NER combines systems, staff and procedures to provide secure, accurate information services to law enforcement, insurers, equipment owners and the equipment industry. Operations revolve around a database of stolen equipment, a database of equipment ownership, NER operators, a network of investigators and training and awareness programs.

Loss Database

To solve the problem of slow, inaccurate theft reporting, NER has developed a national database of heavy equipment losses with direct and indirect online reporting processes. Losses are either reported to NER though a secure area of the NER website or through ISO for NER member insurers already reporting equipment losses via ISO’s ClaimSearch®. All losses are then subjected to a rigorous quality control process to ensure accuracy, augment the report with additional information and to check for duplicate reports. NER has also downloaded past records from databases, such as those in the insurance industry and quality controlled these losses to build an extensive and accurate historical record of past losses.

Ownership Database

To deter equipment theft and enable the true owner of a piece of equipment to be identified in the absence of an accurate theft report, NER has developed a national database of equipment ownership. All data is transmitted and stored securely and its use is limited solely for the recovery of stolen equipment. Equipment owners can record equipment online and can access and amend schedules online through password-protected access. Owners receive a theft prevention warning decal for each item registered. For large fleets with electronic schedules, NER has developed file transfer protocols to download equipment information. Register here.

Other Ownership Data

Through a unique partnership with suppliers of UCC1 data, NER operators have direct access to millions of ownership records that have been quality controlled and indexed by serial number.

NER Operators

NER operators are trained in the identification of heavy equipment, the location of identification numbers and the format of identification numbers. Operators carry out quality control of theft reports, searches of the database and provide expert advice in support of law enforcement operations.

Online Searches

NER provides secure, password-protected access to the database of stolen equipment for law enforcement. Register here for search access.

Education

NER is developing new programs and works with existing crime prevention programs that educate owners of equipment about theft prevention techniques.

NER also provides training for law enforcement at conferences and training seminars and has developed electronic and hard-copy training material.

NER supports these efforts with a media program designed to raise the awareness of owners, officers and the general public to the problem of equipment theft.

Data Security

Data security is critical to NER’s operations. This is achieved through a strict confidentiality policy and state-of-the-art system security.

NER’s security policy is to use data only for the purpose that is it given to NER – namely to recover stolen heavy equipment. If data is to be used for any other reason, NER will first gain permission from the relevant party or parties.