ARA Partners with National Equipment Register

June 2, 2004- The American Rental Association (ARA), Moline , Ill. , has announced a partnership with the National Equipment Register that will provide ARA members with free access to the Register's equipment theft-prevention and recovery services. Through this partnership, ARA members can register up to 400 units of mobile, off-road equipment at no charge on NER's national database.

As much as $1 billion of equipment, both owned and rented, is stolen in North America each year, however, as little as 10 percent of that equipment is recovered annually. AIS reported a 10 percent increase in rental-equipment theft nationwide between 2002 and 2003, with a total dollar value of that equipment topping $2 million annually.

Utilizing its database, the National Equipment Register assists law enforcement in investigation and identification of suspicious equipment. In some cases, equipment is returned to the true owner even before the theft has been discovered.

ARA members will receive equipment decals that warn potential thieves the equipment is registered on the national database. The chances of detection while moving, storing, or selling stolen equipment are significantly increased because of this. For more information about the National Equipment Register, go to www.NERusa.com .