Trailer And Construction Equipment Theft; Statistics and Prevention

Auto, trailer, and construction equipment theft is a growing problem all over the world; and the United States is no exception.  In fact, one motor vehicle theft (including automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, scooters, snowmobiles and other vehicles) was reported every 40.9 seconds in the United States in 2017.  About $6 billion total was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2017. 

According to the study done by BSI & TT, The Club Cargo Theft Report of 2018 finds that the United States has the second highest theft rate in Northern America(which includes the following countries; Canada, United States, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, and other Central American countries).  It also finds that 82% of these thefts are from trucks, as opposed to cargo stored at a facility, or being transported by rail, sea, van, etc.  The study also reveals that 66% of thefts occur while the cargo is in transit as opposed to occurring in parking lots, warehouses, gas stations, etc. 

The report concludes that the use of GPS tracking devices in the vehicle/trailer, as well as the use of covert GPS tracking devices within the cargo, are important protocols which should be followed to help prevent theft. 

Farm and construction equipment theft in the United States also continues to be a serious problem.  In 2016 a detailed Equipment Theft Report was done in a joint alliance between the National Equipment Register (NER) and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

The research revealed that annual estimates of the cost of equipment theft vary from about $300 million to $1 billion, with most estimates in the range of $400 million.  It’s estimated that about $300 million was lost due to equipment theft in 2016 alone.   

The top ten states for equipment theft in 2016 were:

1. Texas with 2,375 theft
2. North Carolina with 796 thefts
3. Florida with 763 thefts
4. California with 694 thefts
5. Georgia with 577 thefts
6. South Carolina with 512 thefts
7. Tennessee with 449 thefts
8. Oklahoma with 445 thefts
9. Arkansas with 362 thefts
10. Alabama with 338 theft

It’s important to note that the top 5 states account for 45% of all thefts in the United States.  Also, the top 10 states account for 63% of all thefts in the country.  In addition, only 21% of the stolen equipment was ever recovered in 2016.  The study also revealed that due to the lack of surveillance of equipment, thieves feel more confident when committing crimes.  In addition, thieves feel safe to even sell the stolen equipment in such nearby places as neighboring counties or states.

Solution:

While auto, tractor, trailer, farm and construction equipment theft proves to be a consistent problem in the U.S., there is a solution.  The use of gps for construction equipment both in vehicles and on cargo and equipment is essential and helps save dollars, time, and energy otherwise spent trying to recover stolen property.  Not only can GPS tracking devices help you identify and locate stolen property, but they can also help prevent theft in the first place.This can prove to be a big plus in construction fleet management.Know where exactly your trailer is, secure your trailer and cargo and protect your trailer from theft and unauthorized use with trailer GPS tracking devices from Matrackinc.com