but I’d like toss out a couple of questions to anyone else on the board this may have happened to so I can mull it over till everyone opens back up on Wednesday the 26th.

What kind of gouging did Dish try to give you for a replacement dish? I’d owned this one outright since 2000, and don’t plan on upgrading any other equipment or programming. Did you go through Dish or a local dish dealer? I didn’t bother to talk to a CSR about replacement gear when I called in to put my account on vacation (between the hour, my anger, and the CSR’s charming off-continent accent, I wasn’t mentally prepared.)

I haven’t talked to my insurance carrier yet, but could the replacement dish (and more importantly, the labor) be covered under a renter’s policy? I filed a police report, and I gotta say I’ve never seen a less-interested officer. Quote: “We’ll likely never find who did it, but maybe they wrecked their back hauling it off. Ha ha.”

I think I can talk my landlord into a proper install now, I’ve got a pretty good rep with him, and a lean clean scheme to minimize holes and maximize aesthetics.

BTW, I was actually considering dropping Dish altogether and switching back to cable (considering how much less I watch the service now as opposed to 5 years ago). But our area CableOne packages lack the critical BBC America and TENExtasy, so I’m compelled to stick with Dish in one form or another.

Sorry for the ramble. I’m coping.

Happy Holidays!

[mengel]

Originally Posted by unclezippy

Hello all,

4 years ago, I moved into a new duplex, and my landlord refused to let me do a proper install of my transplanted Dish 500. Attached is a photo of my solution: The Porch Dish, which had lived in place for 4 trouble-free years since the move…

…until some *******s carried off all 75 pounds of it (cables, SW21, et al) in a daring 7-9PM burglary last night, without making a sound (at least that we could hear whilst watching a DVD on the other side of the living room window).

Sidebar -- there was a previous theft attempt about three weeks ago – IN BROAD DAYLIGHT – but a neighbor spotted the hoodlum, gave a shout, and he took off. I gotta assume I was the same meth-addict who just HAD to have a Dish 500 for the holidays, ignoring both the Superdish and the DirecTV unit across the cul-de-sac.

I haven’t gotten to do much research on the replacement process beause of the weekend and the coming holidays, but I’d like toss out a couple of questions to anyone else on the board this may have happened to so I can mull it over till everyone opens back up on Wednesday the 26th.

What kind of gouging did Dish try to give you for a replacement dish? I’d owned this one outright since 2000, and don’t plan on upgrading any other equipment or programming. Did you go through Dish or a local dish dealer? I didn’t bother to talk to a CSR about replacement gear when I called in to put my account on vacation (between the hour, my anger, and the CSR’s charming off-continent accent, I wasn’t mentally prepared.)

I haven’t talked to my insurance carrier yet, but could the replacement dish (and more importantly, the labor) be covered under a renter’s policy? I filed a police report, and I gotta say I’ve never seen a less-interested officer. Quote: “We’ll likely never find who did it, but maybe they wrecked their back hauling it off. Ha ha.”

I think I can talk my landlord into a proper install now, I’ve got a pretty good rep with him, and a lean clean scheme to minimize holes and maximize aesthetics.

BTW, I was actually considering dropping Dish altogether and switching back to cable (considering how much less I watch the service now as opposed to 5 years ago). But our area CableOne packages lack the critical BBC America and TENExtasy, so I’m compelled to stick with Dish in one form or another.

Sorry for the ramble. I’m coping.

Happy Holidays!

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. However, there's not much you can do to stop people from stealing, if they are determined enough. That's a pretty cool setup however, I like a dish in a pail! Do another one, and get one of those fake rock covers to put over it. Or if you are creative and want to save a bunch of money, go by a construction site, and ask them for any left over TYVEK laying around. Setup another dish in a pail, get it working, cover it with the Tyvek kind of propped in the form of a heavy rock (build a cardboar form), and spraypaint it like a rock, and add your address, and name on it to llok like it belongs! If it looks good enough, they won't even attempt to try to lift it, as they will assume it's a heavy rock. Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/294886-Large-Art...QQcmdZViewItem

[bartendress]

Originally Posted by unclezippy

Hello all,

4 years ago, I moved into a new duplex, and my landlord refused to let me do a proper install of my transplanted Dish 500. Attached is a photo of my solution: The Porch Dish, which had lived in place for 4 trouble-free years since the move…

…until some *******s carried off all 75 pounds of it (cables, SW21, et al) in a daring 7-9PM burglary last night, without making a sound (at least that we could hear whilst watching a DVD on the other side of the living room window).

Sidebar -- there was a previous theft attempt about three weeks ago – IN BROAD DAYLIGHT – but a neighbor spotted the hoodlum, gave a shout, and he took off. I gotta assume I was the same meth-addict who just HAD to have a Dish 500 for the holidays, ignoring both the Superdish and the DirecTV unit across the cul-de-sac.

I haven’t gotten to do much research on the replacement process beause of the weekend and the coming holidays, but I’d like toss out a couple of questions to anyone else on the board this may have happened to so I can mull it over till everyone opens back up on Wednesday the 26th.

What kind of gouging did Dish try to give you for a replacement dish? I’d owned this one outright since 2000, and don’t plan on upgrading any other equipment or programming. Did you go through Dish or a local dish dealer? I didn’t bother to talk to a CSR about replacement gear when I called in to put my account on vacation (between the hour, my anger, and the CSR’s charming off-continent accent, I wasn’t mentally prepared.)

I haven’t talked to my insurance carrier yet, but could the replacement dish (and more importantly, the labor) be covered under a renter’s policy? I filed a police report, and I gotta say I’ve never seen a less-interested officer. Quote: “We’ll likely never find who did it, but maybe they wrecked their back hauling it off. Ha ha.”

I think I can talk my landlord into a proper install now, I’ve got a pretty good rep with him, and a lean clean scheme to minimize holes and maximize aesthetics.

BTW, I was actually considering dropping Dish altogether and switching back to cable (considering how much less I watch the service now as opposed to 5 years ago). But our area CableOne packages lack the critical BBC America and TENExtasy, so I’m compelled to stick with Dish in one form or another.

Sorry for the ramble. I’m coping.

Happy Holidays!

Given that Dish tells customers who move to leave the dish in place and only take receivers, logic would dictate that they wouldn't be all that put out to replace your dish for you.

Of course, when dealing with ANY service provider in this day and age, logic need not apply.

PS: How pathetic is it to steal someone's dish?

[TBoneit]

Of course being a genius the thief may be thinking all they needed is the dish to hook up to their TV to get satellite TV.

[bartendress]

Originally Posted by TBoneit

Of course being a genius the thief may be thinking all they needed is the dish to hook up to their TV to get satellite TV.

OMG! I never looked at it that way! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Gilitar]

Originally Posted by TBoneit

Of course being a genius the thief may be thinking all they needed is the dish to hook up to their TV to get satellite TV.

I'm willing to bet this is the case.

[rich584]

Originally Posted by TBoneit

Of course being a genius the thief may be thinking all they needed is the dish to hook up to their TV to get satellite TV.

Those would be the same people who buy HD sets and plug it in and ? Nitwits abound.

Rich

[FastNOC]

I think that's a bit over the top to call people nitwits because they don't undestand a service.

I know doctors who can't install a simple program on their computers but they're geniuses.

Just because someone doesn't care about the technology doesn't mean they're a nitwit. It means up until that time they had no reason to know it. And if you say you've never bought something without realizing you had to buy something else to make it work, well ..... you know.

To the O/P I like what you did with it. That's a great idea. lol.

The people that did my install didn't care much about it. They tried to talk their way out of installing at all, until I finally just told them to put the pole mount in. They did, and didn't bolt a single footplate to the ground. You could walk by my deck and push the dish out of alignment easily.

I'm sure someone will come vandalize it eventually. But I don't have time to do much about it yet. Home Owners Association here doesn't like the idea of adding my dish to a 4 unit building. (i'm in a condo)

[Cocoatreat]

i'm sorry for what happened to you....but people will do stupid things....i have lived in miami, fla for over 14 years. i took a job in another state and was gone for 18 mos. my dish was left untouched. however, when i moved back in 2003.. i took a job on the night shift. and late one saturday night at 0203 my dish was stolen ( the last time recorded on my dvr). the dish was on my barrel tile roof!! it was a dangerous job in the dead of the night....so i think that they were just teens in the neighborhood on a dare. it sucked, tho... i made a police report.. but that just simply goes nowhere. i went on ebay and bought another dish & so far... it has been ok.....but ya never know when kids will do something stupid again......

[crazypat]

If you check out Fleabay You can replace it all for under $60.00 or less including shipping. (That doesn't include the bucket and cement.)

[Gilitar]

Originally Posted by FastnoNOC

I
I know doctors who can't install a simple program on their computers but they're geniuses.

There are many many doctors that are intelligent, but lack common sense. I prefer to know how the world around me works.


OP, I would check out Ebay as the poster above recommends.

[akhicks]

if it makes you feel better Unclezippy the jerk that stole your dish cant get any $$ out of it they arent worth anything only about $20 or so. call a local retailer and see if they will sell you a dish (no ebay or waiting for ups).

[satlover25]

I would suggest writing to the Dish ceo email address on Christmas Eve and tell them your dilemma. You may get a ceo rep that's in the Christmas spirit and replace the items you need. It shouldn't be too costly for them and it makes for good PR.

[Richard King]

Here's a similar install that I did several years ago. Of course, being on the second floor makes these dishes a bit more secure.
http://www.pbase.com/rking401/image/214564

[rich584]

Originally Posted by FastnoNOC

I think that's a bit over the top to call people nitwits because they don't undestand a service.

That was me being nice. Did you know that the Google Toolbar has a spell checker built into it? Kind of hard to take someone serious when they don't "undestand"(see your original post) how to spell check a document.

I know doctors who can't install a simple program on their computers but they're geniuses.

Think of them as being uni-dimensional people, not geniuses. What makes a doctor a genius, a degree? My wife has three, one masters, and she is far from a genius.

Just because someone doesn't care about the technology doesn't mean they're a nitwit. It means up until that time they had no reason to know it. And if you say you've never bought something without realizing you had to buy something else to make it work, well ..... you know.

I never said I didn't make mistakes. Those nitwits who bought all those HD TVs without doing their homework caused Costco to change their return policy. OK, I pondered for a second or two. Maybe nitwit is the wrong word. Stupid fits much better. I waited for years to have HD in my home because I needed to know more. And I did my homework and I am still learning.

I know a lot of doctors, medical doctors, vets, and PHDs. I have yet to meet one that I would consider a "genius". Carl Sagan was a genius. All others pale by comparison. At least in the 20th century.

Rich

[rich584]

Originally Posted by Gilitar

There are many many doctors that are intelligent, but lack common sense. I prefer to know how the world around me works.

If you believe that intelligence is the ability to learn, read on.

Lacking common sense precludes anyone from being a true "genius". Some of the dopiest people I have met have doctorates.

Quick example: "Hey Rich, could you check this extension cord for me, it doesn't work? I was trimming my shrubs and it just stopped working." This from a guy with two doctorates. Can you guess why the cord did not function properly? He also brought me the hedge trimmer to check, instead of plugging the short cord into an outlet and checking it himself. That is not ignorance, which is forgivable, but stupidity. True story.

Rich

[rich584]

Originally Posted by unclezippy

4 years ago, I moved into a new duplex, and my landlord refused to let me do a proper install of my transplanted Dish 500. Attached is a photo of my solution: The Porch Dish, which had lived in place for 4 trouble-free years since the move…

…until some *******s carried off all 75 pounds of it (cables, SW21, et al) in a daring 7-9PM burglary last night, without making a sound (at least that we could hear whilst watching a DVD on the other side of the living room window).

Doesn't your homeowners insurance cover that? Or doesn't Dish have a Protection Plan as D* does?

Rich

[SaltiDawg]

Originally Posted by TBoneit

Of course being a genius the thief may be thinking all they needed is the dish to hook up to their TV to get satellite TV.

You mean that won't work?

[Mr-Rick]

Originally Posted by Richard King

Here's a similar install that I did several years ago. Of course, being on the second floor makes these dishes a bit more secure.
http://www.pbase.com/rking401/image/214564

Oh Richard,

You didn't even cut the tie straps down!

[GuNrunR]

don't see too many dishes stolen, since they aren't really worth that much. But in NYC i have been to several service calls for stolen dp34 switches and dpp44 switches. Sometimes i suspect the building supers because the roof stairwells are alarmed, but hey I just replace the switches and thats it!

[rich584]

Originally Posted by Mr-Rick

Oh Richard,

You didn't even cut the tie straps down!

Those are wire ties. And they are indoor wire ties. Go to an electrical supply house, not Home Depot or Lowes, and purchase black wire ties in your desired lengths. Those white ties are going to fall apart on you when you least expect it. Like during a wind storm. I think you can order them from the Granger catalog on line too. The black ties last for years.

After the ties are installed, the ends are supposed to be snipped off. Don't want to be poking the kiddies in the eye.

Rich

[rich584]

Who, in God's name, would be stupid enough to steal a dish?

Rich

Originally Posted by GuNrunR

don't see too many dishes stolen, since they aren't really worth that much. But in NYC i have been to several service calls for stolen dp34 switches and dpp44 switches. Sometimes i suspect the building supers because the roof stairwells are alarmed, but hey I just replace the switches and thats it!

[Papote]

Man I would like to see someone get away trying to steal one of my 2 5 footers...

[davring]

Originally Posted by rich584

Those are wire ties. And they are indoor wire ties. Go to an electrical supply house, not Home Depot or Lowes, and purchase black wire ties in your desired lengths. Those white ties are going to fall apart on you when you least expect it. Like during a wind storm. I think you can order them from the Granger catalog on line too. The black ties last for years.

After the ties are installed, the ends are supposed to be snipped off. Don't want to be poking the kiddies in the eye.

Rich

Any color is fine, but they MUST be UV rated to last outdoors. Black is the best because more of the UV protectant can be used without altering the color. They are sold at NAPA and better electrical supply houses and are in smaller packages because of cost. They do last for years instead of weeks especially in the sun-belt areas of the country.

[Richard King]

Wow... a tough audience, everyone's a critic. Actually, I used to keep all sorts of cable ties with me. These folks were in an apartment and were only going to be there for 12 months and the ties I used would certainly last 12 months. The install was done in 2001 and they never had problems in the 12 months they were there.