HOW SAFE ARE YOUR POSSESSIONS?
Do you own things of sentimental value which
would be impossible to replace? Or things which could be replaced,
but at a high cost.
Your possessions may mean a lot to you but to
a thief they are just another way of making cash.
Of course the best thing to do is to protect your home against
the thief. But if someone did break in and steal things, could
you describe them fully and accurately to the Police? It`s not
as easy as it sounds when all you have to rely on is your memory.
Every year, property worth hundreds of
thousands of pounds is recoverd by the police and not returned
to its rightful owner, simply because it cant be properly identified.
Property marking deters thieves. They find identifiable property
dangerous to handle and difficult to dispose of. It also helps
the police to return your property if it is found or recovered.
POSTCODE YOUR PROPERTY
Your post code plus your house or flat
number (or the first two leters of your house name) provides a
simple and unique way to identify your propery. A person living
at 7, West Albion Street, Notown, NT42 9WA, for example,
would use NT42 9WA 7.
A person living at Crossroads Cottage,
High Street, Anytown, AN3 1NZ would use AN3 1NZ CR.
If you do not know your post code, then ask at your local Post
Office. They will have a full list of Post Codes for your area.
HOW TO MARK YOUR PROPERTY
There are several ways to mark your property
depending on the type of object you want to mark. These alternatives
are:
Engraving Or Etching
Engraving or etching is suitable for many
hard surfaces. It is also quite difficult to do if you haven`t
tackled it before. Do not try and etch or engrave old antiques
or valuables. You may destroy them or cause their value to drop.
If you are engraving an article using
a stencil to help form the letters you may find a tendency for
the stencil to slip while you are engraving. Placing an elastic
band around the stencil first, or a little `blue tac` on the stencil
back will stop the stencil sliding as much.
Ultra Violet or `Invisible` Marking
This method of marking property is very
popular because it is easy to do and it doesn`t damage the surface
of your property. Simply obtain a Ultra Violet marker pen and
write your post code and house number on your property. Its
as easy as that. The mark dries invisible but can be seen using
an Ultra Violet lamp which most Police Offices will have access
to.
Here are some tips on how best to use the
marker pens.
- Write on the underside of your
electrical goods. If you write on the side or back
of the item cleaning and polishing may wear off the
marks. Sunlight can also deteriorate the ultra-violet
effect.
- Don`t forget the remote controls.
Open them up and write in the well where the batteries
are kept and on the inside of the battery cover.
- Write your post code inside your
camera in the well where your film spool is dropped
in. Also inside the case.
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- Don`t forget, You can write on
the top side of your music CDs.
- One pen will mark many items. Once
you have done all your property pass on the pen to
a relative or neighbour. The pen is of no use drying
out in a drawer. Advise the recipient to contact their
local Area Constable for advice of its correct use.
- If you are unsure about coding
certain items of property, obtain advice from your
local Police Crime Prevention Officer.
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Punching or Stamping
Punching or stamping is one of the most
effective ways of marking heavy duty items, such as tools, cycles,
and some garden equipment. It is also one of the easiest. Your
post code and house number is stamped into the item using lettered
die stamps and a hammer. Again, this should not be done on fragile
items or antiques. It is advised to contact your local Area
Constable for advice, and they may carry out the task for you.
Do not try to punch or stamp your Grandfathers watch, or any
other antique or valuable item.
Ceramic Marking
Ceramics are usually quite easy to mark,
but be careful you do not mark items that are antique, fragile,
or of historical value without checking if marking will reduce
their value.
Marking is done using a ceramic marker, similar to a chinagraph
pencil. Remember this will leave a very visible mark which a
thief may remove through sheer determination. Providing it does
not reduce the item's value, consider using an Ultra-violet
pen, or a product similar to the ALPHA-DOT system available
in hardware stores.
Some people have asked about using an
ULTRA-VIOLET marker pen on their china. This sounds good and
would probably work, except for one problem. Many houseproud
people tend to take their ornaments and wash them with warm
soapy water. This will lift the UV mark from the items, as will
polishing.
Keeping a written and photographic
record of your Property
Keep a small notebook with a room by
room list of your items, noting make, model, serial number,
description (and any unique and distinctive features), its value
on purchase and date of purchase.
You may consider photographing your items as an accurate record.
Consider the following before taking your snaps.
- When photographing small items place something
beside the object in the picture which gives an indication
of the items size, e.g. a ruler or coin.
- Many of the cameras used by people today
are the compact type which cannot focus down to less than
1.4 mtrs, which makes it unsuitable for photographing items
close up. For this you will require access to a 35mm reflex
camera with a set of lens extension rings allowing you to
focus down to a few inches. Many camera enthusiasts will have
a set amongst their kit.
- If you have a lot of items on display you
may be struggling to recall them all if they were taken. Consider
photographing a whole room or wall at a time.
- Keep a spare set of photos at a relatives
home. Should some disaster strike your whole home and your
own record is lost, then your extra copy will help settle
any insurance claims.
