 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meri
Date: 2000-05-31 19:55
Hi, everyone!
I read the postings regrading how a stolen instrument was found on ebay and the person who stole the instrument is now in jail.
But this leads to some very serious questions. Why don't the manufacturers of instrument cases consider adding a high-quality lock mechanism (the type that is impossible to break apart) to the case, as well as ensuring the cases are sturdy. I've seen a few cases for notebook computers that have them. If a thief can't get into the case because the case is sturdy and because of the lock mechanism, they won't be able to pawn it. Over the long run (and some cases, the short run), most instruments are more valuable than any notebook computer. I'm planning on having a lock mechanism added to my own case.
Another possibility is a musical instrument registration service. That is, you register your instrument(s) by noting the make, model, serial number, year made (if known) primary address of residence, telephone number, email address (if you use one) and your name. Then if you find out your instrument has been lost or stolen, you can report it to the central organization, who will attempt to track the instrument, and if not found within 3 months, will compensate you for its *new* value. There would probably be an annual registration fee. The case might have an identifying sticker that informs the potential thief that the instrument is registered, plus the owner would receive a wallet card letting them know of the registered instruments (with all the information that you gave them), and a phone number for reporting lost or stolen instruments.
You'd also be able to update the information; for example, if you change your name, sell your instrument, or move.
I also read somewhere about using a pen whose writing can be read only under ultraviolet light, but I don't know how well this would work with musical instruments.
You can also make sure you know your instrument's serial number by memory. It's amazing how many musicians, especially amateurs, do not.
Meri
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-05-31 20:14
Another simply security measure: pull the lining of the case away along one side, slip your business card or a piece of paper with name, address and phone number down between the lining and the case wall, then glue the lning back along the top. If your clarinet is found, that identification will be another piece of proof that the instrument is yours.
Also, you can take off a key that has no cork under the key touch and etch or scratch the serial number and your initials into the metal, on the flat bottom, where they won't show unless someone is looking for them. (Careful not to bend the key...!) If you can't etch this small, a jeweller can do it for a modest fee. That gives you another proof of ID in case a thief sands off the serial number.
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-05-31 20:28
I recently had my cats "chipped", that is had a sepcial identification microchip implanted. No reason why such a chip couldn't be put into an inconspicuous area in the clarinet's wood body.
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Author: Stephen
Date: 2000-05-31 20:34
I'm the one that got my instrument stolen and found it for sale on ebay. You have some very fascinating ideas. The clarinet did have a lock on it, but I lost the key (oops!). When it was stolen, in or between 1st and 2nd period on our four period days, is supposed to be locked, because we do not start having class till 3rd, or in my case 4th period.
If the room was locked when it was supposed to be, my clarinet would not have been stolen in the first place!! Do I have the right to sue (pardon the spelling) the school system, or the school faculty that was supposed to lock the door? If yopu can help me please do so!!
Sincerely,
Stephen
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-05-31 21:05
I never let my instruments (the good ones) out of my sight,except at home. I am lucky to live in a low crime area, with a friendly tight knit group of neighbors.
My kid lugs his clarinet with him and locks it in his locker
at PE. My other boy does leave his bass in the band room, until lunch. Its a real cheapie.
Perhaps a body alarm, when the instrument is more than 20 feet from the kid (or house) it shrieks. Maybe one for mom's glasses too...of course with all those car alarms who'd notice.
Ginny
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-05-31 21:07
Stephen wrote:
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Do I have the right to sue (pardon the spelling) the school system, or the school faculty that was supposed to lock the door?
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Stephen, I'm no lawyer, nor would I ever claim to be, but - you did get your instrument back, and suffered no permanent damage. Whether or not you could legally sue is up to the laws governing where you live, but I think a lawsuit, even threatened, would be overkill.
For legalities, consult a lawyer. Unless there's a lawyer on this this who lives in your locale, we'd be just guessing. In my personal opinion - there's enough more important stuff already clogging the legal system.
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Author: Stephen
Date: 2000-05-31 21:14
One reason, Mark, that I wish to sue him is that we bought the instrument for me to go to all-state, which is realy the only reason i want one, other than to go to college. I got to go to all-state try-outs with it. But, the reason I got it was to go to all-state, and 2 weeks before I went, i had it stolen. And had to borrow one from a very close friend, to go with, because I do not want to go to all-state on a plastic clarinet. Thank you for your opinion!
Sincerely,
Stephen
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-31 22:30
I have worked as (among other things) a locksmith, Stephen, and agree with the posters above who recommend some way of personally identifying your instrument rather than locking it up.
Recently a small nonprofit organization here in my hometown had its office broken into. Burglars broke out the front door glass to get in. Couldn't break into the 200lb safe though... so, they took it with them!!!
Put your own mark under a key, etc. The nature of instrument cases cannot make them burglar resistant, no matter what upgrade kind of lock you install. Standard locking devices merely provide some security that the case won't open in transit and spill its contents.
To make a case burglar resistant (note: >>> not PROOF), you'd need to construct it of very hard (and heavy?) material with a pick resistant (or combination) locking mechanism such as you might find on a small safe. Unless you're used to hefting 40 to 60 pounds of dead weight around, it's not practical for most ordinary horn players to do that. Besides, if you don't mind carting something like that around with you - neither would a thief. You could chain the thing to something, which would only slow a thief... somewhat - and that's not necessarily a deterrant in most cases. A better plan is to remove the temptation. Keep it out of sight when you're not using it, just like the police advise shoppers to do when they have to leave items in their cars while they're in another store.
Short of having a small vault to keep your instrument in, nothing's going to slow down someone intent on stealing it.
Fortunately for you and your quick thinking (and lack thereof of the DUMB CRIMINAL) you have your instrument back. Thank you for a lesson and the fine example of personal conduct you gave all of us here. Persuing anything further at this point would be consuming (your) time better spent, in my humble opinion.
ron b.
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-05-31 23:26
I aways wondered...how come you don't need a pink slip (or something like that) in order to buy and sale instruments? I mean, aren't all cars required by law to have pink slips and you must transfere it when buying or selling, by law? Why don't people do this with instruments? I am sure it would help the recovery percent by a lot.
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-06-01 00:14
Let this be a life lesson to all. We live in a world where some people will steal, destroy anything that isn't nailed down. Nothing is sacred anymore.
You must take care of yourself and your property. Don't leave something of value laying around to attact some scumbag to pick it up. Look your car and don't leave thing is plain sight.
One last word--buy a 200 lb. Mastiff --I did.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-01 02:15
Most of the ideas presented in this thread are interesting, but most would require governmental excesses (requiring pink slips) or would be unprofitable (the registration service).
Bob Gardner hits the nail on the head. KEEP YOUR HORN WITH YOU AND LOCK IT IN YOUR OWN LOCKER! I teach at four locations and play with a number of local bands. Every day, I carry up to four or five instruments, 3 bags of books and CD's, and a boom box to my various stops. At night, IT ALL COMES IN THE APARTMENT--period.
I have had my car window smashed for the sake of a boom box that costs less than the window. One thief stole my boom box, a packet of Jamey Aebersold, Standard of Excellence and Music Minus One CD's, and my note book which contained 4 years worth of transcribed jazz solos. This stuff was worthless to any thief, although its loss was devistating to me. Imagine how tempting a musical instrument looks.
Musical instruments are so attractive to thieves that they are almost impossible for professionals to insure, except possibly through the musician's union or some other group program. Most homeowners policies refuse to cover instruments that are used professionally.
On high-security cases. Trust me--there are few if any cases out there that can keep an instrument or a laptop from being sold by a thief. DON'T LET IT OUT OF YOUR SIGHT.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-06-01 06:57
Once the thief takes the horn, all's needed to open the case is a good screwdriver. A pawn shop doesn't look at broken locks on cases. Most pawn shops don't even display the case anyway. Most pawn shops also have branch stores in other towns to move "suspicious" items out of the general area.
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Author: Roger
Date: 2000-06-01 13:12
I think the best thing we can do is be sure we have the serial numbers recorded. When an instrument is stolen make a police report. They can check the pawnwshops. One could notify ebay.
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-06-01 14:06
I have a highly draconian solution to theft, but it's not the American way of law and life. Perhaps that's a good thing. Islamic law dictates extreme punishment for theft. Most folks on this BBS know what that is, so I'll skip the details. Believe me, you can leave a pile of gold bars and diamonds in the middle of the street and folks will gladly walk around the block to avoid it.
Registration by microchip, central serial number registration, secondary serial number etching, good locks, secure storage, constant vigilance, and "all risk" insurance all sound good and all probably have their proper place somewhere in the theft prevention spectrum. However, I tend to believe that every owner must make their own decisions for protecting their horns against what they perceive are valid threats. Spend your money wisely to get the protection to meet your needs.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-06-01 18:05
I hadn't really thought about it before, but I wonder how much of the merchandise on eBay is stolen? On that note, I would suggest that you request the serial number of a instrument before bidding on it. It could then at least be compared to the list of stolen instruments on Sneezy.
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Author: Laur
Date: 2000-06-02 01:42
Hey.
Luckly, there has been no instrument theives at my school.. A few hiders .. misplacements.. However my director's cool tuner has been swiped.
I personally leave my clarinet in my cubby in the band sweet. We have a sectioned off - opposite the offices to put our instruments in. People are always in the room ( meaning teachers/musicians ) and the room is basically off limits to non bandee's. It's safer to leave it in there, then it is in your hallway locker. At night, the cubby's are locked, then the doors, - You have to go through 5 doors ( each with 2 locks ) in order to get them.
I have all my serial numbers down, and on each instrment, there is some sort of marking ( or mistake in some cases ) That only I would pick up. I did the business card gig.
I guess you just have to have some faith in people .. but be careful.. I check my clarinet many times durning the day.. many.
Laur
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Author: Mike Irish
Date: 2000-06-07 17:44
about the security system... one way to alleviate the problems with theft of any item ..... would be a cashless society........meaning, no cash, each person would have an account, with such an account, when you bought something, the serial number would be listed in mother computer as your property....the only way you could sell an item would be to have credits from buyers account transfer to yours and then the serial number from your account to theirs.... thus, we would be aproching the day of a computerchip of some form for Idnetification placed in our body....yea... scarry... ( a computer chip inbedded in live stock is being worked with, keeping track of inoculations, birthing, milk quantity..... mainly with cattle, the cattle walk up to milking mech, it is scanned, the mach hooks up and starts milking fully automated......i do not think I would want this in me or my family
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