[hackerspaces] Do your spaces have a theft problem? How do you deal with it?

[Koen Martens]

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On Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 09:36:54AM +0200, h0uz3 wrote:
> > Once upon a time there were hackers that didn't immediately call for
> > installation of surveillance equipment. 
> 
> This is still true, but I am afraid some people have been "worked" by
> those who always call for surveillance.
> 
> I keep my Mac Pro and my complete DSLR-Equipment at the space, accessible
> to anyone. Still, some people are asking if they are allowed to use the mac
> - even though they have their personal login for it! :)
> 
> I'd rather invest a lot of time into teaching people about careful use of
> $equipment and respect towards eachother, than to install only one
> surveillance camera.
> 
> This might work in some places, unfortunately, this isnt easily adaptable
> to all spaces.
> 
> Just my thoughts.

Unfortunately, we have a shelter for drug-addicts across the street. They tend
not to care too much about education, more about breaking windows and quickly
grabbing some stuff to fence for their next shot.

The cams we had at the space together with a simple 'space loop' (basically a
wire going all around the perimeter of the space, interrupted at windows with
a break switch -> window opens, circuit broken, alert on irc) prevented a
recent break-in from resulting in everything worth more than EUR 10 being
stolen. When the space loop alert came in, people who were still up had a look
at the cam and noticed something fishy was going on. They immediatelly went over
to check it out, but upon hearing voices did not go into the space but called
the police (you know, nothing is worth a fight with a knife-carrying burglar).

Anyway, when the police came the thieves had already fled of course. They took
one or two items and some money, but left a whole pile of laptops, audio gear
and more right by the window where they had been piling up the goods for taking.

Saillant detail: they also took a bottle of mate from the fridge. It was still
on the bar, one sip taken. I guess they figured out it was not beer pretty quickly :)

- - gmc

- -- 
http://www.sonologic.nl/
http://koenmartens.nl/
https://www.revspace.nl/
http://hxxfoundation.com/
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