Update - Crooks caught - Thanks to forum member

[Dark Horse]

Photographs and recording the serial # on items is great, I would suggest doing one other thing. If your Insurance carrier offers "replacement value" coverage get it. It allows you to replace the item at current cost, not a depreciated value. It costs a little more, but if you even need the coverage it will payfor itself and then some.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Tom, would you mind asking the officer what the most effective marking on tools would be? My wife thinks the last four of my SSN, and my name. I don't know...

[Rigsby]

I engrave mine with my post code (zip code) and sirname. Making sure to put it in a very conspicuous place and also hidden. I had thought about giving them a dust coat with some luminous paint to make them look a little less appealing, especialy when it gets into the motor air vents on power tools and cant be reached to remove
steve

[Keith]

The most effective thing to engrave on any of your valuables is your drivers license number and state. Any officer anywhere can run that number and come up with your name and address. There is no way for an officer to check your social security number for your information. The Social Security Administration is about useless in helping law enforcement. Also with todays concerns with identity theft you don't want any of your social security information out there. Even the last four of your social security could cause you problems.

Keith

[Cliffmeister2000]

The most effective thing to engrave on any of your valuables is your drivers license number and state. Any officer anywhere can run that number and come up with your name and address. There is no way for an officer to check your social security number for your information. The Social Security Administration is about useless in helping law enforcement. Also with todays concerns with identity theft you don't want any of your social security information out there. Even the last four of your social security could cause you problems.

Keith

Although I'm not likely to leave the state, does this become useless if I do?

[Joanne]

Great news getting some of your posessions back. I would like to believe that they got the bad guys off the street, but I know better than that. (I don't blame the police. There's just no other way right now to deal with the volume of criminals)

A big "Job Well Done" to the officer.

Joanne

[mikeschn]

I did recover my television and camera. Most of the tools are in a pawnshop near my home, but since I didn't keep a record of the serial numbers, these can't be recovered. I can wait 30 days and purchase them back, but I'm letting my insurance company handle that.

I would say who the fellow member is; however, I want to respect his privacy. Many thanks again to this fellow teardrop enthusiast!

Tom

Wow, that's pretty impressive. I'm glad you got some of your stuff back!

Mike...

[aggie79]

In the "making lemonade out of lemons" department, our insurance called to tell us they have mailed us a check. I didn't know it but we had replacement value. There was a deductible for the door damage, but we can handle that.

Some other tips. I didn't keep receipts of our purchases. Since I bought most of the stuff online I was able to log into my accounts and print receipts from the past orders.

Also, when I faxed all the info to the insurance company, I also included a "wish list" from Amazon that showed the current price of all the missing tools, TV, and camera. The insurance claims guy said that this helped him process the claim quicker because I had provided the research he would have had to do to see what the replacement values are.

Gig'em, Tom

[aggie79]

Tom, would you mind asking the officer what the most effective marking on tools would be? My wife thinks the last four of my SSN, and my name. I don't know...

I've been told that in Texas, the driver's license is the way to go to ID your stuff because it is different than SSN. With my wife having been through the identity theft hassle, I would not recommend using any part of the SSN.

[planovet]

Tom, would you mind asking the officer what the most effective marking on tools would be? My wife thinks the last four of my SSN, and my name. I don't know...

I've been told that in Texas, the driver's license is the way to go to ID your stuff because it is different than SSN. With my wife having been through the identity theft hassle, I would not recommend using any part of the SSN.

Bingo! Your DL number is much easier to track. Never use your SSN as an ID for anything.

[long live teardrops]

Tom, glad to hear things are working out and this matter is being resolved.

I too, need to mark my tools and will do so by spring.

So far I, nor anyone on my block has had any problems with thieves. But then again I always keep one of these in my driveway. Even the door to door solicitors always seem to skip my house. Yet another benefit.


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[kirkman]

WOW...Thats great news!

[Cliffmeister2000]

Tom, glad to hear things are working out and this matter is being resolved.

I too, need to mark my tools and will do so by spring.

So far I, nor anyone on my block has had any problems with thieves. But then again I always keep one of these in my driveway. Even the door to door solicitors always seem to skip my house. Yet another benefit.


[/img]

Nice, Pat! Thank you for serving! Police never seem to get the appreciation they deserve!

[mikeschn]

Pat,

That looks like a good deterent. I'd do the same, but I don't think the local police would approve of that.

Maybe an inflatable police car?

Mike...

[planovet]

Now, if I could only convince my department to let Reserves have take home squads...