Heavy Equipment Theft and Solutions—Part 2
August 2002
This second of four articles by David Shillingford
on heavy equipment theft deals with physical measures that can be taken to protect
equipment.
by David J. Shillingford
National Equipment
Register, Inc.
This is the second of four articles that deal with the growing problem of
heavy equipment theft, the costs that result for insurers and owners of this
equipment, and what can be done by owners and risk managers to reduce the costs
associated with equipment theft. This article considers physical measures that
can be taken to protect equipment and follows the focus of Part 1 of this series that discussed the size
and nature of the problem and how to align theft prevention with business goals.
The remaining two articles will discuss solutions using data and technology
to combat theft.
Deterring Theft
There is no doubt that deterring a theft is far better than later recovering
a stolen piece of equipment. Although it is almost impossible to stop a determined
thief from stealing a piece of equipment, especially where equipment must be
left in an unprotected, remote location overnight, there is much that can be
done. A thief is likely to have a number of targets, and if your equipment is
better protected than the next person's, then it is theirs that will be stolen;
so your security does not have to be perfect.
Physical security is most logically broken down into ways to improve site
security and ways in which to improve vehicle, or equipment, security.
Site Security
In some cases, site security is difficult to achieve such as on a highway
project where the "worksite" moves every day. Even in these cases, there are
many simple measures that can be taken or existing measures can be improved
with a little thought. If the thief sees that the site is well secured, he is
likely to conclude that the equipment is also well secured and will move on
to a softer target. Good site security also protects also other valuable and
mission critical items such as computers—a common target for worksite theft.
Fencing. Fencing is the first line of protection
and, although a worksite will either have it or not, there are some considerations
that should be made where fencing is employed:
- Use see-through material, such as chainlink, that allows thieves to
be visible from the outside in the event they get past the fence.
- Keep fenced areas free of bushes or debris that may blow into, and get
stuck in, the fence as this may inhibit visibility.
- Ideally, fences should be at least 8 feet in height, with posts spaced
at a dimension no greater than the width of the narrowest unit in the fleet,
and set in concrete—effectiveness depends on the design and quality of the
installation.
- Consider using barbed wire or razor tape at the top of fences for added
security.
- Limit access to keys for all fenced areas (see below).
- Conduct routine fence inspections, and promptly repair any damage.
Warning Signs.
- Post "Warning; No Trespassing" signs around the perimeter of your worksite
- Further enhance warning signs by indicating that the equipment on the
premises has Product Identification Numbers (PINs) recorded in a central
location within your company and, if appropriate, on a national database
accessed by law enforcement such as the national Equipment Register (see
below).
Gates. The perimeter is only as good as the
weakest link. There is little point in installing a high quality fence if the
gate can be easily broken or key access is uncontrolled.
- Gates should be of heavy construction, with hinge pins spot-welded to
prevent easy removal.
- Construct gates so that the longest vehicle you use can be safely pulled
onto the site without extending out onto a road or highway.
- Locking hardware should be casehardened chain and a high-security padlock
permanently attached to the fence, or employ shielded or blind locking devices.
- If possible, have only one entrance/exit at the site.
Other Worksite Barriers. In some cases, it
will not be possible to fence a short-term worksite nor cost effective to fence
a large area. There are options such as barriers or ditches that can have a
significant effect:
- Barriers can include low walls, posts, dirt berms, or ditches that prevent
a unit from being driven or towed off the worksite.
- A very vulnerable site is where highway maintenance is being carried
out. However, these often have concrete safety barriers that can form an
effective security wall if positioned correctly.
- Walls and berms should be no higher than 3 feet as that is the maximum
height a police officer can see over when seated in a patrol car.
- Posts should protrude 2 to 4 feet from the ground, be no more than 2
feet apart, and should be sunk 4 to 6 feet underground in concrete.
- Trenches or ditches should be 3 to 4-feet deep and sloped so that most
vehicles cannot be driven across.
- Consider a low fence of heavy steel pipe, 2 to 3-feet high, anchored
by posts on 8-foot centers. This is particularly appropriate for dealerships
where a fence may not allow visibility for potential customers.
- Regardless of which barrier method is chosen, all worksite entrances
should have a well-secured gate.
Lighting. Lighting is one of the most valuable
deterrents as it is low cost, flexible, and can be integrated with other security
devices such as fences and sensors.
- In order to avoid a distracting glare for patrolling officers, lights
should be placed along the perimeter of the property and directed in at
the worksite.
- Lights should be of suitable quality and power sources well protected.
- Fixtures should be well maintained with the timely changing of bulbs,
as needed. As maintenance is often carried out during daylight hours, testing
of security lighting is often overlooked.
Trailer/Office.
- Keep a record of the serial numbers on all tools, equipment, computers,
fax machines, desk and cell phones, and 2-way radios.
- Computers should be secured to the side of a desk or the floor using
strips of metal and bolts or screws.
- Contractors should back up their computer data often; any backup disks
or CDs should be stored offsite in a secure location.
Key Control.
- Make it a company policy that keys be removed from equipment when not
in use or is being stored.
- Make a note of who has access to, or is assigned, keys to equipment
or a worksite.
- Consider a "Key Sign-Out Log" to ensure the whereabouts of all keys
is known.
- Keep all keys secured in a safe or lockable area after hours or when
not being used.
Locks.
- If padlocks are used, they should be "high security," i.e., casehardened
or laminated steel, and preferably with tamper proof guards.
- Combination locks lower security due to the potential for the sharing
of combinations with thieves.
- When possible, ensure that key-in cylinder locks are protected by a
guard to prevent removal.
- Case hardened chains used with padlocks should be thick enough to resist
torch, saws or bolt cutters.
- Consider cable or wire rope instead of chain as it is harder to cut
and requires special tools.
- Consider "blind" or enclosed locking devices on equipment doors and
perimeter gates.
- Consider using gauge protectors and panel locks on your equipment.
Vehicle Security
However good the perimeter security, a thief may still gain access to the
equipment and equipment may move from more to less secure worksites so it is
important for vehicle security to be as good as possible.
Inventory Control
As was discussed in the first article, the low risk of arrest for equipment
thieves is closely linked to the lack of accurate information about stolen equipment
available to law enforcement. It is therefore important to record information
about every piece of equipment AND to let the potential thief know that you
have done this.
- Using etching tools or a steel punch, duplicate a unit's PIN or other
serial numbers in at least two places on the equipment, one obvious, one
hidden; record the location of these numbers.
- Customize the unit with unique paint colors, such as painting the roof
a distinctive color or painting the unit number in large characters—if it
is more likely to be noticed, it is less likely to be stolen.
- Record any and all numbers on the unit, including engine and chassis
numbers, along with that number's location. · Record year, manufacturer,
model number and PIN from actual plates/decals.
- When describing unit, use actual manufacturer model names; avoid using
generic terms such as "tractor" or "dozer."
- Keep records of equipment location assignments, the dates of delivery,
and anticipated return.
- Make note of any decals, special paint markings, company ID codes, etc.,
that you have added to the unit.
- Use decals and signs to tell the thief that all of this has been done.
This information can be recorded with a national database such as the National
Equipment Register. The topic of data management will be dealt with in more
detail in the next article.
Anchoring and Immobilizing
- Equipment that must be left on site should be anchored with either chain
or cable, which should be painted brightly to avoid damage loss from unobservant
thieves or even employees.
- Removing wires or the battery and lowering all blades or buckets can
immobilize large equipment.
- Smaller items are more likely to be theft targets and can be secured
by positioning larger items in such as way as to make smaller items inaccessible
or difficult to move.
- Consider installing theft prevention devices to disable fuel, hydraulic,
and/or electrical systems.
- Portable equipment can be immobilized by removing tires if static for
an extended period. This has the added advantage of prolonging tire life.
- Consider hitch protection.
Equipment in Transit
- Trailers and towable equipment should use quality trailer hitch or king
pin locks.
- Secure and lock equipment to the transport platform.
- Neutralize the operating controls and lock the ignition of the equipment
being transported; make sure the keys for the unit being transported are
not in the unit's ignition.
- If possible, remove the tongue off of the trailer.
- Ensure that when planning the movement of equipment, overnight stops
are avoided or minimized. If unavoidable, look for temporary secure storage
on the route.
Conclusion
Many of these items are common sense but are often ignored or forgotten.
By taking the items that are relevant to your operation and developing them
into a checklist that can be used by managers and employees the next theft in
your area will be someone else's equipment.
Risk managers should consider developing these items into a checklist to
help in the initial assessment of the level of physical security of an operation
and then to develop security guidelines.
Opinions expressed in Expert Commentary articles are those of the author and are
not necessarily held by the author’s employer or IRMI. This article does not purport
to provide legal, accounting, or other professional advice or opinion. If such advice
is needed, consult with your attorney, accountant, or other qualified adviser.