ERA launches theft and vandalism prevention guide

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The European Rental Association (ERA) has published a guide aimed at helping rental companies and their customers prevent theft, vandalism, and fraudulent equipment hires.

The ERA Theft and Vandalism Prevention Guide provides practical recommendations and tools to counter a range of criminal activity, from opportunistic vandalism to highly coordinated theft by organised crime groups.

The ERA said it addresses both prevention and response strategies, and is designed to support operational and strategic improvements across the industry.

The guide is split into two handouts: one tailored for customers renting equipment, and another for rental companies. It is supported by four appendices that focus on education and training, fraudulent hire prevention, secure storage measures, and an overview of available technologies and asset-specific solutions.

Recommended tools include GPS tracking, immobilisation systems, mechanical locks, smart access controls, and risk-based storage approaches.

The guide also highlights technologies such as CESAR tagging, DNA and UV marking, and telemetry systems with alert functions to support asset recovery and deter criminal activity.

The guide also places strong emphasis on proactive security measures, and outlines techniques for detecting fraudulent hires, including ID verification, behaviour monitoring, and cross-location rental trend analysis.

ERA said it is urging both rental companies and customers to integrate the guide’s recommendations into day-to-day operations, staff training, and depot security planning to reduce financial risk and boost business resilience.