Tips to Tackle Theft and Property Loss

Theft and loss can happen anywhere, but these tips make it less likely.

The Taney County Sheriff's Office took to Facebook to raise awareness and call citizens to action. The action the department advocates for is called "marking." It's the most effective way to guard against losing belongings.

"The single best protection against theft loss is to mark every piece of property you own as yours. Deterrent value is inherent in marking. Recording the serial numbers and other identifiers during the marking process helps ensure that you can positively identify your property if it is taken and subsequently recovered, or that you can prove ownership if there is some question," the post states.

Another benefit of the method of marking is that it's easily done. The department's post explains that most items are markable. There are a few ways to do it. Some of those ways include the following:

1. Engraving is one way
2. Scratching using a diamond stylus
3. Using an indelible pen
4. Etching items with a chemical solution
5. Painting marks on items

The local sheriff's office also recommended keeping an inventory, but it should not sit in or with the items. An inventory will help in the case of lost or stolen property with the filing of a police report or an insurance claim.