Marking system for stolen & lost bikes, phones, bags, cameras, etc...

[ethaniel]

I've read that there are hundreds (if not thousands) bikes getting stolen every year. Some people bring really expensive bikes to the playa. And once it's relocated, it's impossible for the owner to find it.

Perhaps, the BM ORG could consider some kind of a central database (linked to the profile homepage) where you could get an identification number and place it on your things (with a marker, or a home printed sticker, or even put a sticker printer somewhere at center camp).

This way if, for example, a bike gets stolen (or is abandoned in the deep playa), it can easily be tracked back to the original owner.
Same for bags, cameras, phones, etc etc. Just print a sticker and put it on your things.

Each person would have a individual number that could be used for all the person's belongings.
And if the person would also put in his camp's name into his profile page, he could be reunited with his belongings almost immediately.

It's extremely easy to make (each user already has an ID number hidden somewhere in the profiles database).
Just show us the id on the profile page, some instructions and voila - it's done.

This would help!

[Traveller in Time]

Preventing Bike Theft / Finding 'Lost' Bike Ideas

Can work for accidentally misplaced items . . . Not many thieves will leave the ID tag from original owner attached.

[korierika4]

I see your point but I don't agree. Burning Man is about Radical Reliance so it should be up to the person riding a bike to lock it up when not in use. Secondly, there's duct tape you can label all your items with. Put your name and camp location. If you loose something important don't bring it to the desert in the first place. And lastly if you do mark your items they are much easier to locate at the lost and found.

[Token]

I've read that there are hundreds (if not thousands) bikes getting stolen every year.

You heard wrong.

There are thousands of bikes abandoned on Playa because the entitled shitheals and assclowns think it’s their god given right to pick up a Walmart special bike, ride it till it breaks, then dump it.

In my 10 years of going the only thing I have ever lost on the Playa is my mind and good judgement.

As for the losers, fuck em. Pun intended.

Way the fuck too much effort for the irresponsible masses.

[Savannah]

I just label my bike and bag with a tag featuring name, camp name & address (down to the last 5 minutes on the clock), cell number, and email address. A real thief will remove a tag or fail to mention it (just like they could with an ID number) but a compassionate person who stumbles across my stuff might make the effort.

My phone has the same info + alternate phone number--because how else could they call me?--on the lock screen. (I write the info down, take a photo, then make the photo my lock screen). That way someone can return it to me easily without checking in with Lost & Found.

ethaniel, you could write in to Lost & Found and see if they have interest or the resources to attempt such thing. It might be tough for them to convince people to participate beforehand, because most people don't think they're going to lose their stuff.

Forming the database could also be your project . . .

[BBadger]

People can buy their own damn label maker, and instead of using some sort of databased number they can put real names and addresses on the stuff. But officially handing out stickers, RFIDs, zip-ties with embossed numbers, etc.? That's just encouraging people to be lazy with securing their stuff.

Quite frankly, it's beyond nice that the event has a Lost and Found at all! As this event grows I won't be surprised if that gets axed, like the mail service, because who really has the time to document every seemingly valuable piece of MOOP lost to the sands after the event?

As for stuff like bikes lost on the playa during the event, you can make your own tag and simply put your city address on it with a note that if the bike seems lost and unlocked and it gets returned the person gets a free beer or something as thanks if it's brought back.

Otherwise, what, it just gets dropped off to the distribution point so they can read all the numbers and send a courier over to find the owner to notify them of their lost bike they should have locked up? Yeah, I think that's kind of a big waste of effort.