Construction sites are a challenge to protect, and their presence usually means lots of expensive equipment and cabins filled with the valuables of on-site personnel. They’re a tempting target for thieves, making theft prevention a necessity.
COVID-19 shutdowns are one example of a situation that can embolden criminals. Construction sites left dormant until business can return to normal have created what one contractor called “open season” for crooks. Any instance when a site is empty, such as a holiday or strike, can create a similar opportunity.
This guide will highlight how construction site criminals think, how to secure your space from attack, and who to call for the best in construction site theft prevention.
The Risk Profile of a Construction Site
Knowing that construction site crime is on the rise makes it critical to keep a cool head and take action on theft prevention to keep things under control. Working with a licensed, experienced security team provides the perspective, professionalism, and peace of mind that undergird the best construction site security plans.
Construction site crime is usually motivated by the same two desires that drive most lawbreakers: personal gain or wanton destruction. Thieves know there’s a lot more to be found on construction sites than bricks and burger trucks. Almost everything on a construction site raises its risk profile and can turn it into a playground for criminals, including:
Hardware, Vehicles, and Materials
Items big and small are vulnerable. Tools or 10-ton pickups are viable targets, and raw materials such as lumber, metal, and steel are attractive loot that is easy to steal, transport, and resell.
Electronics and Appliances
Fridges, washers, TVs, and other appliances are commonplace on-site either for worker use or for installation into construction projects. These are favorite picks for criminals due to their high market value and relative ease of removal from a site.
Vandalism
Trespassers may just be looking for ways to damage tools, vehicles, or materials. This doesn’t look like theft on the surface, but it’s stealing time and money from any construction site it affects. Delays, repairs, and replacements aren’t free.
The first step in any security plan is to think like the attacker. Knowing the kind of weaknesses construction thieves like to exploit is a decisive step toward making sure their next attempt is their last.
7 Holes in Construction Site Security
A quarantine-driven crime wave is an intimidating thought. Take it from the experts, though: There are only seven main construction site vulnerabilities, no matter what the world is facing. Site managers who take note of these will have the tools necessary to combat crime:
1. Lack of Video Surveillance
Some site managers may feel video is too expensive, too fragile, or too outdated. Modern video surveillance is affordable, super tough, capable of thermal analysis, and directly linked to video surveillance agents. These VSAs can save time and money by actively monitoring video feeds to thwart thieves quickly and alert the authorities.
2. You Let Site Thieves Set Your Schedule
Protecting the tools and equipment that get the job done keeps a site operational. Even the loss of small items can cause production delays, and that’s before considering how vehicle theft can grind construction to a halt. Insufficient surveillance means stopping and starting on the whims of thieves and is a sure way to ruin your reputation.
3. Too Much Faith in Insurance
Insurance providers love proactive policyholders who try to prevent what they’re insured against. Insurers hate negligence and won’t look kindly on sites making claims when they didn’t take sufficient steps to prevent theft. Cutting-edge construction security reduces the chances of denied claims and sites being left to cover the cost of crime.
4. You Run Unregistered/Unsecured Equipment
Many companies allow construction sites to register heavy equipment so law enforcement can recover stolen items more easily. This doesn’t make it theft-proof, but it dramatically increases the likelihood of the rightful owners recovering stolen equipment. Equipment is likely to roll off the lot if it is unsecured by removing power sources, adding locks to wheels, and activating alarms when not in use.
5. Poorly Positioned On-Site Surveillance
Installing security cameras is no guarantee of optimum impact. Cameras must be positioned for maximum visibility, both in the sense of what they can see and how clearly criminals can see them. Poor sightlines only limit effectiveness and boost the courage of criminals.
6. You Don’t Have Theft Prevention Procedures
Failure to clearly draft an anti-theft policy and then distribute it among all on-site personnel sends a lax security message. The same goes for a lack of daily equipment records (both inventory and who is using it) and neglecting to nominate a team member to monitor the use of any keys.
7. You Don’t Have On-Site Security Agents
The presence of physical personnel augments even the best video surveillance. Local police have a whole community to monitor and, at best, can offer only occasional checks or assistance after a theft. Sites can address this by hiring armed/unarmed security, since they can prioritize patrolling your construction site’s perimeter and interior.
The odds are that your site is failing to tick those boxes. Effective site security is a twofold approach that plugs those seven holes while staying realistic about the full scale of the threat.
Common Pitfalls of Neglecting Construction Site Protection
Even a single security vulnerability is all it takes for thieves to leave a mark on your construction. Theft prevention only really starts when site managers are honest about how much their own habits contribute to their risk. Here are a few issues to consider:
- Neglecting video surveillance does more than damage your chances of theft prevention. It contributes to costs such as replacements, repairs, delays, and higher insurance premiums.
- Site managers may have personnel working around the clock and mistakenly think they have a built-in team of watchmen. Many construction site thefts are perpetrated by the people who work there, though – something that video surveillance would help to reveal and prevent.
- Failure to register and secure your construction equipment can make your site a statistic. Between $300 million and $1 billion worth of equipment goes missing every year, and less than 25% of it is ever recovered.
- Professional armed security is an excellent deterrent to thieves and a powerful way to control a volatile situation. Untrained construction site personnel faced with desperate criminals are at direct risk of physical injury or worse.
Contact the SMART Team With Any Questions
Your construction site doesn’t have to become a victim. Our seasoned security professionals can walk you through the entire site-securing process, providing fully customized 24/7 solutions and cutting-edge technology. We are licensed experts who provide our wide-ranging clients with the peace of mind that comes from the latest security technology deployed by proven personnel.
Contact SMART Security Pros with any questions about your security needs and speak with an expert today.
