The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Scratched off serial numbers? Why?

16 visible archived posts · 16 preserved total · topic ID 1250

Edri 02 Apr 2006

Why would someone scratch off the serial numbers on handcuffs, unless they are stolen from some police department somewhere?

Edri

JDB1979 02 Apr 2006

Even then there is no central data base for cuffs like there is for firearms. The SN, unless stolen from a friend would not be able to be traced to anyone or anywhere. And not that many people keep a log of the SN on the items they own, even handcuffs. SO youre right it don't make since. If someone came in to my P.D. and reported a stolen pair of handcuffs I'll fill out a report then throw it in a desk, what else can you do??

James Brown

Mike 02 Apr 2006

In the UK the Home Office require that serial numbers and other identifying marks (eg officers' collar numbers) are removed from equipment which is disposed of. I don't know why, maybe to prevent handcuffs worn by particularly notorious criminals being identified.

I would expect a manufacturer to have a record of to whom each pair of handcuffs was shipped, and a police force to record the serial numbers of equipment issued to individual officers. This information would be useful in the event of equipment being misused, lost or stolen. In the event that a prisoner alleged that they had been injured by handcuffs it would be necessary to identify the handcuffs involved to ensure that they were not faulty.

James 02 Apr 2006

I only file down the cerial #'s on itims that can be traced back to me or ones I plan on selling

Mike 02 Apr 2006

James - why do you do this. Removing the serial numbers must reduce the value to a collector.

Why would you fear being identified as the supplier of this equipment - what do you have to hide?

Edri 02 Apr 2006

That's about right . I looked at some cuffs on ebay, they looked good until I noticed he serial numbers were all ground off. I won't bid on an otherwise descent set strictly because of that. Which made me wonder why someone would do this to a set of cuffs.

Edri

JDB1979 02 Apr 2006

I told you once and I'll tell you again, at least when it comes to America there is no way for SN# on cuffs to be traced. Yes if you call Peerless they will tell you what vendor they sold that cuff to. But whats to say the vendor records it, I know my local Cop supply Shop doesnt record the number when you buy a pair from them, or who they are selling to. Also, I'm telling you this as a cop, there is no central data base for the SN# on cuffs. There is one for cars, planes, trains and anything else used for transportation with a motor, and guns, but not cuffs.

Also the MOST (hear the word MOST) that any department can do when a report of lost or stolen handcuffs comes in is file a report and shove it in a desk. The report don't get seen by all other departments in the country (there is no data base for that) also there is no time to go tracking down cuffs when were trying to find drug dealers, Rapist, and murderers. To file down SN # on a pair of cuffs is asinine. And only some departments issue there cuffs, most departments I know of, and have worked for, tell you to go buy your own (they may give you the money to do it, but they don't issue them or record the SN).

And the collector value of cuffs is GREATLY depending on that SN#. With it is removed it could take a $200 dollar pair of cuffs and make it worth 10-15 dollars, just enough to spend on duty cuffs. I'd carry a pair of Colt's or peerless 400, or S&W light weights if I could get them cheep cause someone scratched the SN# out. It's stupid to do this (I'm not calling the person who dose this stupid, I'm calling the act stupid) I would not print on this page in fear of it being locked that the person is stupid, but you can all make up your own minds on that. Just keep that opinion to yourself.

I wouldn't do it, and I'm telling everyone else not to do it.

James Brown

Edri 03 Apr 2006

Recent ebay purchase, got two sets of hinged handcuffs one hiatt 2050 and the other peerless 301's. Nothing special about either of them, just a good price paid because no-one else realized what was bid on.
Of course, being who I am, they were promptly lost during shipping . Of course noone recorded the serial number. Just never arrived, no trcking information. But it goes to show serial numbers are pointless. And removing them more pointless. And that I shoiuld never have handcuffs shipped anywhere. They always get lost, always. It's a curse!

Edri

JDB1979 03 Apr 2006

USPS or UPS? It seems like the USPS has gotten lax on there background checks and hiring policies lately. I have had several boxes arrive empty, with the postage stamp indicating a weight amount much more than the empty box weights. This would indicate that when shipped off the box contained my item, but when it arrived did not.
So is this an alien abduction, according to my local USPS office it has to be. When I went in to show them the empty box they said it must have been shipped that way, how do we know you didn't take it out, and even that the weight amount on the postage doesnt mean anything.
I have also had items arrive clearly opened with a sharp knife with clean cuts along tape joints and a letter attached saying: We are sorry but your packaged was accidentally torn open by one of our automated machines, Must be one smart machine in order to make that neat of a cut.
I no longer trust the post office with any item I send or receive. I make sure every item has insurance and delivery confirmation on it before it is sent. But whats worse of all is instead of trying to get to the bottom of it, they cover it up with lies and excuses. I'm not surprised to hear your story of lost items.

Just my experience
James Brown

K. Emden 03 Apr 2006

#10

Virtually any item may be entered into the stolen property database of the National Crime Information Center. A Brand, Model, description and serial number is all that is required.

Many law enforcement agencies do record the serial number of equipment (including handcuffs), issued to officers.

A defiled serial number would create the suspicion that the property may be stolen. Incidentally, since the serial numbers on most cuffs were stamped into the frame, certain forensic methods would allow the discovery of the original serial number, which if entered into N.C.I.C., would allow an investigator to discover the owner from which the cuffs were reported stolen. Obviously, this technique is utilized most frequently for firearms and seldom if ever for handcuffs.

As evidenced by the large number of very old working handcuffs in the hands of private collectors, it is obvious that handcuffs last. I doubt if many, if any, departments melt down or destroy obsolete handcuffs. Most individual handcuffs have a unique history which would be interesting if only documented.

In the not to distant past, officers in many agencies furnished their own equipment, including firearms and handcuffs. Even those agencies which furnished equipment often presented a retiring officer with his or her service revolver or pistol and handcuffs.

Edri 03 Apr 2006

#11

I open the mailbox today, and here are the cuffs I ordered that wwere shipped over a month ago ( with 7 day delivery). Of course the package had been rifled.I guess since there was no key they decided not to keep them ( customs label would have told them what it was) It seems to me the second package in as many months fromt he USPS that had been ransacked ( not cut withg a knife by customs, ripped open). I think I'll ship UPS from here on in with tracking and insurance.

Edri

K. Emden 04 Apr 2006

#12

Edri:

Your problem is not unique. Once unheard of, thefts from the U.S. mail, in some areas are, as bad as certain third world countries. Unfortunately, U.P.S. has also had some problems. Some ideas that may help are to request insurance and tracking as you mentioned. The postal service secures insured mail and requests I.D. and a signature before releasing it.

Consider a a P.O. or private mail box. After experiencing misdirected and missing mail, I obtained a post office box and the problem was virtually eliminated. The postal service does not allow U.P.S. deliveries to P.O. boxes but private boxes like Pak Mail and the U.P.S. store do.

The United States Postal Service has a law enforcement agency of its own. The United States Postal Inspectors investigate thefts from the mail, fraud and other cases involving the mail. If you suspect theft from the mail, make a formal report with the Postal Inspectors, not the local postmaster. Stings involving hidden cameras and other investigations by the postal inspectors have resulted in prosecutions of many dishonest letter carriers.

When reporting thefts of handcuffs, or any other property, provide the investigating officer with the brand, model and serial number of the property. A photo many also be helpful. Request that the property be entered into N.C.I.C. and insist on a report number and the investigating officers name.

Hook-em-up 05 Apr 2006

#13

Hi folks,

I quite agree that getting a Post Office Box or a box at some place like the UPS store is the best way to go. I had problems years ago at my home, not just with packages, but with letters also never arriving. In 21 years with a PO Box, I have only had 1 item lost, and a claim got me reimbursed. That's a pretty darn good record. The only downside that I have at my Post Office that most others won't have much of is that packages sometimes get misplaced, and I have to get a clerk to go hunting until they find my package. The building is very large because it used to be a sorting facility, but now it's only a Post Office because of the area it serves, an area that keeps growing. If I have a tracking number, and I always try to get one from a seller by email, it shows when the package gets to the Post Office, and I take it with me as proof they have it in the building, just in case it's misplaced or they forget to put a delivery notice in my box. Eventually they always find it. Last week it took about 15 minutes for them to find my package, but they did. I got a printout from USPS.com with my tracking number on it showing that the package was in the building. And I did not get a notice in my box. Without that printout, the clerk would have just taken one quick look and said to come back tomorrow. But that printout makes them go and keep looking.

My point is that my package did arrive, and it wasn't opened or damaged, even if it took awhile for the clerk to find it. Small and medium size Post Offices probably won't have this problem very often. So those of you having problems, get a P.O. Box or UPS store box or similar if you're having a problem, and always get tracking numbers.

Phil

silentbd 05 Dec 2016

#14

I wondered about this serial grinding off issue myself. Normally I only buy brand spanking new cuffs because I don't like to see wear prior to my purchasing them, or wonder what on earth the cuffs have been through before I got them :S But I am planning on getting a pair of hiatt speedcuffs from an eBay vendor who has a pair I might be able to get. And while they are technically "used" they are almost mint condition AND most importantly to me, have the serial number intact. Those ex-police ones with the serial ground off look hideous to me. There are two cases I can imagine people buying them, maybe 3. Buying them as a toy for hopefully trustworthy kids, buying them to gimmick them for some kind of magic show or general messing around or a certain other more personal activities that shall not be described. I would personally never buy a pair of those unless I wanted to gimmick them to have a rigid pair to go along with my chain and hinged pairs I gimmicked just to do it. Only reason I gimmicked a hinged pair was they were on sale and new rigid are too costly to "wreck" gimmicking them in my opinion, so ex-police would be a great choice for that.

The only thing about serial removing that made sense to me is IF an additional ID is added to the cuff that might identify a particular police officer or something, so that someone can't lose them and then the original police officer end up getting them back "Oh great, my old decommissioned cuffs that keep coming back like a bad penny..........." No serial/identification no return to original owner. That's about it. Kind of like the final declaration that these no longer have anything to do with us, sell them, we shall! Poof. Gone forever.

k20-on-tec 07 Dec 2016

#15

We dont have any notorious criminals in the uk lol. As far as buying with no nimber i do buy them to collect as it does look abot crap but at the same time does not put me off buying them as its only a small part on the arm. A serial number is in most cases pointless anyway the only time they come in useful is if i have just bought a old pair of peerless and can ask for the sake of history but this is only because its a long time ago as for modern cuffs i own i could not care less of they was owned by local pd met mi5 or anyother only if they are old

silentbd 07 Dec 2016

#16

For me, it's less about the purpose or usefulness of the serial number and all about defacement. The destruction of what was created, the way it was created. I do not like them being scuffed off.