Getting all your gear nicked.

[ckpr2]

My gear was home built so was hardly worth pinching.

However the first disco I worked had their van broken into and all the gear was taken.
It very nearly finished the boss off from doing discos again as it wasn't insured.

Has anyone else had gear nicked ?

I always kept my gear in a locked garage at night and never left it in the trailer or car.

[funktions]

had all my cd's, jbl sound system, amps, sl1210's some other bits all worth around 5k years ago, I know it all went to reading but the plod were absolutely shocking.. I even knew who did it, I also know a few dodgy individuals who had more than a few words with the "suspects" ..
managed to carry on for another few months borrowing and hiring gear, but the loss of soo much music was a devastating blow and I just gave up. horrid not being able to play that one track that was a guaranteed starter for ten as to say.

[ukpartydj]

If I may also add the question to those who have had their equipment stolen or know somebody who has:

What security is in place on the vehicle?
Any aftermarket locks or just the standard?
Did they just break a window and help themselves or did they have a portable angle grinder and cut a hole in your van because of the locks you had?

[funktions]

If I may also add the question to those who have had their equipment stolen or know somebody who has:

What security is in place on the vehicle?
Any aftermarket locks or just the standard?
Did they just break a window and help themselves or did they have a portable angle grinder and cut a hole in your van because of the locks you had?

mine was in a locked garage, it had big clasps on either side of the door with flushed padlocks, and the locking mechanism was flush with the door, it was secured behind with a 5mm steel plate 75% bigger than the locking mechanism so it would not be pulled through.
looks like they gouged out around the clasps and pulled them off with a vehicle, then levered up the side of the door with a bar and again pulled it with a vehicle. once inside it was easy to remove the side bars and lift the door up.
so it would have been very noisy to do this .. but no one heard a thing.

now, the van will have clasps on each loading door, the main doors will be deadlocked, it will have an alarm, tracker and immobiliser that is mobile phone connected to send a message and ring a number if the alarm is triggered. it will be parked in a way that even trying to tow it away will make the alarm go off.. the only way the contents or van can be stolen is with a hiab or lift.. even then the alarm will go off.
have spent too much time and effort getting it together for someone to relieve it from me..

[ukpartydj]

mine was in a locked garage, it had big clasps on either side of the door with flushed padlocks, and the locking mechanism was flush with the door, it was secured behind with a 5mm steel plate 75% bigger than the locking mechanism so it would not be pulled through.
looks like they gouged out around the clasps and pulled them off with a vehicle, then levered up the side of the door with a bar and again pulled it with a vehicle. once inside it was easy to remove the side bars and lift the door up.
so it would have been very noisy to do this .. but no one heard a thing.

now, the van will have clasps on each loading door, the main doors will be deadlocked, it will have an alarm, tracker and immobiliser that is mobile phone connected to send a message and ring a number if the alarm is triggered. it will be parked in a way that even trying to tow it away will make the alarm go off.. the only way the contents or van can be stolen is with a hiab or lift.. even then the alarm will go off.
have spent too much time and effort getting it together for someone to relieve it from me..

Wow, somebody knew what they were stealing and didn't stop at anything to get it by the sounds of things!

[djdj]

I Started with very little and built up equipment bit by bit
I had a beat up Transit which was reversed against a wall with the drivers door against another wall.
I got out the Passanger side and then reversed my car against the van.
One Fri night I went to a party and stayed over as I had a drink.

Next morning got home to find van & contents gone!
Van was found burnt out and three months later neighbour was arrested for receiving stolen goods which included two cd players of mine.
The police could not prove he had anythiing to do with the theft.
None of the rest of the gear was ever found.

[ukpartydj]

I Started with very little and built up equipment bit by bit
I had a beat up Transit which was reversed against a wall with the drivers door against another wall.
I got out the Passanger side and then reversed my car against the van.
One Fri night I went to a party and stayed over as I had a drink.

Next morning got home to find van & contents gone!
Van was found burnt out and three months later neighbour was arrested for receiving stolen goods which included two cd players of mine.
The police could not prove he had anythiing to do with the theft.
None of the rest of the gear was ever found.

So your neighbour obviously knew you were out and told somebody I guess?

Find it hard to believe the thieves care that much about what isn't really a lot of value in equipment for the risk involved.

[djdj]

So your neighbour obviously knew you were out and told somebody I guess?

Find it hard to believe the thieves care that much about what isn't really a lot of value in equipment for the risk involved.

Neighbour ran a local club,
I was told by police, He was getting stuff to order and paying people with Drugs.
THe stuff was all low end but included all my vinyl and two cases of CD's

Gutted at the time but still bounced back and started again. :)

[SamV]

Had a strange break in at our unit about 6 years ago. Nicked all the small things, mics, di boxes, 12v amps, cables, active speakers, tools, laptops, etc. But left stuff like flightcased CDJ1000s, a 4w laser etc which were all sitting on the desk. Ironically all the big stuff was insured but all the little stuff wasn't meaning I lost out on about £26k. Literally the only things left in the unit was the stuff thats heavier/bigger. They even took the damn stationary!

It's not worth insuring a single mic, but having a cupboard full of them taken bought my business to it's knees.