Theft prevention/recovery aids

[Tarrbot]

Most modern cellphones are gps trackable by the carrier......but, again, the carriers will not give us the info in a timely fashion. It's not like they can't verify that we are legitimate police quickly but it doesn't matter.

As the controller of about 200 cellular devices and the one who sets company security standards, let me assure you, it's no better when you're the account holder. Most carriers want a subpoena on information they have on "our" devices.

I get why they want this fence between data and customer but the hurdles we have to go through for getting our own company information is absurd to the extreme a lot of times.

CSI has completely misrepresented what is available to the average police department (I'd rank mine a touch below average actually). We often don't even take surveillance footage copies available from victim establishments since there are so many proprietary codecs that we simply don't have the ability to view them. The technology is great in theory but useless if we can't access it in a timely fashion.

Let me take it a step further with what I call "CSI Syndrome". I'm sure it not only hurts the perception of real LEOs out there, but it doesn't do much better for those of us in the computer world.

I routinely get asked the most insane questions only to be questioned on why I can't go to my screen (I have a huge window pane in my office that supposedly had LED technology built into it) and just whiz-bang something to make it work.

Yeah, I've stopped watching that series.

[Sparge]

I've ordered a SNAGG kit. I'll do insurance as well, but for $25 I think it's a reasonable approach to improving the odds.

SNAGG uses RFID chips which are becoming nearly ubiquitous. There are only a handful of RFID technologies, so scanners are already widely deployed. I'll bet that the scanners vets use will read them.

Worst case I'm out a few bucks. Best case, the SNAGG sticker deters a theft or cops recover my bass and use the RFID to identify me as the owner.

Another angle I thought of would be the equivalent of the immobilizer keys most modern cars use. The key contains something like an RFID tag and there's a reader embedded in the dash. If the matching tag isn't present, the ECU won't allow the car to start even if there's a physical key in the ignition or the switch is bypassed (hotwired). For guitars, this would require some active electronics. Of course, you could go low-tech with just a physical key, but that would allow the equivalent of hotwiring.

[johnhall]

SNAGG uses RFID chips which are becoming nearly ubiquitous. There are only a handful of RFID technologies, so scanners are already widely deployed. I'll bet that the scanners vets use will read them.

RFID tags come in many frequencies and encodings; the scanner and tag have to be compatible. However, the SNAGG website does specifically say that it's the same as the AVID pet tag.

SNAGG says "Police Departments nationwide have access to over 400,000 RFID scanners compatible with SNAGG Microchips." Somehow I think the operative phrase is "have access" and personally that number seems quite high.

But I'll say it again- the best thing they could do is give the chips away free to manufacturers of theft vulnerable gear (since they only cost a penny or two) and make their money on the registration fees if the owner chooses to do so. This would truly make the technology "ubiquitous".

I'm still laughing at the nimrods that condemned us for putting a few such devices in guitars years ago as a test, saying that this was some kind of infringement on their privacy. These must be the same people that file serial numbers off their firearms.

[Sparge]

But I'll say it again- the best thing they could do is give the chips away free to manufacturers of theft vulnerable gear (since they only cost a penny or two) and make their money on the registration fees if the owner chooses to do so. This would truly make the technology "ubiquitous".

Absolutely. The more SNAGGed items there are in the wild, the better the system works. I can't imagine why they don't do that.

[ricosound]

SNAGG uses RFID chips which are becoming nearly ubiquitous. There are only a handful of RFID technologies, so scanners are already widely deployed. I'll bet that the scanners vets use will read them.

RFID tags come in many frequencies and encodings; the scanner and tag have to be compatible. However, the SNAGG website does specifically say that it's the same as the AVID pet tag.

SNAGG says "Police Departments nationwide have access to over 400,000 RFID scanners compatible with SNAGG Microchips." Somehow I think the operative phrase is "have access" and personally that number seems quite high.

But I'll say it again- the best thing they could do is give the chips away free to manufacturers of theft vulnerable gear (since they only cost a penny or two) and make their money on the registration fees if the owner chooses to do so. This would truly make the technology "ubiquitous"...quote]

Like I posted earlier my 5 year old Carvin LB75 bass is factory SNAGG equip'd.

[colin]

Let me take it a step further with what I call "CSI Syndrome". I'm sure it not only hurts the perception of real LEOs out there, but it doesn't do much better for those of us in the computer world.

I routinely get asked the most insane questions only to be questioned on why I can't go to my screen (I have a huge window pane in my office that supposedly had LED technology built into it) and just whiz-bang something to make it work.

Yeah, I've stopped watching that series.

I've never seen the series (I generally don't like TV). However, I do know that it has had the same effect on the perception of us chemistry types.

(Sorry for straying off-topic)

[Ivan3000]

Let me take it a step further with what I call "CSI Syndrome". I'm sure it not only hurts the perception of real LEOs out there, but it doesn't do much better for those of us in the computer world.

I routinely get asked the most insane questions only to be questioned on why I can't go to my screen (I have a huge window pane in my office that supposedly had LED technology built into it) and just whiz-bang something to make it work.

Yeah, I've stopped watching that series.

I've never seen the series (I generally don't like TV). However, I do know that it has had the same effect on the perception of us chemistry types.

(Sorry for straying off-topic)

Also, on the CSI topic, It does not take one minute to track a number, it takes about two seconds. Thats what I read.
Maybe Sepp would know something about this! OH SEPP!

[ssabass]

A good, and important topic.
In the US, it's a good practice to put a scrap of paper or write under your pickguard your DRIVER LICENSE NUMBER, with your state prefix and name. For instance, I'll put my name, then CA (my state) and license number. WHY? Because the cops have an immediate way to track you down, your current address and info pops up when they put that number in. If you just have your name, they would have to sift through a lot of possibilities. Sometimes they will bust a thief who has a lot of stolen items, and if yours is marked with your license number, you're that much ahead of the game in getting your stuff back. I have that number on all my gear.

[bassman4001]

This is something I never thought of and is a great subject and there are some great ideas…makes me want to 'cattle brand' the inside of my cavities with a unique mark and some paint.