Equipment theft is costly and disruptive — and simply installing an IoT device isn’t enough. To truly protect your assets, you need to activate the tools that make that connectivity work for you. That’s where Trackunit Theft Prevention comes in — turning machine data into action that keeps your fleet secure.
Whether it’s a skid steer disappearing overnight or an entire project delayed due to a stolen excavator, the impact is immediate and costly: lost time, insurance claims, and in many cases, zero recovery.
Here are three powerful tools in Trackunit Manager to help prevent theft and recover assets faster.
Implementing RFT maintenance principles can lead to measurable savings and enhancements. Imagine knowing the moment a machine leaves your site — day or night. With Trackunit Manager, you can create “Sites” (geofenced areas) around key locations like depots or job sites. Then, simply apply alerts to any machine within that area. If something moves, you’ll know.
This feature is ideal for construction sites, rental yards, and remote depots where visibility is limited. No guesswork, no delay — just instant notifications if something doesn’t go according to plan.
Here’s a quick walkthrough of how to set up a Site-based Theft Alert. If you prefer, there are step-by-step instructions in the Trackunit Help Center as well.
Pro tip: Use asset groups to simplify alert setup
Instead of assigning alerts to machines one by one, create custom groups — like “Site A Excavators” or “North Yard Fleet” — and apply site-based theft alerts to the whole group at once. It’s a fast, scalable way to keep your geofencing strategy organized as your fleet grows or shifts.
Not all theft happens across site boundaries. Sometimes, it’s about unauthorized movement — at the wrong time or by the wrong person.
Trackunit’s movement alerts allow you to define specific working hours and get notified if a machine moves outside of those times. Whether it’s being loaded onto a trailer at midnight or used outside of rental contract hours, you’ll know — and can take action.
This is especially useful for high-value or high-risk assets, or for rental providers keeping tabs on off-contract use.
Here’s how easy it is to set up a Movement-based Theft Alert in Trackunit Manager. Don’t forget there are step-by-step guides in the Trackunit Help Center.
Pro tip: Combine alerts for smarter coverage
The best protection comes from layering site-based and movement-based alerts. Together, they help you catch both unexpected location changes and suspicious out-of-hours usage — giving you complete visibility and situational awareness.
If the worst-case scenario does happen and an asset is stolen, Trackunit Theft Prevention tools help you respond fast. You can generate Incident Reports with GPS breadcrumb trails showing where the machine has traveled — complete with timestamps and locations. These reports can be exported and shared directly with law enforcement, recovery teams, or insurance providers.
In fact, rental company Hugg and Hall has been able to successfully recover multiple assets using the Incidents Report in Trackunit Manager. Read about their journey here.
The faster you act, the better your recovery chances. Trackunit gives you evidence at your fingertips. Here’s a look at just how easy it is to get machine recovery started.
Construction theft doesn’t just affect your bottom line it disrupts your business. That’s why Trackunit Manager puts theft prevention and asset security front and center. With features designed to alert you in real-time, enforce usage boundaries, and support recovery, you can focus less on risk and more on results.
If you’re already a Trackunit customer, these tools are ready and waiting. Activate them today and protect your fleet tomorrow.
Reach out to your Trackunit Customer Success Manager or visit the Trackunit Help Center for guided support.
See how these theft prevention tools work firsthand by requesting a personalized demo. Our telematics experts will walk you through how Trackunit Manager can help secure your fleet — and recover assets fast if the worst happens.
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