Portland March 12^th 2003 – The Construction Industry Crime Prevention Program of the Pacific Northwest (CICP) and the National Equipment Register (NER) announced a partnership to help contractors prevent and recover from the growing problem of equipment theft.

At the 7^th CICP Annual Awards Luncheon, Glen Sider, Operations Director of NER, and Karen Blythe, Executive Director of CICP, explained to CICP members how registering their equipment with NER, a national database used by law enforcement to identify the true owner of suspicious equipment, can help in the recovery of stolen equipment. In a seminar for the equipment managers, Sider explained in more detail how registration can also help deter theft where an NER decal clearly shows a potential thief that the equipment is registered with NER.A separate training session for local law enforcement was also conducted by NER to explain how NER’s equipment experts and databases of stolen equipment and equipment ownership can help speed up and crack equipment investigations.

The keynote speaker at the Awards was Multnomah District Attorney, Michael Shrunk, who explained to contractors that as recent state budget problems will limit the resources that can be given to the detection and prosecution of equipment theft, the onus is now more than ever on contactors to strengthen their defenses against thieves. Shrunk further explained that the identification of the true owner through the marking and recording of equipment and tools is key to the process of indicting felons.

In speaking to her members, Karen Blythe noted that much stolen equipment moves out of state and the national reach of the NER’s database and 24-hour access to law enforcement makes registering equipment with NER an important part of the process of deterrence and detection of theft.“We have been working with NER for some time now and are pleased that we can formally offer NER’s services to our members”.

About NER

NER’s equipment specialists maintain a national database of over 25,000 stolen equipment reports and access to over 7 million equipment ownership records. NER’s database allows insurers, law enforcement and owners to easily report equipment thefts, ensuring a maximum number of loss reports in one central location. NER provides law enforcement with cost-free access to their information resources 24-hours a day, seven days a week, via a toll-free number (1-866-663-7872) or online at www.NERusa.com. Officers can receive assistance with identifying equipment, locating Product Identification Numbers (PINs), verifying that the PIN and type of equipment match and request information about the last known owner of the equipment in question. Regional theft alerts, investigation tips and training seminars are also available.For equipment owners, NER offers Heavy Equipment Loss Prevention Technology (HELPtech^SM) to deter theft and increase the chances of recovery in the event that a unit is stolen.For a few dollars per item per year, owners can securely and confidentially register their entire fleet with NER. Displaying a 4” by 5” decal on each registered item shows potential thieves that the item is registered. NER will be able to help law enforcement identify the true owner of any registered equipment through its 24-hour hotline used by officers investigating suspicious equipment.

About CICP

The Construction Industry Crime Prevention Program of the Pacific Northwest (CICP) is a non-profit organization working toward the prevention and reduction of theft and vandalism on residential and commercial construction sites in the Pacific Northwest. The CICP Network consists of public and private sector participants including building trade associations, contractors, law enforcement agencies, criminal justice partners, local and state civic leaders, and community members. Governed by a Board of Directors, the CICP continues to be representative of the diverse activity of the construction industry. CICP staffs a 24 Hour Hotline and Reward Program and distributes urgent crime information ALERTS to law enforcement agencies, members and CICP partners. Visit CICP at www.cicpp.com or call 503.618.8871.