PRESS RELEASE

 

Contact

 

Elaine Barreca
American Rental Association
800/334-2475, ext. 255
Elaine.Barreca@ararental.org

Glen Sider

National Equipment Register
212/297-1805
Gsider@NERusa.com

For Immediate Release
February 14, 2005

 

 

Police Award Presented at Rental Show

 

Las Vegas, NV. – February 14, 2005.  The first annual ARA Insurance Services/National Equipment Register Award (AIS/NER Award) was presented today at the Rental Show to Detective Daniel Pearson of the Tarrant Regional Auto Theft Task Force in Texas. 

 

The Award recognizes a law enforcement officer or agent who has “performed exceptional services to the rental industry through the recovery of rental equipment or through theft prevention initiatives” in each award year.  The Award was established in 2004 as part of the partnership between the American Rental Association (ARA) and the National Equipment Register (NER), a partnership central to ARA’s efforts to help their members combat the serious problem of equipment theft in the rental industry.  The AIS/NER Award is cosponsored by the American Rental Association, ARA Insurance Services (AIS) and the National Equipment Register. 

 

Detective Daniel Pearson is attending the Rental Show as a VIP guest and was presented with a plaque at the awards luncheon by David Shillingford, president of NER. The Rental Show is hosted by the ARA and is the largest rental equipment trade show in the world and runs until February 17 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  As part of the Award a grant of $1,000 was made to Detective Pearson’s unit to support equipment investigations.

 

Since being assigned to the Tarrant County Regional Auto Theft Task Force from the Haltom City, TX police department Detective Pearson has taken exceptional steps to combat equipment theft.  In early 2002 Detective Pearson and his task force partner at the time, Pat McGrail, started the process of self-education in the specialized task of equipment identification.  Part of this was achieved through contacting area rental stores and inspecting their inventory.  Within a short period of time local rental companies who had suffered thefts and had heard of the detectives’ interest were calling them.  This led to a meeting with the Texas Rental Association (TRA) and an invitation to speak at the annual TRA conference to teach TRA members about equipment theft prevention.  The success of this class led to repeat classes in 2003 and 2004.  Through his relationship with the TRA, Detective Pearson was able to secure donations totaling $30,000 to fund overtime during which additional heavy equipment investigations were carried out.  Detective Pearson has also been providing equipment identification training to other law enforcement agencies in his area and raising the level of awareness of this growing problem. 

 

Between February 2003 and September 2004 Detective Pearson was responsible for the recovery of 48 machines with a value of nearly $1.2 million, much of it rental equipment.  Detective Pearson’s efforts have led to the identification of 39 suspects of whom 15 were arrested and charged, an important part of reducing and deterring theft in this area.

 

The ARA and NER further demonstrated their commitment to helping law enforcement combat equipment theft by hosting 50 police officers from Nevada and surrounding states at the conference.  The officers will attend an equipment identification class presented by NER’s senior analyst, David Mossman, and then have a chance to visit some of the 750 equipment exhibits after the exhibit hall had closed for the day for hands-on training in the identification of newer equipment models.

 

About ARA

 

The American Rental Association, a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1955, comprises more than 7,500 owners of equipment rental businesses and 1,100 manufacturers and suppliers of rental equipment worldwide.  The ARA is the industry leader in providing services to help rental businesses achieve success.  Along with the American Rental Association Foundation, the ARA works to represent, educate and promote the growing rental industry.  For more information, visit the ARA Web site at www.ararental.org, or call ARA at 800/334-2177.

 

About NER

 

The National Equipment Register, Inc. (NER) was established in 2001 to increase the recovery rate of stolen farm and construction equipment by improving the volume, quality and availability of information available to law enforcement investigating suspicious equipment.  NER has developed national databases of equipment ownership (10 million records) and thefts (70,000 records) and provides this information and equipment identification advice to police 24 hours-a-day.  NER has also developed a national equipment ID training program for law enforcement to encourage equipment investigations and the likelihood of success.  NER now provides its services to over 350 insurers, 1,000 police agencies and 100 rental companies, including eight of the top ten insurers of equipment and the three largest rental fleets in North America.  These processes and relationships have directly resulted in the recovery of over $4 million of stolen equipment, much more if related recoveries are included.  Theft is also deterred by placing NER decals on registered equipment to warn thieves of the increased chance of detection and arrest.  More information about NER is at www.NERusa.com.

 

About the Rental Show

 

The Rental Show is hosted by the ARA and is the largest rental equipment trade show in the world and, in 2005, runs from February 14-17 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  In 2004 the Show was attended by 5,568 delegates from more than 30 countries, and 2,267rental stores.  The 2006 Rental Show will be in Orlando from February 12-15.