Only 18 percent of equipment stolen in 2009 was recovered, according to a just-released joint report by the National Equipment Register and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In an analysis of more than 13,000 thefts of construction and farm equipment reported to the National Crime Information Center’s database, the report says the top five states for equipment theft — Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina — accounted for 43 percent of all thefts.
Mower, riding or garden equipment account for almost half of the equipment stolen. Also high on the list: skid steers, with 1,476 theft reports, and backhoes, with 763 theft reports. Most thefts are reported during the summer high-activity months, and the newer a piece of equipment, the more likely it is someone will steal it. Click here for a link to the complete report.
