DeWalt supports equipment theft summits
DeWalt is promoting its support of Regional Equipment Theft Summits, organized by the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and National Equipment Register, a national database of equipment ownership. The 10…
DeWalt is promoting its support of Regional Equipment Theft Summits, organized by the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and National Equipment Register, a national database of equipment ownership.
The 10 educational summits are being held in cities throughout the U.S. this year, providing product demonstrations, seminars and advice on how to effectively reduce the growing occurrence of equipment theft.
Bill Pugh, DeWalt’s director of marketing for security, says the tool manufacturer began working closely with the National Equipment Register about two years ago to help combat job-site theft issues.
“We started working with them to create awareness of the issue, but also awareness of the product offering solutions that we offer, and be able to talk to the different groups that go to those sessions,” says Pugh.
The summits annually bring together law enforcement officials, equipment owners and insurers to provide educational sessions from industry experts on theft prevention and recovery. Police officers receive training on equipment identification techniques and hands-on demonstrations.
Pugh says studies have shown job-site theft is a top concern for the construction industry, with losses of more than $1 billion in the United States each year. “Theft is a big issue. It happens all the time. People don’t really monitor equipment and job sites,” he says. “And because it’s so volatile, police don’t even know how to deal with it, contractors sometimes don’t know how to deal with it, and so forth.”
According to Pugh, the seminars offer valuable information to all attendees, even smaller woodshop and cabinet shop owners. For example, equipment insurers will point out that deploying certain security technologies and registering equipment often leads to a potential price break on insurance premiums during the policy underwriting process.
Also, attendees can learn about registering their equipment through the national register to create a record, similar to how vehicle identification numbers (VIN) are used by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The NER offers a database for equipment and high-value assets that the police can go to and give the serial numbers,” says Pugh. “[The NER] may not be applicable to everybody, but it gives shop owners that next level of security if they need it. If they’re worried about someone breaking in and stealing their equipment, it’s just another offering.”
Additionally, attendees can demo the latest theft prevention and recovery technologies, including DeWalt’s Mobilelock GPS Locator and Anti-Theft Alarm, launched in early 2007. The Mobilelock is a security device designed for any portable, high-value asset. Applications for the system run the gamut, says Pugh, including tow trailers, table saws and materials.
The GPS feature allows contractors to locate the Mobilelock unit in real time using the Internet. The unit runs on rechargeable lithium ion batteries and will remain powered for approximately 30 days. Contractors can easily customize the Mobilelock’s settings to create their own arm and disarm schedule, change contact phone numbers, adjust siren settings and more. The basic version, model DS500, sells for $499 and has a monthly service cost of $19.95 for use of the alarm system.
The free Regional Equipment Theft Summits will be held in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Hartford, Conn., Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and St. Louis. For a complete schedule, go to www.nerusa.com.
