Locking a workstation

[Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot]

I'm buying one of these...

suggestions on ways to lock it? I don't want a hasp and padlock coz they look horrible.

Si - off for a furkle through Screwfix and Toolstation

[Sparks]

What are you trying to protect, and from what?

Occasional fiddling with the PC from kids?

Is so, you could just set a BIOS password on the PC, this can be defeated, but requires the PC to be opened up, so not straightforward!

Sparks...

[Colin Wilson]

If you want to prevent someone else using the PC (but not necessarily accessing the cupboard) there are, I believe, USB devices that will prevent the system from operating without it (i.e. encrypt the bloody lot)

[Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot]

Not a bad idea, Colin. I was thinking more along the lines of locking the doors shut but I can't find owt suitable so perhaps I'll just put a padlocked bar across the front of the pc...?

Si

[ben]

In all due respect, a locked cupboard is a gleam in a burglars eye, they won't stop at nothing till the thing is opened to see whats inside.

Put a boxing glove on a heavy spring and compress it when your shutting up for the night or going out. Only problem here is when you've had a few ales and you forget about it. :-)

[Colin Wilson]

Speaking of which, some darling kiddies (aka tw*ts) destroyed one of my fence panels at the back of the house last night - not sure what they hit it with, but at least a couple of the fairly heavy (1/4"?) vertical slats were reduced to splinters.

I have trellis on the top, with loops of barbed wire sandwiched between the trellis and the panel itself, anti-vandal paint, and the panels are "wired" down to the concrete footer panels to stop them being lifted.

They decided to come straight through instead :-(

[Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot]

Si

[Nigel Molesworth]

In a word: DON'T!

The only things you should lock away are items of high sentimental value and firearms.

If you lock it, the buggers will just force it open, cut themselves and bleed all over your sofa.

If they are already in your house, let them take what they want and piss off, then claim on insurance.

[John Schmitt]

A couple of door-bolts on one side and a mortise lock on the other (a little one)like on office furniture. There is little point in anything more robust as the cabinet is made of chipboard or mdf and will succumb to a screwdriver. A locksmith can supply two matching locks i.e. same key for both. A dog's check-chain and a couple of P-clips screwed into the cabinet and hardware will possibly frustrate the burgular into going elsewhere. Of course, it is only the amateurs that steal stuff like this. Also indelibly postcode it all. I think the order is like NN3 4DR

12, house number last.

Allow me to provide a parable. Some years ago at an educational establishment not far from me, a gentleman turned up in the obligatory white Transit and a white coat with a bag of tools early one morning to fix a fax machine. After about fifteen minutes, with much sucking of air through his teeth, he said that it was a workshop job and took it off to his van. Then he said that there was a callout on the photocopier, could he get into the other office? The caretaking staff, being obliging chaps, acceded. Guess what? Another workshop job. This was a large photocopier and needed not only the "engineer" but three caretaking staff, huffing and puffing, to load it into the van. It was when the office staff arrived that the realisation that all was not right sunk in. They had not made any callout.

Here comes the punchline: A week or so later, the police stopped a Ford Cortina (clue as to how long ago this was) driving erratically. In the boot they found a fax machine with a postcode on it. This corresponded to this educational establishment and the officers invited the gentleman to their interview room for a cup of tea and a chat. On obtaining a search warrant, they went around to his house and in his lounge they found one large photocopier. I am not sure whatever else they found, nor what punishment was meted out, but this shows the virtue of postcoding your valuables.

John Schmitt

[Nigel Molesworth]

the simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) of your e-mail server"

Perhaps not written by a technical writer.

[Chris Hodges]

Many places use a paint which also etches into the plastic, but the kits are expensive. There are various "invisible" markers which normally come with stickers for the deterence factor, but visible marking may be more effective - unless you think you'll want to sell the kit later of course!

[ARWadsworth]

Definately better to keep them out of the house. The buggers pissed all over the furniture before pissing off when they visited my Grandads house some years ago.

Adam

[PC Paul]

Are they ever?

[John Schmitt]

The markers are usually UV fluorescent and yes, the police do go over any suspected stolen items with a UV lamp. If it is visibly marked, and the police turn up with something you have sold on, one hopes that you (not personally, generally)have sufficient honesty to direct them to the buyers. Normal procedure would appear to be to strike through the old postcode, leaving it legible, but clearly invalidated and append the new one. This applies to moving address too. This allows an amount of backtracking if needed.

John Schmitt

[Nigel Molesworth]

I believe it is quite common for the "stress" of robbing someone to cause involuntary bowel movements, usually on your carpet.

[Chris Hodges]

I've got a UV pen, but some of my PC kit is marked with "alpha dot" IIRC which is tiny particles in a sort of varnish. This is from when I lived with my parents, who bought the kit.

I know what you mean about honesty on the visible markings, but I'm sure it will reduce the legit resale value just as much as the stolen property value.

Chris

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

ITYM "Will stop at nothing" ?