Machine IQ Outsmarts Bobcat T76 Thief

Upstate Equipment at a Glance

Veteran-owned, family-operated Bobcat dealer offering sales, parts, service and rental for Upstate New York. 

• Recognized as one of the Top 15 Bobcat Dealers in North America in 2025  

Core Values 

• Exercise ownership 
• Check your ego 
• Stay humble 
• Be honest and moral 
• Practice teamwork 

A Rental Gone Rogue

For Syracuse Branch Manager Jim Gilroy, balancing equipment security with positive customer experiences is critical. So when a T76 compact track loader disappeared after sitting idle for nearly a month at a jobsite, he knew the team faced both a potential financial loss and a difficult conversation with their customer about liability. 

Thankfully, Jim’s entire Bobcat rental fleet was protected by Machine IQ. “We used Machine IQ to look at the history and determined it was moving all over the place, and it wasn’t our customer,” Jim said. After contacting state police with this information, they quickly located the stolen machine and arrived on site - though they could hardly recognize what they found. 

Finding the Stolen Equipment 

“He fully repainted it, rebranded it to a T66, took the serial plate off, cut the display out, removed the cab harness video feed, and ripped out the tilt sensors,” Jim reported. Yet even with these sophisticated attempts to disable the tracking system, Machine IQ continued functioning, enabling recovery within 48 hours after reporting the theft.  

Machine IQ telematics data also became crucial evidence for prosecution. When the thief claimed to have purchased the machine in Vermont, investigators used Machine IQ location history to prove it had never left New York. “From the investigator’s perspective, it was the final nail in the coffin,” Jim said.  

For Upstate Equipment, the incident validates their investment in technology that protects both assets and relationships. “We’re trying to win customers for life” Jim explained. “Machine IQ prevents difficult situations becoming even harder.” 

Crucial Evidence 

Machine IQ telematics data also became crucial evidence for prosecution. When the thief claimed to have purchased the machine in Vermont, investigators used Machine IQ location history to prove it had never left New York. “From the investigator’s perspective, it was the final nail in the coffin,” Jim said.  

For Upstate Equipment, the incident validates their investment in technology that protects both assets and relationships. “We’re trying to win customers for life” Jim explained. “Machine IQ prevents difficult situations becoming even harder.” 

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