JCB build 100,000th CESAR registered machine

JCB was one of the early adopters of the scheme, fitting CESAR to its UK construction machines from October 2007 and to agricultural machines from January 2010. JCB built machines are a common target for professional and opportunistic criminals that prey on unwary owners and operators. Notably with the fitment of CESAR, and other anti-theft measures, the theft rate of JCB machines, has dropped markedly. In the second quarter of 2012 just 89 JCB machines were reported as being stolen compared to 188 machines in the same period of 2009, a reduction of 52%.

The milestone at JCB was witnessed by a number of people who have helped to launch and grow the scheme including Commander Steve Rodhouse, Serious Crime and Operations Directorate New Scotland Yard, who had flown to JCB, for the event, in the company’s helicopter. Commander Rodhouse is a powerful advocate of the scheme and commented, “The success of the CESAR scheme is testimony to how the construction industry, working in partnership with the police, has had a dramatic effect on reducing crime. The Metropolitan Police Service is very proud to be engaged with this project, which has had a significant impact on our ability to combat the organised criminal networks targeting the industry. I congratulate JCB for being at the forefront of the support of CESAR.”

CESAR works by giving each piece of equipment a unique ‘fingerprint’ using an array of high technology security marking devices, supplied by Datatag, including tamper evident triangular registrations plates, Radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders, forensic liquid DNA, and microscopic Datadots®.

Rob Oliver, Chief Executive of The Construction Equipment Association and the man behind the development of the scheme, witnessing the 100,000th CESAR registered machine rolling off the production line commented, “CESAR has achieved what it was designed to do. Without question CESAR has reduced the rate of equipment theft and it gives the construction and agricultural industries, the police and other security agencies the upper hand in fighting organised and opportunistic criminals that target all types, all sizes and all brands of equipment. I would like to thank all the manufacturers that have adopted the scheme, the many public bodies and the police that support and promote CESAR and last but not least the AEA who enabled the power of CESAR to be unleashed in the agricultural market. 100,000 registrations in six years is a significant achievement but we’ve still some way to go to eradicate equipment theft. Hopefully the few remaining manufacturers of construction and agricultural machines that have chosen not to adopt CESAR so far may now do so.”

The JCB Loadall, with its distinctive registration plate, will be making an appearance at the ACPO rural crime conference due to be held in Kettering on November 8th.