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Equipment Security

Started by Brad_bb, September 29, 2011, 01:05:19 AM

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Brad_bb

Does anyone here do any GPS tracking of equipment?  When I go to buy my first mill, I can keep it indoors, but it can still be stolen as the building doesn't have an alarm or security other than door locks.  I could have an alarm installed, but that would probably cost as much as a tracking device I'm thinking.  I also have other equipment that I could GPS track too if it's cost effective.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Brucer

You might want to check out AC Global Systems (www.acglobalsystems.com).

I haven't bothered. To steal my mill you will have to find the hitch first, then find the bolts, then dismantle the outfeed table and move all the slab racks.

It's easier to drive down the road and steal John's mill instead ;D.

Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Ironwood

Interesting idea, what does it cost?

You could always just put a sign up "caution equipment on this site has GPS tracking devices" ;D Thieves welcome to the digital age.

Would only cost you the sign and may make someone think twice.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Magicman

I figure that anyone lazy enough to be a thief will not want to saw logs.  I guess that it could be chopped up and sold for scrap iron.   :-\

I do like the idea of the sign.  It also will be interesting to see cost figures Brad.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

D Hagens

Quote from: Magicman on September 29, 2011, 07:29:53 AM
I figure that anyone lazy enough to be a thief will not want to saw logs. 

  :D :D :D That's a good way of thinking MM :D :D :D

Taylortractornut

Low jack  works good if your in a coverage zone.   I had welder stolen on a job I was working on.  I kinda knew the culprit but couldnt prove it.    Called Low  Jack and we  found it in his basement.    A friend in that ame  part of the county had it on a baler ontime  when scrap went up and found his  bale in the next town   at a scrap yard. 
My overload permit starts after sunset

123maxbars

Well here is my two cents on the cost of a gps device for your mill. I am a police officer who has been an undercover narcotics agent for the past three years. We have a very neat device called a tracker that is placed on vehicles (device has magnets that attach to the frame) that we use to track suspect vehicles. It is a very good device that will even alert you via text message if the vehicle is on moves. However this device cost around 5k and and additional 1k a year for the tracking/gps. And believe me we researched for a long time, there are cheaper models around, but they failed. This is neat technology but its very expensive for the general public who are wanting to protect there equipment. Been a cop for ten years and I can recall one instance a few years back where a mobile mill was stolen. I did some research today on that case, and found out it was never recovered, it was a timberking. Just my two cents. 
Sawyer/Woodworker/Timber Harvester
Woodmizer LT70 Super Wide, Nyle L53 and 200 kiln, too many other machines to list.
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redbeard

 



my security is about 80.00 a month for food and I even give them a bed to sleep on. I wonder if you could use a pet chip if that would also track equipment.
Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

Woodwalker

My thought is that while a GPS unit will track its position, what about the guy that kicks the door in and takes your battery, siphons the gas out of the mill and grabs the pretty blue cant hook as he heads out the door?
Get the GPS if it fits your situation. Lock up and secure everything you can. Make everything worth taking hard to take.
Just cause your head's pointed, don't mean you are sharp.

Bill Gaiche

Redbeard that is one large dog or a smallish bed. bg

Brad_bb

123maxbars, it doesn't make sense why they would have to make a reliable system so expensive.  I'm guessing because they must have some exclusive rights to a satellite or something...A few years ago I considered LoJack, but it became clear that they range was a problem.  They need only drive 30-45 minutes from me to be in a non-coverage area.  Just think how much crime we could reduce if GPS tracking were cost effective.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

pineywoods

I like my video surveilance setup. It's not perfect, but it's cheap and  works 2 ways. Mount one set of cameras where they are highly visible, serves as a deterent. Another set hidden, just in case..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

JP135

Kinda long - please forgive me.

Saw this thread earlier, started to reply but got called away for some reason.

Retired auto theft detective here. I retired in 2005, so I'm out of the loop now on the latest/greatest new equipment.

123maxbars is right - reliable technology is not cheap. I worked in the Dallas/Ft Worth metro-mess - LoJack works great there. Outlying areas are hit and miss. Plus it gets spendy real quick.

GPS tracking is good, but if the crook puts your piece of equipment in a shed, the GPS signal gets interrupted. Example: When I was in patrol we had GPS tracking on our patrol cars - we'd mess with the dispatchers by having everybody on the shift wrap the GPS antenna in tin foil at a pre-determined time. 4am, everything is quiet. Suddenly every patrol car drops off the dispatcher's GPS screen. Chaos and laughter follow.

Cellular coverage is effective. I'm aware of a couple of instances where motorcycle owners put a pay-as-you-go cellphone somewhere inconspicuous, wire the charger to the battery so that the phone is always charged, then turn off the ringer. Scooter gets stolen, call the cellphone. Cellular towers triangulate the signal from the cellphone, so when the cellphone goes active, the signal is triangulated and narrowed down to a specific area on the map. Google cellphone tracking for better/more accurate info and free apps.

Harden the garage space where you store your equipment. You're never gonna make a thief quit stealing; The best you can hope for is to make your place just difficult enough to discourage him (or her) which forces them to go steal somewhere else. To that end:

*Lock the doors. Take the keys. Can't tell you how many times I've seen major thefts/burglaries enabled by the owner leaving doors unlocked/keys in equipment.

*Cameras (even non-working ones) mounted on the exterior of the building are effective.

*If you have a concrete floor, consider drilling and setting an anchor into the concrete, then chain and padlock your equipment to it. Paint the chain bright orange so even an idiot will see it.

*Large, noisy dogs are awesome. Nothing stands the hair on end more than rattling a door and hearing a huge dog go nuts on the other side of the door.
Question: What's black and tan and looks good on a burglar?
Answer: A Rottweiler.


Most thieves are target-of-opportunity folks - they see something and think they can take it without too much effort or too much chance of getting caught and then sell/trade it for something they want. Discouraging the casual thief is the best bang for the buck.

Magicman

There are certain areas where each of us can tighten our defenses, thanks.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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