# A person stole our cement mixer. WHY? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 23, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945 "2008-06-23T17:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/1 "2008-06-23T17:54:11Z")
There was a cement mixer at one of our construction sites. Someone came along, hot wired it, and took it. This being my town, someone who was looking out their window saw the person, recognized him, and called us. “Bear” just drove the cement mixer off your site on Forest Ave." Excuse me? He took the cement mixer? “Yes.” I call my Boss. Why did “Bear” take the cement mixer? She called the head of the construction site, and the police. They now have a BOLO for a stolen cement mixer. All I want to know is WHY would anyone take a cement mixer? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/2 "2008-06-23T17:58:51Z")
Do you mean the kind of cement mixer that is a large truck, or the smaller kind that is on a trailer and is dumped by hand? Because I could see someone ‘borrowing’ the smaller kind fairly easily. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/3 "2008-06-23T18:04:08Z")
If it makes you feel any better, [similar incidents have occurred around the world.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cement+mixer+stolen&btnG=Google+Search) I wonder if anyone ever collected [this reward.](http://groogle.co.za/tag/mixer/) Also, I now have [this song](http://www.nutsie.com/song/Cement%20Mixer/2142297) running through my head. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/4 "2008-06-23T18:06:57Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] There was a cement mixer at one of our construction sites. Someone came along, hot wired it, and took it. This being my town, someone who was looking out their window saw the person, recognized him, and called us. “Bear” just drove the cement mixer off your site on Forest Ave." Excuse me? He took the cement mixer? “Yes.” I call my Boss. Why did “Bear” take the cement mixer? She called the head of the construction site, and the police. They now have a BOLO for a stolen cement mixer. All I want to know is WHY would anyone take a cement mixer? [/QUOTE] Why don’t the police just go ask “Bear”? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/5 "2008-06-23T18:20:32Z")
Are you gonna pokey the Bear? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/6 "2008-06-23T18:24:44Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] All I want to know is WHY would anyone take a cement mixer? [/QUOTE] To pick up chicks. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/7 "2008-06-23T18:28:26Z")
It was a full size cement mixer, and the police are looking for it and “Bear.” I’m glad to know this has happened before. I’m also glad we have a good relationship with the local Police Dept. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/8 "2008-06-23T18:37:52Z")
Why? Maybe they wanted to take it to a more secluded place to siphon the gas. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/9 "2008-06-23T18:38:42Z")
I’m assuming since “Bear” is known that someone knows his place of residence as well? But I’m curious too, is there some sort of chop shop for industrial equipment? Or does it just wind up on a cargo ship to china. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/10 "2008-06-23T18:41:14Z")
Maybe he’s building a backyard BBQ. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/11 "2008-06-23T18:44:36Z")
[QUOTE=Projammer] I’m assuming since “Bear” is known that someone knows his place of residence as well? [/QUOTE] I live in a town where everybody knows everybody, and anybody will call the police on you. The woman who saw the incident got the license plate of the car that “Bear” and his friends drove up in, and she recognized the guy. We were once building some condos, and a neighbor noticed two guys loading washers and dryers in a van at 11:00 on a Sunday night. He wrote down the license plate and called the cops, who called my Boss. They caught one guy at the scene, the other guy drove away and was later apprehended. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/12 "2008-06-23T18:51:17Z")
This is why you will see various smaller construction items dangling off the hook of a crane 100 ft in the air. To protect them from theft. BOT, I see you are in Jersey, I am assuming the Mob has something to do with this. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/13 "2008-06-23T18:53:31Z")
[Emily Latella] What is all this fuss I hear about bare people stealing semen mixers? It’s terrible! [/Emily Latella] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/14 "2008-06-23T18:56:55Z")
After hearing my husband’s stories about what walks away from job sites, I find very little surprise at hearing a cement mixer being stolen. Apparently people will steal anything that’s not bolted down, then they will steal the toolboxes, use your wrenches, unbolt everything else, and steal that too. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/15 "2008-06-23T19:00:59Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] It was a full size cement mixer, and the police are looking for it and “Bear.” [/QUOTE] Does the mixer have Lojack? I know that Lojack does a brisk business in protecting small, expensive things that are easily hitched up and driven away with like generators and compressors. No reason you can’t install it on a larger vehicle. Although, I’d suspect that the concrete business is relatively close-knit, and as soon as Bear shows up at a concrete plant, someone’s going to wonder why he’s got your truck. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/16 "2008-06-23T19:10:50Z")
Bear is driving cement mixer! How can this be? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/17 "2008-06-23T20:03:10Z")
Maybe he just had a good deal on a hot cement mixer lined up. [http://www.constructionequipment.com/articleXML/LN794960177.html](http://www.constructionequipment.com/articleXML/LN794960177.html) > [@](#): > > Miller, 52, testified at Pipkin’s trial that he never directly discussed with Pipkin the fact that the equipment was stolen, but he assumed that Pipkin knew. > > Miller said he stole the bulldozers, backhoes, front-end loaders and other equipment from work sites in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee. Several of the sites were highway construction zones where work was shut down for the day. Miller testified that he used universal keys to drive the large vehicles off the lots and up ramps onto trailers. > > He said he sold some of them to Pipkin for several thousand dollars apiece. > > \< snip \> > > Pipkin quickly resold some of the vehicles he bought from Miller, even making a $5,000 profit on one vehicle in one afternoon. He said the reason he bought and resold the equipment was that he was trying to “trade up” until he could buy the type of equipment he really needed. Or maybe he was just adding to his collection. [http://www.constructionequipment.com/articleXML/LN775976135.html](http://www.constructionequipment.com/articleXML/LN775976135.html) > [@](#): > > Stolen heavy equipment worth $150,000 recovered > > The Union Leader (Manchester NH) > > MOULTONBOROUGH – A Moultonborough man was arrested early yesterday morning after police recovered more than $150,000 worth of heavy equipment, believed to have been stolen over the course of the last 10 years. > > Andrew E. Alimonti, 51, was taken into custody at 2 a.m. and charged with receiving stolen property after Concord and state police recovered a Caterpillar front-end loader that had been stolen from the Steeple Gate Mall parking lot. > > After searching his property, police seized additional equipment, including a John Deere bulldozer, Bobcat loader, Case backhoe, a 2001 Skidoo snow machine and an RV trailer. > > During his arrest, Alimonti complained of a medical condition and was taken to Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro, where he was later arraigned. Bail was set at $5,000. > > A probable cause hearing is scheduled for April 21. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/18 "2008-06-23T20:32:53Z")
I’ll bet he’s a hardened criminal. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/19 "2008-06-23T20:38:48Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] I’ll bet he’s a hardened criminal. [/QUOTE] Do you have any concrete evidence for that? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945/20 "2008-06-23T20:38:59Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] I’ll bet he’s a hardened criminal. [/QUOTE] Assumptions aren’t enough. I need to see some concrete evidence. ETA: Damn, nosed out by **tdn** on the joke! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-person-stole-our-cement-mixer-why/453945.md?page=2)