I just started practicing in a guy's garage with couple of other people.. after practice, I have to leave few of my things in there.. list is growing long. What is my way of branding my items, so that when things don't work out, I can go to his place and get it back? Do you guys face scenarios like that? Thanks in advance. 

Hi,
 
I'm not sure I would leave it there, unless it was a friend I trusted!
 
I have no problems leaving my stuff at Craig's or Bapu's or most folks here ... but otherwise ... nahhhhh, not me! I've invested too much in nothing to lose it all again?

Back in the 70's I lost gear from this exact scenario.  Now you can easily take pictures & video with your camera so you should definitely do that (make sure to get the serial numbers, etc.).  That way, if they DO get stolen, you can provide the information to police and insurance (they should be covered by this person's home owners insurance, but if what you are storing is valuable enough, you might consider getting some renter's insurance - it should be about $100 for a year).  
 
Locking the gear into something may deter the "temptation quick theft", but someone else may take it as a great opportunity to get everything at once (unless you can then lock the container to something in the garage).
 
As for branding, that can get problematic when you finally get around to selling the gear, however there are invisible marking pens (typically used with autos) that you can label your stuff with.  Unfortunately, that won't stop them from being stolen, but could make them easier to identify as yours if they are found with the perpetrator or at a pawn shop.

Hi,
 
I like the photo idea, though it would probably hurt the owner of the location (renter/owner), in his/her future endeavours when it gets around! Mind you, we hope they were not the cause ... but knowing a friend that lost his 5K Ludwig drum set, stolen at Cousins here in Portland during their week gig, took a lot of luster off the music business ... Tom never again, spent time on drumming, and now has several CD's and plays keyboards and sings. He, still, was an excellent drummer, and his hero was? Carl Palmer ... and I played for him, when we lived in the same house a lot of Pierre Moerlin, and he is the only drummer I have ever met/heard that had enough sense in his head to listen and find a new feeling and thought to interpret his words. In fact, one moment on one piece of music, was created by me who can't drum anything, and he ended up incorporating it on a crescendo on a piece of music.
 
All in all ... all it showed Tom, was the dishonesty of it all, and Tom did not get paid back by insurance by Cousins, who apparently stated that the equipment is your responsibility, not theirs.

As a general rule, haul your gear. If you don't control the space, then you don't leave your gear. I know it's sometimes difficult or expensive, but that's part of the price of playing that instrument or using that gear. Even when you know the other people very well, it's always best to haul your stuff away at the end of each session. 
 
I've had gear in a shared space only to return and find damage that no one could explain. I've lost items when situations changed. I've showed up unexpectedly to find someone else using (and breaking) my stuff without my knowledge or permission. 
 
People. They just can't be trusted. That's why we have locks on our cars and houses. If you have something that matters to you, don't leave it somewhere where people might find it. 

thanks, I think I know what to do now. Appreciate it. 

I would not go there personally …
the musicians themselves may be trustworthy , but you don't know how trustworthy their friends are
 
Kenny  

Insurance can be a problem. Generally stuff stored in A's home for someone who is not actually visiting (resident) would not be covered by A's homeowner's insurance, although it might be covered by your homeowners insurance. Some policies will allow A to cover guests' property only if requested and approved. If you are not a guest in the usual sense, or if the property can be considered a business (if the garage is being named as a business address, rent is being charged or a business deduction for the "studio" has been taken for example) then A's homeowner's insurance is even less likely to cover it. If you have designated the equipment as your business property, then likely it is excluded from your homeowner's insurance unless you have purchased a rider for home business which includes property in any location. If you are a paid professional, then the assumption may be made that equipment commonly used in your profession is business property regardless of your intent. Check with your insurance company. In any event, receipts for the equipment, serial numbers and photographs of the items would be helpful in documenting your loss and getting it back if it is recovered after a theft.
 
Branding has not been particularly successful in  preventing thefts, unless it is very obvious and expensive to remove. The practice of marking the windows of cars which was popular for a while because the cost of replacing all the glass was prohibitively expensive missed the point that professionals steal cars for parts. If there are easily removable components, taking them with you might make sense, a disassembled computer is much less of a temptation to a casual burglar than one that he can start up. If you do not trust the guy who has the key, then probably best not to leave your stuff with him, even though he is the obvious suspect if it disappears. 

Don't leave you gear at a friends house, his insurance might not cover it. If they do, good chance his home owners insurance has a high deductible for stolen items, my deductible is around $1,500, for personal loss. I carry a rider on my insurance for my equipment. $35 a year covers $10,000 worth of guitars, amps and musical equipment. I had to document those items with photos and serial numbers. Good practice to do anyway.

kennywtelejazz
I would not go there personally …
the musicians themselves may be trustworthy , but you don't know how trustworthy their friends are
 
Kenny  

My thoughts exactly. Unless it's a real, real PITA hauling your gear, don't leave it anywhere you're not in control of it. Been there, and still regret it.