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BREAK-IN & THEFT!

Mark your property with

MicroDOTS

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SCHOOLS

General Summary

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The Audit Result Report by Ministerial Portfolios is tabled in Parliament annually by the Auditor General and highlights the overall standard of asset management and control in the public sector.

 

In the past, this report has highlighted an unacceptable level of lost or stolen property across the Public Sector and in particular, within the public education system.  It is thought the problem is at least as significant within the private education system, although those figures are not generally available for public digestion. 

 

Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the senior executive officers to ensure that appropriate loss prevention measures are in place to minimise the risk of loss, theft or damage of property under the control of their facility, including portable equipment such as laptop computers, digital projectors, maintenance & sporting equipment and mobile phones. 

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As a minimum, mechanisms for the management and control of property should include:

  • Reconciling acquisitions, movements and disposals of property

  • Undertaking periodic stock takes; 

  • Following up on discrepancies; and

  • Providing clear policies and procedures to employees to manage and control property.

 

In addition to these minimum requirements above, a more comprehensive approach to loss prevention would involve facilities adopting a market reduction approach[1] to reduce the theft, loss or damage to property. A key element of this approach is property marking.

 

Property marking has long been recognised as a crucial measure in discouraging and detecting crime and should therefore be considered when adopting a comprehensive loss prevention strategy within educational facilities.  MicroDOTS provide the simplest practical method of property marking available. 

 

Property marking, associated signage and public education act to reduce the attractiveness of assets to thieves by making them identifiable after the event.  Many MicroDOTS can be applied to any item, meaning detection & removal is virtually impossible.  Therefore, items marked with MicroDOTS become high-risk targets to a thief that are best left alone. 

 

It is recommended that this approach be undertaken across any educational facility subject to potential theft, thereby discouraging the theft of valuable property and significantly reducing the risk of security breaches at education sites.

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[1]     Australian Institute of Criminology. The market reduction approach to reducing property crime.  AICrime Reduction Matters No. 32. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology

MicroDOTS

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Leading-edge MicroDOTS employ a metal substrate, which is electrically etched with a unique identifying code and cannot lose any information as a result of sunlight, high temperatures or usage time.  It is a very robust product and has significant advantages over older microdot technology, which typically uses a plastic substrate that is subject to destruction in sunlight and/or high temperatures, heavy degradation over usage time and de-lamination within its own adhesive after 6 or more months.  None of these issues exist with MicroDOTS.

 

MicroDOTS can range in size from 0.3mm to 3.0mm and can be packaged to mark items via a rapid application pressure-pak spray, very simply from a “brush-wand” applicator, or manually from a plastic jar.  Each MicroDOT contains a hologram, which is impossible to replicate (see image below).  In addition, each MicroDOT in a pack contains a chemically-etched unique PIN, which is subsequently registered against the owner of the marked property.  Warning labels and item stickers are included in MicroDOT Kits as overt announcements to a would-be thief that items are marked for Police identification.

 

MicroDOTS are simply a modern and very simple way to “engrave” property.  MicroDOTS are very easy to apply and then extremely difficult to detect and remove.  Items of all shapes and sizes can be marked with MicroDOTS in just a few seconds.  Used with warning labels and item stickers, MicroDOTS provide a very effective “hardening” layer of security for valuable property of any kind.

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The MicroDOT Theft Deterrent Model for Schools

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MicroDOT Dispensers

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MicroDOT identification kits are provided with a “brush-wand”, small plastic jar, and/or a can of propellant, each dispenser including the unique identifying MicroDOTS inside.  This identifying code on the MicroDOTS can be generic or can be produced with a holographic Company logo as the MicroDOT background.

 

MicroDOT identification kits, can be enhanced with the addition of supporting signage, warning labels & item stickers.  These supporting items provide overt announcements to would-be thieves that property is marked for Police identification.

 

Standard kits are provided with product support materials, such as Application & Registration Instructions.

MicroDOT identification kits provide a very fast, mobile and easy way to deliver identification to virtually any item that may be a target of theft.  They are most commonly used where there are items of value to be marked for identification as a primary loss prevention strategy.  Some items commonly marked are Laptops, PC’s, flat screens, digital projectors, whitegoods, and other office equipment & business assets.  Equally, the kits are also very useful for marking metal assets (particularly copper items), tools, plant, equipment, machinery & materials.  In fact, a MicroDOT solution can be effective in virtually any circumstance where there are items of real or intrinsic value that may be a target of theft.

Usage Summary - Schools

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  • Laptops

  • iPads

  • Digital Projectors

  • Televisions

  • Cameras

  • Other computer equipment

  • Scientific equipment

  • Sporting equipment

  • Trophies

  • Memorabilia

  • Artworks

  • Air-conditioning Units

  • Plant

  • Maintenance equipment

  • Machinery

  • Tools

  • Student School Assets

    • Laptops

    • iPads

    • Personal Scientific Equipment

    • MP3 Players

    • Mobile Phones​

    • Bicycles

  • Student Accommodation Assets

    • Computer Equipment

    • TV’s

    • AV equipment

    • Other Personal Assets

  • Staff & Parents Private Assets

    • Home Contents

    • Cars

    • Motorcycles

    • Boats

    • Jet Ski's

    • Bicycles​

​Benefits

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  • Mark (overtly and/or covertly) school assets with unique identification.  With associated warning signage & labeling, this provides a unique “hardening” layer of security for each item. 

  • Announce clearly to would-be thieves, staff, students, suppliers, associates, parents and the community at large that all items of value are marked for Police identification.

  • Full commitment to the MicroDOT solution will significantly increase the risks involved to a would-be thief, in stealing any items of value.

  • Higher risk of theft and lower returns (in cash and/or drugs) for identifiable stolen property, will significantly reduce possibility of future theft.

  • Less theft typically results in direct reductions in damage & vandalism to classrooms caused as a direct result of theft.

  • Lower theft rates mean significantly reduced interruptions to school programmes.

  • Lower theft means far less imposts on staff caused as a result of theft and less disruption to School services.

  • Reductions in breaches of premises, damage & subsequent theft, has a very positive impact upon staff's and student's feelings of safety and well-being. 

  • Ability to identify stolen items improves the potential for return of those items when found.

  • Identification of stolen items enables Police to upgrade charges against criminals caught with stolen property.

  • Identification of stolen items will improve conviction rate of criminals perpetrating theft.

  • Improved catch & conviction rate of criminals, is a significant disincentive for future occurrences of theft.

  • Reduced theft and lower costs for replacement of stolen assets, has an immediate impact upon available school funds.

MicroDOTS

Protect the Lot!

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