What a DJ/Producer Should Do in Case of Theft

For a DJ or producer who has spent blood, sweat and tears to have enough money to purchase equipment and other items needed for their music, theft of such equipment can be a hard loss to bear. The fact that it can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone should be a cause for great concern. Of course being alert at all times is helpful in preventing such incidences, but it does not hurt to know what steps to take if the worst does happen.

Precautionary Measures

Secure your gear

The first rule in preventing theft is to be smart in securing your gear. This means more than locking the doors and windows in the house. Some suggestions:

• Buy locks. Many of the DJ and computer gear in the market have provisions for Kensington lock ports on the back of them. This lets you lock your gear to a harder-to-steal object like your desk.
• Make sure that only those you trust really well are aware of your DJ gear in your house or studio.
• Hide your small items well. Anything inconspicuous will be less prone to the eyes of any thief.
• Do NOT leave your gear parked in a car or van that can be easily broken into. This is one of the biggest mistake we have seen with touring DJs who are in a foreign country or city and simply do not think that eyes are constantly watching and leaving their gear unattended in a vehicle on a random street is akin to asking thiefs to just have at it and take what they want.

Get renter’s or home owner’s insurance

image by Atlanta Area Property and Management

Having renter’s or home owner’s insurance provides coverage for any of stolen items in your house or apartment. This is more than worth it for many reason, and with prices starting at $10 a month it should be a no-brainer for any musician who owns expensive gear of any kind. Even if you never have to take advantage of it it’s worth having the peace of mind knowing that your gear is covered should you ever leave on vacation or be absent from your place of residence for any extended period of time.

Professional thieves are smart, they do their homework and study when you will not be home and can strike on any given night you happen to sleep elsewhere. Having insurance puts your mind at ease in case of anything happening to your belongings, not even just theft!

Here’s a tip: if you manage to make a claim for your gear if it gets stolen, make sure you have the following documentation ready:

• Photo with you and the gear
• Photo of the gear in your space
• Original Receipt of the gear that proves what you paid.
• A police report listing the same items as stolen

Document your gear accordingly

It is important that you have adequate documentation of all your gear. Take the following steps:

• Photograph you gear.
• Make a list of serial numbers for both software and hardware. The police will want serial numbers on all of your physical gear so they can get it back to you if it’s recovered. Having software serials written down will allow you to reactivate them on your new machine.
• Photograph the receipts: This will allow you to quickly provide your insurance agent with an estimated value

Install a tracking app for your gear (if available)

image by Top Tracking Apps

There’s a service called Prey that you can install on computers and smart devices that allows you to track a device after it has been stolen, see where it’s being used, and even take photos of the person using it. It works the same way as Apple’s “Find my____” apps do and is also available for free so it’s worth checking out.

Back up everything

If you’ve got a large library of songs and playlists, back them up. We understand that unfortunate incidents occur, that people are shitty and will steal your stuff even when it’s not your fault but it’s on you to back up all your files, all your music, all your work-in-progress tracks, etc.

It’s hard to find sympathy for any producer who complains that their laptop or USB stick was stolen yet has failed to back up all the projects that were saved on it. Ideally, backing up files should be done everyday, but it can sometimes be unrealistic to do so. Instead, find a backup day and regular process that works for you and commit to it.

In Case of Theft

We’ve talked about what to do as a precaution, but what about when the theft has unfortunately happened? First off – don’t panic. Make sure you feel safe before you do anything else.

Call the cops

Yes, it’s a no-brainer, but there’s no way around it. Even if you live in a really dangerous place where they won’t come for hours. While odds are pretty good they won’t be dusting for fingerprints, it is important you call the cops and get an official report of the theft as this will be useful to you in finding your stolen property and filing insurance claims. While you wait for them to show up:

• Photograph the scene of the crime
• See if you can figure out everything that is missing and make a list
• Ask your neighbors if they saw anything

When the cops show up (if at all – if not, you often can open a police report online in major cities or head to a police station), give them your list of everything that was stolen, include serial numbers. Make sure you get a police report from them – or at least a case number. Bear in mind that the cops likely won’t solve this situation right away – but filing a report is important for insurance purposes.

Call your insurance agent

If you availed yourself of renter’s or owner’s insurance as mentioned earlier, this is where it will pay off. They’ll ask for a complete description of what happened, what was stolen, and they will want photos and serial numbers as well.

The process often takes some time, but insurance agents are often very good about investigating what the cost of replacing your stolen items is so be patient, provide all the information and check back regularly. Take note that the timeframe for processing the claim is different for every policy and/or agency.

Check Craigslist and pawn shops

image by ArsTechnica

If your police department is good or doesn’t have a lot more serious stuff to deal with, they’ll do this for you. If they won’t be able to, keep your eye out on Craigslist or other similar sites for your stuff. If you see it, you can try to arrange a meeting with the person selling it and then call the cops and get them to come with you to reclaim your items.

Pawn shops are also another good place to search. They are actually required in most places to keep a log of detailed information of the people selling things to them – so it’s worth visiting or calling and asking about your items.

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Lastly, always keep your safety as your number one concern. Don’t go overboard as you try to take your stuff back and let the authorities do their job. While we understand that it’s upsetting to have valuable hardware, musical instruments and other personal property stolen, your safety and wellbeing always comes first.

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