My Pipes Were Not Stolen

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I have been working with a printmaking cooperative in Birmingham for a few months now. I had been missing 2D work and design since college, so I was very happy to find this group... and it turns out that I know most the artists there. Anyways, last weekend, I was working late on the press... like 8PM. It isn't in a bad part of town, lots of bars and galleries around. So, I felt safe. But, when I went back out to my truck, the windows were busted out and my stuff was riffled through. I assessed my stuff as I was putting everything back in order, and my pipe bag had been dumped out, with twelve pipes and jars of tobacco were all over the backseat. These were Beckers, Dunhills, Eltangs, Ardors, Tinskys, etc... All of the pipes were there, just missing $7 in cash that was in the pipe bag. Even my silver tamps were all accounted for. They probably thought it was a purse... a very cool masculine purse, ha ha.

When the officer asked me what was missing, I told him that I was surprised that none of the pipes were missing, just the cash I keep for road tolls and snacks. The officer looked at my pipe and said that they couldn't possibly be used to smoke crack and was too big for pot paraphernalia. So, they were of no use to a thief. He said, "besides, pipes don't have any value." I just agreed, ha ha. No pint in tempting the officer into thinking that they did have value. It's best that the world just thinks these things are bought at drug stores for a few bucks. It makes the world safer, h aha.

The major loss were the windows which cost me $268 a piece. Two had to be replaced.

Anyways, thank God the pipes were not taken, not a single one was cheap enough that I would have just shrugged. I would have had to go all John Wick to get it back. Anyways, I am sure the thief was disappointed in my belongings.

The policeman just chuckled, "I'm trying to imagine a crackhead smoking rock out of one of those pipes."

The worst of it was having to drive home with no side windows and setting in a pile of glass.

Anyways... so is the way of the world.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,862
42,284
Iowa
Unknown to me and a few years ago there were a couple kids in the area breaking into cars for iPods, phones and cash. I left my pickup unlocked by mistake one night and next morning my iPod and cord were gone along with a bit of cash that was also sitting out. Sitting on the backseat in a bag was my Nikon DSLR with a couple of nice lenses, lol. Was glad to be spared a broken window and relieved at being the victim of dummies.
 

scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,972
12,225
We live in a small town and many years ago we never locked our car doors in our driveway.

One Sunday morning I let the dog out and he starts crazy barking at my wife's car. I look in the window and some dude is sleeping in the backseat. I called the police and the dude ran off before the police arrived.

The police found him and his story was he was to drunk to drive home, so he walked home. He thought our house was his house and he slept in the car.

I was lucky that this drunk didn't puke in the backseat. Since then, we always lock our car doors.

@cosmicfolklore Glad your pipes were still in your truck.
 

PaulRVA

Lifer
May 29, 2023
4,942
83,832
“Tobacco Row” Richmond Virginia USA
I have been working with a printmaking cooperative in Birmingham for a few months now. I had been missing 2D work and design since college, so I was very happy to find this group... and it turns out that I know most the artists there. Anyways, last weekend, I was working late on the press... like 8PM. It isn't in a bad part of town, lots of bars and galleries around. So, I felt safe. But, when I went back out to my truck, the windows were busted out and my stuff was riffled through. I assessed my stuff as I was putting everything back in order, and my pipe bag had been dumped out, with twelve pipes and jars of tobacco were all over the backseat. These were Beckers, Dunhills, Eltangs, Ardors, Tinskys, etc... All of the pipes were there, just missing $7 in cash that was in the pipe bag. Even my silver tamps were all accounted for. They probably thought it was a purse... a very cool masculine purse, ha ha.

When the officer asked me what was missing, I told him that I was surprised that none of the pipes were missing, just the cash I keep for road tolls and snacks. The officer looked at my pipe and said that they couldn't possibly be used to smoke crack and was too big for pot paraphernalia. So, they were of no use to a thief. He said, "besides, pipes don't have any value." I just agreed, ha ha. No pint in tempting the officer into thinking that they did have value. It's best that the world just thinks these things are bought at drug stores for a few bucks. It makes the world safer, h aha.

The major loss were the windows which cost me $268 a piece. Two had to be replaced.

Anyways, thank God the pipes were not taken, not a single one was cheap enough that I would have just shrugged. I would have had to go all John Wick to get it back. Anyways, I am sure the thief was disappointed in my belongings.

The policeman just chuckled, "I'm trying to imagine a crackhead smoking rock out of one of those pipes."

The worst of it was having to drive home with no side windows and setting in a pile of glass.

Anyways... so is the way of the world.
I caught two breaking into my car 28 years ago in the city.
I never saw two people take a beating the way they did.
Dudes tried telling me mind my own business and it was their grandfather’s car they were going through when I asked them WTF were they doing.
I gave them the opportunity to run and they refused.
They should’ve run!
 
You buried the lede: who knew you were a printmaker as well as a silversmith! When are we going to see some of your work? Oh, yes, glad about the pipes!
Thanks! My undergrad was studio Graphic Arts, which is now called printmaking. I continued to make prints through grad and my doctorial work. But, after college, I just turned to metals to explore what I was also doing in my previous 2D work. I have been painting and drawing all along... I just didn;t have access to a press.

Printmakers are famous for being corduroy wearing pipesmokers. Ha ha. I haven't met a print professor that didn't smoke a pipe.

I retired from jewelry, a couple of years ago. I was still doing shows with my work though, just not taking in repair or resizing work. Now, I am gravitating back to print. I am going to work with this cooperative till I can find a large press in good condition. Then build a studio around it.
 
I gave them the opportunity to run and they refused.
They should’ve run!
20 years ago, I would probably have been rather scary to face. The two times someone attempted to mug me, I got the best of them. But nowadays, my dog is the more terrifying of the two of us, especially when her German Shepherd side curls those lips back to reveal those primitive teeth, and her Great Dane size, ha ha.
Hell, when we get to playing to the point that she gets really frisky, she can scare me, ha ha.
 
Im glad they didnt take anything you cant replace. But it doesnt change the fact that some people just really suck!


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Oct 3, 2021
1,143
5,385
Southeastern PA
20 years ago, I would probably have been rather scary to face. The two times someone attempted to mug me, I got the best of them. But nowadays, my dog is the more terrifying of the two of us, especially when her German Shepherd side curls those lips back to reveal those primitive teeth, and her Great Dane size, ha ha.
Hell, when we get to playing to the point that she gets really frisky, she can scare me, ha ha.
We don't deserve dogs. Truly, man's best friend.
 

PaulRVA

Lifer
May 29, 2023
4,942
83,832
“Tobacco Row” Richmond Virginia USA
20 years ago, I would probably have been rather scary to face. The two times someone attempted to mug me, I got the best of them. But nowadays, my dog is the more terrifying of the two of us, especially when her German Shepherd side curls those lips back to reveal those primitive teeth, and her Great Dane size, ha ha.
Hell, when we get to playing to the point that she gets really frisky, she can scare me, ha ha.
My agency had a Dane mix almost kill a handler when the handler stumbled and fell. That was almost all she wrote. Officer had half of his face ripped off and the dog drug him about 20 yards after.
That Officer was retired out and the dog was taken out of service.
Once most breeds hit 60 lbs or above they can be a serious threat.
The funniest one I remember was I had a bloodhound eat me up pretty good when I fell running a track at night in the woods After a perp. Got the perp and some Steri - strips and a tetnus shot too!
We’d always have a second Officer run with us so I could focus on the dog and they can look out for the perp. Scared that guy to death when it happened. Had to be a-funny sight with the hound howling and flopping all around on top of me.