NICB Identifies Most Stolen Heavy Equipment

DES PLAINES, Ill., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Insurance Crime Bureau today released a report on heavy equipment thefts in 2010. This report isolates the "big ticket" pieces of stolen heavy equipment and thus all mower types of equipment were excluded. The report examines heavy equipment theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and profiles that data according to theft state, theft city, theft month, equipment manufacturer, equipment style (type) and year of manufacture. The report also examines heavy equipment recoveries in 2010 based on those same criteria.

Texas was the number one state for heavy equipment thefts in 2010 followed, in order, by California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Maryland, Ohio and Alabama. The top five cities with the most thefts were Miami, Fla. at number one, followed, in order, by Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Conroe, Texas; and Las Vegas, Nev.  

In 2010, a total of 6,474 non-mower heavy equipment thefts were recorded. See the full report at www.nicb.org.

For 2010, the 10 most stolen, non-mower heavy equipment items were:

1. Loader
2. Tractor, wheel type
3. Unlisted*
4. Backhoe
5. Backhoe/loader
6. Forklift
7. Excavator
8. Tractor, track type
9. Bulldozer
10. Brush chipper

While automobile thieves preferred Hondas in 2010, heavy equipment manufactured by John Deere was the number one theft target in 2010 followed, in order by Caterpillar, Melroe, Kubota and "Unlisted"*.

As for recoveries, only 28 percent of non-mower heavy equipment stolen in 2010 was found making it a costly crime for insurance companies, equipment owners and rental agencies.  

NICB urges equipment owners to incorporate theft prevention strategies into their business practices and recommends the following theft prevention tips:

• Install hidden fuel shut-off systems.
• Remove fuses and circuit breakers when equipment is unattended.
• Render equipment immobile or difficult to move after hours or on weekends by clustering it in a "wagon circle." Place more easily transported items, such as generators and compressors, in the middle of the circle surrounded by larger pieces of equipment.
• Maintain a photo archive and a specific list of the PIN and component part serial numbers of each piece of heavy equipment in a central location. Stamp or engrave equipment parts with identifying marks, numbers or corporate logos.
• Use hydro locks to fix articulated equipment in a curved position, preventing it from traveling in a straight line.
• Use sleeve locks to fix backhoe pads in an extended position, keeping wheels off the ground.

Anyone with information concerning heavy equipment theft or insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), texting keyword "fraud" to TIP411 (847411) or by visiting our Web site at www.nicb.org.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $317 billion in insurance premiums in 2010, or approximately 80 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 93 percent ($151 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

* Unlisted in these instances refers to theft reports where no manufacturer or equipment style was indicated.

SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau