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Stop Equipment Theft

Members of the ISP-Wireless list discuss a new problem in the Wi-Fi world—as the equipment becomes more common, it becomes currency that can be stolen and sold.

[October 16, 2001]

On the ISP-Wireless list in September, DB noted,

"We had a repeater with two solar cells on it. Last week a thief stole one solar cell and cut the cables, then yesterday they broke into the server room and stole all the batteries and the solar cell on the tower. Any suggestions on how to keep thieves at bay?"

A number of respondents suggested that a well-worded sign could do the trick:

[MC offered] "Place placards on the outside saying, 'Danger: Radiation Inside.' That keeps most people out."

[WL added] "The best sign I have ever seen is 'Warning—Extreme Danger—Shotgun Booby Trap.'

[BB recalled] "I once saw a remote site with a big sign on the door that went something like this: 'DANGER: Keep Out. 1,000,000,000 OHMS.' I think it also had a skull and crossbones on it. As far as I know, no one bothered the equipment inside. Maybe they were afraid of being ohmed to death?"

Others advised adding a camera, real or not, to the mix:

[LY offered] "A camera might be good for catching the license number, or the make and model of the car."

[PF added] "Motion detection is your friend. Even if they smash the camera, you still have their images stored offsite. And your insurance should offer a discount for 'live' monitoring."

[RK noted] "Even fake cameras would help."

[JD agreed] "Put fake cameras at the site, but put a camera a hundred feet away or so in a tree, in something that looks like a birdhouse, facing the door."

Still others suggested some more complex solutions, within reason:

[JH laughed] "Welcome to the wonderful world of remote sites! Seriously, you need to make it hard enough to not be worth the trouble—do put up a camera and a large sign indicating that the site is under 24-hour surveillance and is recorded offsite. On the last remote installation we did, we used a surplus military truck body, then put anti-climb plates on the tower up the first 10 feet (you can purchase sections from Rohn with the plates already welded on). You could also put an alarm system on the building; use the alarm with voice synth that announces they have violated a protected area. And if you can afford it, poured concrete with lots of rebar is the best way to build the building, including the roof."

[BM added] "I recommend placing the loudest siren you can get in the building. Place it in an enclosure where it would require a lot of work to disarm it, and make it so freakin' loud that they can't stay in the room. Used police sirens, large power supplies, and several 100-watt speakers should do it."

[MC noted] "This is a good idea. Be careful not to exceed OSHA levels, though, or they can sue you."

[RB agreed] "Whatever you do, no matter how deviously fun it may sound, don't do any 'booby-trap' kinds of things that might injure the jackass that is doing this. To the courts, indiscriminately injuring anyone will get you jailed, sued, or probably both."

—End