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GREENSBORO -- Four hours a day, five days a week, the Washingtons can be found shooting hoops at the City Sportsplex.

"When it comes to the gym there are not a lot of good basketballs, and when you ask why they're telling you the kids are walking away with the balls," said father Ken Washington.

And while the issue may not seem that big, the thefts can cost athletic facilities hundreds of dollars a year.

"Other than our front desk staff who monitors the facility and keeps an eye on that type of thing, anyone can put a ball inside a bag,” said James Goodyear, from the Greensboro Sportsplex.

So Washington came up with an idea to put a stop to the thefts by making his own high quality, Olympic-style ball with a bar code on top and special sensor within, new technology that'll catch anyone trying to walk away with a ball.

"Who would have ever thought someone would come up with the idea of having an anti-theft basketball, it has great potential. And Ken was thinking just in the local area how it would benefit, but I'm thinking globally, this is awesome," said Greensboro City Business License Agent Alton Rowe.

"Having something like this in place is going to offer us the ability to keep us in place, and offer those kinds of experiences and opportunities to kids each and every day, and not loose that equipment on a yearly basis and it's really going to save us hundreds of dollars in the long run,” Goodyear said.

And while there's no doubt the technology will help gyms save a lot of money, it will also ensure kids have the tools to play the game. Already places like the city run Sportsplex and YMCA are jumping on board.

"I'd rather see my son here, and I know a lot of other parents would rather see their kids doing something positive, than out in the streets doing something that could get them in trouble,” Washington said.

Washington plans on using the sensor in other athletic equipment like soccer and volleyballs.

He said he also hopes to market the anti-theft technology to the military in the future.