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[boisterous budgie]

    I have taken the drastic step of permanently handcuffing the box to me 

Attachment by body piercing would be more impressive 

[Nick Collis Bird]

    I have taken the drastic step of permanently handcuffing the box to me 

Ha!, so another melodeon injury.
Seriously, a laundry marker and initialling everything inside should do the trick.
On the outside ( if you dare ) cut a couple of slots in an unobtrusive place. A bit like a male youths bedstead. Oops! 

[Newmoon]

I do worry about you lot sometimes  

On another note, we are  putting considerable effort into a scheme which will be able to provide gps tracking chips.

Info is here: http://www.itsminetechnology.com/products1.php

We will be able to offer discount if anyone would be interested (probably about 20% cheaper than retail prices)

a bit more reasonable than buying a phone and taping it somewhere...

[Strigulino]

Nice - it had to happen someday.  What's the battery life on those things?

[Andrew Wigglesworth]

Nice - it had to happen someday.  What's the battery life on those things?

There isn't. It's basically the same sort of identifying chip that you'd put in a dog or cat.

[Lester]

Nice - it had to happen someday.  What's the battery life on those things?

Don't think they are powered, they are read by a scanner that powers them remotely, same as pet tags.

Andrew beat me to it 

[syale]

So the rfid chip goes in the box and whilst the bracelet or key fob sees it, everything is fine. Once they go out of range it alarms and sends a signal to a Bluetooth enabled smartphone?
Can the bracelet or key fob talk to multiple chips or are they paired?

[EastAnglianTed]

So the rfid chip goes in the box and whilst the bracelet or key fob sees it, everything is fine. Once they go out of range it alarms and sends a signal to a Bluetooth enabled smartphone?
Can the bracelet or key fob talk to multiple chips or are they paired?

Thats pretty damn cool

[Andrew Wigglesworth]

So the rfid chip goes in the box and whilst the bracelet or key fob sees it, everything is fine. Once they go out of range it alarms and sends a signal to a Bluetooth enabled smartphone?
Can the bracelet or key fob talk to multiple chips or are they paired?

There seem to be several systems. Chipping product that Newmoon linked to is a tagging chip that is read by a scanner. The same scanner that reads pet tags.

The alarm mentioned on that page works as a bluetooth device. ie. it makes a link  to (is paired with) something that runs bluetooth (such as a phone) and if that link is broken them the alarm will go off on the device in the handbag or whatever.

It does raise the question whether Newmoon are acting as agents (with discount) for all the products?

[Anahata]

It does raise the question whether Newmoon are acting as agents (with discount) for all the products?

You seem to be saying that as if it's a bad thing...

I'd assume they are. They'd be buying them at a discount and passing some of that discount on to customers because anyone using these chips is, for a variety of reasons, a lower insurance risk.

[Andrew Wigglesworth]

It does raise the question whether Newmoon are acting as agents (with discount) for all the products?

You seem to be saying that as if it's a bad thing...

Not at all!

Not saying it or implying it.

[Chris Ryall]

This is new stuff to me.  Recall I had a fish with chips once, but melodeon and chips seems hard to digest!

[syale]

This is new stuff to me.  Recall I had a fish with chips once, but melodeon and chips seems hard to digest!

Depends how it is prepared and cooked!

[Newmoon]

There are several products on that page. The particular one I was referring to is the GPS tracking chip, which it traceable via a free website / app.

If I remember rightly: rfid can only be picked up via a scanner within a certain distance. These are full GPS.

There are  standard chips, like pet chips also available.

So the rfid chip goes in the box and whilst the bracelet or key fob sees it, everything is fine. Once they go out of range it alarms and sends a signal to a Bluetooth enabled smartphone?
Can the bracelet or key fob talk to multiple chips or are they paired?

I'm afraid i don't know about that one Syale, i can find out easily if it is something that interests you?

Just to clarify, we are not buying a stock of these or anything and selling them on, we have put in extensive work with the owner of the products as we feel it has some merit for us musicians. Therefore we receive a fair discount - which we pass on :)

[Rob2Hook]

To some extent it depends on how common your type of box is - e.g. it would be easy to sell a Pokerwork without anyone recognising it as stolen unless it is permanently changed in appearance (thinking of a friend's Wedgewood version).  My best box is one of maybe half a dozen in the UK, so would be harder to sell unnoticed, especially at its market value.  The example of Ian's Mum's Oakwood being recovered from an Ebay sale is  proof that the more upmarket boxes are likely to be noticed by this community.  Permanent marking inside or chipping is the only option unless you're thinking of personalising its overall appearance.

Rob.

[Chris Ryall]

Agreed, the more fewer copies of your box going round, the less you need to personalise it. A lot of this is "about" the mindset of your local amateur thief. You need to inculcate the idea that he might get caught trying to flog something recognisable. If you can do that there is often no crime 

[EastAnglianTed]

    My box is marked now, perhaps a bit more permanently than I would have liked (I was an idiot in a hurry for the airport as I slept in-student style- and used a  biro
    I know, it sounds horrible and it probably won't come off and will smack several hundred pounds off of my box, but I don't plan on parting with it anytime soon. What's done is done, and as I have been flying about ALOT this month, with my box, and seeing as I didn't have insurance at the time, I marked my box semi-permanently. I know people will be reeling, and I am too to a certain extent, but I really wasn't thinking long-term. Bit of a divot I know, but there ya go.
    I will eventually invest in a GPS type anti-theft device, and then I will try to gently sand off the biro/sponge it off, or is it best leaving it and instead replacing a reedblock (on which stuff is written)? Im not on about going hell-for-leather inside the box with a massive car washing jumbo sponge if some of you are thinking that  Nope, does anyone have any good ideas for removing it? Or should taping over it when re-selling suffice (safe to know the value has been depreciated, and for future reference for myself.)
    Kicking myself slightly, but alas if my box was nicked when I had no insurance, I'd be practically punching myself  We live and learn 

[Theo]

I see lots of boxes with biro and other semi permanent marks on the inside.  I don't see this having any effect on the resale value. It is a sensible thing to do.

[EastAnglianTed]

Phew, thank goodness 

[Nick Collis Bird]

I see lots of boxes with biro and other semi permanent marks on the inside.  I don't see this having any effect on the resale value. It is a sensible thing to do.

Theo's right. Also it becomes part of the history of the box. When selling on you could sign it and write "sold to ......... And the date. Imagine opening a box, say from Germany and seeing " sold to Eva Braun 1936 by A. Hitler." I don't think that would devalue it at all .
  As an aside, Joe Orton (playwright ) stole loads of books from Islington Library in the 1950's.
He wrote many comments in them. Those books are worth a fortune today.
So, nothing wrong with indelible marking Ted.