Security for tool boxes

[Goose]

I had a break in, and a large portion of my Snap-on collection was stolen. Insurance did pay for "replacement value" minus "deductible" minus "depreciation." Makes me think that "Full Replacement Value" is just a sales tactic.

I upgraded to a double bank Snap-On box. Now I realize that it is now easier to roll this box away with ALL of the contents.

Has anyone worked out a good way to secure a box to concrete?

 

[russlaferrera]

Put padlocks on the front wheels. Drill a 3/8 hole and install the lock Install a motion sensor in the box.

Even if it is bolted into the concrete , if they want it they will get it.

 

[Bevis]

mousetrap, nail, 00 buck, fishing line.....

 

[the_duke]

why not take the wheels off?

 

[comp]

*****,,, if they want it bad enough they will brake about anything

 

[Junkman]

I had a break in, and a large portion of my Snap-on collection was stolen. Insurance did pay for "replacement value" minus "deductible" minus "depreciation." Makes me think that "Full Replacement Value" is just a sales tactic.

I upgraded to a double bank Snap-On box. Now I realize that it is now easier to roll this box away with ALL of the contents.

Has anyone worked out a good way to secure a box to concrete?

I don't have any first hand experience, but a friend of mine had his tools stolen, and his insurance company tried the same thing. In the end, they paid the full replacement value, since he got the local Snap-On guy involved, and I believe that the Corporate guys went to bat for him. It has to do with the full lifetime replacement tool warranty. Since they will replace a tool no matter how old it is, then the old tool is just as good as a new tool. They can hold you to the deductible, but there should be no depreciation. If you have already signed the release, then you are out of luck, but if you haven't, then get your SO guy involved.

 

[bluesman2a]

I had the same issue when I had a rash of break-ins. Not sure how your ins company does it, but mine did the depreciation bit, on the first check but told me all I had to do was submit the reciepts on the new purchases to get the FULL value back.

HTH.

 

[MXtras]

Look into the DeWalt security pod thingy. It looks like a pretty cool product.

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=9119

No personal, first hand experience with this but it looks like it could fit the bill.

Scott

 

[Will67]

MXtras, thanks for the hat-tip to the Dewalt http://www.dewalt.com/us/security/mobilelock/

Mobile lock system. The mind reels at what one could do when getting a call that ___ is being broken into. IF i had a back-hoe a firearm and a few hundred acres the theif might just dissapear.

This looks like a lojack system but for use on anything,

 

[kbs2244]

The DeWalt thing is nothing new. Just the old "LoJack" idea applied to a different market.
The problem is it depends on two things. The bad guys do not see the pod and chuck it, and they do not park under a metal roof.
GPS signals will not go through a metal roof.
I rent cars with GPS tracking systems in them all the time. It is soposd to be there for the navigation system. But since I know where I am going, and do not want to be tracked for speeding or going out of state, my first stop is at a dollar store for some pie plates. I just put them over the attenena on the back shelf. Bingo! I am invisible.
My suggestions?
First, good insurance
Second, Visible security. (Cammeras, real or not.)
Third. Good locks.
Forth. Loud dogs.

 

[Brad54]

Pull out the bottom drawer, and drill a 1/2-inch hole in the bottom of the box. Put a big honking eye bolt in it.

Drill a hole in the concrete floor under where you want to put the box. I'm guess you don't need it to be portable.

Get the heaviest chain you can find, run it through the eye bolt, and bolt it to the hole in the floor with a lag bolt.

Take a grinder and round off the flats on the lag bolt, so it can not be simply unscrewed.

Theives like to work fast...I don't believe they will spend 45 minutes trying to cut through a chain with a hack saw, or even looking to see if they can find air tools or a bolt cutter.

I could be wrong, but I like the thought of making them work for it.

-Brad

 

[Ign]

I'm with Brad54; I don't see why this is rocket science. Some concrete anchors and chain are about as good as you're gonna get. I think you're gonna have to put some holes in your box no matter how you approach it.

I also agree that while high-tech solutions are neato, you're best to just go for brute strength (big chain) and hope to slow or discourage the thieves.

Beyond that kill the power to your shop and padlock the breaker box; a 4.5" angle grinder and a cut-off disc will go thru any chain or anchor in well under a minute. For bonus points lock up the O/A torch, too.

 

[rsanter]

did they depreciate because you got a cash settelment. when my stuff was stolen they did the depreciation and then gave the depreciation back to me when I proved (with recipt) that I replaced the items.
the easiest parts was the snap on stuff. I recieved boxes of replacement tools delivered to my doorstep. showed up paid in full no depreciation. some of the mac and matco stuff I 'allowed' them to replace with snap on because it was easier for them to deal with. they had some kind of deal struck with snap on for an insurance replacement discount (or something like that),they even asked the name of my snap on dealer so they can give him credit for the sale.

bob

 

[jay50]

Mean, blood thirsty dog, locked in building.
SW357 homeowner policy for those stupid enough to go into building when I am home.

 

[Franz©]

It is entirely possible to install a siren driver and speaker into a roll around along with a battery & mercury switch.

Said install will cause an entire dealership to want to kill the mechanic who is on vacation where he can't be reached because the battery will drive the siren for 13 hours.
It also pisses off the netire neighborhood when the box is pushed outside the service bay door.

Dealers are entirely too stupid to read the alarm company sticker on the box and make a phone call.

 

[Deafautotech]

Said install will cause an entire dealership to want to kill the mechanic who is on vacation where he can't be reached because the battery will drive the siren for 13 hours.

oh no, i am going to have vacation on December 28 to january 4, 2008 as i am working for chrysler dealership.... but i dont have siren system on my snap on boxes....

 

[Danglerb]

In a garage setting I can't picture any level of practical bolting down that couldn't be broken in a few minutes with available tools. Guy my parents knew welded his toolbox to his truck, so they stole his truck.

 

[Willy Victor]

If anything tools appreciate, they don't depreciate. Insurance companies are a crock.


Willy

 

[mhoffm911]

Willy,

As a USPAP certified personal property appraiser, I can tell you that virtually everything depreciates over time and use. While there are some items that become "collectible" and have higher value than when they were made, most items are valued less.

Of course that's why I like selling tools at auction, because you just NEVER know what is going to happen - sometimes they go through the roof.

 

[Blkvoodoo]

Don't fool yourself into thinking your high dollar tool box isn't able to be broken into.

I thought this ( was the reason I bought a high dollar box to begin with ) and I was WAY wrong, they pried the drawers open ( box was locked) all 15 of them, used tools from a co-workers UNLOCKED box to pry mine open.

I lost $4500 worth of tools 2 years ago, just before Christmas, I was eligeble for the company tool insurance the following Friday, I had gotten the inventory sheet and info the night before. So, I got screwed HARD both ways.

DO NOT leave any tool bags, or totes anywhere near, I had a bag I used to tote stuff to and from the house, they used that and my jacket I had left as well as the other guys sports duffle he left to haul our stuff outta the shop. together we lost about $10k worth of stuff.
They cherry picked us, took all the Snappy, Matco, MAC, ******** stuff, left off brand and Craftsman ( full sets of wrenches in racks, and they left them) Got all the air tools and electronic diag stuff and a lot of my specialty fastener tools.

Honestly, the only way you may have a chance is to build a cage around the box that they have to cut thru first. If they really have to work for it, they'll move on to easier pickins.