Thieves can be brazen as one company found out recently. A 50-ft.-long bridge was stolen from private property, and its owners say they’re baffled by the crime and have no idea who took it.

The bridge was made out of corrugated steel and valued at about $100,000. Thieves used a blowtorch to cut it apart, presumably to sell it for scrap metal. The bridge was used occasionally as a back entrance to the company property and was located in the woods and not visible to the adjacent area.

Be aware of your surroundings — check your property on a regular basis to be sure thieves haven’t stolen items you don’t use consistently or that are tucked into a far part of your lot. Check your fences to be sure there aren’t any holes waiting for an opportunity for items to be removed from your rental yard.

Facility Manager’s Alert, January 2012.

This safety tip is provided by ARA Insurance, Kansas City, Mo., to help those in the rental industry better manage their risk. For more safety and risk management information, customers of ARA Insurance can log on to ReSource. Access is free, so if you haven’t signed up yet, contact your agent or call 800-821-6580.

Click here to download a safety meeting sign-up sheet for those of you using the Safety Tip as the basis for your weekly safety meetings.