Has anyone every tried using "Data-Tag" - it's a product normally associated with motorcycles and theft prevention.

With it's contents it can etch metal, plastic and glass; plus it has electronic senders that can be scanned.

So you could easily deep-etch the headlights to identify them.

Dave
 
We can etch glass or plastic using our blasting cabinet if anyone can find suitable stencils. I hate thieves so much (I'm a motorcyclist) I do bloody well do it for free if people masked up their own lights. It would only take a minute or two.
 
I think that this has kind of made me paranoid!

I was out in the tank yesterday, and got followed by a 3 door D1. He was going a different way and then started following me, I know this because I took a detour and if you know the area/follow a satnav then you have no reason whatsoever to go this route, so I took a LONG route home and he followed me for quite a while! I doubled back on myself twice.

Now, for all I know he was just jealous of my superior D2.... but it was strange.

I'm now going to put 12 inch wood screws through the lights/fit light guards and straps! I don't want to buy new headlights, it's one of the few things on the tank I'm happy with and don't want to change!!! :eek:
 
hoylandy said:
Just had my headlights nicked..cost £775 to have them replaced!!!!.apparently..Guy Salmon Land Rover dealership in Sheffield had six Brand new Discos done in one night...Reason....they are used and perfect for growing Cannabis quickly!!!. so why would druggies pay a fortune for "High power grow lights" with huge eleccy bills when they can nick 12v disco lights:rolleyes::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes, I had this confirmed recently in a conversation with a Scenes of Crime officer.
He specifically mentioned Disco headlights and cannabis farms; it's not just that they help plants grow quickly, but that they also run a lot cooler than 500watt halogens, so thermal imaging from a police force helicopter is less likely to spot a farm.
I guess marking them up would still assist the police in any drug prosecutions as well.
 
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From what I've read, marking the lights with whatever method, etching, DataTag, etc. is not really going to help, unless the lights are going to be used on the road again, and even then only if the police are aware that the device has been so marked; they aren't going to sit down and scan dozens, possibly hundreds of devices in the vain hope that they might find one which has been marked.

In many cases, even if the headlights are recovered, they will have been damaged getting them out of the vehicle and then probably further damaged when they were being modified for their new use, so much so as to be virtually useless. Also, replacement lights will have been sourced and fitted long before the old units are recovered.

Marking and other security measures are only going to make the opportunist think again and possibly go elsewhere, it won't stop the determined villain.
 
I agree marking things doesn't mean you will get it back but it does put some traceability on what's nicked for the future. Scratching yer registration into the back big enough to see is free and may stand out if it's used in a plant factory when the police find it, or if they try to sell it on as a 2nd hand part. Plastic covers/parts can be replaced but it's the only form of traceability you have when it's nicked. A few minutes with a sharp screw driver may get the thief nicked for handling stolen goods at a later date.
 
Hello all. I am coming back to UK for the festive season from France. As I don't consider the people who are stealing these head lights to have a brain bigger than an amoeba. Once they realise that my lights are for continental use and not the correct side of the road, the damage will be done.
I called the above company for a set of the bars but they were out of stock. Does anyone know of anyone else making the same sort of things please?
 
Feathers McGraw said:
I still park up to walls or hedges whenever I can though.
Click to expand...
I think that parking like that is a very good idea.
Today I'll be fitting these 20151222_094401.jpg as I arrived in the UK late last night, first thing to do once it's stopped raining.
 
20151223_101918.jpg

All fitted. I must say that the kit as a whole has made me a lot happier for the lights safety. They might not stop a very determined thief but saying that by the time they had the lights out, the lights would be so damaged they'd be unsaleable. To be fair as well they are sold as a theft deterrent and not anti theft. I know that wouldn't be of any use to the person who'd had the lights stolen.
All done at the side of the road with basic tools. I did say in an earlier post that they may be a bit expensive, having bought and fitted them, in my opinion they are priced correctly.
Thanks for the link feathers McGraw.
 
Daveblu said:
Like some of the other forum members, I too have had my D2 Facelift lights stolen, at considerable expense, I opted not too go through insurance and replaced them myself to the tune of £450 all in, I know this topic has been covered several times and like the advice given I would not succumb to purchasing broken clip lights off eBay, I purchased shiny new ones.
I also discovered that the other bits , trim finishers and Top covers are relatively cheaper than the overpriced stuff offered there, Stratstones sorted the trim finishers XBQ000080/90 at £13.41 and top covers DHH000120LML/130LML at £10.93 each.
Blindly going onto eBay believing that a great bargain is going to achieved is foolish, some of the sellers are not that much different to the thieving scum that steal headlights.
I hope I don't go through this exercise again as it has caused considerable stress and disruption.
Click to expand...
sorry to hear this I am thinking of doing my discovery 1 in these nice lights as i think it will improve visability etc, where did you find all the parts cheaper than ebay???
thanks,
 
Well I had always fancied fitting FL lights to my D2, but think I will give it a miss seeing how easy they are stolen! Plus I wouldn't wish to line the pockets of a thief (eBay seller or LR dealer!)
 
It's all very well to etch things with your number, but how many times will a scrote using your stolen lights for a cannabis farm invite the constabulary around to see if their lighting system is legal? in short you may get your lights back (damaged) eventually. but it will not help your insurance, and best yet, they may ask you to py then for the return of your lights, or worst still, hold them and if it happens again not let you have your own lights back as a replacement
 
Muppetdaze said:
It's all very well to etch things with your number, but how many times will a scrote using your stolen lights for a cannabis farm invite the constabulary around to see if their lighting system is legal? in short you may get your lights back (damaged) eventually. but it will not help your insurance, and best yet, they may ask you to py then for the return of your lights, or worst still, hold them and if it happens again not let you have your own lights back as a replacement
Click to expand...
I disagree. Etch them and yer might get them back. Anyone thinking they're only stolen to grow plants is mad. They're also stolen/bought by other LR owners to fit on their vehicles. If it's etched or marked they won't be as easy to sell. Especially if the mark is visible on the outside with bonnet shut. Like on the glass. If insurance do pay out after theft (or lost when they fall oft when wet) and they're found at a later date, they will more likely either bin them or pass them to dealers who sell stuff on for them. Like a scrappy. Even written oft cars have a value. Not all panels/lights etc will have been damaged on every car. They have ways of making money out of what they can. If it's marked there's a chance someone will get caught if registered stolen. Your choice.
 
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