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SAFE & SECURITY SECURE Keeping your work truck and equipment from being stolen means having a multi-layered security system. Here is what you need to know… By Peter D. DuPre hether we like it or not, the trucks and equipment we use everyday for business and personal use are prime targets for thieves. According to the National Equipment Register (ner.net), which keeps tabs on equipment thefts, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of mobile equipment is stolen from construction sites and farms throughout North America every year. Most of this equipment is never recovered. And if you take just a minute to think about it, the reasons are obvious: Job trucks, trailers, and equipment are often left unattended at the jobsite or office after hours, when darkness makes theft or vandalism very easy. Such targets of opportunity are lucrative for the thieves and costly for the contractor. Even a modestly equipped diesel work truck can easily have a $50K price tag. Add in the replacement cost of tools, a trailer, and a compact loader or skid steer (the highest equipment on the current "hit" list) and you're easily out another $50K. Sure, most businesses carry insurance to cover losses from theft and vandalism, but it only pays for the loss of the vehicle(s), trailer and equipment. However, you might not get full replacement value for your loss and you certainly won't get paid for lost business, time spent with the police and insurance agent, or for the time and out of pocket expenses it will take to replace all that you have lost. Insurance is an important protection device, but it should be one that is rarely used. It is much better to protect your assets from theft and vandalism by making them unattractive W targets. Should the worst happen and your assets are stolen, then a security setup should be in place to track those assets and secure their prompt recovery by law enforcement. Most of you usually lock your trucks, trailers and equipment when they aren't being used and park them in secure areas. Some of you even employ alarm systems. But keeping vehicles and equipment safe and secure goes far beyond such basics and, in fact, is a multi-layered process. MULTIPLE LEVELS OF SECURITY The first part of keeping assets protected is to have the right frame of mind. Many small contracting and landscaping businesses have only a couple of pickups, which also double as family and recreation transportation. This means that the owner has to be diligent about security 24/7 and the first place to start is with solid record keeping. Keep accurate inventory records of all vehicles, trailers and equipment. For vehicles this means making a copy of the vehicle registration and insurance, keeping the title locked up in the office and not in the vehicle, logging VIN numbers, taking descriptive notes and taking color photos of the front, sides and rear of the truck(s). Keep these in a safe or a safe deposit box and give a copy to your insurance agent. An extra copy of important papers to be kept at home is also a good idea. After that, focus on security beyond locking doors and parking trucks and trailers behind chain-link fences and well-lit, frequently patrolled lots. Realize that removing ignition keys and lock propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 67

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