Security marking - SelectaDNA/Selectamark worth it?

[DorsetTech]

I've been looking around and I know that Selectamark and SelectaDNA have been mentioned a few times in the past, but not for a while.

 

 

At the moment we're using Selectamark and SelectaDNA to security mark our assets (along with two ID stickers - one for IT and one for finance). I'm looking to purchase some more of the Selectamark and DNA, but I just wondered whether people think it's worthwhile and worth the cost, or whether a stencil and etcher would suffice.

 

 

I use SelectaDNA on my personal gear, and have been able to walk in to a shop and sell the property on without anybody noticing or me having to explain why there is a blob of UV gunk on it. I understand this aids recovery of the goods if they are found by the police, but the fact that you may not be asked about it when trying to sell on is a concern.

 

 

I like the idea of the Selectamark stuff - I always think that having a more visible marking provides a deterrent and that pawn shops etc. would be more suspicious if it had a school name and postcode marked on it.

 

 

I've also used an etcher before, which works - admittedly I always feel bad when writing all over the back of a shiny new iPad. I've also seen somebody steal a laptop and try and sand off the marking.

 

 

Nothing is completely foolproof, but I just wondered what your thoughts are - do you use either Selectamark, SelectaDNA or both? Or perhaps you use an etcher? Do you think the cost of Selectamark and SelectaDNA is worth it?

[Arreks]

We've used SelectaMark to 'etch' our postcode etc onto the back of iPads and some computers, but that's it. I don't use actual etchers because I feel like I'll etch right through into the circuitry.. Nothing will be completely foolproof either way.

[Oaktech]

I've used selectamark for years and touch-wood nothing with it on has stayed stolen. When we adopted Parago asset management and it became obvious we were under insured on an epic scale the insurance company insisted everything be marked with either selectamark or smartwater.

[DorsetTech]

Thanks - managed to squeeze the last out of the coffers and purchase some more SelectaDNA and Selectamark. I got the D&T dept to make up a school name and postcode stencil, but engraving through it also gradually widened the lettering.

 

I'll probably continue to use the etcher (free hand - better stop drinking coffee) on low-value items, and use the Selectamark on larger / more expensive / shiny goods.

 

Thanks all.

[Michael]

I'd definitely recommend Selectamark - better to have something visible/impossible to rub out. I know it's not perfect, as some people could argue you'd strip a stolen computer for parts, but it certainly puts off the casual thief shall we say. It's not something you can steal and sell on an auction site for example.

[Oaktech]

I'd definitely recommend Selectamark - better to have something visible/impossible to rub out. I know it's not perfect, as some people could argue you'd strip a stolen computer for parts, but it certainly puts off the casual thief shall we say. It's not something you can steal and sell on an auction site for example.

 

Yeah, this is why I say I've never had something 'stay stolen'...

 

The kids have lifted about a dozen items over about 5 years, but every single one has come back because they've found the markings and got cold feet, or they've tried to palm it off on cash convertors who have held onto the item and called the police, or the police have got wind of something else afoot, gone round for a quiet word and turned up at the school with an armful of stuff (not all of it tech) saying 'is this yours'.

 

Most bizarre thing that was stolen was a box of headed paper and one of the y11 kids was printing references for himself and his friends and selling official looking notes to other kids. The notes ranged from excusing someone from a class they didn't like, to ones that they were presenting to people as reasons for being out of school when they inevitably got picked up for truanting!

[Garacesh]

Most bizarre thing that was stolen was a box of headed paper and one of the y11 kids was printing references for himself and his friends and selling official looking notes to other kids. The notes ranged from excusing someone from a class they didn't like, to ones that they were presenting to people as reasons for being out of school when they inevitably got picked up for truanting!

 

Resourceful little bugger.. I love it

This is why pre-headed paper is a bad thing

[round2it]

never got anything back when we used smartwater I now use a good old engraver to etch the details onto all equipment. they cant take stuff to cash convertors or cex anymore

[Garacesh]

Don't be so sure about that. A few of our netbooks got robbed and were found by the cops in a dodgy pawn shop (along side a few others that had been broken down for parts IIRC).. The netbooks were all asset tagged with 'PROPERTY OF $SCHOOL, $ADDRESS' and when you turned them on the logon screen had a photo of our school and '$SCHOOLNAME NETWORK'

 

I'd consider CEX reputable enough to refuse them, but not Cash Converters/Cash Generators/Generic Pawn Shop #1754

Edited July 13, 2015 by Garacesh