{"id":1285,"date":"2025-03-19T08:55:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cppsocal.org\/?p=1285"},"modified":"2025-03-19T08:55:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:55:48","slug":"whos-on-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cppsocal.org\/whos-on-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Who\u2019s on First?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clearing up (some) confusion surrounding theft in the rental industry.<\/em><\/h2>\n

By Melissa Somers, Executive Director, Crime Prevention Program of SoCal*<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all either seen or heard Abbott and Costello\u2019s \u201cWho\u2019s on First\u201d skit. (If you aren\u2019t familiar with it, do yourself a favor and look it up!) In the skit, Costello and his buddy, Abbott, are planning to attend a baseball game and Costello wants to know the names and positions of the home team\u2019s players so he can cheer them on. While Abbott felt he was clearly answering Costello\u2019s questions, his attempts to answer were anything but helpful and left his buddy more confused and frustrated than ever. I\u2019ve witnessed a similar amount of frustration and confusion when dealing with several recent rental thefts.\u00a0 Thefts involving any form of equipment can present several obstacles but when you add the rental component to the theft, it ratchets up the potential for confusion and complications exponentially.<\/p>\n

WHO- Who files the report? <\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This one can be a doozy. Most rental contracts state that the customer is responsible for filing a police report when something is stolen.\u00a0 But does your customer know how quickly they need to file it once the theft is discovered?\u00a0 Do they know which agency to contact to file the report?\u00a0 Do they know \u2013 or have access to – the best information to share in order to increase the chances of the information being taken, and entered correctly, into the correct stolen system? Does the unit have GPS?\u00a0 Is it currently reporting? WHO can they call for assistance if it is? \u00a0(Of course, CPP members can always call us for help or with any questions!) What if your customer is lollygagging on getting the theft reported?\u00a0 Can the rental company file the report instead?<\/p>\n

Yes, your customer is responsible for filing the report, but in the event that it\u2019s just not happening in a timely manner, the registered owner can also file the report.\u00a0 Especially if the unit is GPS enabled because time is of the essence.\u00a0 Regardless, the report needs to be filed as soon as the unit is discovered missing \u2013 not when it\u2019s convenient.\u00a0 We\u2019ve seen way too many delays in reporting lately that have directly impacted our ability to work with our law enforcement contacts towards a successful outcome.<\/p>\n

WHAT \u2013 What information should be shared for a \u201cgood\u201d report?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your customer was provided with a copy of their rental contract that states general information about the unit being rented, but does it contain the BEST information if it\u2019s stolen and a report needs to be filed?\u00a0 A serial number is helpful, but if the stolen equipment should be reported as a vehicle, does the contract contain the full 17-digit VIN\/ PIN?\u00a0 Do you know where to find it or how to tell IF it even has anything more than a 6-8 digit serial number?\u00a0 Does the equipment have any serialized attachments?\u00a0 Is that information listed on the rental contract?\u00a0 Will a rental company representative be available to answer any questions and provide the correct information if a theft does occur?<\/p>\n

I DON\u2019T KNOW! Where (which agency) should the report be filed?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

When dealing with the theft of a piece of rental equipment, there can potentially be some confusion surrounding where to file the report (or which agency to file it with). Do you contact the law enforcement agency location where it was rented from, where it was delivered to, where it was being used, or where the GPS is now showing it to be?\u00a0 Traditionally, the report is filed where the theft occurred.\u00a0 If any fraudulent information was used for the purchase or rental, then the theft happened at the rental store where the transaction took place and the law enforcement agency for that area should be contacted.\u00a0 If stolen from a customer\u2019s job, the unit should be reported to the nearest police department or Sheriff\u2019s station; if stolen from a freeway job, it will need to be reported to the area\u2019s CHP office.<\/p>\n

WHY- Why does any of this matter?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

While you, as the rental company rep or customer, might be very familiar with your equipment and how to best use it, to the rest of the world it can be a mystery.\u00a0 The equipment, the contract, and the theft itself can all hold the potential for miscommunication and frustration.\u00a0 Keep the following key points in mind:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Know if there was any fraudulent information used for the rental and be ready to provide important details to prove it.<\/li>\n
  • The report needs to be filed in a timely manner<\/li>\n
  • Know who will be responsible for filing the report<\/li>\n
  • Review your rental contract looking for\n
      \n
    • Clear, concise information about the equipment<\/li>\n
    • Stated timeline for filing a stolen report<\/li>\n
    • State that any filed report must have detailed information \u2013 not just a report # with zero information about the stolen equipment<\/li>\n
    • Contact information for questions or if additional information is needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Most importantly, if you\u2019re a CPP member, give us a call.\u00a0 We\u2019re here to help!<\/p>\n

      Whether you\u2019re the owner of a rental unit, the customer it was stolen from, or the officer taking a report, knowing WHO should file the report, WHAT information to share with the reporting officer, and how to clear up any \u201cI don\u2019t knows\u201d can make all the difference in the world.\u00a0 Not just in getting the theft reported, but in increasing your chances of a successful outcome.<\/p>\n

      A comedy sketch reference from 1945 might feel a bit silly, but in all honesty, when we\u2019re dealing with any type of theft that involves rental equipment, we often end up reeling with a similar amount of frustration and confusion. We all know that theft in the rental industry is no laughing matter, but the more any situation leans towards uncertainty, the more important it is to utilize your resources so you can sit back, relax, and hopefully end your day with a smile.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Clearing up (some) confusion surrounding theft in the rental industry. By Melissa Somers, Executive Director, Crime Prevention Program of SoCal* We\u2019ve all either seen or heard Abbott and Costello\u2019s \u201cWho\u2019s on First\u201d skit. (If you aren\u2019t familiar with it, do yourself a favor and look it up!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nWho\u2019s on First? - CPP SoCal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cppsocal.org\/whos-on-first\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who\u2019s on First? 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