# Anyone ever had their dish stolen?



## unclezippy (Sep 28, 2006)

Hello all,

I'm a Dish Network customer, but I thought I'd cross-post here considering the subject matter.

4 years ago, I moved into a new duplex, and my landlord refused to let me do a proper install of my transplanted dish. 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, switch, etc.) in a daring 7-9PM burglary last night, without making a sound (at least one that we could hear whilst watching a DVD on the other side of the living room window 6 feet away).

In fact, 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 this particular setup 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 because 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 your provider 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 the main office or a local 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 the labor) be covered under a renter’s policy? I filed a police report, and I’ve never seen a less-motivated officer. Quote: “We’ll 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 my sat service 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 satellite in one form or another.

Sorry for the ramble. I’m coping.


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## poppo (Oct 10, 2006)

unclezippy said:


> I haven't talked to my insurance carrier yet, but could the replacement dish (and the labor) be covered under a renter's policy?


Possibly, but filing claims often just ends up with increases in premiums, especially when the item is not that expensive. Your deductible might even be more than the cost of a dish. Best bet might just be to get another one on e-bay and just do the cement bucket again. Maybe this time chain it to the railing.


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## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

First, determine if a proper install will be possible. Call Directv and tell them what happened and see what they can do for you. Get an estimate of the cost and lay it on your insurance company. Good luck on getting it all worked out. The replacement cost may not exceed your deductible.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

DirecTV might actually replace a stolen dish for free, or cheap.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

But they won't replace a stolen Dish Network dish!


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## rdiedrich (Sep 11, 2007)

Call Dish Network, my guess is they will give you a new one for free, seeing as how you need the dish to use the service.

Randy


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

JLucPicard said:


> But they won't replace a stolen Dish Network dish!


They will be happy to replace it with a Directv dish and they'll throw in 4 receivers, as well.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Being a DirecTV subscriber, I don't know what DishNetwork's policy will be, but a call to them to see what they'd do for a replacement would be my first call. If they'll do it for free, why not take advantage of that?

If they won't do it for free, see if there's a local satellite install company and see what they'd charge. You can also check craigslist, or look on eBay for a dish, but that could take some time.

As for the renter's insurance, this is the kind of thing I'd wind up just eating - between the deductible and the effect of filing a claim, it's probably not worth it to pursue that way - which may have been part of the officer's lack of motivation (I've experienced that before when my car stereo got stolen out of my car while it was locked in my garage).

Good luck, and I hope E* takes care of you!


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

bobnielsen said:


> They will be happy to replace it with a Directv dish and they'll throw in 4 receivers, as well.


Very true! And that would actually be my first suggestion - I was just trying to be nice to the Dish guy!


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## frederic1943 (Dec 2, 2006)

With high scrap metal prices anything that looks like it might have copper in it is at risk.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

I did not see the attachment, perhaps it was only on the original post in the dish side of the house.

Sorry for the hassles. I know of no way to reduce or cure that type of activity unless the risk exceeds the benefit of stealing something. But alas, somehow I don't think the loss of a dish would be deemed sufficient cause for use of deadly force. Oh well.

Carl


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## knives of ice (Sep 15, 2007)

unclezippy said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm a Dish Network customer, but I thought I'd cross-post here considering the subject matter.
> 
> ...


most likely a freetver who needs a sat dish looking to hook up their new FTA unit to pirate dish network


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

That's just sad, that's all I can say.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

If dish does not replace it for free, I would use that as cause to move service to direct tv.


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## frederic1943 (Dec 2, 2006)

carl6 said:


> I did not see the attachment, perhaps it was only on the original post in the dish side of the house.
> 
> Sorry for the hassles. I know of no way to reduce or cure that type of activity unless the risk exceeds the benefit of stealing something. But alas, somehow I don't think the loss of a dish would be deemed sufficient cause for use of deadly force. Oh well.
> 
> Carl


In Arkansas one meth head got electrocuted removing copper wire from a working generator. I think most of them are too far gone to recognize risk.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

frederic1943 said:


> In Arkansas one meth head got electrocuted removing copper wire from a working generator. I think most of them are too far gone to recognize risk.


In the Philippines, we found a melted pair of flip flops and bolt cutters near a live set of power lines. Their buddies must have dragged the body away.


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## PicaKing (Oct 8, 2006)

Is anyone wondering if it was luck or incredible coincidence that the OP was watching a DVD while the theft was occuring--and not satellite service? Was the thief just lucky, because if they were watching satellite at the time, they may have thought to look at the dish the moment the signal went out......


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

1. Call the police and report the theft.
2. Call Dish and report the theft and see what they'll do. My guess is they won't charge much if anything to replace the setup.


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## DirecTV3049 (Sep 13, 2007)

Oh, the things I've had people steal (or try to steal) when I lived in a "rougher" area of town.

Two large flower pots (who knew they were so "valuable"??) . . . which a keen eyed neighbor spotted at a "resale store" a few blocks away. One morning I walked out the backdoor to find a guy trying to boost my *garden hose* . . . I doubt either thief was so into landscaping they just had to have my flowerpots and hose. 

So, I doubt that the person who stole the dish is using it. Almost certain that it was sold on the "secondary market" for some quick cash. 

Recently, I had an XM radio stolen from my car (which, stupidly, I'd accidently left unlocked). A comparable replacement unit - at retail - would've cost about $150. When I called XM to turn off that radio I explained what happen to the CSR. He said XM had a "replacement plan" for such occurrences and for $50 XM would send me the same make/model radio I had been using. No activation fee for the replacement radio. Within 5 days I was up and running again on XM in my car.

So, call Dishnetwork, tell them what happened, if asked be prepared to give them a police report number. I'd bet they'd take care of you.


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## Draconis (Mar 16, 2007)

I had a friend whose 5 LNB dish was stolen recently; the DIRECTV CSR he spoke to replaced it for free. 

It kind of blew my mind when he told me; after all, the dish is useless without a receiver. 

I guess someone really needed a new Wok...


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## Mertzen (Dec 8, 2006)

One had had to replace a 6*8 that had disappeared. 

I'm sure that dish is hooked up to come cool/viewsat somwhere by now. lol.


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## cbeckner80 (Apr 19, 2006)

PicaKing said:


> Is anyone wondering if it was luck or incredible coincidence that the OP was watching a DVD while the theft was occuring--and not satellite service? Was the thief just lucky, because if they were watching satellite at the time, they may have thought to look at the dish the moment the signal went out......


I'm not sure I would think to look at the dish at first. It just wouldn't occur to me that it was gone; I mean when you first loose service, your first thought is rain or just some kind of satallite interruption. Theives work so fast it probably didn't take them more than five minutes to remove and run off with it.


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## tooloud10 (Sep 23, 2007)

You had the stolen dish for eight years now? Hasn't Dish (like D*) upgraded dishes since then? I'd just call them up and explain the situation to them and ask if now would be a good time to upgrade for free.

I'm not surprised at the lack of motivation by the cop. You've got to remember that this isn't the crime of the century and sending someone out to take down a report is about as much time as they're going to invest in this, unless your neighbors start reporting a lot of thefts, too. Unfortunately for our society, they DO have bigger fish to fry.

Good luck with the dish replacement! Let us know what E* says...


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## unclezippy (Sep 28, 2006)

There's an update to my situation posted in the sister-thread over on General Dish Network Discussion.

I would have mirrored the whole thing here, but since it's mostly Dish-centric material, I thought I'd just let you know where to find it.

Thanks for your support and comments. The theft really set a worrisome tone for the holidays, your comments really helped out.


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## Skip Towne (Dec 20, 2003)

In the past the people selling pirate systems needed those dishes. I don't know if it is still going on.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

unclezippy said:


> There's an update to my situation posted in the sister-thread over on General Dish Network Discussion.
> 
> I would have mirrored the whole thing here, but since it's mostly Dish-centric material, I thought I'd just let you know where to find it.
> 
> Thanks for your support and comments. The theft really set a worrisome tone for the holidays, your comments really helped out.


Thanks for the update - I was wondering about that today.

For those like me that don't find themselves wandering into Dish territory, here's a link to unclezippy's post:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1354134#post1354134


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## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

When I switched from DISH to DirecTV a couple of months ago, the first thing the D* Tech said to me is - "Is it OK if I put the dish on the roof?" My DISH Net dish was pole mounted alongside the house.  I told him I preferred it on the roof, then asked him why he wanted it on the roof. He said 2 reasons -

1) Better line of site
2) Less likely to be stolen

I laughed about #2, but I guess it does happen . . .


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

litzdog911 said:


> DirecTV might actually replace a stolen dish for free, or cheap.


Depends on the Dish and the CSR. If you're HD, then they would probably wiggle in the 5LNB at no charge. 3LNB's are about $50...


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## DawgLink (Nov 5, 2006)

No but I have to be honest and say I am shell-shocked some around me haven't...a few have their dishs right on the ground in front or around the front of their house and I don't live in the best of neighborhoods

I have no idea how much one could sell a dish but still....


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## FireMedic8039 (Dec 24, 2007)

Just think if any Sat Co. charged us for the dish and didnt have free installation. I know some have bought dishes. I have in the past. We would probably have, "How to Protect your Dish" threads.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Please feel free to continue posting in the DISH Network thread area as I'm sure this topic is interesting to folks here @ DIRECTV as well.

However, there is no need to have duplicate threads ...

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1354134#post1354134


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