NER® wishes all our clients and Law Enforcement partners a happy and safe Memorial Day. We also encourage everyone to take steps to make it a crime-free holiday.

The Memorial Day holiday is one of the most active equipment theft periods nationwide, as summer demand for equipment ramps up. All areas should consider equipment theft to be a threat just before and over the holiday. The infographic shows that job site and dealer yard burglaries over the holiday are always an issue. Machine thefts from storage locations including contractor’s shop yards and farm outbuildings are also prevalent.

Equipment rental fraud and conversion thefts plagued the industry since a surge in 2018. This trend is not stopping in 2024, and outright thefts from rental business yards add another concern. NER anticipates that fraudsters and “smash and grab” thieves will be active throughout the season, particularly leading into and over the summer holiday weekends.

Be proactive to prevent equipment crimes. Small steps and minor attention to details may be all it takes to deter an opportunistic thief. The following are a few fundamentals for both law enforcement and equipment owners.

Please report any theft or fraud to NER online, or email NER at info@ner.net

Law Enforcement personnel are encouraged to verify the status of equipment in-transit over the holiday which may be an undiscovered theft. Contact NICB 24 hours a day for access to NER’s equipment ownership registration data and fleet records 800-447-6282. Or register to search NER’s data online at https://application.ner.net

Industry personnel are encouraged to contact local Law Enforcement (911) about any suspicious activity; being in the industry you know when something isn’t right – don’t let it go.