Theft of costly portable possessions, such as new high-tech golf clubs with titanium heads and graphite shafts, is increasing at an alarming rate. For example, the theft of titanium golf clubs from golf equipment shops is so frequent that titanium golf clubs are locked up independently of the other equipment in the store. To substantiate this fact are the numerous news stories depicting golf shop burglaries in which only the titanium or other exotic golf clubs have been stolen.
Many golf club manufacturers register golf clubs at the factory, and track the golf clubs by manual systems that are proprietary to the manufacturer. Typically this method requires the eventual owner of the clubs to fill out and send in a registration form and/or questionnaire. Because this manual tracking method is usually entirely dependent on the golf club owner, it is not always reliable.
Handguns present a similar tracking problem. Even though gun stores are traditionally more secure than golf shops, theft from guns stores is still a common occurrence. Probably even more common is the theft of firearms during house burglaries. All modern guns are stamped with a unique serial number by the manufacturer. For any gun sold at a gun shop, the serial number of the gun and name of the purchaser must be recorded in a database. However, when a gun is stolen, the serial number of the stolen handgun can be modified or ground off the gun. Once this occurs, future identification of the gun is almost impossible.
The art known to the inventor of this device is unsophisticated. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,781 to Mattern, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,942,122 to Reach, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,830,936 to Faith all teach using an end-cap or similar device attached to the grip end of the golf club for identification, ornamentation, or protection. None of these inventions uses hidden instrumentality or electronic transmitters for identification or tracking purposes. This type of system does not provide a means for tracking the object after purchase.
However, there are many products that are protected by electronic security systems. For instance, it is well known to provide security systems in commercial environments, such as retail establishments, libraries, and motor vehicles. For example, in retail establishments, retail items that are easily stolen are often times “tagged” with a magnetic element. If someone tries to remove the “tagged” item from the premise an alarm will sound. The only way to prevent the alarm from sounding is to remove or demagnetize the tag at the check-out station.
As mentioned above, often times manufacturers stamp or etch serial numbers on products such as golf clubs, guns, computers, stereos, personal water craft, boats and other valuable products that can be easily stolen. To circumvent someone from grinding off the serial number, such an identifying mark is often placed in a location that is hidden from casual observation. This is common practice on automobile components to serve as a deterrent in the trafficking of stolen car parts. However, it is still possible for someone to find and alter or remove the manufacturer's serial number, thus making ownership of the component hard to determine and almost impossible to track.
None of the prior art that the inventor is aware of provides for a method that not only helps determine ownership of a product, but also provides for the capability of determining when and where a product was used. A product of this type could be very beneficial in products such as golf clubs, handguns, airbags, personal watercraft, boats, computers and camcorders. It would therefore be possible for the owner or manufacturer to know when or where the product was used.
Therefore, a need exists for an anti-theft device to either locate stolen possessions or track portable possessions, such as golf clubs, handguns airbags, personal watercraft, boats computers and camcorders. The device of the invention would also be able to provide and record in a database useful information about the portable possessions, such as the name of the owner, date of purchase, where they have been, or other information deemed appropriate.