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One of the effective tools you can use to retrieve property stolen from
your home is a simple electric engraving pen. With this pen you can inscribe
your name or a number on the most valuable items in and around your home.
Before you do this, check with local police to see which they prefer you
to use - your name, driver's license number, social security number or
whatever.
Engraving your name or number on your valuables helps deter robbery in
two ways: First, you discourage the thief since marked property is much
more difficult to sell. Second, if a thief does steal your property, it
is much easier to catch and prosecute him when he is discovered with goods
is his possession that is easily identifiable as stolen.
Billions of dollars worth of property stolen each year is never returned
to the owners. Why? Because without some identifying mark or number, the
police are unable to verify stolen property, or trace the owner. More
then half the property recovered by the police is eventually auctioned
off or destroyed because the goods have no identifying characteristics.
In some cities, local law enforcement agencies will lend you and your
neighbors an engraving pen free. In these communities, you may borrow
an engraving tool for several days. If this service is not available to
you, you can purchase an inexpensive electric pen from your local hardware
store for as little as $10 or $15. This small investment could be worth
a great deal more to you at a later date.
Items already marked with a serial number - such as cars, TV's, cameras,
typewriters, radios, stereos, tape decks, appliances, etc. - may not have
to be engraved with your name or personal number. Check with local police
first. If they recommend you inscribe your identifying mark on serialized
items, inscribe this information just above the manufacturer's serial
number.
On unserialized property, inscribe your name or number on the upper right
corner of the rear or backside of each item. Should you decide to sell
or discard the item at a later date, you should invalidate your number
by using the engraving pen or any sharp tool to draw a single line through
your name or number from upper left to the lower right hand corner. Do
not deface your name or number in any way. It is also advisable, when
selling "marked" property, to write out a simple receipt and specify on
it that you were the previous owner and indicate the name or number used
by you. This could prevent legal hassles for the new owner at a later
time.
To protect smaller valuable items such as jewelry, silverware, etc.,
it is wise to take a photo of each itrem. A simple, instant-type camera
photo is sufficient.
After you have marked and/or photographed all your valuables, make a
detailed list of these items and keep it in a safe place. When new items
are acquired, add them to your list. As other valuables are sold or discarded,
cross them off the list.
If you use credit cards, they should be recorded on your list. Either
copy your account number and expiration date from each card, or you can
have photo copies made for your records.
This information courtesy of www.safetycentral.com
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