Idea to help prevent theft of chain saws

Bruce Hopf

A few weeks ago, I was at my local Stihl dealer, and he had a customer there, that was getting a new bar, and chain for his chain saw, along with a new drive rim.
There was a 440, on the floor, in front of the counter, with out a bar and chain. To help the owner of the shop explain, about the C clip, that holds the rim, and clutch in place. I picked up the chain saw and I pulled the bar and clutch cover off, to show the customer, the C clip.
I noticed something on the chain saw, and it took me a while to realize what it was for.
Just under the rear handle, where you put your foot for starting the chain saw on the ground, there was a piece of metal, pop riveted onto the foot plate of the rear handle.
I thought that the rear handle, was broke at first, and the piece of metal, was holding it together. I didn't think anything of it, till I looked at it from a different way.
On the piece of metal, the owner of the chain saw had his Name of Business, Address, and Phone Number, Serial Number of the chain saw, plus he had his saw fleet number stamped in the piece of metal as well.
Sure the piece of metal, could be removed, but it would be hard to explain the hole pattern, and the marks form the piece of metal that had the information stamped in the piece of metal, in the plastic of the rear handle, if some one would ask any questions about why the holes, and markings in the foot plate.
Having this on the foot plates of the chain saws, could deter theft of chain saws, of you guys that use them to make a living with. Just thought I'd share, what I had seen. Bruce

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McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Eric Frei

No not try that on a Husky .... the rear handle is the fuel tank.

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newguy18

At vc,we have the serial numbers in the trucks,each serial number saw is assinged to each truck,plus the office has a copy,if a saw would be stolen[very rare]the office just goes to every pawn shop and if the numbers match,since all pawn shops write down d.l numbers,boom one less thief off the streets.

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old schooler

Cut4fun

I never paid attention to this. Is the huskys serial number anywhere else on their saws?

The metal tags with serial numbers come off with grind of the 2 rivet heads.

newguy18

so do stihls.

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old schooler

Cut4fun

Huh?

newguy18

The serial numbers come off of stihl saws just as easy as husky,but most thiefs won't take the time to remove them,at least not around here.

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old schooler

Bruce Hopf

What this guy had on his chain saws, was the almost the same size of a Business Card (which is the back of one, pictured here). The information was slightly stamped into the piece of metal, with letter, and number stamps.
There would be a slight indent on the bottom of the piece of metal, that would get embedded into the plastic of the rear handle fuel tank assembly, when the piece of metal was secured down.
Also he had 4 pop rivets, one in each corner of the piece of metal, securing the piece of metal, to the rear handle, fuel tank assembly. Bruce.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Eric Frei

I'll have to see where they are on my Stihls but from memory they are stamped in, near the inner bumper spike.

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Cut4fun

Yep.

That's why I wonder on the Huskys if there is anywhere else on the saw with the serial numbers. The tags come off and even can be switched.

MrDiesel

I know a bloke who stamps/engraves his business name and phone number on the chassis of the saw under the metal plate that goes between the bar and the chassis (near the bolts that hold the bar and cover on). I suppose its a pain to get to but it would be easily missed but any pr*ck who steals a mans tools

KiwiBro

And therein lies but one problem with that approach; theft deterrence value is nil. Additionally, how is any genuine buyer of stolen goods to know or suspect it's hot?

Now, if he had "property of ABC Woodchucks" in a prominent position AND also hidden elsewhere, he'd cover both bases wouldn't he? But would that then make it harder to sell the saw when he replaces it? If he made sure all marks, hidden and visible, were filled out/removed, then probably not and everyone is happy then.

Otherwise, with only a hidden ID, he'd have to seriously suspect a saw is one that was stolen from him AND ask the person possessing it if he could remove parts to confirm suspicions, which would be almost impossible to enforce if they chose not to comply, surely?

Also, how many second hand dealers would look in that hidden location when buying saws from the public? There is always a very plausible denial of responsibility and presumption of ignorance if the ID is only ever hidden.

kel

Hire shops use Hi Vis paint. Would take effort to remove (thieves not prone to work). Take off the starter and spray behind there. Can see it through the vents yet not detract from the beautiful white and orange color scheme. Other color schemes aren't worth protecting, are they?

Cut4fun

Sure they are.

Willard Holmen

Beautiful 3120 there Kevin.
Man I'm really getting the urge to build one now!

Willard.

glennak

I was told that Crime Converters buy all their stolen goods and store them for the required 2 weeks in the back of the shop then load up a van and move interstate and bring another load back. This way owners will not find their stuff and every one but the real owner is happy.

Drouin Tree Service

I spray can mine from new all inside the starter rope assembly and hard to get places.

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Drouin Tree Services | Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland | Landclearing Melbourne