Theft protection -IDing your kit (including flashlights)... suggestions?

Since folks here seem to look after their equipment I thought this might be a good place to ask about asset identification (including flashlights and torches) to augment physical security measures.

Any suggestions for asset identification would be welcome. The more affordable the better.

I'm going through my inventory kit (test instruments, chargers, etc) plant and started marking up items. I've manipulated my inventory spreadsheet to upload to the asset protection sites, there's one in UK called Immobilise.com where one can upload a spreadsheet of owned equipment data, which the police say they use in the event of theft.

I've had several sneak in thefts here but managed to prosecute on all but one occasions. No one has been back the last 3 years or so, maybe word has got round. I had 1800 worth of kit stolen by an employer though.

I've got alphanumeric stamps, stencils for some of the more robust items and larger items. Was also looking at tagging the more expensive and the nickable items a bit more professionally as an additional deterrent to thieves and pilferers (still thieves). Might even stretch to RFID tagging a few items. I may get an iengraver but the thought of engraving everything seems grim.

Any chemical etching kits available to the general non-expert public (ie folk like me) which are easy to use and give a good finish?

What a price asset tags are though! Thought they might be cheaper USA Canada?

I'd be keen to know about suppliers of low unit cost asset tags. The tings n bits n bobs I'm tagging will range from test equipment, torches, plant, ICT to small items such as batteries and hand tools. Might seem a bit retentive to label batteries but it can help also keep matched sets together.

Might I be cheaper getting a label printer that takes a wide variety of labels and print them off ad hoc. Brady wire marker 218551

Anyone asset tagged stuff at work or at home or maybe your sound or lighting rig componnents and know any suppliers who could print off a sequence of, say code 39 bar coded tamper resistant stickers and not charge a squillion dollars for it.

Stickers can be easily removed and should not be considered theft deterents. Engraving is more permanent, although it can reduce the resale value of the item.

Have you been in touch at your local police station have a word with the local crime prevention officer sometimes you can get free UV paint marking kits or pens and the like from them.
It helps them identify stuff when/if they recover stolen goods.
When I worked in a shop selling Sat Nav's they were always giving us loads of stuff like that fee for our customers.

On my larger items, I always engrave my initials somewhere inside them where it isn't easily seen and shouldn't decrease resale value.

On a flashlight for example, take off the endcap and engrave your initials inside the tube. You can even do something like three lines with a dot. The thief wouldn't even know it's your marking until you tell the police the exact marking that's hidden inside the battery tube proving it's your property.

orbspeed1 said:

Have you been in touch at your local police station have a word with the local crime prevention officer sometimes you can get free UV paint marking kits or pens and the like from them.
It helps them identify stuff when/if they recover stolen goods.
When I worked in a shop selling Sat Nav's they were always giving us loads of stuff like that fee for our customers.

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I got UV pens from the Neighbourhood Watch in which I'm a fully certified curtain-twitcher. Tried to contact them but waiting for an e-mail address as I prefer to do these things by e-mail so i don't forget. I know they won't recommend equipment or suppliers, which is mainly what I want.
I've marked most stuff with the UV pens, in some cases inside and out. Some crooks and fences would look for UV markings on the outside but possibly not on the inside of some equipment if they have to use any tooling to open up. Some other stuff I've spray paint stencilled. Some of my chargers like the Mascot lead acid chargers which have a suitable flange for stamping I've stamped, others I took into work and engraved.
The temporary labels I have on at the moment just say:


My hand tools I spray with primer and Hi-Viz paint. This helps identify them as mine (other guys have exactly the same brand preference of tools Bahco, Irazola) and makes it less likely I leave them lying around.
Terrible one has to vandalise one's own equipment to help keep a hold of it

TriChrome said:

On my larger items, I always engrave my initials somewhere inside them where it isn't easily seen and shouldn't decrease resale value.

On a flashlight for example, take off the endcap and engrave your initials inside the tube. You can even do something like three lines with a dot. The thief wouldn't even know it's your marking until you tell the police the exact marking that's hidden inside the battery tube proving it's your property.

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That's an idea- postcode and initial it in morse.

The asset registration sites have a record field for markings.

I think there's a paint product on the market containing particles that each have some kind of code # unique to each separate can. You register the can and the code # when you buy it, then apply dabs of this paint somewhere on your items. Each drop contains thousands of these tiny particles which can be read by a scanner. The paint is clear and barely visible IIRC, but in any case a thief can never hope to get every molecule of it off, so there will always be some particles left with your unique code # on them, proving the item is yours.

I think this product was aimed at users for their high-value items, but there's no reason why it can't be used on flashlights.

However, most people would probably not guess the value of high-end flashlights, so you might do better to just leave a sticker with your name and phone # inside, maybe on the battery, offering a $ reward for the light's return.

In my opinion, a clear sticker on the inside of the battery tube would be enough. If the batteries weren't changed, I doubt anyone will be able to notice. If you take the light apart and put the sticker close to the head, it would be even more difficult to notice. The same would apply to the battery chamber of any device, it's a good place to hide ID labels.

Of course, not to forget that a lot of lights already have serial numbers...I have all of mine recorded down in Outlook.

All my Surefire serials are recorded redundantly both locally and on Google servers.

Anything without a serial number is UV tagged... this includes certain computer hardware, too, my Xbox wireless controllers (which tend to walk around a lot) and such.

In my limited experience, prevention is best. A visual deterrant would stop people stealing equipment for resale. I have my surname and postcode sprayed onto some equipment - I had a stencil cut by a local signwriter and I just spray high-vis paint through it. For other equipment, you can get also ID markings etched or stamped into the surface (local police can tell you where to get that done - it's typically used for cycles).

parnass said:

Stickers can be easily removed and should not be considered theft deterents. Engraving is more permanent, although it can reduce the resale value of the item.

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Yep. Before you (semi-) permanently mark (deface?) the item, you'd better be sure you want it for life, because resale will take a biiiiiiiiiig hit. I wouldn't even consider a light or other item marked that way.

TriChrome said:

On my larger items, I always engrave my initials somewhere inside them where it isn't easily seen and shouldn't decrease resale value.

On a flashlight for example, take off the endcap and engrave your initials inside the tube. You can even do something like three lines with a dot. The thief wouldn't even know it's your marking until you tell the police the exact marking that's hidden inside the battery tube proving it's your property.

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If you ever sell it, I assume you'll disclose that in the listing. I hate PayPal with a vengeance because payments are basically never permanent, but if I got a light and found there were initials or other ID marks in or on it and it hadn't been disclosed, I'd expect the seller to take it back and if he didn't I'd use every lever I could find to make him do so.

Easy solution. Take a photograph of your valuables, buy some personal property insurance, and let the insurance agent stay up at night worrying about the safety of your stuff.

If I do that, I think I will stay up at night worrying about the weight loss program my wallet is on...

DM51 said:

I think there's a paint product on the market containing particles that each have some kind of code # unique to each separate can. You register the can and the code # when you buy it, then apply dabs of this paint somewhere on your items. Each drop contains thousands of these tiny particles which can be read by a scanner. The paint is clear and barely visible IIRC, but in any case a thief can never hope to get every molecule of it off, so there will always be some particles left with your unique code # on them, proving the item is yours.

I think this product was aimed at users for their high-value items, but there's no reason why it can't be used on flashlights.

However, most people would probably not guess the value of high-end flashlights, so you might do better to just leave a sticker with your name and phone # inside, maybe on the battery, offering a $ reward for the light's return.

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Data Dot technology. It's been used in Australia for a lot of applications, particularly in the car industry. It's usually applied with a spray gun, but there are other methods of applying it to your valuables.
http://www.datadotdna.com/australia/

Thanks for thre link, SureAddicted. Yes, that is the technology I was thinking of.

Electro chemical etching is used by knife makers and others to permanently etch steel and other metals. It provides a very neat and relatively inexpensive way to identify knives, tools, etc. Texas Knifemaker Supply offers a kit for about $150 and it works very well:

http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=659_535&products_id=579

+1 on the UV pens. I use a few specialty tools that are easily pocketable, so I've marked them with a UV pen in some unusual locations. I have yet to have one ripped off, but if it happens, I'm ready.

I'd generally suggest sticking with the visible methods of marking. I personally etch my initials into my tools, and live with the fact that I'm not going to be reselling them. Half the deterrent there is to prevent arguments when working with friends about who owns which tool (an unfortunately easy way to lose items).

If you do decide to go with some fancy high-tech molecular marking, be prepared to get laughed at by the police department when you show up in court claiming that this tool must be yours because there's a white dab of paint on it somewhere. Your out-of-pocket costs to have the tool identified in court probably outweigh the original cost of the item.

The other thing to think about is how you want the marking to work for you: if your stuff is recovered by the police in an unrelated bust of some thief, that's great, but it sounds like you also want to prevent non-career criminals from walking off with something. If you don't catch them in the act, any hidden marking is useless as the item sits in their garage.

Etch your initials into any smaller item, and your name, phone number, or email address into the more valuable ones. Insure your valuable equipment, and file a claim if anything disappears.