What idiot puts his DL # on the front of his gear?

Wardsweb

Behind The Curtain
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This is like carving your name into the statue of Venus, or writing on the Mona Lisa.
:gigglemad
 
:wtf:

I have the same thing, only bigger, on the front of a Onkyo TX-2500 I just got from Goodwill. Not as even, though...beyond me as to what they thought they were accomplishing. :dunno:

Display of their poor penmanship? :withstpd:

Its not like you can buff it out without further ruining the panel, either. :dammit:

:twak: ARRRGGGHH! :uzi:
 
This is the back of my old KR-8010 (well, one of them, both now sold)

I still don't know what Pepin or the numbers mean.
 
Originally posted by CUlater
:wtf:

I have the same thing, only bigger, on the front of a Onkyo TX-2500 I just got from Goodwill. Not as even, though...beyond me as to what they thought they were accomplishing. :dunno:

Display of their poor penmanship? :withstpd:

Its not like you can buff it out without further ruining the panel, either. :dammit:

:twak: ARRRGGGHH! :uzi:


:saywhat:

I understand engraving a social security number on the BACK of the unit like on Nightwolf's units - where it's not obtrusive, but on the faceplate??? :wtf:

Chris
 
I get bummed by the fact that Goodwill thinks that they have to engrave every electronic item with the price. Sheesh, now I have to feel guilty everytime I sell something I found there. "Hey, Man. You sold this to me for 75 bucks and got it for 20 at the Goodwill.....You big cheater" :rolleyes:
 
The type of clown who does this is either extremely possessive and/or has a high fear of crime so will willingly deface their goods with their J Hancock etc.

Isn't it really, really dumb to put your Social Security # on anything ? Especially something that you sell off to strangers ?

I've lost count of the many desireable LPs I've had to flag because some marooon has scrawled their name on the cover.

:lazer:
 
What makes you guys say that is a social security number?.... and can't you steal somebodies identity with the number?
 
Used to be quite the thing to do in military barracks and university dorms since things tended to "sprout legs" and walk when left unattended. Just an observation, since I was neither a sprouter nor sproutee.
 
Yep, ...I have seen it quite a bit...... doing it to face plates though...makes you want to cry.:cry: :cry:
 
Police used to lend out these engravers with the idea that the marked item was easily indentifable thus harder to fence.
Engraving on the faceplate strikes me as someone being either obtusely shortsighted or just too lazy to pull items out of the rack or off the shelf and marking them in some less destructive location.
I've passed on items I would have happily purchased because of this defacement. It's like scratching your name on the roof of your car. Stupid.
 
You guys are funny. It may be difficult to believe or understand MOST persons DON'T buy equipment with the thought of selling it. The purpose of engraving is to discourage theft. Placing the number in an unobtrusive place, back bottom, etc. does not give notice to the thief. He has already pulled it and more than likely will not sit there and go over it to see if it was engraved. If it is in a conspicuous place, there is a greater likelyhood it will be noticed and passed by. It is a system of DETERENT and not really effective for recovery.

I agree it does not do a lot for resale value BUT, that is its very purpose. Think of it, if it turns you off what it probably does to a would be thief.
 
Going with that logic..... why not trash your stuff completely?
You know, drill it, Paint it with oxide colors, scratch it with a knife, give it a couple of nice blows with a hammer:D

Believe me, that way no one will EVER imagine stealing from you;)

<I have a Marantz deck that have a number on the faceplate :( >
 
Good point Brian. I recall the police doing this engraving to my bicycle when I was a child. It was done in an inconspicuos place and the numbers were kept on file to aid in recovery by the police. I'd always heard that this practice was common in military barracks to help reduce the chances of theft. I know I could never denigrate a piece of gear like that but I can understand it.

Mike
 
Hen,
I think you're a bit extreme. But if you prefer letting some crook steal your Marantz 2500 rather than owning, using and enjoying it go ahead. Someday a crook may appreciate it. If you're that concerned with resale value, when you buy the unit, just order a spare faceplate.
 
All you have to do is copy the serial number.

My snow blower was stolen, and I got it back in a few weeks, because the pawn shop it was taken to, has to report all purchases, and give the serial numbers.

I gave the police the serial number when filing the police report.

I didn't engrave anything on the snow blower.

I still say it's stupid to engrave the front face. If you have to, why not do it to the back??

I guess I don't have that kind of paranoia about my stuff. Theft is what insurance is suppose to cover.

And I won't buy anything with serial/ID numbers on the face.
 
I see these items aesthetically destroyed by the rightful owner and draw conclusions,all negative.
Unimaginative, intellectually clumsy, stubborn, an all round insufferable prick.
I cannot fathom anyone who enjoys nice things (besides just owning them) being so myopically destructive attempting to keep them.
I decide I do not like this person.
 
Shain, thank you. Your last statement is why thieves tend less to steal stuff when the engraving is in plain sight. I noticed you did not say anything about what you do if it is on another surface. How many of you try to verify ownership when it is engraved on another surface?
 
Brian, most of the time I won't buy anything with ID/SS number on it,... anywhere.

I go through a lot of stuff, and it's been my experience that 99.9% of buyers don't want, or flatly won't buy disfigured items.

About the only time I do, is when I have a faceplate, etc., to replace the trashed one.

If you watch Ebay, pieces that have ID number etched/engraved, sell for less.

Vintage pieces of equipment are rapidly becoming "collectible"
As such, anything that is defaced, isn't a desirable piece to own.

That's what my buyers are telling me anyway.
 
Shain,
We are in agreement as to the effects of defacing the equipment. Either a reduced value or not sellable. Putting it on an obvious front panel ONLY goes to whther you want a deterent or recovery mechanism.

I personally put an identification tag on a well hidden place on my equipment but not on an outside surface. I do this sine I don't like defacing even the back or bottom and also when disposed of the buyer does not have the issues you all have discussed. I remove it when I sell a piece. It essentially states:

"If you are reading this, then you have in your possession stolen equipment. Please contact the owner at: [I add particulars]. There will be a reward for its return."

Some years ago a piece was lifted from my car and never recovered through the police. The item showed up one day when I received a telephone call from a tech repair guy who had it in for repair. The bottom line was that after 4 years, the thief was tracked trough the pawn shop and nailed.

Gee, after all this, maybe I should engrave the front of all my McIntosh. Anyone have a glass engraver :).
 
Kinda off the mark but the company I work for engraves all heavy equipment and tools with the owners drivers license number, company lic. number and name.

We have recovered over a dozen stolen items in the last 10 years with that number.
 
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