May 28, 2007

Associations

Heavy equipment theft rises

Ontario's spike in thefts bucks national trend

BRIAN BAKER

staff writer

NIAGARA FALLS

Heavy equipment theft has prompted the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) to call for mandatory tracking devices in rented equipment.

Ex-OPP officer George Kleinsteiber, a consultant for OSWCA, released his second review on heavy equipment theft. “It was once again another busy year for myself, the association and of course, the thieves in Ontario,” said Kleinsteiber.

Despite a proactive approach by OSWCA to combat equipment theft, thieves are still very active throughout Ontario, he said.

In 2006, 15 pieces of equipment were stolen from association members; seven were recovered. Another three stolen in 2005 were returned.

“Our members’ incidents of theft in 2006 are not indicative of the national average, including the GTA and Ottawa, which showed a small rise in the number of thefts reported in 2006 over 2005.”

“It would appear the theft rate in Canada has held steady over the last year.”

Nationally, the statistics indicate that recovery rose 13 per cent from 10 per cent in the previous year.

An area that also continues to be of concern to the OSWCA is the equipment rental industry. Sewer and watermain construction contractors realize once they acquire heavy equipment from rental companies, they are liable for what happens to the equipment.

Statistics show the number of reported thefts of rented equipment is on the rise, said Kleinsteiber.

“This is because, as we know, very few rental companies install some sort of tracking devices in their equipment,” he observed.

“Rental companies need to feel pressure from both contractors and construction companies that they will not rent equipment from them unless a tracking system or immobilizer has been installed to prevent the problem of theft and keep our insurance brokers happy.”

There are a number of devices available on the market to help in deterring thieves from carting away construction equipment. Electronic devices using Global Position System (GPS) tracking are no bigger than a cigarette package and can be affixed to front end loaders, backhoes or excavators.

If thieves still decide to drive away with equipment, the OSWCA provides contractors and employers with five tips to prevent thievery: Notify the manufacturer immediately after calling the police. Companies such as Caterpillar, John Deere and Case keep files on reported stolen equipment; have a welder inscribe company names on the buckets, boom and frame of equipment; install a new key ignition system using a chip, if the equipment is made by Caterpillar; install a “Denver Boot” on compressors or generators and other mobile equipment; and install a rectangular square onto the wheel rim housing after removing one wheel and rim from any compressor, generator or lighting platform.

The OSWCA provides North America with a stolen equipment website, open to all contractors who have had equipment stolen from their construction sites. It is www.stolenheavyequipment.com.

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