Cases of construction site theft are increasing. As a result, construction site and construction equipment security is more important than ever. According to a study by The National Equipment Register (NER), construction management companies lose between $300 million to $1 billion per year in equipment theft alone. These financial losses can be devastating to many builders. Not only do construction firms have to replace the stolen equipment, but they may incur substantial losses because of downtime and delays.
Types of Construction Equipment Stolen
An NER report found that the top 3 types of construction equipment stolen are loaders, tractors, and excavators. Value and mobility are key factors in the high amount of theft of these items. The larger the equipment, the more difficult it is to steal.
Ways to Deter Construction Site Theft
According to the NER, only 20% of stolen construction equipment reported is ever recovered. Here are some ways to deter construction site theft from your development.
1 .LOCKDOWN LARGE VEHICLES – Construction site thieves look for large and mobile vehicles such as diggers, excavators, and forklifts. Property managers can make it hard for anyone to move them by installing immobilization devices or keeping vehicles in view of remote video monitoring camera systems.
2. TRACKING SYSTEMS – Another way to deter construction site theft is to add bar codes and RFID chips to help keep track of missing equipment. Location information can be viewed and followed on a smart phone or computer.
3. KEEP RECORDS – Keep records of your equipment and where they’re located. Record the make, model. and serial numbers and purchase date of construction equipment. Photo identification is also very important.
4. SECURITY SERVICES – If you have a construction site or an extensive fleet of construction equipment, a third-party security provider is often needed to keep the site secure. In some cases security may be mandated by insurance providers, project stakeholders or local government regulations. Security options may include on-site, physical security guards, site trailer security alarms and/or real-time remote video monitoring. A video monitoring service can help catch criminals in the act and help avoid the need for crime reports and insurance claims. It also provides the added benefits of recording site activities 24/7, as well as being more cost-effective than typical physical guard solutions.
ECAM is the leader in remote video surveillance in Canada and the U.S, with over 400 employees, 11 offices, and 3 live video monitoring control centers. ECAM’s proactive video monitoring watches over 17,000 IP and CCTV security cameras. Our security solutions feature advanced technology and can detect and deter crime while reducing security guard and other expenses. Our remote monitoring service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance operator can see suspicious activity, activate a speaker warning, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (855) STEALTH or contact us today for more information to protect your outdoor assets. Visit the Stealth website to see real arrest videos at construction sites, multifamily apartments, shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, auto dealerships, and other commercial real estate properties.
