The Construction Equipment Security and Registration Scheme, better known as CESAR, has come a long way since 2007 and shows what can be achieved in the fight gaianist organised crime.

Interview taken from the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) Conference, held on 4th September 2014.

Pioneers in its field, revolutionary company AMI has launched its exciting new online platform, AMI Nexis, an internet based software which utilises cutting edge GPS tracking devices for a variety of business applications. Heralded as the future of asset management and tracking, the software enables businesses to track a variety of occurrences, from the management of assets to the transportation of fleets.

A LEADING energy installation company has successfully protected its plant equipment from theft at construction sites across the UK by using the latest covert forensic marking technology.

Mark Group, which installs energy solutions for house builders, businesses and local authorities, deployed SelectaDNA Trace in June 2013 to mark scaffolding tubes that could be targeted by thieves. Since then there have been no thefts of Mark Group's own property.

Custodia Systems is the global distributor of the AppelloGEO Asset Recovery system and have been providing the unit into the plant and construction sector since 2004. They are the only UK company to provide a dedicated team of Investigators to be customers representatives on the ground and they claim it makes a real difference to the outcome of a theft.

Mike Revell stepped down as chairman of CITS on 28th January 2014, after a long association with CITS spanning more than 20 years, the last twelve of which he was Chairman. He has agreed to become Honorary President of CITS for one year.

Datatag, the power behind CESAR the official equipment security and registration scheme, has today announced the launch of a new provenance check service for construction and agricultural machines. The official launch will take place at JCB Rocester on Tuesday October 29th from 10.30 a.m.

GAP Group, the UK's largest independent plant and tool hirer, has specified the fitment of CESAR security and registration on an order for an additional 170 site dumpers from Terex.

Thames Valley Police are highlighting the work being done all year round to tackle rural crime.

The BTEC Level 3 award, launched in October 2012, covers the identification of stolen plant and machinery. This extremely popular course was held for the fifth time in June 2013 with delegates from The Metropolitan Police, Hampshire and Cheshire constabularies and the two day course equips police officers with the knowledge to tackle opportunistic and professional equipment theft.

A lifetime achievement award for 'Security and Best Practice in the Construction Industry' was given to Mike Revell at the Plantworx Police Conference.

• Citation-For a consistent commitment to promoting security best practice in the construction industry.
• Award presented by Inspector Angela Jones TVP.
• Award presented to Mr Mike Revell, Group Plant Director Clancy Plant Hire and Chairman of Combined Industries Theft Solutions (CITS).

The 100,000th machine to be fitted with CESAR security and registration rolled off the JCB Loadall production line at Rocester, Staffordshire yesterday. The JCB 541-70 Loadall was fitted with an appropriate CESAR triangular tamper evident registration plate with the distinctive alpha-numeric registration mark 10OO0O (one, zero, o, o, zero, o).

JCB was one of the early adopters of the scheme, fitting CESAR to its UK construction machines from October 2007 and to agricultural machines from January 2010. JCB built machines are a common target for professional and opportunistic criminals that prey on unwary owners and operators. Notably with the fitment of CESAR, and other anti-theft measures, the theft rate of JCB machines, has dropped markedly. In the second quarter of 2012 just 89 JCB machines were reported as being stolen compared to 188 machines in the same period of 2009, a reduction of 52%.

PLANTWORX Countdown event a huge success - over 150 delegates attend and Lord Henley, Minister for Crime Prevention made guest appearance to talk security and Plant Theft.

PLANTWORX, the new biennial construction exhibition (14th - 16th May 2013, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire) hosted a Countdown event last week, alongside the CITS (Combined Industries Theft Solutions) sixth conference, which discussed the issues surrounding the growing problem of equipment, scrap metal and fuel theft.

The Countdown event was well attended with more than 150 industry professionals, who took time out of their very busy schedules to make the pilgrimage to Stoneleigh Park - the home of PLANTWORX.