Can photocopiers be traced?

[Saddlebag]

One of ours at work has gone missing-and we have an idea that its been sold via an auction site.

So are they traceable? We dont have a note of the serial number, but would Cannon keep a record or not?

[HellDiver]

Cannon probably wouldn't, as they make gas cookers. Canon may have a record of your copier's serial number, however.

[pidsy]

you own your own machines? - you should have an asset register somewhere for insurance purposes.

if you dont, they lease company will have detailed notes on each machine and its serial/component numbers.

[juan king]

Saddlebag said:

its been sold via an auction site.

You are Mike Brewer. AICMFP

[NHK244V]

when i saw the title i though you'd got a job at Ferrari

[jas xjr]

juan king said:

You are Mike Brewer. AICMFP

[Bree]

Saddlebag said:

One of ours at work has gone missing-and we have an idea that its been sold via an auction site.

So are they traceable? We dont have a note of the serial number, but would Cannon keep a record or not?

If you order the consumables for it directly from Cannon, or have a servicing agreement they should have a record of the serial number.

[tubbystu]

Has it been PAT tested ? If so the sub-contractor who does the testing will have its serial number.

[Chrisgr31]

Why do you think it's been sold on an auction site?

Surely someone who took it to sell might have thought that something photocopier sized might be noticed as missing.

[Colonial]

I thought the point of a photocopier was that we didn't have to trace anymore.

[IainZ]

HellDiver said:

Cannon probably wouldn't, as they make gas cookers. Canon may have a record of your copier's serial number, however.

Canon will know who they sold the machine to but if they sold it to a dealer they will not know who the end customer was who bought it from the dealer.

More interesting would be if the machine was leased to the end user (as many copiers are)- in which case it is the property of the leasing company (though the end user is responsible for insuring it).

If you notify Canon that its been stolen they will make a note of it on their systems though so if it ever shows up they will then inform the police.

[General Price]

Colonial said:

I thought the point of a photocopier was that we didn't have to trace anymore.

[jollysoutherner]

Printer steganography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_steganography

Most of the big makes add the codes to every sheet which allow the serial number of the machine to be traced. Can eyeball them at work in the right light.

[HOGEPH]

You should have made a copy of it....

[Use Psychology]

They often show up on eBay with the serial number ground off.

[CharlieHotel]

If you do find out the eBay auction number PM me it I need a photocopier...
In all seriousness, a family member had their valuable bike stolen a couple weeks ago and the advice they received was to keep tabs on the auction and selling sites.
Didn't turn up tho

[Ozone]

If you have the serial number of the machine you can contact the manufacturer to see which dealer it was sold to originally. If whoever has the machine now has asked for it to be serviced by the manufacturer then it could possibly be traced.

If the machine is a colour copier it will leave an identifying series of dots on each copy, you need a colour copy from it to show the manufacturer who will be able to identify the machine. Did the machine have a Fiery controller on board?

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

Use Psychology said:

They often show up on eBay with the serial number ground off.

These days I think a smart thief would simply transfer the serial numbers and documentation from a scrapped or accident-damaged photocopier. You can actually buy 'kits' of these things on eBay - I"m sure I saw a thread on PH about it.

[AbarthChris]

hora said:

No CCT? When did it go missing and who has keys to the business etc?

Has someone stolen half of the video camera too?

B*stards the lot of 'em!

[Deva Link]

Use Psychology said:

They often show up on eBay with the serial number ground off.

Really? I'm surprised they would make it so obvious the machine was stolen, hese days any piece of electronic equipment would have many ways of identifying it.