🎆 July: Celebrations for Most, Opportunity for Some
Fireworks. Cookouts. Family vacations. For most Americans, July is a time to relax and enjoy the freedom summer brings. But for thieves? It’s open season - especially for those targeting trailers, equipment, and work vehicles.
The data from July 2024 is clear: equipment theft spikes around the 4th of July and continues through the summer. If you’re not actively protecting your gear during this period, you’re rolling the dice with your business.
📊 What the Data from Last July Reveals
🔺 Theft Claims Surge Before and After the Holiday
According to insurance and law enforcement reports:
- Theft claims increased 37% during the 10-day period surrounding July 4th
- The most commonly reported stolen items included trailers, enclosed tool haulers, generators, and small equipment like skid steers
📍 Theft Isn’t Limited to Urban Areas
Rural jobsites and suburban driveways saw nearly as many incidents as city centers. Trailer theft was particularly high in suburban residential neighborhoods, where business owners often park overnight.
🕒 Timing Matters
Most reported thefts happened:
- Between midnight and 5:00 AM
- On or just after July 4th weekend, when businesses were closed or owners were away
- In locations where equipment was parked without tracking or visible deterrents
🔓 Why July Creates the Perfect Storm
Several seasonal and psychological factors make July a hotspot for theft:
| Factor | Why It Matters |
| Holiday distractions | Owners are out of town or off the clock |
| Fewer employees on site | Skeleton crews mean lower visibility |
| Predictable closures | Thieves know when businesses shut down |
| Open trailer parking | Summer jobsites are often spread across multiple locations |
| No surveillance | Many properties are unmonitored during long weekends |
“One of our trailers with mowers that was taken was worth over $15,000. We left for the weekend and came back to an empty space.”
Alarico H., Texas
🧨 Most-Stolen Items in July 2024
These were the top stolen assets reported around the holiday:
- Enclosed trailers (used by landscapers and contractors)
- Utility trailers loaded with tools
- Skid steers and mini-excavators parked overnight
- Jobsite generators and portable lighting
- Jet skis on trailers parked near docks or homes
If you use or own any of these, you’re at elevated risk - especially around holidays.
🛡️ Lessons from the Field: What Smart Businesses Did Right
While many suffered losses last year, others avoided disaster by taking a few simple precautions:
✅ Installed GPS Trackers in Advance
Businesses using real-time GPS trackers like AlerTrax received alerts when trailers moved off-schedule - many recovered their stolen assets within hours.
✅ Added Visible Deterrents
“GPS MONITORED” decals, motion lights, and coupler locks were often enough to send thieves elsewhere.
✅ Trained Their Crews
Employees who knew how to secure and document equipment made smarter decisions - like parking gear in blocked-in configurations or checking trailer hitches.
✅ Logged and Registered Equipment
Assets with serial numbers, photos, and registration were much more likely to be recovered.
📋 What You Can Do Right Now (Before the Next Holiday)
Whether it’s the 4th of July, Labor Day, or any long weekend - don’t assume your equipment will be there when you return unless you’ve taken steps like:
- Install a GPS tracker on every trailer and high-value item
- Set geofences and motion alerts before you close shop
- Park trailers in blocked-in or well-lit areas
- Use physical deterrents: hitch locks, wheel boots, chains
- Add decals that warn of GPS tracking
- Document your assets with photos and serial numbers
- Train your crew to follow a theft-prevention checklist
🛰️ GPS: The Most Reliable Line of Defense
Locks can be cut. Cameras can be avoided. But a hidden GPS tracker provides real-time alerts and live location data - giving you a direct path to recovery.
AlerTrax GPS solutions are:
- 🔋 Long-lasting (multi-year battery)
- 🧲 Discreet and tamper-resistant
- 📱 Easy to monitor via app or web
- 💵 Subscription-free (pay once, track forever)
If you’re preparing for a long weekend, a storm delay, or even a day off - AlerTrax gives you peace of mind.
🔗 Learn From Last Year - Act Before the Next Holiday
The numbers from last July don’t lie.
Thieves don’t take holidays off - and neither should your security.
Visit www.buyalertrax.com to explore GPS tracking options that fit your equipment, trailers, and fleet.
Don’t be a statistic. Protect what moves your business.
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