Anti-theft devices

[jaco94]

Alarm system :
Operational

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

At the Lynden Sculpture Garden, there are no "walls" separating the bonsai collection from the rest of the park. But the entire park is fenced and there are cameras and motion detectors located at strategic locations, and buildings have additional alarms.

As an additional security, and to slow the merely curious. When the trees are repotted, washers and a 3 inch long bolt is fed through one of the drain holes of the pot. The washers keep the head of the bolt from dropping through the drain hole. When the pot is set on the display bench the bolt is long enough to go all the way through the space in the slats of the shelf or bench. Then a nut with washers is threaded onto the bolt underneath the pot and tightened to a gentle, just barely snug. This way, if a curious spectator attempts to pick up the tree, it is pretty much imobile, held in place on the shelf. It is not a fool proof system, but especially for medium size and smaller trees, it prevents casual observers and amateur thieves from being able to pick up a tree and pocket it. It is inconvenient for the caretakers, because you have to unscrew the nut in order to lift the tree for inspection or to rotate the tree or otherwise change the tree's location in the display area. But it is a deterrent.

Again. Majority of the theft of higher end bonsai is NOT teenage delinquents. Rather the theft is usually by someone who is into the hobby, most likely was known to the victim. And likely had been given a tour of the victim's bonsai collection at one time or another preceding the theft. Being really public with your home collection, inviting very casual acquaintances who you do not know well, to visit your collection is questionable wisdom. In addition, don't brag about the value of specific trees, and be vague or don't point out which trees are the oldest for people you do not know well. Bring your trees for display to public venues, rather than have the public come to you.

Its a shame to have to be distrustful of people, but at least a little caution goes a long way.

 

[Cajunrider]

At the Lynden Sculpture Garden, there are no "walls" separating the bonsai collection from the rest of the park. But the entire park is fenced and there are cameras and motion detectors located at strategic locations, and buildings have additional alarms.

As an additional security, and to slow the merely curious. When the trees are repotted, washers and a 3 inch long bolt is fed through one of the drain holes of the pot. The washers keep the head of the bolt from dropping through the drain hole. When the pot is set on the display bench the bolt is long enough to go all the way through the space in the slats of the shelf or bench. Then a nut with washers is threaded onto the bolt underneath the pot and tightened to a gentle, just barely snug. This way, if a curious spectator attempts to pick up the tree, it is pretty much imobile, held in place on the shelf. It is not a fool proof system, but especially for medium size and smaller trees, it prevents casual observers and amateur thieves from being able to pick up a tree and pocket it. It is inconvenient for the caretakers, because you have to unscrew the nut in order to lift the tree for inspection or to rotate the tree or otherwise change the tree's location in the display area. But it is a deterrent.

Again. Majority of the theft of higher end bonsai is NOT teenage delinquents. Rather the theft is usually by someone who is into the hobby, most likely was known to the victim. And likely had been given a tour of the victim's bonsai collection at one time or another preceding the theft. Being really public with your home collection, inviting very casual acquaintances who you do not know well, to visit your collection is questionable wisdom. In addition, don't brag about the value of specific trees, and be vague or don't point out which trees are the oldest for people you do not know well. Bring your trees for display to public venues, rather than have the public come to you.

Its a shame to have to be distrustful of people, but at least a little caution goes a long way.

If Batman goes missing, I know who has a hernia. @namnhi