The Problem Of Jcb 3cx Thefts

The construction industry is huge and, despite the recession

, continues to thrive around the world with new developments springing up to support demand from things like tourism and an expanding population. But without the myriad of construction equipment that exists, constructing buildings would be nigh impossible.

But with the recession comes another problem for the construction industry; theft. As people increasingly struggle to make ends meet, desperation begins to creep in and people turn to crime, especially theft, in some circumstances.

Thefts of one of the most commonly-used pieces of machinery, the JCB 3CX digger, have posed a particular problem.

Organised crime also has a huge role to play in thefts of these kinds.

A JCB 3CX digger is one of the most commonly-used diggers in construction and is a familiar sight on most building sites across the UK and Europe. This digger is a backhoe, meaning that the machine features a digging bucket at the end of an articulated, two-part arm.

Backhoes like the JCB 3CX can fetch a considerable amount of money, which is very attractive to thieves, and often theft is made relatively easy because of lax security standards. For example, much construction equipment does not have serial numbers or vehicle identification numbers, or thieves can easily remove them.

Access to equipment like the JCB 3CX is often easy with open cabs, and sometimes equipment will have a one-key-fits-all type of ignition. The industry also seems to be relatively lax in terms of record keeping which makes the identification of recovered items extremely difficult.

Thieves may strip down construction vehicles after they've stolen them and sell the component parts on the black market and possibly overseas to avoid detection. Once a piece of equipment has been dismantled in this way it becomes very hard to trace.

How big is the problem?

Unfortunately, construction theft can prove very lucrative. In the UK in 2008 there were 849 thefts of excavators such as the JCB 3CX, 911 trailer thefts, 202 telehandler thefts and 244 site dumpers were stolen. Thefts of agricultural tractors rose by 149 per cent and forklift trucks by 67 per cent.

Advice for companies concerned about equipment theft is to register all items with The National Plant & Equipment Register and also the Construction Equipment Security And Registration, install CCTV where possible, always ensure cabs of vehicles are left locked at night and to leave as little tempting equipment on display as possible.

by: Dominic Donaldson

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