Theft is an ongoing problem for construction site security. When managing a large site, like road construction or commercial buildings, it can be an even bigger problem. Large construction sites are often targeted by thieves. Thieves target large construction sites because often they consider construction site theft to be a low-risk, high-reward crime, with less than 25% of stolen equipment recovered. When increasing your construction site security, it helps to know what types of theft your site may encounter.
Towables cover a large range of equipment such as light towers, generators, and welders. These pieces of equipment can easily be loaded onto a trailer or towed off a construction site. The theft may go unnoticed, especially on a big site with plenty of equipment and many different workers. With equipment coming and going, it may not seem unusual to see a piece being picked up and thieves will take advantage of this.
Wheeled and tracked loaders are the most common pieces of construction equipment targeted. Any piece of equipment that has a brand name, is relatively new, and can be driven off the site is usually a target and wheeled and tracked loaders fit this description. Often, these pieces of equipment are usually not identified with a registration number, making them easy for thieves to resell.
Newer equipment brings a higher resale value for thieves, so it is not surprising that large construction equipment that is newer than five years old is a target. While older models are less likely to have security to aid in recovery, they do bring in less money during resale, making the risk of taking new equipment, especially from a site with low security, well worth it.
Once a piece of equipment has been stolen from a large site, it can be difficult to recover and may not be in the same condition if you do find it. Therefore, the most important part of construction site security is deterrence. The more security a prospective thief encounters, the more likely they will be to move on as they look for an easier, lower-risk target. There are several things you can do to deter construction site theft.
Construction site security is well worth the investment. The cost of stolen equipment, particularly large equipment, is high. With the large equipment so rarely recovered, construction site managers will find themselves paying higher insurance premiums, as well as replacing the equipment. In addition to the physical loss of equipment, construction site theft can significantly delay a job while the equipment is replaced and may cause your clients to lose confidence in your business. Investing in construction site security can keep your towables, wheeled and tracked loaders, and large equipment on the site where they belong. Seagate Mobile Security can help. Contact us today to learn more about our tamper-proof trailer security system for your construction site security.