ECM theft speed soars – Stay ahead here

This article is part of a series sponsored by IAT Insurance Group.

Late last fall, thieves stole 13 ECM units from a commercial truck fleet in Chicago. No one checks the feed during an hour-long crime when the camera records theft. As a result, the thief escaped with about $100,000 of stolen goods.

An ECM or electronic control module is a computer in a truck engine that monitors and controls transmissions, braking and other systems required for basic operation of the truck. Trucks will not start without one, and the cost is high. The new ECM can take up to 30 hours to install, and the material alone costs about $9,000. The actual cost of ECM theft must also include downtime losses due to truck unemployment. The shortage of replacement ECMs will only increase the problem.

ECM theft has grown nationwide, especially on Freightliner trucks, as it only takes seven minutes to remove the ECM from under the Freightliner’s dashboard. Non-wealth forest ECMs are difficult to access, but thieves have also developed ways to steal them.

Fortunately, ECM theft prevention is easier than you might expect. Taking the right precautions can save thousands of dollars on your business for business disruptions and direct financial losses.

Protect your business from ECM theft

Protect the fleet through four measures to stay ahead of the ECM thieves:

1. Fixed vehicles

Consider adding these basic safety measures to your fleet:

• Lock the vehicle when not in use, especially overnight.
• Park the truck in a way that makes the cab more difficult. For example, park near a wall or other vehicles.
• The safety of renting holidays when more trucks are idle and on site. When thieves know they won’t use less safety on-site, they usually target commercial trucks during the holidays.
• Install cameras to alert you about your business’ activities in the yard during non-operating hours. Hire someone to monitor it during those high-risk times and alert the authorities when suspicious behavior is discovered.
• Keeping parked vehicles in well-lit areas has limited opportunities for unauthorized parties. Consider installing fences around your lot and using a closed access system.

2. Use anti-theft bolts

Four bolts secure the Freightliner ECM. Thieves expect to find these standard bolts and be equipped with appropriate tools for easy removal. Use alternative anti-theft bolts to catch yourself off guard.

Anti-theft bolts are usually ordered. Standard tools don’t work on them, so it’s hard for thieves to steal their protected ECM.

3. Involved in law enforcement

If ECM theft occurs, keep law enforcement in the loop. If you remind them quickly enough, the police can investigate and potentially recover the stolen ECM. It also helps track patterns of these thefts, which allows law enforcement to better allocate resources to prevent them.

News among the thieves was quick. If they know that your business is reporting all incidents of ECM theft, they may continue to adopt easier goals.

4. Call Freightliner

If you are hit by an ECM thief, this is another potential deterrent to future crimes: Freightliner can remotely disable your ECMs to avoid selling them. Call 1-800-385-4357 to report the theft. You only need the VIN of the truck.

Remotely disabling ECM will cause it to be non-functional. This makes the thieves useless and reduces the chances they will target your fleet again.

Ask for loss control representatives

Have questions about how to mitigate risks? e-mail losscontroldirect@iatinsurance.com Have a chance to see your question be answered in a future blog.

By Tom MacCallum

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