LoJack Commercial Recovery of the Month: June

  • June 22, 2016
  • jaleman

Prioritize Theft Prevention and Recovery this Summer

The most recent construction theft report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Equipment Register (NER) suggests the total value of heavy equipment stolen in 2014 was close to $300 million, a staggering sum that led these associations to conclude, “By frequency of loss, theft is a greater problem than any other type of equipment risk.”[1] What’s astounding is that this large figure does not take into account the potential losses stemming from business interruption – which can also be seriously costly.

During the summer when construction volume is high, extra machines may be left outdoors or unfenced, drawing the attention of thieves looking for opportunities. Some heavy equipment thieves may already be familiar with the jobsite, and understand the ins-and-outs of the industry – AllBusinesss has reported that “anywhere from 30% – 85% of job site theft results from someone that you authorize to be on your job site.”[2]

So this year, when renting additional equipment and expanding jobsites – keep these recovery stories top of mind. Address the number one equipment risk (theft) early on, by taking the time to add extra security measures and theft recovery devices.

Bobcat Skid Steer Loader Stolen and Returned Undamaged – 2x! 

When the owners of a Bobcat skid steer loader reported the theft of their machine, they were not sure of the exact date of the incident, stating it had been taken off the job site sometime during a 30 day timeframe. But once the LoJack signal was activated, the Broomfield Police Department in Colorado was able to recover it in short order. This is the second time this particular Bobcat machine has been targeted by thieves, and successfully recovered still in working order, due to its previously installed LoJack System. The nationwide recovery rate provided by the (NICB) and (NER) indicates that in 2014, just 23% of equipment stolen was recovered.[3] Considering that statistic, it’s easy to see the value in theft recovery devices like LoJack’s, which assisted law enforcement in officials in recovering the same equipment two times in this particular case.

Premier Water Pump worth $60,000 Recovered in Miami-Dade County, Florida

The operator of a 2015 Premier Water Pump arrived at the jobsite ready to work, only to find the piece of heavy machinery missing. After the theft was reported, the Miami-Dade police were able to track the silent LoJack signal via helicopter. Police requested backup from any colleagues in the area, and multiple K-9 units which were doing training nearby responded quickly and were able to assist. The LoJack tracker led police to private farm land, where they discovered both the stolen water pump and a John Deere “Gator” that had previously been reported stolen. The suspect was taken into custody while the heavy equipment was recovered.

While Premier Water Pumps, such as this one, can be worth more than $60,000, they are not among the top types of equipment stolen (according to the NICB[4]). Usually, thieves target valuable items that are also light and highly mobile.[5] However, in this case, thieves singled out the water pump because they were looking to replace a broken one on their own property – illustrating that any kind of valuable machinery is at risk. Contractors should consider adding jobsite safety measures to help reduce the risk of theft, such as installing fencing and signage, and hiring a security guard. Other preventative measures include disabling all machines after use (i.e. removing relays or battery cables), as this makes it more difficult for a criminal to easily power up a machine and get away with it unnoticed.

This particular equipment recovery also highlights the importance of installing advanced tracking devices that go beyond the GPS capabilities offered with telematics. This water pump did have a GPS device installed in it, but police were not able to track the GPS signal as the pump was not in operation, therefore not providing power to the GPS. The added layer of tracking technology was the key in this case.

Solid theft prevention and recovery protocols such as these can make all the difference in helping to protect thousands in valuable equipment this summer.

[1] National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Equipment Register (NER), “NICB Releases 2014 Heavy Equipment Theft Report,” (21)  https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/2014-heavy-equipment-theft-report (click to open full report)

[2] AllBusinesss, “Reducing Construction Site Theft by Employees and Subcontractors” https://www.allbusiness.com/reducing-construction-site-theft-by-employees-and-subcontractors-11739699-1.html

[3] National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Equipment Register (NER), “NICB Releases 2014 Heavy Equipment Theft Report,” (13)  https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/2014-heavy-equipment-theft-report (click to open full report)

[4] National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Equipment Register (NER), “NICB Releases 2014 Heavy Equipment Theft Report,” (6)  https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/2014-heavy-equipment-theft-report (click to open full report)

[5] National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Equipment Register (NER), “NICB Releases 2014 Heavy Equipment Theft Report,” (6)  https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/2014-heavy-equipment-theft-report (click to open full report)