If your new house is under construction or going through a remodel, your home construction site is at risk for theft. Construction site theft often involves appliances. This can result in higher insurance, appliance and labor costs—not to mention the uneasiness you will feel when you learn strangers have committed crimes on your property. It is important to find ways to protect appliances from home construction site theft.
The Great American Insurance Group says “Although exact figures are not available, all reliable estimates are that losses due to theft and vandalism are in the billions of dollars.”
A well-planned home construction site security plan is crucial if you want to protect your property and appliances. The following 3 tips can help you prevent appliance theft at your home construction site:
Video Surveillance
Having multiple video surveillance cameras on site gives you visibility in hard to monitor locations. Cameras record 24/7, and security camera footage can be viewed live through your mobile device. SMART Security Pros systems typically store 30 days of footage, allowing you to go back and review what happened at an earlier time.
But what’s the use of constantly rolling cameras if no one is there to watch? Our trained security experts monitor the activity at your home construction site. The police are only a phone call away if something suspicious is detected. This construction site security method stops crimes in progress and catches the criminal in the act. It also provides the video proof you need to help the police identify criminals and successfully prosecute a case against them. You’ll also have the proof of theft when submitting a claim to your insurance company.
Security Patrol Protection
In addition to video surveillance, having live people on the ground can be a deterrent to theft. Armed security guards are more intimidating than the presence of a video surveillance system, but they come at a much higher cost. All of SMART Security Pros’ armed agents are trained and licensed and have extensive experience in security roles. They are trained to respond to safety and health issues and offer immediate assistance in the event of an incident. They can be a comforting presence to construction workers and homeowners alike.
While video surveillance cameras provide great monitoring, they aren’t able to make the same judgment calls that an on-site person can. Having live security guards on site makes you that much more aware of what’s going on at your home building site. It’s an added layer of security to give you peace of mind that someone is protecting your home and valuables. Building a house and remodeling is stressful enough—leave the security to the professionals to keep your mind at ease.
Lock Down All Your Valuables
Take all your valuables—appliances, equipment and raw materials, especially copper, which is frequently stolen for it’s significant value—and lock them away in one location. Make sure this location is firmly secured and that there’s only one point of entry. Invest in heavy-duty locks that are not easily broken. Between video surveillance, trained security guards and a locked down area, your site will not be an easy place to rob. Eluding security guards, dodging cameras, disguising identities and cracking open an extremely well secured area would seem daunting to most criminals. Typically, criminals are looking for the biggest reward with the smallest amount of effort. If you implement these construction site security measures, your home will not be an attractive target.
Criminals know many construction sites are not properly secured. Many sneak in after dark and will try to take anything and everything they can. In early 2017, St. Louis County police arrested four men responsible for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of items from homes under construction or renovation. The thieves took everything they could– “Everything from thermostats and doorbells to light fixtures,” said officer Benjamin Granda, “all the way up to high-dollar appliances such as refrigerators or stoves.”
Officers say these men had knowledge of what appliances would be at what sites. The criminals planned to either sell the appliances or install them in other homes. All stolen equipment was stored in a nearby warehouse, and contractors lined up to identify and recover their stolen property. Many contractors had been burglarized multiple times by these same men. Think about how different this story would have been had they had video surveillance, live security guards and a locked down area for valuables.
At SMART Security Pros, we know each property is different and security must be adjusted for each specific location. We develop custom security plans based on size, location and the community served. Other variables include parking, hours of operation, proximity to public transportation, staff size and experience. We will work with you to find the right security plan for your needs and budget.
To learn more about preventing theft on your property, click here. To get a fast online quote to provide remote monitored video surveillance at your site, click here.
