Help!! My daughters dive gear has been stolen

[willgr1]

Hi Kathy-

Very depressing to hear, the TAMUG dive community is a pretty tight-knit group. Were was her gear when it was stolen? I will keep my eyes open around the campus and local dive shops and sites. Have the dive instructors and DSO at the university been informed?

 

[Zinc]

I've experienced this painful lesson once... it caused me to go on a gear marking rampage using everything from black permanent marker to neon yellow puff paint for neoprene. Now, I hear it all the time "Is there anything you don't have 'Zn' marked on?
Answer: "NO"

Scuba equipment can all look very similar, especially in large groups, shedding gear during surface intervals, etc. I'm not suggesting the gear wasn't stolen, but having all your gear clearly, boldly marked, reduces the likelyhood of it getting picked up by another diver by mistake, & lessons the temptation for someone to steal it if it'd be difficult to remove or cover the markings.

I sincerely believe that the vast majority of divers are honest and respect others gear... a camaraderie of those who've sacrified lots of $$$ to engage in the sport. But the shady lot is out there too, and unmarked gear can be an attractive target for those less honest.

Sorry for the loss, we'll keep a look out.
Now go mark the gear that left!

 

[oldschool]

It makes perfect sense not to take the regs / computer. They have serial numbers and are traceable. Masks, fins, etc. don't.

 

[DandyDon]

I think she meant that the reg & puter were in a different location thereby spared.

It makes perfect sense not to take the regs / computer. They have serial numbers and are traceable. Masks, fins, etc. don't.

Don't BCs have serial numbers?

I do hope they turn up in a bust soon and she gets them back quickly. It'd be a shame if they got tied up in evidence holdings.

State Farm has a "Personal Articles Policy" for future protection. Insure anything from cameras to false teeth, cheaply, no deductible. I too mark much of my gear with paint so I can tell it from others; don't plan to sell any of it but if I do, oh well.

good luck...!

 

[richerso]

Now, I hear it all the time "Is there anything you don't have 'Zn' marked on?
Answer: "NO"

I can personally atest to this. I met Zinc at Oauchita a few weeks ago. He had all of his gear marked! Seriously! . . . . . . Zn has inspired me to mark all of my gear.

I just can't decide what symbol to use. I was thinking maybe the electron valence shell description of Zn ? ? ? .. . . . . . Just pondering.

 

[DandyDon]

I just write Don on small pieces, Don - Texas on larger. It's like a cattle brand, altho not registered. All I am trying to do is distinguish mine from unmarked gear on a boat, at a resort, or even in a bust.

My cameras, computers, analyzers, and such I have insured with State Farm with serial numbers recorded with them.

 

[carrielsal]

I use a silver sharpie and have my initials on everything.

Carrie

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I usually chain all of my stuff up in crates and lock it up with some super heavy duty chain and 6 locks. It would be very difficult to carry it all off as I chained multiple sets of doubles in with it, kinda heavy.

One of my old dive buddies called me paranoid.

I'd rather have someone swipe my truck than my dive gear.

 

[chucksaul]

One thing that I read about cameras... Write your name address and phone number on a piece of paper and take a pic of it... You might get lucky and get it back that way