Each year, the National Equipment Register (NER) and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) track heavy equipment theft reports and compile a list of the most commonly stolen pieces of machinery as well as the states in which thefts are most likely to occur.
The report uses data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the NICB, and NER to provide a comprehensive analysis of heavy-equipment theft during the year, with the goal of helping provide insurance companies and others with information that can be used to help allocate investigative resources and influence theft prevention efforts.
In 2010, the NCIC received 13,374 theft reports. In descending order, the five states with the most incidents of heavy-equipment theft were:
- Texas
- Florida
- North Carolina
- Georgia, and
- South Carolina.
Together, those five states accounted for 43 percent of total equipment theft. Rounding out the top 10 were California, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ohio. The top 10 states accounted for 61 percent of all thefts. Last year, just 19 percent of heavy equipment stolen was recovered.
Below and on the following pages are the top pieces of heavy equipment most often stolen in 2010, as compiled by the NER and NICB.
Mower, Riding, or Garden Tractor – 47 percent
Readily transportable, often left unused for long periods of time, and easily resold, this category tops the list. It is the only category on the list considered to be a consumer item. Quick sale prices ranging from $4 to $10K make this an affordable piece of equipment for homeowners, also leading to high supply and demand for this category.
Tractor – 13 percent
A broad category with a wide range in value from $10K to $50K, including compact, utility, and agricultural tractors. This category has much of the same allure as mowers. Typically, only a small equipment trailer is needed to move tractors, while most mowers can be lifted into a van or pickup.
Skid Steer – 11 percent
This is the most versatile and compact style of earth-moving equipment. New skid steers tend to range from $30K to $50K and are often resold quickly, netting a thief several thousand dollars in cash. A skid steer can be moved by large pickups and small equipment trailers and are small enough to be hidden in residential areas.
Backhoe – 5 percent
New backhoes often cost between $70 and $90K and generally require a full-size truck and trailer to move. The theft of backhoes and larger items is typically carried out by professional thieves with experience in the construction industry. The quantity-to-cost ratio makes backhoes account for a large portion of equipment-theft value.
Forklift – 3 percent
A useful machine for any yard or warehouse, forklifts can easily be transported on flatbed tow trucks and equipment trailers — even though they are heavy and unruly for their size. Additionally, there are numerous mobile forklifts manufactured to be transported on the back of flatbeds and trailers.
Excavator – 2 percent
This category encompasses mini- to full-sized excavators and can range in value from $25K to $80K. Stolen excavators are usually smaller, rubber-tracked units that are easier to move and hide. The allure of larger units that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars is also very tempting to the professional-equipment thief.
Welder, Generator, and Compressor – 2 percent
This category accounts for a small percentage of overall equipment theft, reflecting the larger problem of poor record keeping and misreporting. These items are easily portable and often trailer-mounted, making them very easy to steal. But many of these units are reported without serial numbers or as mounted on other items, so it is difficult to quantify the true scope of theft.
Wheel Loader – 1 percent
Wheel loaders vary greatly in size, from smaller machines often used on farms to full-sized articulated units whose tires alone generally cost several thousand dollars each. Generally, midsized units are most likely to be stolen. Larger machines create oversized loads that often draw the attention of highway patrols.
Dozer – 1 percent
Heavy and steel-tracked dozers require larger trucks and trailers than most noncommercial parties are likely to possess. Additionally, the wide blade of a dozer will often have to be removed to transport safely on the road. That adds to loading time, increasing thieves’ exposure to observation, and leading them to steal smaller units. These machines are very valuable and can be purchased on the used market for $25K to $100K. Because of the difficulty associated with transporting these machines, they are generally the target of a professional theft ring rather than a crime of opportunity.
Trencher – 1 percent
Most trenchers are built to be easily transportable, making them a ready target for thieves. Geared to the specific task of trenching, they may be viewed by some as a time-saving tool more than a necessity. That makes the prospect of buying a stolen unit for a fraction of what it is worth very tempting to an end user.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.