External theft is an ongoing issue for equipment rental companies that often keep valuable inventory in the yard. Rental businesses lose millions of dollars annually due to the theft of high-value machinery, vehicles, and tools.
Although not always the case, rental equipment theft is often the result of organized crime. For example, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), police broke up a Florida equipment theft ring in September 2025. The ring was linked to the loss of over $2 million in construction equipment, utility vehicles, and trailers.
Outside of organized crime rings, opportunistic thieves steal equipment when it’s left unattended and inadequately secured.
With equipment theft costing around $30,000 per incident, companies must be vigilant to protect their assets.
Why Rental Equipment Theft Is a Persistent Problem
Thieves continue to target equipment rental businesses because they offer high reward with relatively low risk. Understanding what makes an equipment yard vulnerable to external theft is the first step to preventing it.
Several factors drive criminals to steal rental equipment, including:
- High-value assets: Rental equipment like skid steers and mini excavators is valuable. Criminals steal construction equipment and resell it for a high price.
- Low on-site security: Yards or jobsites that aren’t secure 24/7 are attractive targets for thieves. Criminals often steal equipment from sites with poor security, especially during the holidays when no one is around.
- Easy to steal: Rental equipment can be relatively simple to steal. Thieves can easily get hold of universal keys to start an engine and take off. Meanwhile, small or midsize equipment can be quickly loaded onto a trailer and towed away.
Commonly Targeted Types of Rental Equipment
Criminals commonly target equipment with a high price tag and high demand. They also look for versatile, compact, and easy-to-move equipment.
For example, skid steers are the most stolen type of heavy equipment, partially because of their sought-after versatility. They’re also easy to load onto a trailer in just a few minutes.
Other commonly targeted equipment types include:
- Mowers
- Utility vehicles
- Backhoes
- Mini excavators
- Agricultural tractors
- Welders
- Generators
- Attachments
Some brands are stolen more frequently than others. According to the National Equipment Register’s Memorial Day Heavy Equipment Theft Trends 2025 report, the top five brands stolen are:
- Kubota
- John Deere
- Caterpillar
- Bobcat
- Carson
The Cost of Rental Theft
The cost of rental equipment theft goes far beyond the expense of replacing the stolen asset. Here are some of the ways equipment loss impacts a business’s profitability and competitive edge:
1. Direct Financial Losses
Only about 20% of construction equipment is recovered after it’s stolen. That means in 80% of theft cases, equipment owners either have to pay replacement costs or cover a deductible before their insurance kicks in.
Rental companies must also pay labor-related costs to tackle administrative tasks like filing and managing insurance claims.
2. Lost Revenue
Rental providers need to keep equipment out on contracts to generate revenue. Depending on the type of equipment stolen, its absence can lead to hundreds of dollars lost per day in potential profit.
According to Angi, excavator rental prices range from $150 to $1,800 a day, varying by model. That could mean thousands of dollars per week of potential revenue loss without quickly replacing the stolen equipment.
3. Increased Insurance Premiums
Theft claims lead insurance companies to classify a business as higher-risk, increasing premiums. In general, filing a claim can increase rental equipment insurance by 20% to 40%.
With every subsequent claim filed, the amount will go up, along with the usual annual rate hikes. Overall, equipment theft can lead to thousands of dollars extra going toward insurance coverage each year, especially with repeat incidents.
4. Reputational Damage
Another considerable cost of rental equipment theft is reputational damage. If a customer requests an asset listed online, only to be told it was stolen when they make arrangements to secure it, they lose valuable time and are forced to make other arrangements to complete their project. Customers who have a bad experience are much less likely to return to do business again.
Equipment theft can also impact employees’ perception of safety, potentially leading to increased turnover and difficulty attracting new team members.
How to Prevent Rental Equipment Theft
Equipment rental companies can address the risk of theft proactively to protect equipment from criminals at the yard and customer jobsites.
The following steps empower your business to prevent external theft at your property and ensure a faster recovery if equipment is stolen in the field.
1. Install an Electric Fence
The most effective way to prevent external theft at your business is to keep thieves away from your assets with a solution like The Electric Guard Dog™ Fence.
The Electric Guard Dog Fence is installed inside a regular fence and presents an imposing physical and psychological barrier to unauthorized entry. If a criminal attempts to breach the fence, they’ll get a safe but memorable pulsed electric shock. The 7,000-volt shock keeps them from trying a second attempt. Most criminals don’t even try to breach the electric fence in the first place, once they see its warning signs.
AMAROK’s customers see a 99% reduction in external theft after The Electric Guard Dog Fence is installed. One customer, Sukut Equipment Rentals, has experienced zero break-in attempts since installing The Electric Guard Dog Fence in 2020.
2. Integrate Video Surveillance
While surveillance video cameras won’t prevent crime, they are important components of multi-layered perimeter security. Surveillance cameras provide the visual evidence law enforcement needs to verify a breach attempt and respond promptly. This is especially crucial in jurisdictions with dual verification requirements.
Surveillance cameras also allow security specialists to monitor your perimeter remotely, 24/7. For greater security, you can link surveillance video cameras to your electric fence with a solution like FORTIFEYE™.
FORTIFYE combines The Electric Guard Dog Fence with surveillance cameras, alarms, and remote monitoring services for around-the-clock, multi-layered protection. Surveillance cameras record a breach attempt while alarms notify security specialists automatically. They then review live video footage, verify the breach attempt, and alert law enforcement for a fast response.
3. Control Access to Your Lot
Maintaining security at entry and exit points is vital to securing rental assets, especially on large lots. A Gate Access Control system will ensure that only authorized personnel can pass through these areas.
Gate Access Control monitors who’s coming and going and denies entry to anyone who cannot present the proper credentials. This solution is an important step in achieving complete perimeter security when combined with an electric fence. It also works well for situations involving after-hours pickups or drop-offs, giving your rental service added flexibility.
4. Use GPS Tracking and Immobilization
A multi-layered security posture built around The Electric Guard Dog Fence will keep your assets safe while on your rental lot, but your customers may not have the same measures. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to help protect your equipment in the field as well, such as installing GPS tracking devices on each machine. These allow you to track your assets’ locations in real time, so you can find them faster if they leave a specified area.
Another option is immobilization techniques, or methods that physically deter thieves from starting or moving equipment. For example, you can eliminate the risk associated with universal keys by implementing smart keys that require operators to use a coded fob to start equipment.
Safeguard Your Rental Equipment With AMAROK
When rental equipment is stolen, it can lead to many consequences, from revenue loss to reputational harm. Protect your equipment, peace of mind, and bottom line with AMAROK.
Our solutions bring multiple layers of defense to your commercial property’s perimeter, stopping crime before it happens. We offer a security-as-a-service model, which means you pay one flat fee for our services. Our team will install and maintain The Electric Guard Dog Fence and any other security enhancements you choose with zero upfront cost.
Contact a local expert today to evaluate your property’s risk and devise a custom perimeter security solution.
