| Property marking helps to discourage burglars | | | | template that you drew with the marker. |
| because it lets the potential thief know that the item | | | | How to Use Invisible Property Marking to Prevent |
| will be difficult to sell and easy for police to trace. It's | | | | Theft |
| hardly worth the trouble for a thief to try to remove | | | | An invisible property mark is best for objects that |
| the mark without significantly damaging the item, so | | | | could lose value or become damaged if they were |
| they often either will not steal marked items or they | | | | permanently marked, such as antiques. Using an |
| will quickly abandon them, usually not far from where | | | | ultra-violet pen, you mark your property invisibly so |
| they were stolen. | | | | no one can see the mark. Police use an ultra-violet |
| There are two types of property marking: | | | | lamp to make the ink appear. You can get a UV |
| permanent marking and invisible marking. With | | | | marker at some police stations, some hardware and |
| permanent marking, you engrave your property with | | | | home improvement stores, and at online retailers. |
| identifying information such as your street number | | | | Prevent Theft by Tattooing Pets |
| and zip code, your phone number, or your initials and | | | | Marking your pet is done by first shaving the fur on |
| date of birth. Inexpensive permanent marking kits | | | | the inside of a back leg and then tattooing the skin |
| can be purchased at hardware stores and home | | | | with the owner's choice of identification numbers |
| improvement stores since they are often used to | | | | (social security number, phone number, etc). Pet |
| mark tools. | | | | tattooing is usually done by pet breeders and |
| How to Use a Permanent Property Mark to Prevent | | | | sometimes by groomers or veterinarians. |
| Theft | | | | Remember, when marking property the mark is most |
| First, use a marker to write what you want to | | | | effective at deterring theft if it is made somewhere |
| engrave onto the item. Write directly on the item; | | | | it can be clearly seen and on a part of the item that |
| this will serve as a template when you engrave. | | | | would render it non-functional or unaesthetic if the |
| Then, using a fine drill or a sharp-pointed tool, or, if | | | | part with the mark was to be removed. If a thief |
| you bought a kit, the electric engraving tool, follow | | | | can't remove the mark without breaking the item, |
| the markings you made and engrave the item. | | | | they usually won't bother with it. When choosing |
| Sometimes instead of engraving, punching is done. | | | | what to mark, take an inventory of your most |
| Punching is good for metal objects such as bikes, | | | | valuable possessions, take photographs of the items |
| lawn mowers, engines and other sturdy metal | | | | and put the photos in a safe place, then mark the |
| objects. When punching, instead of engraving with a | | | | items. Keeping your property safe is as easy as |
| drill or tool, you use a sharp point tool like an ice pick | | | | making your mark. |
| and hit it with a hammer, punching holes along the | | | | |