UK : Had a load of Festool stolen recently ?

[demographic]

Engraving makes a massive difference to how far tools "walk".
Yeah, for the obsessive compulsive tool polishers our tools don't look quite as perfect but at least I can still see them in my toolbox...
I'm a tradesman, not a ferkin colllector.

I also have a toolsafe in my van, if it were any bigger I wouldnt be able to open the door of it.
Again it won't stop everyone but it will make a big difference to the amount of things you lose and if we all identify our tools in such a way so its dead easy for the police to work out who owns it it also makes a difference to how many of thieves get procecuted.

I honestly believe its our duty to make things hard for thieves, please don't dodge your duty to others and yourself.
Just an area of personal responsibility really.

 

[ben_r_]

My Metabo has electronic anti-theft system that disables the tool. Does not prevent theft (unless clearly labeled to communicate this to the thief), but makes it hard to sell.

What?! How does that work exactly?

 

[Svar]

My Metabo has electronic anti-theft system that disables the tool. Does not prevent theft (unless clearly labeled to communicate this to the thief), but makes it hard to sell.

What?! How does that work exactly?

There is a fob (key chain thingy), which you buy separately and program to lock or unlock your tool(s). You just need one for all your tools equipped with this system. It's called Metabo CODE.
[attachimg=1]

Makes sense to have it on $1.5K SCMS or $1K router. Other then theft prevents your co-workers from "borrowing"  [big grin]

 

[antss]

Now that's a really neat system.  Til I lose my fob or the batteries go out the morning I want to use the tool. 

Anyone looked into Milwaukee's new system ? A tracking system that can be seen over wifi built into some of their tools.  There are also stand alone tags , but they're huge.   

I also think dewalt rolled out some sort of burglar alarm/system a few years back, but I remember not being very impressed.

 

[Svar]

Now that's a really neat system.  Til I lose my fob or the batteries go out the morning I want to use the tool. 

Works fine for millions of car owners.
Will fingerprint scan be better? My vote goes to GPS trackers.

 

[ben_r_]

My Metabo has electronic anti-theft system that disables the tool. Does not prevent theft (unless clearly labeled to communicate this to the thief), but makes it hard to sell.

What?! How does that work exactly?

There is a fob (key chain thingy), which you buy separately and program to lock or unlock your tool(s). You just need one for all your tools equipped with this system. It's called Metabo CODE.
[attachimg=1]

Makes sense to have it on $1.5K SCMS or $1K router. Other then theft prevents your co-workers from "borrowing"  [big grin]

Crazy. Never seen that before. Cool.

 

[antss]

Now that's a really neat system.  Til I lose my fob or the batteries go out the morning I want to use the tool. 

Works fine for millions of car owners.
Will fingerprint scan be better? My vote goes to GPS trackers.

Not quite the same thing.

When my fob battery goes out on the vehicle , I can still use the toothed key or proximity chip to both unlock the door and start the vehicle.

Can your Metabo system be overridden without power to the fob ?  If so , it's almost worthless as a deterrent. 

I also don't want another fob on my keychain, and I'm pretty sure I'm not goin all Metabo anytime soon, meaning I've got to carry or remember that fob in addition to other stuff for a relatively few amount of tools.

I think it's cool for sure, and my keychain quirks may not be the norm, but I still find that system to have too big an Achilles heel for me.  Now, if the lock could be linked to my smart phone........still subject to battery life, but it's a lot easier and faster to get that charged up than run to the store a fob battery.

 

[Svar]

Now that's a really neat system.  Til I lose my fob or the batteries go out the morning I want to use the tool. 

Works fine for millions of car owners.

Not quite the same thing.
When my fob battery goes out on the vehicle , I can still use the toothed key or proximity chip to both unlock the door and start the vehicle.

LOL. How do you propose to do that? You've lost that key two posts ago, remember? [big grin]
Some people are contrarians just for the sake of being a contrarian.

No system is perfect and none works for everybody. The biggest weakness here is lack of deterrent. Although the tool is clearly labeled, thieves aren't tool experts to spot it. You can indulge in knowing that he can't benefit from his loot, but your tool is gone.
This is even more true for datadotusa.com. Neither thief, nor the buyer, nor the police will even know its labeled. Unless a forensic will crawl all over it with a microscope, which he will for your Stradivarius, but not for your $100 drill.

 

[LJD]

The secret I think is to get these markets closed down. Most of it seems to be stuff stolen form outside charity shops  .The tools etc are way way to good  to just be there by accident. Some of the men where actually sanding/grinding  off  any ID marks .They really dont care .

 

[Bob D.]

The Datadot system can be spotted by shining a UV light on the object, at least that's what I thought I read on their website.

 

[Svar]

The Datadot system can be spotted by shining a UV light on the object, at least that's what I thought I read on their website.

OK, so the thief will do that and remove the dot. Then what?

 

[NL-mikkla]

Apparently it's almost impossible to discard this system from any surface.
It's also available in the Netherlands by the way, different brand, same look.

But still, once stolen and taken into a shed and used there, you're never gonna find it

 

[antss]

[member=15585]Svar[/member]  - perhaps I was t clear enough.

If you don't carry your Metabo fob on you keychain or you lose that or leave it at the shop  - you're sol.  Just like you're not going to work with out car keys.  Most will agree with me its s lot easier to lose tool accessories than car keys.

If the Metabo remote battery dies the day you need it you cannot use your drill until you get a new one.

If the battery in my car fob dies, my car still starts unlike your drill !

You might look in the mirror before calling someone contrarian.

Guess you overlooked three+ posts ago where I said all this stuff was just a warm blanket whether it be a fob or a dot or a grinder mark or pink paint.  When your stuff is gone it's gone .

 

[Bob D.]

The Datadot system can be spotted by shining a UV light on the object, at least that's what I thought I read on their website.

OK, so the thief will do that and remove the dot. Then what?

You should go read how the datadots are used on their website then you'll understand better. no, it's not foolproof but what is. as opposed to no markings it is better, and if you apply it as instructed then it will not be completely removed.

 

[PeterK]

I asked at local police about DataDot and they have never heard of it. Guess it won't be of much use to me if police don't know how to use it. Maybe it is useful in larger cities.

Interesting system but web site has no info at all showing installation. Just general comments. I see a spray can but would prefer a brush on type product to control where it is applied. Sure don't want spray to get into electronics like a camera.