Stolen Property Procedures and Prevention

[Dave Dolson]

I was asked to post some hints about how to protect your property and how to aid in its recovery if lost or stolen. I can’t possibly cover all contingencies, like how to protect your equipment while the band is on break, etc. What I write here is general in nature, applicable to the U.S. However, I suspect other nations have similar procedures.

The number one advice I can offer is RECORD YOUR SERIAL NUMBERS. You’d be surprised at how many victims think they MAY have a serial number buried in their files, yet fail to find it. Photographs are an additional technique to help in property recovery – but a clear serial number is the number one tool.

I took the time to make a record of everything I own that bears a serial number. I have that information in my home files as well as on my PDA (it goes everywhere with me). Yes, it is password protected.

Secondly, lock your house, apartment, and/or automobile. You’d be surprised at how many opportunist-thieves have been thwarted by a locked door. And, you’d be surprised at how many crimes have occurred because the victim neglected to lock the house or car.

Nothing can stop a determined thief, but hardening the target (locks) and recording serial numbers can go a long way to aiding in the prevention of crime and/or recovery of your precious property.

There are basically four crimes that may result in the loss of your property.

1. Theft – petty (misdemeanor) or grand (felony), depending upon the value of the stolen property. Theft from an unlocked car can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending upon the value of the stolen item(s).
2. Theft From Person – usually a felony.
3. Burglary – entering a building or locked car with the intent to commit petty theft, grand theft, or any other felony. The mere entry with intent is usually a felony and sufficient to prove the crime. Stealing from an unlocked automobile is not burglary, it is theft, thus not as serious as auto-burg.
4. Robbery – the taking of personal property from another by force or fear – almost always a felony.

The distinction between misdemeanors and felonies is important for you to understand how much effort, if any, a law enforcement agency will make to solve your crime. Felonies obviously garner more effort, but most U.S. police and sheriff’s departments have adopted “solvability” factors ( a detective scorecard if you will) to determine whether or not to expend resources to investigate crimes.

A crime with unknown suspects, no identifiable stolen property, no violence or injuries, and of a misdemeanor nature may not even be assigned for follow-up by a detective. A crime where suspects were known (not merely suspected – “I think little Johnnie down the street did it”) or seen, or identifiable property (meaning a serial number was recorded on the crime report) was stolen, or in the case of robbery, a weapon was used, may be assigned for follow-up by a detective.

Having a serial number and complete property description on hand when the first police report is filed (at the scene or at a police station) is important. After a crime report is prepared and filed by a reporting officer, clerical employees will enter any serial numbers into the national crime data base (NCIC). Other officers, coming upon serial numbered items during the course of their duties may check the serial numbers through NCIC and discover the item they are holding was reported stolen. That means you, as a victim, will most likely get your property back.

Without a serial number, chances are slim to none that your property will be recovered. Can it happen without a serial number? Yes, but it is rare. If you have an item without a serial number, think about etching or engraving your state driver's license number on the item. Usually a name alone is useless for computerized records although a hand-search based on a full name MAY further an investigation.

After an initial crime report is made, the report is filed at the local police or sheriff’s station and it is assigned a DR (Division of Records) Number. You will need to know the DR Number for further information, and because your insurance company will most likely want to know it.

The issuance of a DR Number does not mean an investigation will be conducted, it is merely to control police records. Like stated before, the case may not be assigned to a detective. However, should you later develop additional information or find the stolen item’s serial number, you should call the agency that has jurisdiction and report the additional information, preferably to the assigned detective or to a clerical assistant. If the case was assigned to a detective, it may be the detective that takes your additional information and prepares a Follow-Up Report to record the information. It is from the Follow-Up Report that a later-discovered serial number should be reported to NCIC by the agency with jurisdiction over the case.

While Follow-Up reporting of a serial number may work for you, the sooner you make the report and submit the serial number(s) of stolen items, the better. AND, sometimes, through inefficiency and neglect, the Follow-Up Report may never be entered into NCIC. You stand a much better chance of recovery if the initial crime report has the serial number of the stolen item(s) included.

Pawn shops are often believed to be a good source for thieves to get rid of stolen property. Most jurisdictions require pawn shop operators to report all transactions to the local authorities. This procedure works best when everyone follows the rules. Unfortunately, some don’t.

I see no harm in canvassing pawn shops and notifying them about your stolen property. But if you come across your stolen property in a pawn shop, notify the operator and ask him to hold the item until he hears from the authorities. Then immediately notify the local jurisdiction and request them to intervene. Each jurisdiction may be different, but in many cases, the stolen property you’ve discovered in a pawn shop is yours, not theirs and they will surrender it to you after conducting their own investigation. Ownership of property does not transfer to the pawn shop merely because they paid some thief for it. Still, be cautious when dealing with these types of property recoveries.

I hope this very basic post will help you deal with theft if it befalls you. You can PM me for additional discussions – or post here. DAVE

[Dog Pants]

Bloody brilliant Dave!

Hey Mod Squad,can we make this a "Sticky?"

see Dave, that's how ya do it. :D

[Lament]

I spent an afternoon taking digital pictures of everything I have of value, recording any serial/model numbers, and a brief description. I then put the memory card with the paper copy of descriptions in my save deposit box along with my other important documents. This seemed like an easy and effective way to store the information in a secure and easy to get location.

[Pete Thomas]

Good stuff, but surely the no 1 priority is to insure your instruments. (serial numbers will then automatically be logged with the insurer).

I would also add that alarms in houses and cars are recommended, as well as immobilising your car. However often professional thieves just ignore alarms, but it could stop a car being driven away with your horn locked in the boot.

Over here police have been issuing cards to put in your cars which say that there are no valuables inside. I don't know how effective that is, but I have to assume they wouldn't waste money on such a scheme if they hadn't actually done much research. Of course there's no point in doing this if you leave your horn visibly on the front seat!

[nobhead1]

Excellent advice Dave - the explanation regarding the law and also the practical information regarding Pawnbrokers is accurate wherever you are in the World

[RootyTootoot]

Excellent advice, Dave, and thank you.
I was thinking through where thefts might be most likely to occur and came up with what may be rather obvious advice but if i think about it this is advice i haven't always followed myself:
1. If instrument is in car always put it in the boot. (I did have a habit of putting mine behind the driver's seat on the grounds that it would be more protected if the car was rear-ended!). If you're carrying a lot of gear and therefore have to put down rear seats at least cover up the gear in the back so a thief can't see that it's valuable). Don't leave vehicle unattended with boot open when unloading.
2. When at gig, teaching location etc.. don't let instument out of sight. This obviously makes theft less likely but also helps discourage the [very drunk voice] "aah yeah darlin i used to play that a bit at school, let me just....OOPS.. " element.

[Harri Rautiainen]

Bloody brilliant Dave!

Hey Mod Squad,can we make this a "Sticky?"

see Dave, that's how ya do it. :D Done deal,
- Harri

[tjontheroad]

Great post Dave. Thank you.

[gary]

Hey, thanks for taking the time, Dave.

[Dave Dolson]

Gary: They didn't come any tougher (on screen) than Broderick Crawford. What was it? "10-20 bye" or some such Hollywood jargon? He sure could shoot that little 2" .38 - a 100-yard shot was nothing for the Commissioner. But why was he out chasing bad guys?

Pete Thomas: No, I don't think the number one priority is insuring one's horns . . . the subject matter was prevention and recovery, neither of which are done by insurance companies. True, in the aftermath of a theft, it may be wise to have insurance but clearly a secondary consideration, in my opinion.

Obtaining the stolen-property's serial number from your insurance agent at 0230 hours may be difficult - that's when you should have the serial number in your possession, as the officer is taking the report, not buried in the files in some insurance office across town (or in another state/country).

AND, this advice pertains to anything you may lose to theft, just not saxophones. DAVE

[Pete Thomas]

Pete Thomas: No, I don't think the number one priority is insuring one's horns . . . the subject matter was prevention and recovery, neither of which are done by insurance companies. True, in the aftermath of a theft, it may be wise to have insurance but clearly a secondary consideration, in my opinion.


Sorry Dave, I didn't mean to deviate from the subject (although i believe it was was prevention and procedures - I missed the emphasis on recovery), and as you'd discussed writing down a serial number I thought it worth advising people to get their horns insured (as it kills 2 birds with one stone seeing as you need to write down the serial number to get insurance). I imagine it's only a small percentage of instruments get recovered, with or without serial numbers written down, and it's bad enough to lose a treasured horn. Some compensation can soften the blow.

Also, I'm talking from my own experience and how things work in this country. I know of insurance companies here who take quite an active role in recovery of items. In fact my Buescher bass was purchased from an insurance company after they recovered it. They are very keen to minimise their losses.

Surely all instruments should be insured, I think finding your insurance documents is exactly as important as finding a serial number written down somewhere.

[Dave Dolson]

Pete: I suppose anything is possible (insurance companies recovering stolen property) AND insurance may soften the blow, alright.

I can see an insurance company trying to recover stolen property they've insured, especially in the case of fraud where the insurance company is a victim (dishonest customers, stolen-property-held-for-ransom, etc.).

And you are right in assuming that a person who furnishes an insurance company with serial numbers probably had that number handy when arranging for insurance. The problem is that so many folks are disorganized and depend on others when it is them, themselves, who should be responsible for having the proper info at hand when it is needed. Oh, that won't prevent the crime in the first place and it may not even result in recovery, but it really enhances one's chances IF there is a chance at recovery.

Example . . . you discover your car was burgled and your precious India-made saxophone is gone. Truthfully, a useless item, we all agree. None-the-less, you have the India saxophone's serial number in your iPhone. You call the police. They don't come out anymore for a simple car burglary (yes, it HAS gotten that bad in some cities). So you trundle off to the local precinct and file your reportt at the front desk. The serial number of that POS India saxophone is included in the report. The clerk does her (his?) duty and soon the serial number is entered into a national data base.

In the meantime, two officers on patrol see Blacky Carbon slinking along the alleys and stop to inquire. In Blackie's pillow case is a huge load of loot. The officers find a junk saxophone but it does have a serial number. They run a check over the radio and low-'n'-behold, the serial number pops up as stolen property. One burglar off the street, many items recovered and the POS saxophone is returned to its owner. Crook does a jolt in the pen, all because you recorded one serial number from among all the stuff this crook stole. No one else gets their property back, but the guy goes to the joint. A happy day indeed. DAVE

[RootyTootoot]

dave: "Blacky Carbon" erm.. no doubt something "lost in translation" here?! :?

[Dave Dolson]

Rooty: Old TV commercial from years ago (like 1963 or so) where the main character was an obvious crook (black clothing, black hat pulled down over his eyes) slinking about in dark places - and gumming up one's car engine with carbon deposits.

I was once driving around on patrol (Venice area of Los Angeles) and spotted two guys who looked JUST like the TV character. I watched them from a distance and sho' 'nuff - over a back fence they went into someone's house. I recall using that very description in my arrest report to prove up the probable cause. DAVE

[RootyTootoot]

dave: Gotcha. Thanks. :)

[Jonathan C.]

How can you find out if a horn has been stolen?

[Dave Dolson]

Carbs: I assume you mean how does one check out a potential purchase? My advice would be to know your seller, be it an established business or a private party known to you (or others, like the folks who post on SOTW or have good reputations on eBay, etc.). If, on the very slim chance that you end up buying a "hot" item, you can fall back on the seller and avoid a receiving-stolen-property rap. Yes, you MAY be out the purchase price, but you'll avoid criminal charges.

But if the notorious and infamous Blackie Carbon offers you something hidden underneath his long-coat at a very low price, I'd view an offer like with suspicion. "Hey buddy? Wanna buy a saxophone . . . cheap?"

Making an actual serial number check may be more difficult than one thinks it is. Thanks to privacy laws and the guarding of governmental records, many law enforcement folks look at such requests as some sort of violation to query data bases for stolen property information - even if it ISN'T.

Some officers/agencies won't tell you anything, especially over the phone because they suspect you may be the crook trying to verify if your hot item has been reported yet. While I understand not giving out arrest records, stolen property info has been lumped into that PRIVACY area in many agencies.

Still, if you know an officer, maybe a discreet inquiry could be made on your behalf without putting that employee at risk for violating agency rules, etc. Or, try walking in the front door and asking at the front desk. Maybe they'll tell you. DAVE

[whaler]

You could have your serial numbers tatooed on your rearend if you want. The problem is that the police only find stolen property when they stumble on it.

[Dave Dolson]

Whaler: That is the second bad-mouthing of police you've posted that I can recall - and you are flat wrong. DAVE

[saxmanglen]

Dave,

I bet whaler would feel differently about cops if he ever gets to spend time in a country that has no form of law enforcement. Perhaps a collection should be started to fund such trip for him.

I'm sure the appreciation level would rise for those men in blue who choose to serve and protect us.

My hat is tipped to those brave individuals.

Glen

BTW: I appreciate your thoughtful post.

[Saxphomoric]

Dave,

Great post and follow-ups.

I was just wondering whether we can create our own SOTW database of serial numbers. That is, each member posts the serial numbers of the saxes he/she owns and so forth. At one point it can be sorted (by make, etc.).

In doing so will prompt the owner to look at the serial number on the instrument (perhaps for the first time) and do the things mentione in Dave's post, etc.

Funny thing is I can't start the thread with my instrument's serial number as I don't know it and the only place it is recorded is on the instrument itselt:shock:, which is at home. *hopefelly no burglars about*

I would volunteer to update the list (into a comprehensive list) as the serial numbers are added. It may help down the road to recover a lost horn or do a quick "search" on a suspicious sale.

Just a thought.

[Carl H.]

A thread of stolen horn serial numbers might work better. I don't like the thought of somebody knowing I have a X horn with serial #54298. How hard would it be for them to fake some documents and claim my horn was theirs? I don't have any receipts to show.

[gary]

How hard would it be for them to fake some documents and claim my horn was theirs? I don't have any receipts to show.
Although I understand that at one time you did have all your receipts, Carl.
It's just that eventually Papyrus dries, cracks and turns to powder.


:twisted:

[Saxphomoric]

A thread of stolen horn serial numbers might work better. I don't like the thought of somebody knowing I have a X horn with serial #54298. How hard would it be for them to fake some documents and claim my horn was theirs? I don't have any receipts to show.


Good point.

[whaler]

Whaler: That is the second bad-mouthing of police you've posted that I can recall - and you are flat wrong. DAVE
Somebody's touchy! I've had the misfortune of watching the police act like they were trying to find my SBA alto that was stolen from my apartment in Oakland. I flat out told them who I thought may have done it and they did not even bother to check it out. I am not "bad-mouthing" anyone only relating what we both know to be true; recovering stolen property is not a priority in police work. I would doubt if 5% of stolen property is ever recovered and returned to the owner. If we polled SOTW for members that had horns stolen and returned, I would be surprised if there was even one that replied yes, and that would probably be because of dumb luck and not police work (is that an oxymoron ?).

[Pete Thomas]

If we polled SOTW for members that had horns stolen and returned, I would be surprised if there was even one that replied yes, and that would probably be because of dumb luck and not police work (is that an oxymoron ?).

I'm sure the number would be a bit higher (maybe it could be even higher if more people followed the advice here).

[Dave Dolson]

Glen: Thanks.

Saxphomoric (and others about a serial number thread): I suspect such a thread would require some sort of data-base programming or at least periodic attention to ensure the thread was searchable and up-to-date. A serial number alone may not work - would need a horn brand and model, as well, although the description could be fleshed out once the serial number input has a "hit." Just a list of various posts would be difficult to review after a while. Plus, inquiring law enforcement officers wouldn't know to always check SOTW.

Whaler: Yes, I am touchy when it comes to ignorant slams against law enforcement. What is YOUR expertise in this area? So you were a victim ONCE and you then smear the whole sector for perceived failures? Not good, nor accurate.

First of all, it is only mildly interesting that you suspected who MAY have stolen your saxophone. Did you offer ANY corroboration for your suspicions? Did the investigating officer have a complete description before going forward?

Have you ever heard of "probable cause"? PC is what is necessary to secure search warrants, make arrests, and conduct searches within the scope of the arrest or warrant.

I'd at least want to know that once I confronted someone you "suspected", that I would be able to identify the stolen property if I found something. Without a serial number (or some distinct mark if dealing with an on-scene observation), pursuing your "suspicions' may prove to be more trouble than it is worth (meaning, departmental misconduct charges or civil suits for civil-rights violations, etc.). No, there is no harm in inquiring, but seasoned officers know that they'll need PC to take it further than asking a question.

"Did you steal Whaler's saxophone?"

"No SIR!"

"Thank you very much. Sorry I bothered you."

Or . . . "Your honor, I need a search warrant to search a house for a stolen saxophone."

"Do you have probable cause to make the search? Do you know the item to be seized?"

"Whaler SAID he stole it, that's all. And, all I know is that the stolen item is a saxophone."

"Search warrant denied."

And how do you know the Oakland police did nothing with your so-called information (or should we call it mere suspicion?)? Even if they door-knocked the guy, they can't bust in, force someone to answer questions, be truthful, or allow a search.

I'll bet you'd be the first person to go to the ACLU or sue the police if some officer even came close to pushing the envelope on such a confrontation. Oh wait - it's okay if it was YOUR saxophone, but no one else's property or safety can justify that kind of police work, eh?

In the strictist sense, property recovery IS often the result of stumbling across it, but your post(s) about this were demeaning and accusatory. I've often "stumbled" across stolen property while questioning nefarious characters and/or dopers, following up on leads, checking pawn slips, etc. But that's what good police work entails - questioning, developing, disbelieving, recalling, and being alert to things around us.

You make it seem like the cops are going from doughnut shop to doughnut shop and between coffees, they actually trip across a bundle of stolen goods. It is not that way, Whaler. DAVE

[Saxphomoric]

Saxphomoric (and others about a serial number thread): I suspect such a thread would require some sort of data-base programming or at least periodic attention to ensure the thread was searchable and up-to-date. A serial number alone may not work - would need a horn brand and model, as well, although the description could be fleshed out once the serial number input has a "hit." Just a list of various posts would be difficult to review after a while. Plus, inquiring law enforcement officers wouldn't know to always check SOTW.




Yes that's why I volunteer to keep up the list. That is create a comprehensive list as new posts are added so that the most recent post would be the most comprehensive list (with a few posts lag). Carl made a good point (list only stolen stuff) and I will be willing to update that one too.

[Jonathan C.]

The owners name next to the horn.
So in such a Database
SOTW name, brand, make, serial number, and condition stolen etc.


Also I recomend that each saxplayer be able to keep their own records. Password protection on it. So that they and only they can change such information that pretains to them. Otherwise saxphomoric would be slammed. Also it could be considered a privacy issue. No offense Saxphomoric, but I would not trust you with the vital information across the internet when I don't know you. Would I be willing to put my serial numbers up, yes, but I think many people would agree that they would like control of their serial numbers.

[Dr G]

Somebody's touchy! I've had the misfortune of watching the police act like they were trying to find my SBA alto that was stolen from my apartment in Oakland.

A contrasting story of when my Mk VI sop was stolen from my place in Hayward, CA. I contacted all the music stores and pawn shops in the area - Oakland, Berkeley, etc. - I actually visited them in person. When the "alleged" thief tried to sell my horn to Best Music in Oakland, they recognized the horn and took it downstairs to the repair shop "for an evaluation". The technicians recognized my horn - they were actually the shop that repaired and maintained my horns - and called the police. Oakland PD responded quickly enough to nab the guy in the store before he wised up to the delay and locked up in jail.

We never found the Teac 3340, my .22 High Standard target pistol, or my Denon turntable but I was SO relieved to have my sop back. It's incredible to feel so personally violated by an instance of someone breaking into one's home and stealing such personal gear. I was fortunate that he ran out the back door of my home and jumped back over the fence as I was returning from work. I could have been shot with my own pistol had he found the ammunition.

Anyhow, thanks to Oakland Police Department!

[whaler]

Well, the guy had a quite a police record. His name (well, real name because he had an alias) was Charles Rothenberg. Infamous for lighting his kid on fire in a hotel room during a trip to Disneyworld (there was even a TV movie made of this horrible crime). At the time of the theft of my horn he lived in my building under another name and under investigation of attempted murder of a waiter at a diner in downtown Oakland. He also had a record of, guess what, robbery. I guess I should consider myself lucky that I wasn't in my apartment when he decided to steal my saxophone or I could have been a victim of another crime that goes unsolved many times also; murder. http://takebackthetimes.blogspot.com/2005/01/lee-romneys-article-on-charles.html

[Dave Dolson]

Whaler: I will admit that your "suspect" being this creep may change the dynamic somewhat. A guy like that would most likely be on permanent parole, subject to search at any time anywhere.

I've been out of law enforcement for several years now and I recall that even the limitless parole-search conditions may have been altered by court decisions. In my time if we found a parolee in questionable circumstances, it was search first, ask questions later.

However, there are too many loose ends for me or anyone else to conclude the police were negligent in your case. I'd want to hear their side before passing judgment. After many years in police management and executive roles, I've learned that what is alleged is often not the exact case. For instance, I'd want to know what you told the police . . . if the police knew this guy was who you now say he was . . . why you thought he did it other than his awful character . . . etc.

In a related thread, one poster claimed the police missed a jimmied window and failed to inquire about a near-by crime where the suspect(s) was chased away. Yes, those things happen - everyone makes mistakes.

That is one reason why we (where I worked) had a service-level audit program. Supervisors would follow up with victims a few days after their call for service to determine if proper procedures were followed and if the requesting citizen was happy or displeased with the service we provided. Then, the audit results were reported up the chain of command to the division commanding officer (me). I could tell some now-funny (not so funny at the time) stories about those efforts.

Bottom line? Most departments care about the quality of service their officers provide. If you were dissatisfied, maybe a call to a supervisor would have been in order. DAVE

[whaler]

I'm not talking about negligence, just the truth of the matter; stolen property, even it's a sax or my kid's tricycle is not an important matter for the police. I told the police who "my" suspect was and they didn't follow up. What else can you do as a victim of a crime? I not the kind of person that wants that much interaction with the police anyway as far as reporting things to their supervisors. Why should I have to? I've worked with my local police as a Spanish translator and I would prefer to have nothing to do with police, criminals, or the lawyers that represent them. I just didn't like the fact that when I thought I had something worth looking into, they chose not to. I think I have every right to be upset at their handling of the matter.

[Reedsplinter]

I'm not talking about negligence, just the truth of the matter; stolen property, even it's a sax or my kid's tricycle is not an important matter for the police. I told the police who "my" suspect was and they didn't follow up. What else can you do as a victim of a crime? I not the kind of person that wants that much interaction with the police anyway as far as reporting things to their supervisors. Why should I have to? I've worked with my local police as a Spanish translator and I would prefer to have nothing to do with police, criminals, or the lawyers that represent them. I just didn't like the fact that when I thought I had something worth looking into, they chose not to. I think I have every right to be upset at their handling of the matter.

I just said almost exactly the same thing on the other thread (Stolen Saxes). Basically, what I said there was: my case was small (yes! A FLUTE CASE!) but my stuff mattered to me; I understand that the police had many more important things to take care of, but that understanding didn't make me feel any better; such problems are inevitable, but not universal (sometimes the police take care of even small matters beautifully); this was just one instance about which I was telling the truth (that's how it happened); and: most importantly, the real villain in the story was the BURGLAR! Go figger! Without jerks who steal peoples' stuff, the public and the police could all take five.

[Dave Dolson]

Okay . . . both of you seem more upset with POLICY than with procedures, although from what both of you wrotte, it sure appeared to be a comment about negligence.

It is true that law enforcement has adopted a screening process to determine which case receives the effort. Is this good or bad?

When LAPD first adopted a case-screening model, I argued against it but was over-ruled. The reason I argued against it was specifically because of the deteriorating level of service PERCEPTION that it would create. Eventually, many departments followed that model and that's where we are today. I STILL think it isn't the best way to serve the public, but the PhD's in public service seem to like it - better a line on their resume than doing what's right.

When I was a detective sergeant, I was assigned to Van Nuys Detectives (a suburb within the City of Los Angeles). We didn't have case-screening models then. We were expected to contact every victim for follow-up. In my tour there, I handled most crimes, including residential burglaries in a small part of Van Nuys Division. I'd be assigned maybe 120 burglaries a month in those days (1969 +/-).

There was no way I could contact every victim, and that was understood. I did what I could do. OF COURSE I probably overlooked the stolen flute or stolen pennies (suspects unknown, no identifiable property - like chasing ghosts). Still, there were enough good leads that I solved some crimes, recovered some property, and spent huge amounts of time in court testifying against those I arrested or processed (arrested by patrol officers). I was not unique in that regard - every detective I knew was busting his/her hump to keep up with the good clues, let alone the mysteries.

After promoting I was in a position to influence policy and make decisions. Yes, I argued against case-screening but got nowhere. I STILL think it is poor public policy, even though the job is impossible and the officers can't please everyone. DAVE

[Reedsplinter]

I agree: the job IS impossible. In the best of all possible worlds -- assuming there were burglars etc. in such a world -- all cases (even flute cases!) would be equal. Also in the best of all possible worlds peoples' emotions wouldn't be bound up with their stuff, and if someone stole mine, I wouldn't care in the same way. But this is where we are and who we are. I still want my stuff back! It happened almost 30 years ago!:shock:

[roberthelpus]

The authorities used to tell you to mark your possesions with your social security number, which we now no is a bad idea. So what should you mark your valuables with if not your name? How about the last 4 digits of your ssn? Your drivers license number?

[Dave Dolson]

Robert: I've seen driver's license numbers used to mark property that had no previous serial number. But if I were to do that, I'd most likely add the state, e.g. "CA F12344567." That would eliminate any duplication that could occur among the various states (or countries). I've seen tools at swap meets with numbers/names etched on them.

I'm also suspecting that if a piece of property has no number, it probably isn't worth enough to go to the trouble of marking it. Maybe someone here can come up with a better idea OR name an item worth numbering (other than the aforementioned tools). DAVE

[Pete Thomas]

My insurance company have just started issuing "SmartWater":


"which contains your own 'forensic code'. Similar to DNA it provides irrefutable evidence of ownership...harmless and quick and easy to apply to your instrument. Virtually invisible to the naked eye; it fluoresces when exposed to UV light... SmartWater labels will be provided for easy display on musical instrument cases, to warn criminals your instruments carry the forensic identification system"

[jazzyblackbarry]

is there anything i should do or think of when i go to NYC ,bringing my bari with me..is it safe on the hotels or .....?
maybe this is a stupid question but ,we dont have the problem here ..

[Pete Thomas]

is there anything i should do or think of when i go to NYC ,bringing my bari with me..is it safe on the hotels or .....?
maybe this is a stupid question but ,we dont have the problem here ..


Insurance
Don't leave it in the hotel room if it's irreplaceable
Ask the hotel to lock it up

[heath]

I to have all my horns insured and detailed pictures taken and stored in my bank safety box. I also have pictures stored at villagephotos, this would make it easier to send pictures via web and hopefully recover or at least file an insurance claim faster.

I keep my horns in a hidden wall cabinet that is locked. A thief wouldn't know where to look and would walk right by it if they didn't know the horns where stored in it.