Need Help Setting a Trap!

The only thing that I can think of is to go directly to the police station in person and file a report. Talk to someone there and see if possibly they can send out an officer which could hide somewhere on the property and keep an eye on the vehicles. If they won't, than try talking to a local sheriff office (if there is one), and/or get a hold of the state police and see if they can be of help in this matter. This is a very serious thing and could result in the possible injury of your ex, daughter, daughter's fiance, and grandchildren. So if they can't get the police involved, maybe your daughter, ex, or daughter's fiance has a couple friends that can stay over, and stay up to catch the person or persons in the act of vandalizing the vehicles. But I would seriously try to get the police involved with this as soon as possible, since they can arrest the person(s) involved right on the spot. I wish you and your family the best and really hope this comes to an end soon.

I know you said you all can't afford security cameras, but what about a digital game camera? http://www.nativeoutdoors.com/scoutingcameras.html I saw a similiar one to these at Walmart for around $99.00. You can catch them in action and won't have to pay a fortune. They take pics at night as well as in the day, it might be worth looking into to.

Can you guys take turns staying up durning the night. If each takes a two hour shift, then it won't seem so bad and at least you will get to the bottom of it. I think it is terrible the police wont help.

Hi Faith, Oh that is dreadful in regards to someone doing this to your daughter, I think that the only way of finding out who is doing this is to have someone stay up all night to catch who is doing this or the other thing that you can do is to put lights on where the car is as maybe the car is situated in some dark area in the night this happened also to my daughter when she broke up with her ex boyfriend a few years ago and of course I understand it is frightening.

This is really not nice at ALL. If they can park their car close to the house, maybe they could afford to get motion detected lights fixed to the house, so that when anyone sets off the motion detector they come on. Also, I know you said they can't afford security cameras, but does anyone have a personal video camera that they could borrow for a few nights? They could maybe set it up in a bedroom window to point down at the car or whatever, and if the culprits set off the motion detector lights, then you have them on camera before they run. Then your daughter can go back to the police again, armed this time with the evidence. I hope you get this sorted. Please do keep us informed.

Faith, sorry to hear about this. Try thumbtacks - the dull kind so that they don't reflect. Scatter them all over where you think they might be. You know it would be fun when they step on them - if they bleed, you got their blood. You got their DNA and this is good evidence. If they drive over, you give them nice punctured tyres. Or if you can find those luminous powder, apply them on areas where they may touch. It would be fun to see them illuminated in the dark night. They might even be caught on TV and you will then know the culprits. Or at least scatter some flour on the floor so that you can see the footprint they left - so who knows? It might so some animals instead. I don't know the layout so it's hard to suggest more.

Sorry Faith I do not have any experience in setting a trap for these wicked people. I can pray for you and your family. I think the best thing would be to stay up at night and try to catch them. The problem with digging a pit as one person suggested is that if the person get hurt they can sue your ex, even if they were intending to wreck your car. I like the motion detection lights and alarms on the cars. I believe the would deter most people. Maybe even a dog!

Yikes. This is horrible. I can't offer any suggestions actually other than ones you listed already. Seems someone is very vengefull or something along those lines. All I can say is keep calling the police and spooner or later they will tire of the calls and start some serious investigating maybe. Good luck to all the family in this also. Maybe a webcam set up might be a cheap alternative to a security camera. Just need the long cables to reach outside is all. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~

Why not try to build a fence around your daughters parking space and put barbed wires on it...Broken glasses would be ideal too..or find someone who knows something about electricity and try to link something to her car to let it make a sound when someone comes near it.....or make some noise makers they will bump into that would make a noise or better yet get a dog...

Even though the police should be there to help, I know from experience that they do not always. I got 19 slashed tires, 1 cut brake line, and my lug nuts loosened twice (once where the tire fell off of my car while I was driving), the back door to my house was pried open and all they didn't seem to want to do anything. During the time this was happening, I bought motion lights for both the front and back doors. I took turns with my older boys on several nights taking shifts trying to catch them, but of course, they did not come around on those nights. I set up a camcorder, and videotaped until the tape ran out every night, then started over when I woke up and again every time I left or came home. I strung personal alarms around the yard with fishing line. (These work well to warn you that someone is there, although you may not be able to see who it is, it will let you know that there is someone there.) I filed reports with five reports with four different officers. I showed the officers the footprints next to the car and they told me that these were a common shoe and that they could not identify someone by these shoes. I showed them the path where the footprints led into my back yard and joined the path where my ex's friend always to get to his house but they did not care. This finally ended for me when my oldest son moved back to Michigan from Florida. My ex always knew pretty much what hours I kept, so it was much easier for him and/or his friends to do these things without being caught. Now there are other people around too, and lights on and off all hours of the day and night so nobody really knows whether there is really anyone up.

Oh this sounds very serious.I know the police won't do anything because they want to wait until something happens and then its to late.there is to many little accidents to not be worried,someone is trying to create a problem for your daughter and her husband.I really don't know what to do unless someone can catch them in the act.do you have any ideas...This sounds like a case for unsolved mysteries..Let us see what others have to say...

Boy this is a hard one. I pray for the safety of your family. I really have no suggestions. I just wanted to let you know I'm praying for you all. May the Lord protect your daughter and grandchildren in Jesus name.

I wish I could be of help but unfortunately, security cameras the only thing I know that would be most effective. I think there are cheaper nad generic brands available in the market, so try and check it out.Else, this is the cheapest way I know: Since everyone in your family leads a busy life, maybe, a little sacrifice from each is possible for just one night. Assign a member to guard secretly from inside the house where the outside is most visible.Everyone should take turn to make this plan work. Just one night for one week. Or maybe, 2 or 3 hours shifting schedule for the whole family every night for one week. Like what I've said, it's tough but it could work and it's cheaper than buying a security system. It just takes a little sacrifice.

This may sound very inhumane and cruel and I'm totally, totally against them, but if things get desperate how about setting real traps...the kind of steel traps that are used for trapping animals...I know...sounds rotten and really inhumane and like I said I'm thorougly against these kind of traps, but it might be a last resort...you could have them set all over the place and camoflogued a bit so the ones responsible for all this don't see them...you would have to be careful that innocent animals don't get trapped though...that would really suck..but I really can't think of anything else...If these people are doing all these vicious acts against your family better the ones responsible get harmed than your family-----as they are obviously not thinking of the consequences of the dangers they are imposing to them

hi faith... i'm sorry to hear that someone is out there trying to harm your daughter and her family... i think the best idea is to get help from the police as this is a serious matter... ask for their help... i think they should be willing to help you as it is their duty to protect the citizens... setting up traps won't be any good as i think they might still be able to get away if they are professionals... the other options is to have shifts between your family members to take turn to look after your ex-husband's house... sorry i can't help much in this matter... but i can put you in my prayer and i think prayer helps a lot as well as God is the best protector than we can have as He never sleeps... He will always keep watching over His children who loves Him... good luck and may God Bless you...

p3halliwel2005 gave me an idea. We use to run a wire from the distributer to the seat of a intended victim. Maybe a mechanic could help you to fix some sort of shock to anyone touching the car. Another idea is to sleep in the car. Any body coming near should awaken the person and they can see the intruder. Getting the help of neighbors will work in some places, dependiing on the neighbors. How about a mean dog? Do they have one they could post near the car? Maybe a friend has one they could 'loan' her? Wal-mart did have a video camera for about $25 that hooks to a vcr. that is not a very steep price for saving their lives. You may need a outside light, as I am not sure if it works in the dark. I do hope that this is mearly a very stupid prank and does not happen any more. I will keep them in my prayers.

This does not sound good. Why are these people doing this? Do your family know who they are? I guess the Police can't help much in this matter, but it is still worth repirting. I am not much good at thinking up traps. The only, reasonably effective deterant I can think of is to get a dog. A fairly big dog, that is already trained, or trainable, that barks at strangers, but it still friendly with the children.

you might try a neighborhood watch? get some close friends to help out. maybe consult with a private detective. There are some private detective web sites where you may get free consulatation. Maybe you have a few close people who could take turns checking on things and keeping watch.

I have had a simular situation. People always seemed to try to key my car or something of that nature. I finally broke down and bought a motion light. If they trigger the light it scares them off, or get a motion detector that sounds in the house. That way if someone is messing around they will know. You have to hide it in a none suspicious place though. Other than those I am not sure. Hope that helps a little though.

hi this is really scary speacilly of the two kids....anyway i have a simple suggestion though i dont know if it will work...why not tie a bell or battery alarm on the tyres without it being visible you know maybe at the back and when someone approches and touches the tyre you can hear the bell or the alarm but someone should sleep in the car or atleast someone should be awake to hear the bell go off......just a thought :) but will also pray for the safety of your family...goodluck!