If you’re a flooring contractor in Rhode Island, be careful where you park.
Starting in spring 2016, there have been 14 flooring contractor vehicle break-ins across the state, said Scott Melfi, branch manager for Wood Pro Inc. in Warwick, R.I.
“I’m sure every year people have their equipment stolen, but in the last year it’s been consistent,” Melfi said. “It’s been a trend.”
The most recent break-in happened last week in Riverside, R.I., to a vehicle owned by a family-owned flooring company. It was the company’s second break-in in a year, Melfi said.
Melfi often hears about the break-ins because he’s the person victims call when they need to purchase new equipment.
“It sucks when someone spends $6,000 or $7,000 on new equipment when they shouldn’t have needed to,” he said.
He said the police have not been able to provide much assistance or track down the culprits. It’s up to contractors do as much as they can to make sure their vehicles are secure.
Have you experienced a break-in? Share your story in the comments below.
Keep an eye out in the upcoming June/July issue of Wood Floor Business for an article on how to prevent thefts from your wood flooring vehicle.
