The National Insurance Crime Bureau released its annual report on heavy equipment thefts on Oct. 1, exhibiting which pieces of equipment were most commonly stolen in 2014. A total of 11,625 items were reported stolen last year, which is an increase of 1.2 percent from 2013.
Texas was at the top of the list with 1,650 reported thefts. North Carolina (918), Florida (915) and South Carolina (660) followed behind. A notable number of incidents of stolen equipment were also reported in Miami, FL; San Antonio, TX.; Oklahoma City, OK.; and Las Vegas, NV.
In terms of recovery, just 23 percent of stolen equipment was found in 2014. Mowers, loaders and tractors were the three most stolen types of machinery.
“Having the support and cooperation of the manufacturers is critical to the efforts to combat this kind of theft,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. “In an effort to increase the recovery rate, we encourage the manufacturers to share information and work with us to prevent theft and recover stolen equipment.”
To reduce the number of stolen equipment, the NICB recommends removing fuses and circuit breakers when equipment is not in use. Hidden fuel shut-offs can also be installed to deter thieves.
The annual report was co-produced by the National Equipment Register and the National Crime Information Center. Together, these groups profile the data on thefts, including information on heavy equipment styles and the states.