If you store anything in climate controlled storage units, especially expensive production gear, be aware of the following security vulnerability. I just got hit for $9900 and climbing as I continue to discover smaller items that I had initially overlooked. The storage unit facility I use recently had more than 50 units’ locks cut by thieves even though it has a wraparound fence with keypad access, lot lights, security cameras and a global security system protecting each individual unit but there have never been any cameras inside the climate controlled building. I’ve had items stored there for more than 10 yrs and have never had a problem. However, over the past 2-3 yrs the facility’s security features such as few working lot lights, video system outage and oh yes, the newly discovered overall security system’s failure to notify a monitoring service or 911 directly have all gone downhill creating perfect conditions for the inevitable to finally happen. The thieves cut through the fence at the back of the lot that had absolutely no working lights to avoid the security gate to come and go as needed. They knocked two cameras off their mounts and there were so few working lot lights that the video was basically useless. So, at that point, two out of 4 security points failed with each kind of dependent on the other with the third, and most important of all, being the actual alarm system failing. Alot of us were not even notified until three days later because they said the call list was long. However, management said that once they were aware of what happened, which was within 12 to 24 hours later, that all units were secured with temporary locks. Wait until you see what the morons literally walked on and over and did not take to get to a stack of home theater components. That led to another big concern, wondering if they were going to come back to get more or the rest of my stuff since they had already seen what was in my unit but just couldn’t carry it all the first time.
I have an internal climate controlled unit because of sensitive electonics such as my home electronics & my production gear along with quite a bit of other personal items. But I don’t have to worry about the home electronics and one fairly expensive production item anymore because it’s all gone now.
The following is what I want everyone using climate controlled units to really known about. I don’t know if it’s a common design in the storage unit industry but the climate control units at the facility I use have a 1.5 ft open gap between the ceiling and the 1 ft high paneling above the rollup doors. So there’s the top of the door frame, the 1 ft of sheet metal paneling trim, the open gap, then the ceiling. This is so air can freely circulate in all the spaces. My unit is the largest size which are all located in the center of the building taking up the entire center row’s width with two long halls on the front and rear of the center row of units. This means that there is also an open gap at the rear of my unit facing the back hall. And if you have an endcap unit where the cross-halls are, there is a third open gap. These gaps allow anyone that can get only 3-4 ft off the ground to look into any unit. Any slender person could easily slip through that gap and hand items through it without setting off the door alarm. Additionally, if they couldn’t physically get in, they could easily reach in and get things stacked high and near the wall or fishpole further away lightweight items through it.
I have pictures of the internal units air circulation gaps that I may post shortly.
I was told that only 5 of around the 60 internal units’ locks were cut. Why do you think that was? Well, I think the thieves figured out they could use a step ladder or get a buddy to give them a boost to simply preview or window-shop the internal units to decide which ones were worth taking the time to cut the locks and plunder. And when they got to mine and saw all the big brand names on the boxes they probably thought Circuit City had re-opened. I had most of my home theater components stacked all together in a column on top of other items near the rear center of the unit which was very convenient for them because they didn’t have to search for it. I had a $3000 production switcher in the path to get to that stack of other items. So they scored bigtime. When I was notified, I assumed they had gotten everything, including two other video camera systems (I keep the other two with me), a jib package, ‘Steadicam’ rig, Clear-com system, 14 channel audio board, etc.. But when I got there and raised the door, to my relief and amazement, all of the production gear was still there, except the switcher. I couldn’t believe it. I was relieved for about 3 seconds until the door fully opened and I saw the big gaping hole where that stack of home theater components had been. Even though I was glad to see what was still there, I couldn’t believe that they didn’t take all that production gear in six fully loaded 1650 Pelican cases with convenient handles and wheels with big white labels in plain view that say Camera 1, Camera 2, etc., because they were all packed up and ready to go just inches behind the rollup door for easy access for me when needed. They did cut the lock on my jib electronics case and I noticed some stock and custom-made items collected over the years were missing but were later found in other open boxes after being spilled while they picked through it. The irritating part is when they sat down to see what all they got, like the video switcher and other missing personal items I have yet to discover missing, those items will be tossed because they don’t even know what they have. Bastards! I think they may have left the other production items because they didn’t immediately recognize what it was like the other stuff with brand names on the boxes and/or because they simply couldn’t carry it all in one trip. Once I cleared a path into the unit & got to some things that had been moved, overturned & scattered, that’s when I found other fragile items that they had broken and ruined by stepping all over them to get to those electronic components. The BASTARDS!
The lock that I used had a standard lock ring with a collar that extended on both sides from the body to "prevent" or discourage cutting. So much for that. That lock’s body is a gold color so it’s probably brass which is a soft metal. The thieves did not leave any of the cut locks at the scene. I was also told that most, if not all, of the locks that were cut were the traditional design like mine and not the flat disc type. I now use not one, but two of those flat disc type on my unit but that’s still no guarantee, maybe just a little harder to cut.
Because of the possibility of thieves previewing your unit’s items through open gaps or using fiber optic snaking cameras in small gaps, if you don’t have to get something frequently, I would highly recommend obscuring it under other items or with blankets. Thieves don’t like guessing wrong or taking too much time to look for things. Also, don’t leave empty boxes with brand names clearly visible because thieves don’t know they’re empty. I keep empty boxes for a while for returns or later re-sale purposes and I’m sure that excited them when they saw them because they had opened a few empty boxes on top & dumped the packing contents before getting to the good stuff underneath. Another thing that may have brought attention to my unit was that the ends of several lengths of long PVC dolly track pipe were showing in the 1.5 ft gap in top the rear of my unit visible from that back hall.
I would also highly recommend documenting all your gear items’ serial numbers, taking pictures of each piece of gear along with each and ALL of the small components of your kits. Without serial numbers, successful recovery of your items is next to none because they cannot be entered into the national stolen items or pawn shop database registries. You wouldn’t believe the small items like specialty and custom-made connectors, cables, etc that you will forget about over time until you’re on location and need it or when trying to remember all that during that time of nausea & confusion while reciting it to the police and insurance. If you don’t have your serial numbers documented, you can check items’ purchase receipts where they may be listed. I was not immediately able to access my B&H receipts but after calling them found that they had archived my gear receipts from more than 14 yrs ago! If you have to call B&H for serial numbers, be sure to ask for the customer service / billing department, then mention the deep archive. I initially spoke to a person in the video department and he assured me that receipts that far back could not be accessed and I almost accepted that. But I tried customer service / billing anyway and someone that also wasn’t sure made a little extra effort was able to successfully find my older receipts and get my serial numbers. They then sent me a copy of ALL of my receipts since the beginning in PDF files.
If anybody else has any more experiences with gear theft such as shady underground stolen gear websites other than Craig’s List, Ebay, Amazon, etc. to look for it, recovery and security advice, please share it. Thanks.
Ran out of space. See part two below.