NCJ Number
76013
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1981) Pages: 1-5
Date Published
1981
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The growing problem of heavy equipment theft is discussed, and theft prevention techniques for owners and law enforcement officers are presented.
Abstract
According to the Associated General Contractors of America, losses to general contractors through theft and vandalism rose by 21 percent since 1978. Contractors are forced to pass the losses (suffered through replacement costs, construction delays, and higher insurance payments) on to the consumer. Construction and farm equipment theft is unique in that professional thieves often steal, to order, for stripping or export. The law enforcement problem is compounded by the unfamiliarity of most officers with construction equipment or terminology, the lack of requirements regarding registration or title for offroad equipment, and the absence of permanent standard identification numbers affixed to construction and farm equipment. The FBI's task as manager of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which gathers information on stolen construction equipment, is made more difficult by problems in categorizing equipment and by the lack of uniformity in equipment names. The following rules can enhance owners' chances of recovering stolen equipment and aid law enforcement personnel: (1) carefully record all serial and identification numbers of equipment and inform the insurance company of the numbers, (2) store equipment in a secure area, and (3) make frequent inventories of equipment. If equipment has been stolen, the theft should be reported immediately and accurately to the police and owners should stay in contact with investigators to ensure that the equipment on the NCIC active list. Law enforcement officers should become familiar with offroad equipment, the type of record system used by dealers to verify ownership, and the workings of the NCIC. Police personnel should not hesitate to contact manufacturers and operators of offroad equipment to obtain their help in tracking down stolen equipment. The article includes several bibliographic footnotes.