NICB Releases Top Types of Heavy Equipment Stolen

20 Jun 2016

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB,) in conjunction with the National Equipment Register (NER) is making strides to deter the theft of heavy equipment. Through better documentation, accurate equipment identification, proper reporting, increased site security, and a better understanding of the threat of theft, owners of heavy equipment can reduce the incidents of theft.

In a report issued by the NICB, the most common types of heavy equipment stolen by thieves were identified. The report was based on data that was reported by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC,) which is then profiled according to the state, the city, and the months the thefts occurred in, as well as the type, the manufacturer, the style, and the year the equipment was manufactured.

According to the report, in 2014, there were a total of 11,625 heavy equipment thefts that were reported to law enforcement officials. This is up by 1.2 percent, from the 11,486 thefts that were reported in 2013.

Of all of the states where heavy equipment theft was reported in 2014, Texas ranked number one, with a total of 1,650 thefts. North Carolina ranked second, with 918 reported thefts, and Florida ranked third, with a report 915 thefts.

Of all of the heavy equipment that was stolen in 2014, the most common items included:

  1. 5,051 mowers, including riding and garden tractors (43 percent)
  2. 1,907 loaders, including skid steer and wheeled (17 percent)
  3. 1,475 tractors, including wheeled and tracked (12 percent)
  4. 343 excavators (3 percent)
  5. 301 forklifts (2 percent)

The top manufacturer targeted was John Deere, followed in order by:

  • Kubota Tractor Corp
  • Bobcat
  • Caterpillar
  • Toro

Regarding recoveries, only 23 percent of the heavy equipment that was reported as stolen in 2014 was found. These thefts are costly to all parties who are impacted by them, including insurance companies, equipment owners, and rental agencies.

According to the NICB, theft prevention strategies are vital to reducing the amount of thefts that occur.

The best theft prevention practices include:

  • Installing hidden fuel shut-off systems on equipment.
  • Removing fuses and circuit breakers when equipment is left unattended.
  • Making equipment difficult to move, or completely immobile, when it is not in use.
  • Keeping, and maintaining, a photo archive and a detailed list of the PIN and component part serial numbers associated with each piece of heavy equipment.

GPS asset tracking, otherwise called GPS equipment tracking, can help to thwart theft and recover your equipment quickly.

Proper precautions and overall awareness are crucial to preventing the theft of heavy equipment.

Does your business have valuable equipment that you want to protect? If so, give us a call here at LiveView GPS at 1-888-544-0494 to learn more about the benefits of GPS equipment tracking.


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