Plant Theft is a Global Epidemic but the solutions exists:

€1 Billion worth of plant is stolen in the EU every year according to the European Rental Association (ERA).
Over €0.5 Billion worth of plant has been stolen in the UK over the past 5 years - 8.7% has been recovered.

In the year Oct 2012-Sept 2013, 3,658 UK plant thefts were ‘reported to the police’ with an average machine value of £25k being c.£90m. Predominantly the cost of plant theft is paid from ‘the bottom line’ of Contractors and cost them £450,000,000.00 – almost half a billion £’s, over the past five years.

 

Plant Theft in the EU will be reduced by 80% plus when the passenger car security Directive EU 95/56 is extended to Construction Plant Equipment
 
Since 1998, the Anti-Theft Security EU Directive 95/56 has mandated that every passenger car must be supplied with a factory fitted immobilisation system before it can be registered for sales in the EU. The Directive has reduced car theft by almost 80%. The extension of the Directive to Construction Plant and the mandating of 21stCentury ‘fit for purpose’ technology, which is available, will reduce plant theft by 80% plus.

UK Police recover c.0.9% of stolen plant.

European Police forces are obliged to operate with ever decreasing budgets and ever increasing responsibilities. The scale of Plant theft is simply not justified in earning a place on their ‘top 10-20 ‘ list of priorities. However with the police recovery rate of stolen plant at c.0.9% it is also clear that the police have no significant role to play and are not part of the solution to stopping the theft of construction plant equipment.

The industry needs to re-focus and invest in the 21st Century anti-theft technology which controls ‘Man & Machine’ and is available and proven to stop un-authorised machine use and theft.

Plant Security, Man & Machine Safety  - A Watershed Opportunity with Kosran next generation technology: MEWP Industry Safety Initiatives for the prevention of loss of life and limb and ‘Safe Working at Height’ is a fundamentally more serious issue than plant theft, in a civilised society. It requires the young global Powered Access Industry to focus its resources on a strategy of investing in the 21st Century technology which is available, proven and specifically designed to stop unauthorised machine use and to Stop Fatalities.

‘Leading renters unite to tackle plant theft which costs the industry £800m per annum’... Read more » 11 Mar 2015, courtesy of International Rental News

Troubleshoot – what you need to know about plant theft.

Plant thieves do not joy-ride the machines

They steal them to order (and for export) for money

Left or right hand drive is not an issue

Most plant is yellow

Stolen plant is easy to sell because - Price is King

Demand from boom time territories and inability of factories to supply new machines further fuels supply, demand and movement of stolen plant.

Plant thieves are 100% organised professional criminals

Professional thieves will hot-wire every electric immobiliser in less than 90 seconds

UK Insurance Underwriters want to stop plant theft

Security systems need to be mandated by EU Directive and universally factory installed on every MEWP, construction plant and agri machine in the same way as they are installed on passenger cars in the European Union since January 1998