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Registration, Immobilization Help on Equipment Thefts
A vigilant home owner in Long Beach, Calif. promptly called the police to alert them to the theft of a Bobcat S-250 skid steer loader from the front of her house on June 24, leading to apprehension of the thieves shortly after they had loaded the machine onto a truck, according to the August newsletter of the National Equipment Register (NER).
The perpetrators attempted to flee the area by driving their vehicle into the patrol car and then setting off for the freeway, which they entered against oncoming traffic. The pursuit ended when pieces of stolen equipment fell off the truck, and the Bobcat was recovered.
The home owner was able to inform NER about her actions from an NER registration decal on the truck, and she received a reward for her contribution to its recovery. The loader was owned by a national equipment rental chain whose entire fleet is registered with NER.
The register collects information on selected equipment thefts and recoveries, and provides the following theft prevention tips involving anchoring and immobilizing equipment:
- Equipment that has to be left on site should be anchored with either a chain or cable that can be brightly painted as a deterrent.
- Removing wires or the battery and lowering all blades or buckets can help immobilize large equipment.
- It is worth considering installing theft prevention devices on higher-risk or more expensive equipment to disable the fuel, hydraulic or electrical systems.
- The tires on portable equipment can be removed if it is not being used regularly. This also helps protect the tires.
- Disabling or removing the hitch will help protect towed equipment or trailers.
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