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| Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5064 |
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| Author: | Superheater [ Mon Feb 10, 2003 6:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
Very sorry to hear about the theft @ Strasburg. As other posters have indicated, the rather precise nature of the theft-would indicate some familiarity with the value of the items taken. I hate to suggest it, but pehaps they knew exactly where to go as well and perhaps knew they were going for originals. At this point I have to ask-should anybody keep the originals on the engines? This isn't the first time low-lifes walked away with builders plates, etc. Hell, we have to lock our (dirty) underwear at healthclubs-so perhaps it should not be unexpected. I would think if the practice of using originals could? be ended as least significantly-we'd reduce the expectation of ill-gotten gain and both thefts and the collateral damages could be reduced. Working as an auditor, I deal with issues related to potential misappropriation of assets and am listing a few preventative controls here (that assume of course you can get reproductions) -Secure Storage. Consider your originals to be as nearly as subject to theft as cash (due to being small, transportable, concealable and marketable) -Bank safe deposit boxes are as secure as you get, especially if your institution is not near any bodies of water. Access is restricted and logged. -Restricted Access. Limit access to those who absolutely need it. Require two or more individuals to gain entry to valuables. Change locks/codes periodically and certainly upon change of personnel-the latter without regard to conditions of termination. -Cataloging and Periodic Inventorying. Valuables should be listed with sufficient detail to be identified and should be periodically inventoried. This isn't exhaustive-and might not be practical for everyone-but I think its clear that this is a rather consistent & serious problem. Superheater@rrmail.com |
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| Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Mon Feb 10, 2003 7:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Costume Jewelry |
> Very sorry to hear about the theft @ > Strasburg. As other posters have indicated, > the rather precise nature of the theft-would > indicate some familiarity with the value of > the items taken. I hate to suggest it, but > pehaps they knew exactly where to go as well > and perhaps knew they were going for > originals. Let's consider one little detail, however: I don't think any of the plates in use at the Strasburg were true "originals" to the locos, with the exception of #90's Baldwin plate. #31, for example, was originally CN 7312, and was renumbered when she went into Strasburg service in 1960. So, yes, if that was the original 1960 fabrication, it was a Strasburg original, and served longer than many steam locomotive plates currently in collections. Mind you, the cost of fabrication for a worthy cast plate may well cost as much as the collectible value of the original, so certainly fabrications should be made in quantity. Many collectors in Baltimore have replicas of the Ma & Pa #6 number plate, which were made from the original (in the hands of a Baltimore model railroad club) many years ago. The replicas themselves now provoke fights at the estate hearings! Now, Kelly, I hope that you come through and tell us that the security-camera tapes were turned over to the State Police, and that the true original plates for all these locos are actually under the bed of one of the Moedingers or whatever...... The Strasburg cannot afford to erect "No Railfans Allowed On the Property" signs like the Escanaba & Lake Superior did! PS: The Baltimore Streetcar Museum has conspicuous security cameras watching the property on Falls Road......... lner4472@bcpl.net |
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| Author: | Ted Miles [ Tue Feb 11, 2003 12:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Costume Jewelry |
Boy, do I hate it when people steal history! We are all in the history business. The more replicas we have to create the farther away from the real authentic artifacts that we are all trying to preserve and relate. Museums and tourist railroads should not have to spend replica building moneylike that! Good hunting to the State Police or whoever on this one! ted_miles@nps.gov |
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| Author: | Brian Norden [ Wed Feb 12, 2003 12:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
Another idea is to back stamp number plates, builders plates and other removable objects with the owner's name. The name of the railroad or museum would sure these items easy to identify. BN bnorden49@earthlink.net |
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| Author: | Rick [ Wed Feb 12, 2003 7:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
Here at the Tod Engine Foundation we plan to install a security camera to monitor our site. Our next door neighbor has four cameras watching over every inch of his shop, and we plan to do the same to protect our equipment. The cost for a camera system is not extravagant, but is money well spent. For a corporation as successful as Strasburg, I can't understand why a security camera system wasn't installed years ago. As for other museums and tourist lines, make a camera system a top priority before your number plates come up missing. Tod Engine Foundation jrowlands@neo.rr.com |
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| Author: | Michael Allen [ Wed Feb 12, 2003 11:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
> As for other museums and tourist lines, make > a camera system a top priority before your > number plates come up missing. My business has video surveilance, but the last time we were broken into, the thieves were in and out in 38 seconds and were wearing ski masks. All the tape did was get the insurance company to pay up promptly! Our alarm system worked and the cops were there in less than 5 minutes, but the thieves must have previously cased the store and knew where everything was. I presume that some of the 200 or so customers on tape during business hours the day before were the thieves, but how do you tell? I suggest that you install an alarm, it cuts your losses to what they can grab in less than a minute. Do buy a video system ($1,100 at Sam's Club for four cameras (color), monitor and 24 hour recorder) but don't expect it to perform miracles. Set one camera up outside and maybe it will get a license plate #. Also, ID stamp the inside or back of removeable items. Use reproductions where possible on items stored in non-secure locations! A final suggestion, have all visitors sign in. My guess is the thieves had been taken through the shop at some point, either on a tour or given a "personal tour" by an employee or taken through by an employee friend. Knowing who's been there before can give the police a starting point. I hope you catch the b------s! trainrider47@aol.com |
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| Author: | Rick [ Wed Feb 12, 2003 5:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
I agree that an alarm system as well as video surveillance coupled with enough physical security to slow a criminal down is about all that can reasonably be done. If your police response time is five minutes then you should endeavor to have your building in a condition were it takes five minutes to break into, thus eliminating a thief's window of opportunity. Increasing security of your property can entail taking some common sense approaches. How many of you live in a house where an outside door has a glass window pane and a deadbolt with a handle on the inside instead of being dual keyed? A burgular can easily break that glass and open the door from the inside. Or how many have the dual keyed deadbolts but leave a key inserted on the inside? Do you buy a $25 ultra super heavy duty padlock for your engine house but hang it from a $4.99 Home Depot lock hasp with those 1/2" long wood screws? Do a walk around of your property from a criminal's viewpoint. Lock yourself out and then try to break in. If you can do it within a couple of minutes then you need some upgrading of your security devices. I have a friend who on their wedding night locked themselves out of their house. After the reception my dad and I went to their place to see if we could get into the house and unlock the door. Well the first floor was locked up tight as a drum but there was a room air conditioner in a second floor window and a 16' extension ladder in the unlocked garage. Using their own ladder we got through their second story window and was in the house. A burgular could have done the same. When we started working on the Tod Engine and bought our property for the future museum I knew that I would have a problem with security. We have lots of tools and equipment that would be stored on land with nobody around most of the time. We decided to use steel 40' shipping containers as temporary workshops and storage buildings because they are watertight, extremely hard to break into, and unlike storage tailers, cannot be coupled onto and driven away by a thief with access to a semi tractor. At roughly $1,500 each, they are also cost effective because when we are done with them we can sell them for what we bought them for. As an aside, I would love to see photos of where these perps broke into the Strasburg shop building and how they did it. Where did the security fail? Tod Engine Foundation jrowlands@neo.rr.com |
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| Author: | Tom Shreve [ Thu Feb 13, 2003 12:17 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Ending Jewelry thefts-Physical Security. |
> Another idea is to back stamp number plates, > builders plates and other removable objects > with the owner's name. The name of the > railroad or museum would sure these items > easy to identify. > BN We stamp "stolen from" before the railroad name and locomotive number on the back of the plate . Tom ironbartom@aol.com |
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