Sanding Equipment Stolen, Tips from Police to Prevent Theft

Galebach's Floor Finishing Inc. (Landisville, Pa.) got a terrible pre-holiday surprise when someone broke into one of the company vans parked in Lancaster, Pa., on Dec. 20 and stole some of the company’s sanding equipment. Missing are a Clarke American 8 drum sander with a new drum (serial #AJ0593), a Clarke B2+ edger (serial #FF0629) and a Clarke CAV-12 vacuum. The vacuum doesn’t have a serial number, but it’s a gray square older style vacuum with a black bungee cord on top, says Galebach’s Karen Haldeman. She asks that people keep an out for this equipment and be aware if they are considering buying used equipment.

Haldeman also wanted to share advice the company received for the local authorities after the thefts to prevent similar crimes:

• Park where cameras can see the van (in this case, a tree was blocking the camera)
• Cover windows in the back and sides of the van.
• Use puck locks on rear doors and side doors, and get them keyed alike. They are tamper-proof and cost about $50 each, plus installation. When locked, you can't open them from either side.
• Have a barrier behind the front seats, and keep it locked. That way you can't get equipment out through the front, so locking there is not as important.
• Have your serial numbers in another location.
• Insurance asks for photos of the equipment to prove you owned it. (Haldeman notes that luckily the company had some photos of workers doing a job for a promo piece the company did.)

“They did not grab our tool box, luckily—I would not have known what was in it exactly,” Haldeman says. “So now I took pictures of the open toolboxes so I can identify things in case they go missing!”

RELATED: How to Protect Your Wood Floor Vehicle Against a Break-In