Hard drives being stolen

What is the best way to secure the components of the main system other than rekeying?

Re keying is definitely your best option. Its probably the simplest and most cost effective. On the more expensive end, my college uses a system of card swipe ID readers, and each person who needs access to the booth is given it. Then we know who was in and at what time. Otherwise, you could probably figure out a way to chain things to the desk or a wall. You can probably have building security install a small IP camera, if thats a possibility, and have that recording whenever there is movement in the frame.
 
What is the best way to secure the components of the main system other than rekeying?

Securing the area is the most important thing. If you can prevent or at least make it more difficult for a thief to get in that's your best bet. Most thieves are lazy or time conscious. Given the option of trying to break into a secure area vs. looking for a less secure target, they'll move on. Once they are in, it's really hard to prevent them from getting what they want. You can try to figure out ways to chain things down but electronics aren't designed for that. You'll spend far more money trying to secure individual components and most security measures can be easily defeated if the thief has all the time they want in a quiet out of the way room.
 
Thanks for the advice.

But even better: apparently someone (I think I know who) accidentally took it home, and it has been returned this morning. I now have it chained to a truss in the ceiling. The thief would have to cut through a bunch of structural steel to take it now.
 
I agree with Gafftaper. Most electronic security devices are for keeping honest people honest. They are a deterent more than anything, especially with tools readily available in the theater. Most professional computer towers are built so that you can put a padlock or are already keyed to prevent entry to them (personal computers are not). Check out most computer stores and they should have plenty of security options. The most common has been mentioned already for items that have the security lock port. The other option is a plate that is glued on to the item allowing for a security cable to lock the item to a desk. This is a much beefier cable than the standard Kensington style locks. I see many IT departments use this system even if there is already the point to lock the computer down and AV companies that I worked with would use this for gear that tended to "walk". Finally, you can get LoJack for laptops, which I am sure would work with other computer devices as well.
 
To me this is a much bigger problem than you are thinking about. If someone could steel the hard drive they could also take the computer, the sound board, the light board... anything. I would take a serious look at the larger security issue. Get the area re-keyed it won't cost more than about $100. Have it keyed to something that isn't on any master key. (Assuming this is a school) Give a key to the teacher in charge of the theater, the head day and night custodians, and one administrator. Loosing a hard drive is one thing. Losing components of your main system... that's an entirely different issue and something that is apparently possible. If they stole a hard drive what's to stop them from coming back for something more valuable? Security is critical in schools because there's often no way you'll ever get your gear replaced if it's stolen.

Unfortunatly, from what I've seen, most admins won't go for this. They ALL think they ALL deserve the key, (something tells me its not staff stealing things...my guess is kids that get the keys from a staff member). If its not on the master key, then everybody with power (custodial, admins, etc) has to carry TWO keys. I know in our area, our local police force wouldn't want to have to have a separate key in an emergency for just one room, and wouldn't want to be pissed when their master key doesn't work. I just don't see rekeying so it doesn't work off a master key a good idea.

Who's the THEM we're referring to. Schools aren't going to be handing out keys to whoever. IMO, the stealing is happening by somebody without keys, who is temporarily allowed access.

At my school, I can easily walk up to any janitor and he will let me into our booth, (I have good relations), however, they know I'm in there. And if something is all the sudden missing...they're going to come after me first. I know this...
 
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Who's the THEM we're referring to. Schools aren't going to be handing out keys to whoever. IMO, the stealing is happening by somebody without keys, who is temporarily allowed access.

At my school, I can easily walk up to any janitor and he will let me into our booth, (I have good relations), however, they know I'm in there. And if something is all the sudden missing...they're going to come after me first. I know this...

Fortunately the original poster was able to reclaim the missing equipment since it was "borrowed".

However, on the subject of keys in a school setting, there's a whole thread on this subject. I agree that room access will probably need to remain on a master key, but racks and cabinetry can all have individualized locks, and that may be the solution.
 
Fortunately the original poster was able to reclaim the missing equipment since it was "borrowed".

However, on the subject of keys in a school setting, there's a whole thread on this subject. I agree that room access will probably need to remain on a master key, but racks and cabinetry can all have individualized locks, and that may be the solution.

Look at that thread and you'll see I posted in it a few times. :]
 
In my experience as a teacher (and paying my way through college as a school custodian) the vast majority of administrators wouldn't know how to turn on a microphone if their life depended on it. Furthermore they love it when a qualified staff member says "let me take care of the tech". They also hate theft and hate being hit up to pay for things to be replaced. Most I have worked with are happy to let the staff member secure the place better, especially if it means they don't have to know anything. All custodians have a key box and if that administrator or another custodian needs access it's available through the key box. As I said before you make sure the lead day and night custodians have the key. True, this means it takes a few minutes to find the right custodian, but it's not THAT much harder to get access. In general people in schools don't like to be responsible for expensive things. Re-keying is a great way to take the pressure off a lot of people and start over. There are ALWAYS students who have stolen a set of keys and gotten themselves a master key. It's better to be a little less convenient in access than have someone steal your best gear.

While we are on the topic, I've fought very hard to get the custodians to NOT let any student into the booth. True you may be my most trusted student. But it's far to easy for another student who knows nothing to fast talk his way into the booth too. I could go right now to just about any school in the country and fast talk my way into their booth. In most cases the custodian would leave me alone and let me "do my work" so they can get back to theirs. It's far better to have a policy of no one get's in without Mr. Smith or Ms. Johnson being present policy. It's way to easy to get ripped off... I know it happened to me and it was not fun.
 
Actually our control booth cannot be opened by the master key, but I think cardboard would make a stronger door.
 
Actually our control booth cannot be opened by the master key, but I think cardboard would make a stronger door.

Shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred bucks to invest in a solid core door. It's a lot cheaper and more effective than trying to lock down each piece of gear.
 
In my experience as a teacher (and paying my way through college as a school custodian) the vast majority of administrators wouldn't know how to turn on a microphone if their life depended on it. Furthermore they love it when a qualified staff member says "let me take care of the tech". They also hate theft and hate being hit up to pay for things to be replaced. Most I have worked with are happy to let the staff member secure the place better, especially if it means they don't have to know anything. All custodians have a key box and if that administrator or another custodian needs access it's available through the key box. As I said before you make sure the lead day and night custodians have the key. True, this means it takes a few minutes to find the right custodian, but it's not THAT much harder to get access. In general people in schools don't like to be responsible for expensive things. Re-keying is a great way to take the pressure off a lot of people and start over. There are ALWAYS students who have stolen a set of keys and gotten themselves a master key. It's better to be a little less convenient in access than have someone steal your best gear.

While we are on the topic, I've fought very hard to get the custodians to NOT let any student into the booth. True you may be my most trusted student. But it's far to easy for another student who knows nothing to fast talk his way into the booth too. I could go right now to just about any school in the country and fast talk my way into their booth. In most cases the custodian would leave me alone and let me "do my work" so they can get back to theirs. It's far better to have a policy of no one get's in without Mr. Smith or Ms. Johnson being present policy. It's way to easy to get ripped off... I know it happened to me and it was not fun.

All true statements.

Even if kids stole keys at our school, we have patented "secure" keys, and because of the patents on them they can't be duplicated under that patent, and Best (company) doesn't even distribute the keyblanks (or equipment to make keys) for the patented keyway. Thus preventing anybody from copying a key without sending it in to Best. The student would also need a letter from the admin on official letterhead (plus a lot of other requirements). I strongly believe no student at our school has keys to anything. This is how it should be.

As a funny side note, our directors name is Ms. Johnson....hahaha.
 
I think that in our case, locking down each piece of equipment may be the only option, because there is another entity that uses the facility on the weekends when I am not around, and they have keys. We suspected that they took the first hard drive.
I may need to hang around on the weekends in the future...
 
Or just have a big lock up cupboard. Get your room/cupboard that is locked up, and when the venue is being used on the weekends it's all locked away. The chances of someone pinching your console are minimal, the chances of someone nicking a USB, or portable HDD, are pretty high. So lock them away, if you leave them out you are asking for trouble.
So lock them up in a big filing cabinet/padlockable room. And then you will be a lot safer.
Nick
 
If they have Kensington slots, chain them to an anchor in the wall.
I've been contracted into doing a lot of install jobs in high schools and I'd say probably 90% of external drives nowadays have a kensington slot in them and I always make sure and chain the drive into a cement wall if possible so it cannot be moved...never had one stolen using this policy..
 

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