Preventing theft of welding equipment

[davedarragh]

To: Fun4Now

Yeah, I know, I wasn't inferring that we can "hide" all of our equipment. Pipeliner guys have to have their proud Classic 300's on display on their trucks, it's part of their great vocation. When one is on a big job (like when we did the Cardinal's Football Stadium here in Glendale), there's 1000's of people wandering around, and sometimes the owner and subsequent user, might be several hundred feet away, or 10 stories up. I guess I was referring to where we may have to park our equipment when we get home. You know, locked behind an RV gate, the garage door, or shop door shut, things like that. All of us have spent a small fortune on our equipment, and figuring a Classic 300 goes for around $15,000, but weighs about a ton, an LN-25 or an Extreme 8 or 12VS can walk away. Unfortunately, tools have always been a hot item when it comes to the underworld, and all we can do, is all we can do. We are all in the same preverbial boat when it comes to theft prevention

[fun4now]

davedarragh
As proud as we all are of our "toys" the less the thieves (for that matter the general public) sees or can see, the better.
wile thats a good idea for some, its not a fit all. some have to have a truck with tools showing and looking nice to give the right impression to customers. the best fit would be to have an after work way of covering them and taking them out of public view. its kinda a catch 22 thing, show for the customer but hide from the bad guys.
the best solution is have a very visible security system to help persuade the thieves to move onto easier to steel or sell options and leave your stuff behind.

Sheriff (Joe Arpaio, "America's Toughest Sheriff") does the same thing at the County Jails
i think he has the right idea. no reason why prisoners should have it better than many on the outside trying to get by. i used to live in tucson, so i know all about his tent city. as for the undies, he is also selling them to help fund the jail. great idea IMO how he runs the place, they should all be like his jail and less like the hilton. too much good $$ spent on bad people.

[acx780]

Guess I know what I'm doing tomorow....

These are all great ideas that ought to extend farther than your welding stuff. I have a Suitcase Extreme 12VS that I showered with spatter and sparks on purpose to make it look older and less desirable. The only thing I can add is to take pictures of all your stuff. I have a cage around my Trailblazer 302 and I guarantee it is one of a kind. It can also help you to remember what was in that box under the front seat and when the guy from the insurance company wants proof you had it and you can't find the reciept it at least gives you a chance. If you take digital pictures they can be distributed to local pawn shops etc. right away and I think they can be loaded into NCIC too. As for a lack of interest on the part of the police, I know that if you give them enough to possibly lock somebody up they usually are interested, but when all you can do is tell them the model number then they loose interest pretty quickly. How long do you spend chasing a customer you dont think will ever call you? Even if you dont have much info call the police anyway, you never know what might happen. So tomorow I will be taking pictures and recording serial numbers again because I misplaced the CD with my stuff on it. Thanks for the great post and the reminder.

[FormerTankSarge]

Great ideas, really like what the sheriff does!

[davedarragh]

"Pink Panther"

Hey Fun4Now: I live in the Phoenix area, and our illustrious Sheriff (Joe Arpaio, "America's Toughest Sheriff") does the same thing at the County Jails, makes the inmates wear Pink Underwear! There was such a theft problem (of all things) he had 'em all dyed Pink! All these postings are great. As proud as we all are of our "toys" the less the thieves (for that matter the general public) sees or can see, the better.

[metalmeltr]

if you can devise complicated mecanicl latches to frustrate theives they will overlook your equipment and move to the next victim.

[fun4now]

Bodybagger

That's what worries me about my spectrum xtreme... the blue plastic case that says MILLER might as well say PLEASE STEAL ME!

enlpck

a quick coat of pink paint on that thing and they will just think its a make up kit for a big guy with an unusual habbit.. well unless your in LA. then it may be a bigger target!!

When my 150 is in the truck, it looks like an old gym bag. A few minutes with scissors and sewing machine turned an old nylon gym bag into a slip on cover. Covers the lock and chain, as well. Considered sewing half a sock on like it got caught sticking out the zipper, but decided that might be too much. Slips on loose and lumpy.

Another trick came to me at a job: Brand new tools came to the site in shiney cases. First thing done was empty the case, lay it on the ground inside down, and hit it with paint slop. New on the inside, 20 years old and beat looking on the outside.
that really works well, good advise

[enlpck]

That's what worries me about my spectrum xtreme... the blue plastic case that says MILLER might as well say PLEASE STEAL ME!

When my 150 is in the truck, it looks like an old gym bag. A few minutes with scissors and sewing machine turned an old nylon gym bag into a slip on cover. Covers the lock and chain, as well. Considered sewing half a sock on like it got caught sticking out the zipper, but decided that might be too much. Slips on loose and lumpy.

Another trick came to me at a job: Brand new tools came to the site in shiney cases. First thing done was empty the case, lay it on the ground inside down, and hit it with paint slop. New on the inside, 20 years old and beat looking on the outside.

[Bodybagger]

A couple of other things from when I lived in the bad part of town:

thieves like nice, shiny, hand carryable stuff. It sells for more.

That's what worries me about my spectrum xtreme... the blue plastic case that says MILLER might as well say PLEASE STEAL ME!

[Bodybagger]

Great post...and now we have a little more insight as to the origin of your NAME maybe

I used to drive an ambulance about a half a lifetime ago!

[sailor]

Dogs

My dogs are the best security system I have, but I do employ most of the prevous listed methods especially the chain up.

[srl_welder]

great post!
tool theft in AZ is terrible! my buddies dad had his tool box bolted down and the theives snapped the bolts to slide the whole box into another truck. then another friend who was working with his dad walked out on someone trying to break the locks off of their trailer to get their weed eaters.

The only thing i dissagree with is the cop thing... here in tucson you will be very lucky if they even show up within 5 hours of seein the theft happen.

[fjk]

this may be a bit extreme for some of you but when i was in AZ. with my own construction comp. i painted all my hand tools PINK

i once worked with an electrician who had the same problem (tools
growing legs) and adopted the same solution (painting 'em pink).
she said it worked great.
except when she was working in san francisco

frank

[fun4now]

this may be a bit extreme for some of you but when i was in AZ. with my own construction comp. i painted all my hand tools PINK as funny as it seems its a great way to keep people from taking them and a quick way to see them if they are around with another crew.if you know most of the guys around town as i did, they will let you know if one of your tools show up. AZ is a high theft area for construction tools and mine were safe. i also did the usual, chain the big stuff and lock the smaller stuff in my tool box.
a good friend of mine almost got hurt showing up on a job with one of my worm drive saw's i let him use after his was stolen. the first day it hit a job site i got a call from one of the other Foreman's asking if this guy should have my tool's.
you can also etch in a # on the tool. most pawn shops wont take a tool with any type of identifying #'s on it. they see it as a company tool and suspect it stolen right off.

[Flyingpig]

I wish Id read this before all my stuff left town.