2013 Heavy Equipment Thefts Increase 5% Over Previous Year: NICB

In 2013, a total of 11,486 heavy equipment thefts were reported to law enforcement—an increase of 5 percent from the 10,925 reported in 2012, according to the latest report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

The report, co-produced with the National Equipment Register (NER), examines heavy equipment theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and profiles that data according to theft state, theft city, theft month, equipment manufacturer, equipment style (type) and year of manufacture. The report also examines heavy equipment recoveries in 2013 based on the same criteria.

The top five states for heavy equipment theft in 2013 are:

1. Texas – 494
2. North Carolina – 913
3. Florida – 892
4. California – 734
5. South Carolina – 691

The top five cities with the most thefts were Houston, Texas (199); Oklahoma City, Okla. (111); San Antonio, Texas (82); Miami, Fla. (77); and West Palm Beach, Fla. (72).

The three most stolen heavy equipment items in 2013 were:

1. Mowers (riding or garden tractor: 5,186)
2. Loaders (skid steer, wheeled: 1,920)
3. Tractors (wheeled or tracked: 1,362)

Heavy equipment manufactured by John Deere was the number one theft target in 2013 followed in order by Kubota Tractor Corp., Bobcat, Caterpillar and Toro.

As for recoveries, only 21 percent of heavy equipment stolen in 2013 was found, making it a costly crime for insurance companies, equipment owners and rental agencies.

Source: NICB