Dougster

Another reminder of the ever-present dangers of machine theft arrived in my inbox today... this one with a happy ending!

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April 9, 2009
Daily Commercial News & Construction Record
Heavy Equipment

Keen-eyed Con-Ker worker helps recover $1 million in stolen construction equipment

VINCE VERSACE
staff writer

Close to $1 million in stolen construction equipment has been recovered in Flamborough, Ontario, thanks to the sharp eye of a Con-Ker Construction driver and a little bit of luck.

“Most of the equipment has been missing already for about two to three weeks,” explains George Kleinsteiber, equipment theft consultant for the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association. “There are indications the equipment was being re-VIN’d and readied to be shipped to Africa. We are extremely lucky to have recovered them.”

On March 27 a driver working for Con-Ker Construction saw what he believed to be two John Deere bulldozers his company had recently reported stolen. The heavy equipment was hidden behind some trees in a yard belonging to Suzan Equipment Sales, 2135 Hwy Number 6, in Flamborough. Hamilton police were called to the location and secured it. With the assistance of the Peel Regional Commercial Auto Crime Unit, Halton Regional Police and Kleinsteiber, a search warrant was executed the next day.

Investigators recovered at the yard three dump trucks, two bulldozers, an excavator, a quad-axle trailer and parts of a tri-axle float trailer. The equipment belonged to Con-Ker Construction, Dom-Meridian Construction, non-OSWCA members and yet to be identified owners.

Further investigation by Peel police’s auto crime unit identified a customs broker in Mississauga that was preparing to ship the stolen equipment to Africa.

Charges against a number of individuals will be laid soon and attempts are being made to determine if other stolen heavy equipment is presently enroute to Africa.

“Most of North America’s stolen heavy equipment seems to head to Africa. The equipment gets driven and loaded right on to row-row ships and then is gone,” says Kleinsteiber.

Heavy equipment theft amounts to a $32 million tab across Canada annually and a majority of that theft occurs in Ontario and Quebec, says Kleinsteiber. Ontario alone accounts for $12 to $16 million of that theft. This year equipment theft in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver is on the rise but down overall in Canada, Kleinsteiber says.

There have been few highlights in the recovery of stolen equipment in 2009 until the Flamborough area recovery.

Installation of an immobilizer or tracking system of some kind on equipment will help deter theft, he adds.

Kleinsteiber is the author of OSWCA’s Combatting Heavy Equipment Theft, An Officers’ Guide to Proper Identification of Construction Equipment.

The guide is designed to assist law enforcement officers in the location of vehicle/product identification numbers (VIN/PIN) on construction equipment such as excavators, backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders and mini-excavators.

OSWCA asks that people keep an eye out for new Case skidsteers because nine were recently stolen from equipment supplier Strongco’s Mississauga location.

Also, if your company had equipment stolen in the past year, in the GTA, you can contact Kleinsteiber who is working with the police on the Flamborough recovery, at 705-791-8000.

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Time to go revisit my business insurance agent and make sure that I am properly covered!!


Dougster™

zionview

Wow, I hope that guy gets a bonus!

Kan1ck

Yeah, I like it too when some "crook's" plans get tipped over. In case anybody needs "interpretation" of the term "row row", it is the phonetic enunciation of the acronym RORO (Roll On-Roll Off) to describe cargo vessels where vehicles are driven on and off (or towed) utilizing their own wheels or tracks instead of being hoisted on board with a crane. I would suppose these RORO ships also carry some cargo that is loaded by forklift (when appropriate). "Row row" might be a Canadian term or the journalist might actually think that is what was said, I don't know. I am "spotlighting" this simply because it might fit in on a list of other "bloopers" I have heard when journalists (mainly TV news types) try to elaborate on subjects that they never heard of "until five minutes ago". A few examples here for the "discerning critic". A few years ago, a local "News anchor" kept giving details of a helicopter crash that "authorities " believe might have been caused by a "hydraulic fuel leak". Another "perennial favorite" is "bulldozer". It seems like every time a construction/demolition machine is part of a news story..........it is referred as a "bulldozer". examples "Authorities are exhuming the body of John Doe for forensic tests. Behind me you see this yellow "bulldozer" (back hoe) opening the grave." (just picture in your mind what the casket & cadaver are going to look like after being exhumed by a bulldozer) or "The building was heavily damaged by a fire on mm/dd. Authorities have ordered the building to be demolished. Today this "bulldozer" (track excavator) is knocking down the walls that remain." (I suppose that other " bulldozer" [articulated loader]off to one side was going to load the rubble into a dump truck) or "When the "gravel truck" overturned, it's cargo was scattered along the highway. They have brought in this "bulldozer" (skid steer loader) to clean up the gravel and hopefully traffic will be moving again soon." It is such a nice morning I thought I would just stay inside and ramble a bit.

PaulChristenson

Paul in VT

I used to own an ant farm but had to give it up. I couldn't find tractors small enough to fit it.
-- Steven Wright

http://www.wunderground.com/US/VT/Bu...typeclick=big2

Kan1ck

Paul, can you find a photo of this row-row with an excavator loaded on it? (you know, to send to the jounalist who "row-t" the story).

PaulChristenson

Your wish is my command...check the left corner...

http://www.sefco-export.com/shipping/roro_guides.htm

Paul in VT

I used to own an ant farm but had to give it up. I couldn't find tractors small enough to fit it.
-- Steven Wright

http://www.wunderground.com/US/VT/Bu...typeclick=big2

Dougster

The old Dougster™ continues to wonder when someone is going to come out with a GPS-enabled cell phone... preferably using pre-paid cell service so no high cost or hassle with billing... that could be set to send a text message giving its exact coordinates every 10 to 120 minutes (user set)... and sell for $119.99 or less!

The deluxe model could include a motion sensor... and/or movement/speed sensor... and/or heat sensor... and/or proximity sensor... and sell for $159.95 or less! The text messages from the deluxe model would include the supplementary data.

Such a device, with an appropriate hidden mounting & antenna accessory pack (an extra $39.95) would stop machine theft dead in its tracks... at least in areas with cell phone service.

Why the hell doesn't this device... at this price... exist? And please don't tell me that it can't be done or would have to sell for 5 times the price like LoJack!!!

Dougster™

Deanster

I saw the title and thought you were going to recommend a new massage parlor.

___________________________
Cub Cadet Yanmar EX3200, CL300 Loader w/ Rankin toothbar, Land Pride bucket forks, CB75 Backhoe w/ mechanical thumb, Woods LR72 Landscape Rake, Rankin RC20-72 rotary cutter.

PaulChristenson

Here is a $500 unit...
MobileLock GPS Locator w/anti-theft alarm (base unit): BIKEBONE

This starts at $599 unit...
Cycle Protect - Motorcycle alarm, GPS, motorcycle security, theft prevention, anti-theft system, theft recovery, alarms, steal, stolen, motorcycles, chopper, crotch rocket, honda, kawasaki, yamaha, harley davidson, bmw, ducati, suzuki

Here is a tracker...
GPS para Rastreo Satelital, Localizacion GPS, GPS de GPS

Paul in VT

I used to own an ant farm but had to give it up. I couldn't find tractors small enough to fit it.
-- Steven Wright

http://www.wunderground.com/US/VT/Bu...typeclick=big2

Dougster

This is just helping to make my point. The technology obviously exists and we both know the price could be dramatically reduced with simplification, standardization and vastly increased sales. The cost of producing these things is peanuts! They could sell 20+ times as many at $119.95 (Sale price at Walmart: $99.97 ) and machine theft... car and truck theft too... would become a whole lot riskier and less profitable. Sounds like the old Dougster™ should get up off his sorry butt and go patent the plans for his Dougster Econo Theft Notifier!!!

Anybody know Steve Jobs' phone number???

Dougster™