Life is a bumpy road. Eventually you just learn how to drive on it.
By Melissa Somers, Executive Director
Crime Prevention Program of Southern California*
When you were learning to drive, every bump in the road tended to feel like a crater, threatening your control of the vehicle, and causing a serious case of white knuckles. The more familiar you became with driving and the control you had over the vehicle’s response, the more confident you’d approach a bump or two and an otherwise uncertain journey. The same can be said for the jarring journey we’re currently taking on the equipment theft road.
I was recently asked by an insurance company if I had data that would illustrate what construction equipment theft looked like in California. While CPP tracks our internal numbers for our members’ reported theft vs recoveries, we also receive monthly Vehicle Theft Information System (VTIS) reports from the California Highway Patrol. This request presented an opportunity to verify what I suspected: the increase in theft that CPP members were experiencing was being felt on a much larger scale.
I was very familiar with our internal statistics and the reality they so clearly illustrated; it was definitely interesting to compare the two.
CPP’s internal records have shed some very valuable insight into theft trends over the past few years. Based on our members’ reported thefts, we’ve noticed that not only are the number of incidents on the rise, the value of what crooks are taking has taken a substantial jump, too. Additionally, we’ve seen a staggering increase in the recoveries we’ve assisted our partners in law enforcement. In fact, in 2022 we saw an increase in our law enforcement assist recoveries of 123% over 2021. CPP member thefts – by value – increased 47% over 2021. While CPP is still holding strong with our member recoveries, the fact of the matter is criminals are more brazen than ever
The CHP VTIS reports share the numbers, by county, for different classifications of vehicle theft: commercial trucks, trailers, farm equipment, and construction equipment. I compiled the statewide stats from 2019 through February 2023 and the findings were sobering, to say the least. Here are a few takeaways:
- 2022 had a 60%+ increase in the number of units stolen over 2019
- Recovery efforts are holding steadily between 35%- 41% over the past four years with an average of 39.5% of stolen units being recovered from 2019-2022
- Based on figures for the first two months of 2023, we are on track for an increase of 53% over last year and 145% when compared to 2019
I certainly don’t share this information to be a “Debbie Downer” nor to fuel negativity. It’s easy to feel discouraged with the abundance of negative news these days. Making matters even worse is the ongoing predictions that we’re nowhere near being out of the woods for so many of the concerns that weigh on us every day – including the staggering rise in crime. While the majority of the world has little to no interest in construction and rental theft, we do. Therefore, we have to pay attention to what has been happening in order to help us prepare for what is expected to happen.
In fact, I like to think of the rise in crime as an opportunity for us to take a fresh look at how we might be contributing to the overall issue- in ways good or bad. We might not be the ones out stealing Bobcats or catalytic converters at 2 in the morning, but are we certain we’re doing everything possible to avoid becoming a victim? Could we take the initiative to address not only our own prevention methods but also take a look at the possibility for improving things like our rental agreements and / or inventory procedures? Are we communicating our thefts as effectively as possible to ensure the best possible outcome not just for ourselves, but in a way that helps address the problematic rise in crime? Or have we made peace with being a victim and would rather gripe about the state of our world, pointing fingers at everyone else’s place in things instead of taking a moment to reflect on what we could do to help affect change?
We must spend a bit of time seeing where we’ve come from in order to responsibly move into the future with a higher chance of being successful while mindfully contributing to the overall good. Knowing that theft is still trending upward we can choose to make changes now to avoid potentially becoming just another statistic; to do things that help with – not just YOUR theft – but the overall situation. Then, just as you did when you were first learning to drive, remember to slow down to get a better feel for the road ahead and how best to proceed. Because even though the road might be a bit bumpier than we’d like, finding ways to navigate it successfully and with caution will make the journey more pleasant – and maybe even enjoyable.
*The Crime Prevention Program of Southern California (CPP) is a non-profit organization working with our members, law enforcement, the
construction industry and area auto theft task forces to educate, empower and engage in a community fighting construction crime. For
information on how you can join the CPP community, contact Melissa Somers, Executive Director @ 562-860-9006 or email:
[email protected]. “Together, We Make a Difference”.
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