National Marine Register to Combat Boat Theft

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Taken from Fishing World email newsletter

Marine register fights boat theft

11 Jun 2013

POLICE, Crime Stoppers, theft deterrent system DataDot Technology and insurance provider Club Marine have teamed up to create the National Marine Register to combat boat theft across Australia.

Launched at the recent Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, the online register – www.nationalmarineregister.com.au – already contains almost 40,000 boat and marine-equipment profiles, including 900 stolen vessels.

Free to use for consumers, boat and PWC owners can register and upload pictures and key data about their craft's identifying features, including HIN and engine serial numbers. The data provides critical information for use during police investigations in the event the boat is stolen, in which case the National Marine Register will activate a theft alert strategy via text alerts, police communications and social media to increase the chance of solving the crime.

Club Marine CEO Greg Fisher said he hoped other marine insurance companies would come onboard with the initiative so it would be as effective as possible.

"We urge all other insurance companies to support this great initiative," Fisher said.

"If we all work together we can do our bit to stamp out this practice [boat theft and rebirthing], which affects us all one way or another."

DataDot Technology's involvement in the National Marine Register has been crucial to its creation. DataDot works by applying thousands of microscopic discs (DataDots) about the size of a grain of sand.

Each dot contains a unique code that is stored on a national register, which is accessible by police to identify an asset. Warning stickers alert thieves an asset has been marked, which often prevents theft from occurring in the first place.

One car manufacturer alone has seen reductions in theft of over 84 per cent in its vehicles since it began using DataDot to identify its products.

Crime Stoppers' Peter Price said the National Marine Register was a very important tool.

"It highlights the benefits of identification technology by providing a source of valuable information that will greatly assist law enforcement in their investigation and recovery of stolen marine assets," Price said.

The National Marine Register will provide standardised information and communications for improved marine-based law enforcement.

To register your vessel, visit www.nationalmarineregister.com.au