đ§ 10,000 Thefts. One Clear Message.
The National Equipment Register (NER) and NICB report thousands of equipment and trailer thefts every yearâand AlerTrax has tracked hundreds of our own user cases as well.
When you study the data across 10,000+ thefts, one thing becomes clear :
- Theft isnât random. Itâs predictable.
- And that means itâs preventable.
In this article, we break down:
- đ Common patterns behind equipment and trailer theft
- đ What thieves really target (and why)
- đĄď¸ What you can doâtodayâto avoid being the next victim
đ The Same Mistakes, Over and Over
Based on theft reports, police records, and customer stories, these five issues keep showing up:
1. Assuming âIt Wonât Happen Hereâ
Whether itâs a quiet suburb, a gated community, or a remote farm, theft isnât just an urban issue anymore.
In fact, nearly half of all thefts happen in suburban and rural areas.
𧨠Lesson: Theft happens where equipment is unprotectedânot where itâs expected.
2. Relying on Basic Locks Alone
Bolt cutters. Cordless grinders. Spare hitches
Thieves can get through many locks in under a minute.
đ Lesson: Physical locks slow thieves down, but they donât stop them. GPS is your backup plan.
3. Leaving Gear OvernightâUnwatched
Unattended trailers, enclosed tool haulers, and small equipment left over the weekend are top targets.
Friday night to Monday morning is a hot window for theft.
đ Lesson: If youâre not checking on it, someone else might be.
4. No Inventory or Asset List
After a theft, many owners struggle to file claims or prove ownershipâbecause they never documented what was inside.
đ¸ Lesson: Keep a basic log or photos of your gear. It helps with insurance, recovery, and police reports.
5. No Tracking or Alerts
The most painful losses come from businesses that almost invested in GPS⌠but didnât.
Once the trailer is gone, so is your window to recover it.
đ Lesson: Track it before it disappears. Not after.
đ Theft By the Numbers
From recent NER/NICB data and internal AlerTrax reports:
- đ Top 3 stolen assets: Enclosed trailers, skid steers, toolboxes
- đ Recovery rate without GPS: 15â20%
- đĄ Recovery rate with GPS tracking: 85â90%
- đ Most common theft time: Friday night to early Monday morning
- đ Peak theft months: July, August, October
â What You Can Do Today (Simple + Effective)
If you run a small business or manage field equipment, these small steps create real protection:
đ 1. Lock it upâproperly
Use high-security coupler locks, wheel boots, and lockable toolboxes.
đ 2. Add GPS tracking
Even one unit on your trailer or equipment can change the outcome.
With AlerTrax, youâll get :
- Real-time movement alerts
- Live location tracking
- Backup in case of theft or crew mix-ups
𧰠3. Take inventory
Snap photos of tools, gear, and serial numbers.
Back it up monthly on your phone or cloud.
đď¸ 4. Do a âFriday Lock-Upâ check
Before you head into the weekend, run a checklist :
- Is the trailer locked?
- Is the tracker active?
- Is anything loose or exposed?
đŹ 5. Talk to your crew
Make theft prevention part of your Friday routine.
Security works best when everyoneâs on board.
đĄ The Pattern Is Clear.
So Is the Solution.
Thieves follow opportunity.
If your gear is visible, untracked, or easily movedâtheyâll take it.
But with a few simple changesâlocks, GPS, checklistsâyou send a clear message:
âNot today.â
đ Stop Theft Before It Starts
The data speaks for itself.
Donât wait to become another statistic.
Protect your trailers, tools, and equipment with GPS tracking from AlerTrax.
Visit www.buyalertrax.com to get started.
You canât afford to lose another $10K trailer.
But you can afford to prevent it.
Want $25 Off AlerTrax?
Drop your email and weâll send you a one-time-use
discount code you can use today