Tool theft

[Nigel]

           
        Sorry to hear of this Woodentop.You must be gutted.
 

        As for a register  the tools are already registered for the guarantee.It would just need updating if they were sold second hand.

 

[Holzhacker]

Sorry to hear about losing your tools. That totally blows. I've been there too many times. When I was doing construction full time I would lose +/- $2000 a year in tools every year without fail. Didn't matter what I did. That's life working in the big City. One of the things I ended up doing was having multiple sets of tools. I have 2,3,4+ of everything practically. That way if today's set gets stolen, I can still work tomorrow. The other thing that made the losses a little less painful was having a good set of tools and then the crappy tools. Whenever I was going to be on a questionable jobsite or crappy neighborhood, the crappy tools came with.
If there are flea markets or pawn shops in your area I would hit those right away and look around. You might get lucky. I've never found any of my stolen tools at the flea market, but I know a couple contractors who have. They were smart about it when they went looking. Brought their receipts with just in case, saw their tools, told the guy give'em up or I'm calling the cops. One 'seller' gave up the tools, the other guy wouldn't. My buddy called the cops, they showed up, looked at the receipts and tools, told the 'seller' give up the tools or we take you in. My buddy got his tools back.
Good luck, really sorry for your loss. Some tools become more than just inanimate objects.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Some other thoughts on the matter... check with local pawn shops, watch local classified ads online and in the newspaper, watch eBay (you can set up an email notification for new listings with a specific keyword).

Matt, I think it would make a good temporary solution to put together a spreadsheet.  The problem I see with it is that 1) someone who has lost a tool needs to know to go there to report it, 2) someone who is thinking of buying a used tool needs to know it exists and to check it.  The solution I had in mind would overcome a few of the challenges with such a registry.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

If someone's worried about their tools being stolen, they  should etch or engrave their name  onto the tools.  The re-sale value of those things (for thieves and also for you) will go to near-zero.  This will make it not worth the time for the thieves, make recovery much easier, and discourage return visits.  But I bet most people here wouldn't dream of it, and not for their own resale reasons.

 

[jmbfestool]

Im sure Metabo use to do lockable tools so with a remote key you locked the tools so they wouldnt work with out it.  Also im sure I read Hilti do some sort of lock.

JMB

 

[mattfc]

Matt, I think it would make a good temporary solution to put together a spreadsheet.  The problem I see with it is that 1) someone who has lost a tool needs to know to go there to report it, 2) someone who is thinking of buying a used tool needs to know it exists and to check it.  The solution I had in mind would overcome a few of the challenges with such a registry.

Thats why I suggested google docs, you could be the custodian and update (e.g. at least the 8500 FOG members would know where to go), and everyone would have access to a searchable spreadsheet.. here is an example of a google ss
https://spreadsheets.google.com/

 

[mouppe]

I'm sorry to hear about your theft, but at least you have given me a kick in the rear to finally sort out some insurance for my workshop, which I did just a second ago. I have been putting it off for a couple of months, which is silly really. I would be gutted to suffer a break-in, but even more gutted to not have insurance to cover it.

Good luck with the tool replacement- I suppose one silver lining is that you'll get some T-loc systainers.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Thats why I suggested google docs, you could be the custodian and update (e.g. at least the 8500 FOG members would know where to go), and everyone would have access to a searchable spreadsheet.. here is an example of a google ss
https://spreadsheets.google.com/

Yeah, I'm familiar with Google Docs. Another concern is privacy. Don't you think members would be concerned about entered confidential information like name, address, email address, phone number, tool serial number and other information in a public location?  There's got to be a way to contact someone who's tool(s) are stolen.  Matt, would you mind creating a spreadsheet that could be used and we'll bounce it off members and see what the feedback is? I think a web-based solution would definitely offer a lot of benefits.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Sorry to hear about your theft

Hilti do offer an electronic key system.  Don't know much about it, but as my Hilti cordless makes even Festool look inexpensive (1,000 euros before tax) and is in a bright red box it is something I worry about. I think you cannot operate the tool unless you have the corresponding key.

The cost of micro-chips which could be incorporated into tools is now very affordable - maybe Festool could be persuaded to investigate.  It would certainly be an additional USP.

The problem with any disausive measure is to make sure any potential thief is aware of it.  That could be difficult.
Richard

 

[tbellemare]

The problem with any disausive measure is to make sure any potential thief is aware of it.

Good point, Richard.

I had my house cleaned out several years ago while I was on a business trip in a previous life. Among EVERYTHING else was a UNIX workstation. Back then, it was worth about $30K. I'm sure the thieves thought it was a PC. You had to know a sequence of keystrokes to fire it up and I'm pretty certain they had no knowledge of such things. My guess is that it ended up in the trash when they couldn't make it work to pawn it.

Tom

 

[Rob-GB]

Firstly very sorry to hear of you loss, secondly why not post the serial numbers here? That way if any UK foggers get offered some cheap Festools we can check them.
I do not believe any member here would knowingly buy stolen property, most of us are like you, using the tools to pay our way in the world.

As an aside... I think that anyone who steals a persons means of earning a living should be consigned to an offshore island with no tools, preferably in a flippin cold and wet climate!
Rob.

 

[Neill]

Firstly very sorry to hear of you loss, secondly why not post the serial numbers here? That way if any UK foggers get offered some cheap Festools we can check them.
I do not believe any member here would knowingly buy stolen property, most of us are like you, using the tools to pay our way in the world.

As an aside... I think that anyone who steals a persons means of earning a living should be consigned to an offshore island with no tools, preferably in a flippin cold and wet climate!
Rob.

Rob,

While I agree with the gist of your post, I have a few additional thoughts...

I think your idea of punishment is way too easy.  I am not certain what it should be, but Tom's post mentioning UNIX brings to mind a few ideas.

The other thing is, why confine the punishment to only thieves of one's livelihood?  What about those who steal one's method of transportation, a family treasure, or the ultimate, the life of a loved one?  Maybe I have gone off the deep end here a bit.  Sorry!

The real important thing is that Woodentop recovers from this without significant emotional or financial damage.

Neill

 

[joiner1970]

Hi Wooden top sorry to hear your problems. What van do you have always interested to know for future reference. I always worry about mine even though I have most security features but you hear lots of stories now of scum ripping whole doors off vans  [eek] to get in.

At the job I was on today they breed South African boerboels they are dogs that apparently 2 of them could kill a lion  [eek] these things are massive would love to keep one of those in the van to give these scum a surprise.

 

[image132]

Hi Wooden top sorry to hear your problems. What van do you have always interested to know for future reference. I always worry about mine even though I have most security features but you hear lots of stories now of scum ripping whole doors off vans  [eek] to get in.

At the job I was on today they breed South African boerboels they are dogs that apparently 2 of them could kill a lion  [eek] these things are massive would love to keep one of those in the van to give these scum a surprise.

Here is a nice illustration of the size of what Joiner1970 is talking about.

Anyway if you guys ever get a system running with stolen tool ID please let me know. A while a go they broke into my workshop and stole a TS55 and a CDD drill. :/ After that I made the workshop a fortress. Hasn't happened since.

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Sucks to loose all your hard earned tools.  Perhaps you should work for consealed carry of guns and the law allowing the shooting of fleeing felons.  Crime is in fact just another business and reacts to the regulatory environment for that business.

Best,
Todd

 

[AlexThePalex]

Crime is in fact just another business and reacts to the regulatory environment for that business.

Is that why the United States has 6 times as much prisoners as the average of all other nations?

 

[Corwin]

...  Perhaps you should work for consealed carry of guns and the law allowing the shooting of fleeing felons.  Crime is in fact just another business and reacts to the regulatory environment for that business.

Is that why the United States has 6 times as much prisoners as the average of all other nations?

Hmmm.....  Maybe if our law did allow for the shooting of fleeing felons, our prisons wouldn't be as full as they are today.   [blink]  

"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"  (Clint Eastwood as 'Dirty Harry')

 

[harry_]

Thats why I suggested google docs, you could be the custodian and update (e.g. at least the 8500 FOG members would know where to go), and everyone would have access to a searchable spreadsheet.. here is an example of a google ss
https://spreadsheets.google.com/

Yeah, I'm familiar with Google Docs. Another concern is privacy. Don't you think members would be concerned about entered confidential information like name, address, email address, phone number, tool serial number and other information in a public location?  There's got to be a way to contact someone who's tool(s) are stolen.  Matt, would you mind creating a spreadsheet that could be used and we'll bounce it off members and see what the feedback is? I think a web-based solution would definitely offer a lot of benefits.

Shane,

if for Festool or the FOG were to 'sponsor' something like this, the FOG server software should already have database hooks. You just be able to just add (default hidden) fields to our profile page(s) for:

model number
serial number

a checkbox for "flag as stolen".
A checkbox for "publish theft" (to announce to FOG members to be on the look out for)
a checkbox for "flag as sold"

where purchased
when purchased

so far it would be completely anonymous and could be made to work with the server engine messaging system.

to go it a step further, additional fields could be added for:

name
address
phone #

Festool owns the FOG as a tangible entity, Festool also (should) have our personal information for warranty purposes. I would also bet that the service department at Festool enters a serial number of a tool into the system prior to repair. It seems to me that all the data is for the most part, collected already. It is just a matter of getting the dots connected without openly publishing private data, which shouldn't be that hard.

If I am not mistaken, separately,  these have been 2 of your 'pet projects'. If they could shake hands with one another it would be awesome!

I would offer to assist, but unfortunately I am lost in PHP, which is what I think the server software is run in. If it can be done in PERL, I can give it a go. It would give me something to do in between screwing off and doing nothing  [laughing]

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Harry, you make it seem very simple. First, I'm not a PHP programmer either and only know enough to do the most basic coding. I've been able to fumble my way through some of the code in the past to make some basic changes. I'm not familiar enough with the complexities of the forum code to tackle this task. I'm not sure that I have the know-how needed to pull off what you're proposing. Maybe you can port the forum software over to PERL for us.  [wink]

 

[harry_]

Is the warranty/service database in MySQL?

would you be able to provide me some data. (not content, but fields)

you realize this could take me nearly an eternity [scared]