Associated General Contractors
New Mexico Building Branch
1615 University Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87102-1791
505-842-1462
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Safety Alert! July 4 Weekend Equipment Theft Warning

Elevated thefts over the past Memorial Day weekend indicate that thieves will again be targeting vulnerable Farm and Construction Equipment again this 4th of July weekend. National Equipment Register (NER) is encouraging equipment owners, dealers, farmers and contractors to implement strategies to protect against site and yard burglaries, vandalism and equipment theft during the Holiday weekend. The following are a few tips on protecting sites and machines:

Do not leave machines on unfenced properties or jobsites over the weekend - where possible, move machines to yards or locate a secure lot near the sites where you can temporarily store the machines, such as a car dealership or storage yard, etc.
Disable machines that have to be left -have field service mechanics disconnect batteries, pull fuses, relays or ignition circuits, or remove tires. Make use of lock up devices that prevent operation - see www.equipmentlock.com for examples.
Do not leave machines or materials loaded on trailers over the weekend- loads have been targeted recently throughout the nation. If trailers must be loaded, implement additional security measures to preclude theft. Set the frame on jack stands or cribs, remove the hitch or use a hitch lock.
Designate an employee or supervisor to make a random check of sites through the holiday- particularly Saturday. Be sure this person knows what machines, tools and materials should be at each site so that missing property is not overlooked, and can be reported quickly and accurately.
Do not leave job boxes or small equipment at sites. If job boxes are left at sites, be sure they are secured with additional locks, chain, or are concealed.
Contractors and sub-contractors should advise site security guards if any activity is expected over the holiday as thieves are often familiar with the worksite and may even have credentials that they should be on the site or moving equipment. Be certain guards have a contact number so that they can alert you as needed.
Let employees know that management will be making spot checks of jobsites - let employee gossip work to your advantage. You might even mention you are testing a new GPS system or secret identification device over the weekend.
Fuel theft is on the rise again, especially diesel - try not to have fuel trucks top off machines until Sunday, and this weekend may be a good time to rotate in new tank locks. When grouping machines, be sure the fuel tank is facing the street - do not hide it on an unobserved side providing cover to thieves.
Post signs with an emergency contact number, and signs that say you offer a reward for information on thefts or vandalism at a site. Signs can also let the thief know that patrols are in the area and that machine serial numbers are recorded on National Equipment Register's databases, and are accessible to police 24 hours-a-day. Signs are available from CICP (www.cicpp.com)
Contact your local police patrol commander to advise them whether activity should be taking place on your site or at your yard. Provide a 24-hour contact number in case something comes up at your site. If this was done at the start of your project, now would be a good time to refresh that line of communication.
If there is a 24-hour convenience store or gas station across from your site or yard, stop in to let them know you will make it worth their while to notify you or the police of any suspicious activity - be certain they have your number.
Be ready to make a report of any theft, graffiti or vandalism as soon as it is discovered - before an incident occurs, know which agency to call, have an accurate list of equipment serial numbers, and know which machines are at which site. Report the incident immediately to police and call NER with thefts for inclusion in the NER database and regional distribution as a theft alert to law enforcement and industry contacts.

It is critical to report any machine thefts to NER as soon as a Law Enforcement report has been made- NER can catch errors in reporting in the critical period just after the theft when Law Enforcement is most likely to encounter the machine.
Thefts and break ins will occur this holiday- be watchful of your equipment and facilities and those of others in your community. Find out before hand what agency to report to should you see something odd on a site or dealer yard, or encounter a machine being moved that maybe should not be. Wouldn't you want someone to call if they saw YOUR machine being stolen?

Additional measures equipment owners can take year round:
If there is a crime prevention program in your area, get involved. In the Pacific Northwest and throughout California, contact the regional Construction Industry Crime Prevention Programs:

CICP of the Pacific Northwest
CICP of Northern California
CICP of Central California
CPP of Southern California

For Agricultural Communitee in California:
California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force
ACTION Project

Take Steps Proactively - be sure your equipment is registered on National Equipment Register's databases before a theft occurs, so that Law Enforcement can identify you as the owner if its encountered out of your possession. See all the details at: www.stopequipmenttheft.com

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact NER- analysts are available to assist you make a complete report as soon as possible- call 866-663-7872 (866-6-NER-USA)

Additional theft prevention suggestions can be found in NER's free 12 page Theft Prevention Guide.

Contact the National Equipment Register at info@nerusa.com

Posted July 2, 2008

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