Something that has caught my eye in recent months as I’ve perused industry-related news headlines is the theft of contractors’ service vehicles and/or tools.
A prominent example is in Chicago, where at the time of this column’s writing, officials believe the same crew has been responsible for at least 32 burglaries targeting contracting companies like plumbers and electricians since the beginning of the year. One company has been hit four different times, with thieves getting away with around $100,000 in tools, according to reports.
Big-city problems, right? Maybe partially, but I’ve seen news stories about thefts targeting contractors in less-populated areas as well. Contractors have expensive equipment, and criminals are going to be attracted to items of value. That can happen anywhere.
I can think of few things more frustrating as a business owner than to be a victim of theft. All that hard work to build up your company. You reinvest to upgrade or acquire new equipment in order to serve customers better and grow even more. Suddenly — through no fault of your own, no misstep or miscalculation — you’re dealt a significant blow.
Even if something like insurance can help you recoup some of your losses, it’s a step backward. It takes time to replace tools you probably spent multiple years gradually accumulating. Plus, being forced into filing claims means you’ll likely be facing higher insurance premiums in the future.
The owner of EJ Plumbing in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of this month’s profiled contractors, dealt some with stolen service vehicles and tools early in his career. And earlier this year, we profiled Arko Plumbing out of Miami. Owner Joe Jaremko discussed some of his theft-deterrent techniques.
Jaremko doesn’t have anything on the sides of his Nissan 2500 vans that identify them as work vans. They don’t even have ladder racks on them. This makes it harder for thieves to target his equipment. He has also outfitted his vans with three hidden GPS units, one of them hardwired. And tools that might be particularly attractive to thieves are locked in a gang box that’s bolted to the floor.
Some of those tactics are easier to embrace than others. I haven’t encountered many companies not taking advantage of the opportunity to use their service vehicles as advertising with some eye-catching vinyl wraps.
I don’t have any other solutions to offer. It’s a tough problem to crack. Even if you take steps to deter theft, it is sometimes not enough. In one news story I read, a contractor had his work truck parked in his driveway. It was locked and the truck’s steering wheel was also secured with cables and locks. But some prepared thieves had exactly what they needed to easily get through the defenses. A surveillance camera captured the theft. “They had it in two-and-a-half minutes,” the contractor told reporters.
I’d be interested in learning more about experiences contractors have had with vehicle and equipment theft and what they’ve done about it. Reach out to me at editor@cleaner.com or 715-350-8442.
Enjoy this month’s issue.
