Construction site theft is on the rise, making construction equipment security more important than ever. A recent study conducted by The National Equipment Register (NER) estimates the annual cost of equipment theft ranges from $300 million to $1 billion. The financial loss for companies that experience theft can be devastating. They not only have to replace the stolen items, they may lose revenue from downtime due to the lack of necessary materials.
Types of Equipment Stolen
The NER report found the top 3 types of construction equipment stolen on average are loaders, tractors, and excavators. Value and mobility are key factors in the high amount of theft of these items. The bigger the machine, the harder it is to steal.
Steps to Improved Construction Equipment Security
According to the NER, 1 in 5 items of construction equipment reported stolen is ever recovered. There are steps that can be taken to decrease the odds of theft occurring.
1 .LOCKDOWN LARGE VEHICLES – Thieves are looking for large and mobile vehicles such as diggers, excavators, and forklifts. You can make it difficult for anyone to move them by installing immobilization devices or keeping vehicles in view of live manned surveillance cameras.
2. TRACKING SYSTEMS – Bar codes and microchips can help keep track of missing equipment. Information can be viewed on your smartphone.
3. KEEP RECORDS – Familiarize yourself with the make, model, serial number and purchase dates of your equipment. Photo files are also important for identification purposes.
4. SECURITY SERVICE – If you have a large site or an extensive fleet of equipment, a third-party security plan may be in order. This may include on-site, 24-hour security personnel, online tool and heavy equipment tracking, security alarms and real-time video monitoring. A video monitoring service could potentially catch criminals in the act and help avoid the need for crime reports and insurance claims.
Stealth Monitoring 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. Stealth’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.
