” spray painted the entire bike white. Everything. The chrome, the metal, the seat, even the rubber tires.”
Yep, well done. It works indeed. This is how I stopped fellow mechanics from stealing or claiming my tools. I painted everything, and I mean everything, polished Snapon and all including my tool boxes white. There was no mistaking who they belonged to after that and no one would even get caught borrowing them they were so ugly.
Funny how humans are more hung up on preferring aesthetics over common sense practicality.
He spray paints all his tools, equipment, ladders, etc, in the two colors for the same reason. He has very little theft or pilfering from his shop, as well.