With summer almost over and reports of crime on the way up in many areas, this interesting item we saw in the most recent issue of “Northeast Dealer,” the newsletter of the Northeast Equipment Dealers Assn., ought to get dealers thinking:

“Perhaps it’s the recession, but we continue to see an increasing number of stolen equipment reports on the association fax line. Please, keep a watch for individuals who appear to be more interested in “casing out” your dealership than purchasing equipment or individuals trying to quickly “move” equipment at below market value. One of the recent police reports indicated a fair amount of “on-site” time was spent planning and organizing the theft of several units from a dealership.

We usually talk to dealers about looking at their dealership as though they were a customer and asking themselves what they might do to improve that “first impression.” It may be time to look through a different set of “glasses” to see if you can identify “improvements” both physical (such as parking tractors in a formation rather than a “line up”) and in the way you and your employees conduct business (do they always follow the same predictable routine) which might deter a theft. More often than not a few small changes and attention to the details can make the difference between becoming a victim or not and making your display more interesting to paying customers!

Thieves will most always pick the easiest (softest) target. That said, should you become a victim please use the report form found at the stolen equipment link on the association website. Fill it out as completely as possible and fax it immediately to Dave Close at the association office: 315-451-3548. The quicker we get the word out, the more likely units are to be recovered.

We have been successful recovering some units for our members as a result of our actions. Another example of why association membership pays.”

For more information, e-mail Tim Wentz (Field Director, Northeast Eqiupment Dealers Assn.) at twentz@pa.net.

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