PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY |
| Do you find that your family has a full compliment of the latest gizmos and electronic gadgetry? Everything from IPods & Nanos to DVD Players & GPS Systems? Now you should take a moment to ask yourself... "What will I do if one of these items is lost or worse yet, stolen?" "If I call the police to report it, what information are they going to need from me?" With the emergence of so many technologies, documenting your valuables has never been easier. Take for instance your digital camera...As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words. Did you inherit grandmother's prized brooch? Or maybe her wedding ring that was engraved? If so, digital photos when it comes to jewelry can be a remarkable asset to have. Save the photos on a disk or CD and tuck it away some place safe. Digital cameras also work well for documenting other valuables including electronics, coin collections, fire arms, etc.. Be sure to photograph the entire object, then zoom in on the make or model name, can you also capture the serial number? One thing to watch out for is flash back from high gloss items which may "wash out" the picture. The nice thing with digital is you can always just erase the bad picture and take a new one. Camcorders are great for documenting items as well. (keep in mind with a camcorder however, is if it records on mini tapes, be sure to copy it over to a standard size VCR tape or have a tape adapter available to play in a VCR). And let's not forget, what ever electronic device you are using to record your valuables is valuable too. Be sure to document the item you are using as well. Don't think for a moment that you need a camera or camcorder to document your valuables. Pen and paper works just as well. Take an inexpensive notebook and go from room to room titling each page with the room name and the contents of each one. You can also enter the list on your computer, but remember to print out the list...the list will be of no use if your computer is one of the items taken. ALTHOUGH DOCUMENTING VALUABLES IS AN ASSET WHEN REPORTING LOST OR STOLEN PROPERTY TO THE POLICE, IT SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS A GUARANTEE THAT THE ITEM WILL BE RECOVERED. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
SUGGESTED ITEMS YOU SHOULD DOCUMENT [remember to include those items that may have been sent with your son or daughter off to college] COMPUTERS/ LAPTOPS PRINTERS PDAs IPODS CAMERAS CAMCORDERS DVD/VCR PLAYERS TELEVISIONS CELL PHONES GPS SYSTEMS AFTER MARKET CAR STEREO SYSTEMS HOME STEREOS FIREARMS COIN COLLECTIONS JEWELRY ANY LARGE OR VALUABLE GARDEN EQUIPMENT SUCH AS: CHAINSAWS LAWN TRACTORS SNOW BLOWERS ETC. ANY MOTORIZED VEHICLE NOT REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED WHEN USED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY SUCH AS: 4-WHEELERS DIRT BIKES ETC. |
| INFORMATION YOU SHOULD DOCUMENT FOR EACH ITEM: MAKE / BRAND MODEL SERIAL NUMBER |
REDUCE YOUR CHANCE OF BEING A VICTIM OF THEFT FROM YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE ALWAYS LOCK YOUR VEHICLE DOORS! IT TAKES A THIEF ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO OPEN AN UNLOCKED VEHICLE DOOR AND MAKE YOU A VICTIM! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CARRY YOUR POCKETBOOK OR WALLET ON A QUICK TRIP INTO A STORE, LOCK IT IN YOUR VEHICLE OUT OF SIGHT, PREFERABLY IN THE TRUNK. NEVER LEAVE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN PLAIN VIEW WHEN LEAVING YOUR VEHICLE. IF YOU MUST CARRY MEDICATIONS WITH YOU, OR YOU HAVE PICKED THEM UP WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS, BE SURE TO LOCK THEM OUT OF SIGHT WHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE. (YOU SHOULD ALSO REFRAIN FROM LEAVING THEM IN YOUR VEHICLE OVERNIGHT.) ~A MOMENT OF PRECAUTION COULD SAVE YOU MANY MOMENTS OF INCONVENIENCE~ THINK ABOUT HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE YOU TO TOSS YOUR VALUABLES IN THE TRUNK.... NOW THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME IS INVOLVED IN CANCELLING YOUR CREDIT CARDS AND BANK CHECKS; TIME RE-VISITING THE DOCTOR TO REQUEST REPLACEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS; ORDERING NEW SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS AND/OR MEDICAL CARDS; THE FEAR THAT SOMEONE WILL USE THE ITEMS TO "STEAL YOUR IDENTITY"; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, STANDING IN LINE AT DMV TO GET A REPLACEMENT LICENSE |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |