For those who frequent ebay looking @ survey equipment

Stolen Survey Equipment

The following survey equipment was stolen from a Land Services Group vehicle overnight 28/29 July 2010 IN ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

                                                        Serial #              Barcode

Leica TCR1103 total station      621303             SS005111

Trimble R8 satellite receiver     4717131397    SS007035

Trimble R8 satellite receiver     4717131413    SS007036

Please drop me an email if you see this gear emerge on ebay.

 

RADU

I hope that gear was not yours RADU. Someone got a pretty big haul out of that heist but I'll keep my eyes open. It seems these thefts are really a huge problem in parts of the USA and some of the thiefs are getting bolder and actually stealing in daylight and sometimes while the gear is in use.

I still do not understand with all our high priced gear why they have not included some sort of tracking or lowjack device in these very expensive instruments.

Deral

We have run between 15 and 22 field crews over the years. That's a lot of equipment being carried around in those vans.

Our company policy is that none of the "valuables" are to be left in the truck overnight. That includes the total stations, GPS equipment, the data collectors, the two-way radios and any project field notes that have not been copied and/or transmitted to the office.

Unless the van is in someone's locked garage, the equipment is to be taken inside somewhere secure.

Of course, they can't bring EVERYTHING inside, and no place is truly "secure", but common sense dictates.

We had a data collector stolen out of a van parked at the curb outside someone's house......by kids who thought it was a "Gameboy".

Angelo

This is a HUGE issue in Florida, especially in the southern portion. Equipment has been stolen in broad daylight, at times at gunpoint. Most crews now keep the truck locked and the equipment chained down inside the truck. Our crews @BHA actually chain the instuments to the tripod using a lightwieght cable and then the Tripod to a cinder block or heavy umbrella stand while working, as thieves have actually driven up and picked up the whole setup and run off.
Our state society has created a GIS to track the thefts based on police reports. Unfortunately our law enforcement officials have informed us that this is not a priority for them.

Rob M

This is perhaps a good time for the state society to get involved, by writing a letter to the local police departments.

They can detail some specifics of the crimes, share the GIS data, and point out to the police chiefs that  a group of business owners and professionals should not be told that theft of their equipment is "not a priority", PARTICULARLY when the thefts are at gunpoint.

Angelo

Angelo, we have done all you have mentioned and have been working with local police for the last 3 years and they have helped. Even got one arrest and conviction a couple years ago. Unfortunaty that didn't help too much and he was released after only 6 months We have supplied law enforcement wit ha state wide mapped with incidents linked ot police reports in a database. We have suggested and vlounteered to set upi "dummy vehicles" as bait, but they have told us they do not have the resources.
The state police have told us they're too busy. I agree our state society should be doing much more to help, but I guess our lobbying efforts are going elsewhere. More important fish to fry like chasing after machine grading and GIS folks.

Rob M

I have had equipment stolen twice.

The first time the state police took a report, including me telling them wh I thought took it ( a PA Turnpike employee, the only person who knew it was there), but actually a private citizen found it in a snow bank a couple of days later and called me. I believe that time the police questioned the turnpike employee, who panicked and ditched it.

The second time I believe it was taken by meth addicts in TN. The police did not seem at all interested, and it seemed like I was bothering them when I called to see if they found out anything. But, if I stole $15,000 cash from a bank you bet they would be all over it. I was burned a bit by the insurance company on that one. I thought I had "inland marine" coverage that would pay full replacement value, they wanted to pay depreciated value. We settled somewhere in between, but I felt ripped-off by them as well.


I believe a lot of stolen equipment goes "south of the border", either to Mexico or further south. I imagine in Australia things could easily wind up in China or another Asian country.

Deral the equipment belonged to Surveyor General's  rural audit survey team.

Equipment was taken out of their van at night.

Coincidently  I had a rural audit survey done two weeks ago!

My gear is covered  in vehicle, provided it is locked.

RADU