NER warns against theft; issues fraud alerts

The National Equipment Register (NER) is warning those in the equipment and event rental industry as recent reports indicate equipment theft has continued in many areas despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to NER, equipment theft rates generally mirror the overall economy; in this new environment, theft patterns prove to be difficult to predict and all areas should consider equipment theft to be a viable threat. Equipment rental fraud remains a major issue in 2020 with little signs of slowing this winter.

Rental operators should to be vigilant as indicated by recent frauds in Texas and North Carolina. In the North Carolina report, the subject stole a Kubota compact tracked loader and Anderson Trailer. He was driving a U-Haul truck which was later determined to be fraudulently rented.

NER also recently issued a warning to operators in Georgia after similar thefts were reported. In one case, a subject driving a U-Haul pickup used a fake ID to rent a Takeuchi Mini Excavator and Anderson Trailer in Madison, Ga. Police were contacted on Nov. 20, after another subject in a U-Haul attempted to also rent a mini excavator and trailer. That subject and accomplice were taken into custody.

NER suggests being proactive to prevent equipment crimes from occurring. Small steps and minor attention to details may be all it takes to deter an opportunistic thief that is targeting your area. For details, click here to download NER’s Equipment Rental Fraud Prevention presentation.

To help protect those in the equipment and event rental industry, American Rental Association (ARA) members can register up to 1,000 pieces of mobile, off-road equipment with NER’s HELPTech database for free. When companies register their equipment, NER will send theft deterrent warning decals that let potential thieves know the equipment is registered in a searchable, national database.

Participating members may be eligible for a theft-deductible waiver of up to $10,000 through their insurance company.

Learn more about ARA and NER’s partnership.

Click here to report equipment rental and purchase frauds to NER online or call 866-663-7872.