ways to deal with theft
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ways to deal with theft
For the past couple of months my girlfriends brother has been stealing her dvd's and trading them in at the local EB for credit. We really didn't notice this at first because he was taking obscure movies that we has only really watched once or twice, but once he started moving up the scale to movies we watched weekly we caught on real quick to what he was doing. Unfortunetly we can not "blame" it on him because we haven't actually seen him taking the dvd's, but since he is the ONLY other person who lives with us and we really don't get to many visitors....i think it is pretty easy to figure out who is the one taking them. Anyway, to deal with this my girlfriend took a perm. marker and wrote her name over every single dvd she owns (and some of mine ). My question is, is there any other way to tag the dvd's we own without ruining them with marker or something like that. I was thinking of writing it on some masking tape and then putting it on the dvd's, but that is easily taken off.
Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Thanks!!!
Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Thanks!!!
#2
they make like invisible ink that you could mark on a certain spot .. i know some valuble arkwork they have this invisible ink you use to put your finger print on the artwork because it cant be replicated or something...
#3
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
You might also try putting your initials underneath the DVD on the box itself.
And as far as not being able to blame him, yeah, I think you can. I think you have to call him out on it if it's obvious that he's been stealing stuff.
And as far as not being able to blame him, yeah, I think you can. I think you have to call him out on it if it's obvious that he's been stealing stuff.
Last edited by Joe Molotov; 07-26-05 at 12:27 AM.
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I'd ask him about it, whether I saw him take them or not.
I'd also take all the discs out of the covers, hide them, and put notes in the empty cases that call him a thief.
I'd also take all the discs out of the covers, hide them, and put notes in the empty cases that call him a thief.
#5
DVD Talk God
Why not take all the DVDs out of the cases, with a note in each one about knowing who is stealing them. That should get him to stop, real quick.
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by renaldow
I'd ask him about it, whether I saw him take them or not.
I'd also take all the discs out of the covers, hide them, and put notes in the empty cases that call him a thief.
I'd also take all the discs out of the covers, hide them, and put notes in the empty cases that call him a thief.
That is a damn good idea, I have a ton of empty dvd cases that I could use. I think I will print up some dvd case covers from this wonderful site and then put some notes in there. Thanks for the idea guys!!!! MUCH appreciated.
#8
DVD Talk Gold Edition
There's a quicker, cheaper way to solve this than buying DVD cases and printing covers.
The next time the three of you are watching one of your DVDs, without pausing the movie, excuse yourself for a quick bathroom break, quickly wander into his room and "introduce" your wallet to whatever money he owes you. If you can't "blame" him for taking your DVDs because you haven't "seen" him take them, obviously he can't "blame" you for his "vanishing" money unless he "sees" you take it. And if he doesn't buy that line of "reasoning," tell him it must be the same party who took your DVDs.
Then your girlfriend's brother needs to be sent back home to mom and dad with a note explaining why he can't live with you anymore, or introduced to a new place to live...like the local jail.
Although...it is possible the brother is not the one taking the DVDs.
A friend of my wife had a number of items stolen from her home over a period of about two years. These thefts always occured while she was at work and she always thought it was her teenage, dropout son because he was always at home when it happened. Turns out it was one of his "friends." The son would get up in the morning, go out to check the mail, go back in the house, fall asleep on a sofa, and leave the front door unlocked. His "friend" would show up unannounced, and since the son was a very sound sleeper he often didn't wake up when the "friend" knocked. When this happened, the "friend" would just walk right in and help himself to whatever was at hand. One day, my wife's friend's daughter came home early from school and caught the "friend" just as he was about to walk out of the house with her brother's computer.
The next time the three of you are watching one of your DVDs, without pausing the movie, excuse yourself for a quick bathroom break, quickly wander into his room and "introduce" your wallet to whatever money he owes you. If you can't "blame" him for taking your DVDs because you haven't "seen" him take them, obviously he can't "blame" you for his "vanishing" money unless he "sees" you take it. And if he doesn't buy that line of "reasoning," tell him it must be the same party who took your DVDs.
Then your girlfriend's brother needs to be sent back home to mom and dad with a note explaining why he can't live with you anymore, or introduced to a new place to live...like the local jail.
Although...it is possible the brother is not the one taking the DVDs.
A friend of my wife had a number of items stolen from her home over a period of about two years. These thefts always occured while she was at work and she always thought it was her teenage, dropout son because he was always at home when it happened. Turns out it was one of his "friends." The son would get up in the morning, go out to check the mail, go back in the house, fall asleep on a sofa, and leave the front door unlocked. His "friend" would show up unannounced, and since the son was a very sound sleeper he often didn't wake up when the "friend" knocked. When this happened, the "friend" would just walk right in and help himself to whatever was at hand. One day, my wife's friend's daughter came home early from school and caught the "friend" just as he was about to walk out of the house with her brother's computer.
#15
Banned
Originally Posted by pilot
they make like invisible ink that you could mark on a certain spot .. i know some valuble arkwork they have this invisible ink you use to put your finger print on the artwork because it cant be replicated or something...
If you need to identify the case later on, use a blacklight and the paint will light up.
#16
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: on a river in a kayak..where else?
Posts: 4,949
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally Posted by dvd-dustin
You could take all you dvd's and put them in one of those sleve books. It is alot easier to keep under lock and key.
Nope...I'll stick with the entire library under lock and key, like always. Zero stealed, zero damaged.
#17
Report the stolen DVDs. Next time he tries to pawn them off, the store could have him arrested. In Massachusetts, every time you sell DVDs, you're asked for a driver's license. It's mandatory that all resellers check this against .. well, you're situation. If that is the case within your state, let the cops deal with him if you are unable to directly.
#20
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: on a river in a kayak..where else?
Posts: 4,949
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally Posted by darkhawk
Make a phony dvd and case and cover. Make it look valuable and put it in a place where he can see it. Set up a camera and catch him in the act.
#21
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sweet christ, how about the simple, logical and rational solution?
You know what DVD's were stolen. You know where he's taking them to sell. Law states that the store has to have a transaction receipt. As someone else mentioned, report the theft to the police. Then tell the police you know where he sold them, go to the store and request transaction details (please note that you have to have filed a police report, the store won't release the details to you). Get your property back (if it's still there) and send the brother off to jail. Even one night in a cell could be enough to scare him.
You know what DVD's were stolen. You know where he's taking them to sell. Law states that the store has to have a transaction receipt. As someone else mentioned, report the theft to the police. Then tell the police you know where he sold them, go to the store and request transaction details (please note that you have to have filed a police report, the store won't release the details to you). Get your property back (if it's still there) and send the brother off to jail. Even one night in a cell could be enough to scare him.
#23
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,718
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personally, I would confront him about the issue, and relate to him, that it's obvious he's the one who'll been stealing the DVDs, and threaten to report him to the authorities if this action continues.
#25
Senior Member
Beating ass is what would first come to mind, but it's not the best thing to do logically. Why?
Well, if you throw him out after beating his ass, he could very well file assult charges against you. If he is going to continue to steal, you will have to ask him to leave. Give him a change to shape up (if this is his first offense) or ship out. I don't know if I personally would throw him out right away. Depends on the age and other factors. But, I would be watching everything like a hawk and probably give him a chance to change. If it continued to happen, I would take further action.
and where the hell are the parents to begin with?
It's most likely he did take them, but think long and hard about any others who could have taken them. You don't want to blame the wrong person. Sort of like Jon2 said.
Theft problems? I really don't have those problems. I know exactly everything I own and would notice it missing immediately. But, I am no big collection person either. I have maybe one area designated for DVD's and I know every single title there. Most of mine are big boxed sets one would notice missing. I also own only my most favorite titles, so I would notice it gone immediately.
Well, if you throw him out after beating his ass, he could very well file assult charges against you. If he is going to continue to steal, you will have to ask him to leave. Give him a change to shape up (if this is his first offense) or ship out. I don't know if I personally would throw him out right away. Depends on the age and other factors. But, I would be watching everything like a hawk and probably give him a chance to change. If it continued to happen, I would take further action.
and where the hell are the parents to begin with?
It's most likely he did take them, but think long and hard about any others who could have taken them. You don't want to blame the wrong person. Sort of like Jon2 said.
Theft problems? I really don't have those problems. I know exactly everything I own and would notice it missing immediately. But, I am no big collection person either. I have maybe one area designated for DVD's and I know every single title there. Most of mine are big boxed sets one would notice missing. I also own only my most favorite titles, so I would notice it gone immediately.