10 / COVER STORY ▲
HVAC&R technicians must ensure
they keep their equipment safe
in their service vehicles at all times.
GRAND THEFT
AUTO
Theft of, and from, motor vehicles
continues to be a problem around Australia,
prompting motoring bodies, police
and insurers to warn owners of the risks.
And the HVAC&R industry’s fleet of trade
and commercial vehicles are not immune,
as Sean McGowan reports.
According to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC),
the total value of passenger and light commercial vehicles stolen in Australia
in 2014 was $456.3 million.
“If all the vehicles stolen and not recovered in Australia in 2014 were parked
end-to-end, they would create a traffic jam stretching 77km, or the distance
from Sydney to Gosford,” the NMVTRC says.
Although sports and large passenger cars have the highest theft rates per 10,000
registrations, light commercial vans and utility vehicles sit comfortably within
the top five categories of vehicle stolen.
In particular, the Toyota Hilux rates as the second most popular target
among vehicle thefts in Australia, with 719 models stolen in 2014.
You might think such thefts occur while vehicles are parked on the street
or at business locations. Yet the reality is that 49 per cent of the vehicles stolen
in 2014 were actually stolen from a residence.
THEFT FROM VEHICLES
Just as vehicle theft impacts the national economy, so too does theft from vehicles.
On average, 145 vehicles were stolen each day in Australia last year.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 276,200 incidents
of theft from a motor vehicle occurred in Australia during 2012–13, affecting
3.1 per cent of all households. This is five times the rate of vehicle theft.
Of these, an estimated 50 passenger and light commercial vehicles were illegally
converted to scrap metal, while 20 were illegally exported out of the country
– each week.
Alarmingly, such figures are likely to be an underestimation, with research
suggesting theft from car offences goes significantly underreported, particularly
when compared to vehicle theft.
August 2015 | HVAC&R Nation | www.hvacrnation.com.au
COVER STORY
/ 11
For instance, recent data from the ABS shows that
only 55 per cent of all victims of theft from motor
vehicle reported the incident to police, compared
to 93 per cent reporting vehicle theft.
Such statistics have prompted motoring organisations,
the police and major insurance companies to warn
vehicle owners and operators of the risks associated
with leaving valuable items in motor vehicles.
It’s not just tools
and equipment that go
walk-about from cars
And tradespeople, who typically have a vehicle loaded
up with valuable tools and equipment, are especially
warned to take precautions. RACV business insurance
manager Peter Stanley stresses that it is important to
maintain a secure and fully lockable, purpose-built
vehicle to keep tools safe at all times.
“It’s a difficult problem for a working tradesman,
who needs constant access to tools and equipment
while on site, but often has to leave vans and trailers
unattended and out of sight to get the job done,”
says Stanley. “Business insurance is also a necessary
precaution, and can provide cover for your properly
secured tools while you are on the road, at your
business premises or at home.”
New lock-up canopies are designed to maximise the cargo space available in a ute while protecting the contents from theft.
Theft by numbers
145
50
Naturally, the theft of uninsured or underinsured tools
of trade can lead to their owner being forced to spend
large amounts of money to replace expensive items.
According to Airmaster Australia’s state manager
for Victoria, Andrew McGregor, the value of items
in a typical HVAC&R technician service vehicle can
range from $7,000 to $10,000.
“Theft is becoming more and more of an issue for us,
with at least eight break-ins this year,” says McGregor.
“We are constantly reminding our technicians of the
importance of securing their tools and vehicles to
reduce the risk of theft, particularly during our regular
Toolbox Meetings.”
The recent spate of thefts from Airmaster’s national
fleet of vehicles has led the company to trial a new
canopy on their Holden Colorado service vehicles.
State of theft
Western Australia holds the unenviable title
of being a hot-bed of vehicle theft, with a vehicle
stolen every hour on average last year.
Last year, four vehicles per 1,000 registrations
were stolen in WA – almost twice the rate of that
experienced in South Australia and Tasmania,
and also significantly higher than the theft rates
in the eastern states (NSW, 3 per cent; Queensland
2.8 per cent; and Victoria, 2.7 per cent).
As well the inconvenience and loss of productivity,
such theft rates have an adverse impact on
insurance premiums.
The NMVTRC estimates vehicle theft accounts for
up to 10 per cent of vehicle insurance premiums.
20
276,200
The number of vehicle thefts
per day in 2014.
The number of passenger and
light commercial vehicles stolen
each week and illegally converted
to scrap metal.
The number of passenger and
light commercials vehicles stolen
and illegally exported
out of Australia each week.
The estimated number of thefts
from motor vehicles in 2012–13.
Designed by a local Melbourne company in
collaboration with Airmaster, the new lock-up canopy
is designed to maximise the cargo space available
in a ute while protecting the contents from theft.
“Additionally, it improves occupational health and
safety, with no heavy lifting required over the ute
body,” says McGregor of the canopy. “And the floor
is flush with the doors. The life of this canopy also
promises to extend across the lease period of two
or three vehicles, making it an attractive investment.”
Of particular concern in recent times has been the
theft of refrigerant cylinders from HVAC&R service
vehicles. Another issue is the safe storage and
transport of cylinders containing flammable gases.
The new canopy being trialled by Airmaster also
addresses these issues with a separate, fully sealed
gas box that securely holds up to three cylinders
and is fully lockable.
TAKING PRECAUTIONS
When it comes to taking the right precautions,
securing your trade vehicle and taking out business
insurance against theft of tools are no-brainers.
However, there are other steps you should consider
taking to deter thieves, but also to help in the recovery
of tools should they be stolen.
According to Wesfarmers Insurance (WFI), high-value
portable machinery and tools such as electrical,
cordless and quality hand tools should be marked to
ensure their identification.
Engraving and DataDot technology will do the job
of identifying your ownership of the tools. Registering
tools on the National Equipment Register will help
police identify any of your stolen gear.
DataDots are microscopic discs that are applied to
tools, machinery and equipment, containing unique
information identifying the owner. They then allow
police to scan recovered stolen equipment and return
it to the owner.
Keeping a personal record of equipment make
and model details with serial numbers, and even
photographs, can also be helpful if equipment is
stolen.
Despite all this, it’s not just tools and equipment
that go walk-about from cars. Mobile phones are also
common target of opportunistic thieves.
To protect your phone, turn on the tracking device
associated with your model. Tracking apps such as
iPhone’s Find My Phone feature allow remote tracking
and deletion of all data from the phone should it be
stolen.
And, it goes without saying – however benign the
location of your parked vehicle appears to be, remove
the keys.
Nothing is easier and more convenient for thieves
than to be given the keys to your vehicle, as well
as your tools and equipment. ▲
Useful links
National Equipment Register –
www.nationalequipmentregister.com.au
National Motor Vehicle Theft
Reduction Council – www.carsafe.com.au
www.hvacrnation.com.au | HVAC&R Nation | August 2015
12 / GREEN WEDGE ▲
GREENER FUEL
WITH BLUE CRUDE
Carbon-neutral diesel
is now a reality.
powered by renewable energy sources. According to
a press release from Audi, e-diesel is manufactured
in the company’s research facility operated by Sunfire,
a German start-up based in Dresden.
German car manufacturer Audi claims to have
invented a carbon-neutral diesel fuel. Dubbed
e-diesel or “blue crude”, the fuel is made from water
and carbon dioxide, and is created using a process
The fuel is created via a three-step process.
Firstly, renewable energy is harvested from sources
like wind, solar and hydropower. This energy is then
used to split water into oxygen and pure hydrogen,
using a process known as reversible electrolysis.
This hydrogen is then mixed with carbon monoxide
(CO), which is created from carbon dioxide (CO2) that’s
been harvested from the atmosphere. The two react
at high temperatures and under pressure, resulting
in the production of the long-chain hydrocarbon
compounds that make up the blue crude. Once it’s
been refined, the resulting e-diesel can be mixed
in with our current diesel fuel, or used on its own
to power cars in a more sustainable way.
Since the e-diesel is, of course, a form of diesel fuel,
it has several advantages over traditional gasoline –
most notably by being more powerful while using
less fuel. Sunfire analyses have shown that the
synthetic fuel is not only more environmentally
friendly, but also has superior combustion when
compared to fossil fuels. Reportedly, the overall
energy efficiency of the e-diesel is 70 per cent.
Over the past few months, Audi produced
around 3,000 litres of e-diesel, at a rate of about
160L a day. Sunfire predicts that this fuel will cost
around AU$1.50–$2 per litre, but this might fluctuate
based on renewable electricity prices. Even so, this
means that – price-wise – e-diesel will be competitive
with traditional diesel. E-diesel can be used with
any car that already accepts diesel fuel.
Apparently, the crystal clear “e-diesel” is already
being used to power the Audi A8 owned by
the Germany’s Federal Minister of Education
and Research, Johanna Wanka. Moving forward,
Audi and Sunfire have already set their sights
on building a bigger production plant. ▲
August 2015 | HVAC&R Nation | www.hvacrnation.com.au