Metal Theft

Metal Theft Prevention
DHI to Present at April 17 Denver Area STOMP Meeting

Evergreen, CO - April 12, 2008 - STOMP (Stop Theft Of Metal Property) is a group of law enforcement and businesses formed in response to the exponential increase in metro area metal theft.  Addressing the problem in May 2007, Governor Ritter signed HB 1141, Purchase of Metals Record Keeping (Rep. Nancy Todd, Sen. Suzanne Williams) into law. The STOMP meeting on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at the Lakewood City Council Chambers will address recent metal theft trends, effective and less effective enforcement methods, and metal theft prevention. Many notable businesses and representatives from metro area law enforcement will be in attendance. 

DHI will present DataDots at the meeting as a low cost theft deterrent for metal and other assets.  DataDots are small dots about the size of a grain of sand onto which a unique code is etched.  If stolen property marked with DataDots is found, the unique code performs 3 functions: (1) identifies and proves that a crime has occurred, (2) identifies and proves to whom the stolen property belongs, and (3) helps secure a prosecutable offense.
 
DataDots have been hugely successful in Australia in preventing automobile thefts and are proving their effectiveness as a deterrent for metal theft worldwide.  DataDots can be used on virtually any asset.  Examples of assets that can be marked with DataDots include:  automobiles, valuable metals, computer and office equipment, cell phones and iPods, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, home builder supplies, exercise equipment, sporting equipment, boats, hand tools, power tools, ATVs, tractors, maintenance equipment, plumbing equipment and supplies, electrical equipment and supplies, HVAC equipment and supplies, pool equipment, light standards/poles, air conditioners, etc. 

Digital Home Inventories helps its clients Document, Preserve, and Protect Their Assets. For additional information, please call or visit our website.
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Asset Identification through DataDots

DataDots are a very affordable, state-of-the-art, asset identification technology. The DataDots are tiny; about the size of a grain of sand. Once registered (free with purchase), DataDots can be used to identify property with its rightful owner.

Additionally, because of their size and proliferation (multiple DataDots are advised to be applied to assets in hidden and obvious locations), DataDots become an effective Theft Deterrent. For example:

• Esso (Exxon Australia) reported an 88% decline in employee pilferage of company assets 1 year after implementing a DataDot program.
• Subaru Australia has implemented a DataDot program which has resulted in a 93% decrease in unrecovered stolen vehicles.
• The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) identified a need to protect computer equipment such as laptops, which are attractive and easy to steal, together with a number of highly attractive mobile broadcasting assets. Their analysis showed the cost of protecting 17,000 assets with would be recouped if they prevented the theft of – or enabled the recovery of – just eight or ten expensive assets like laptops. “In addition to providing a psychological barrier to the theft of assets, the strategy has indeed paid for itself with the return of a number of assets by the police, tracing the assets back to the ABC via the DataDot technology,” said Laurie Treloar, ABC Risk and Asset Manager. “As these assets are below insurance excess it represents an important recovery for the ABC.”
• In a six month trial of DataDots in 40 Australian schools, school property theft was reduced by 89% - an average saving of A$6000 at every school. As a result, all schools in the state if New South Wales were then given the opportunity to use the technology. All valuable and portable school equipment including computers, VCRs, televisions, mobile phones, cameras, tools and art work were DataDotted. Even the school lawn mowers were protected. The then Minister for Education & Training, John Aquilina, was very pleased with the results. He said. “The message to would-be offenders is clear. Don’t try it, you’re being watched and you will get caught.” The system has significantly driven down the incidence and cost of theft, vandalism and arson in NSW schools.”

Interested? Contact DHI at 303-810-7368 or visit our webpage for more information.