Welcome to the
Taking a bite out of studio crime…

It's simply a matter of percentages:
The growth in the number of music, post production, project and other types of recording facilities in recent years has also led to a concomitant increase in the amount of crime these facilities experience. The Mix Online Stolen Equipment Registry is intended to help counter that trend by providing an on-line, constantly updated database of reports that itemizes any pro audio equipment stolen from studios throughout the U.S., including the location of the thefts, and the make, model and serial number of the items taken, and whom to contact in the event that you locate any items.

However, this is more than just a listing. The Registry is a way that we as an industry and as a community can strike back at crime and enhance our own security. Ever heard the phrase "organized crime"? Well, they may not have monthly magazines or websites, but some of the criminals who prey on studios do apparently have a kind of communications system; studios that have been hit once are more likely to be hit again unless they take immediate action to prevent further thefts, and seemingly isolated events can quickly become regional problems. For instance, as reported in Mix, three years ago a ring of thieves had targeted music studios on Long Island, hitting several and making off with expensive microphones. And equipment theft opened the door to a string of much more violent studio crimes, including armed robbery, in the Los Angeles area around the same time.

This Registry will allow the studio community to spot such patterns quickly, giving studio owners a heads-up to take preventative measures. In addition, the Registry will facilitate the speedy identification and recovery of stolen items.

The sale of used equipment has proliferated in the age of the Internet; now prospective buyers of gear can check right here before they purchase equipment from an unknown seller on line. Furthermore, the Registry will also be periodically updated with tips from law enforcement, security and insurance specialists who will provide useful information about how to further crime-proof your facility and equipment.

The way the Mix Online Stolen Equipment Registry works is simple:
if you or your facility has equipment stolen whose value is in excess of $250 (the usual deductible on most insurance policies), click on the link below to Report a Theft. Fill out the form, and after your information has been confirmed by a phone call from our website maintenance department, your information will be posted . The listings will remain there until the items have been reported recovered or otherwise disposed of. (Postings will need to be renewed every six months.)

Please note: no item can be listed unless the theft has been properly reported to a police agency. Also, we cannot list equipment that might have become the subject of acrimonious partnership dissolutions or other similar disputes.

The success of the Mix Online Stolen Equipment Registry depends largely upon the willingness of the studio community to properly report property crimes. There is no stigma attached to this. Crime can happen to all of us and it does happen to the best of us. By not reporting thefts, you're compounding the harm done. Together, we can take a bite out of studio crime.

-- Dan Daley

Learn more about studio security in our Security Newsletter

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