As criminals evolve to use more technology and develop new techniques, business owners must stay one step ahead with the latest security trends
Construction yards and sites contain significant value, as thieves can steal tools, equipment, and materials and resell them for profit. It’s one reason the National Equipment Register and National Insurance Crime Bureau estimate U.S. construction companies combine to lose from $300 million to $1 billion annually through equipment theft.
Those numbers also fail to factor in the cost of stolen building materials and tools, which costs these companies another $1 billion every year.
The prevalence of construction site theft suggests it’s only a matter of time before thieves target your construction firm, so you’ll want to optimize your security system to keep your tools, equipment, and materials safe. It isn’t enough to install a fence and a traditional alarmed security system because thieves are becoming too sophisticated. You need to follow the trends and update your security to keep your assets safe.
Here’s a look at five ways you can update your security system to prevent your construction company from experiencing significant losses.
1. Take a thorough inventory
You probably have a decent idea of the equipment, tools, and materials you have at your construction yard, but do you use a tracking system? Keeping computerized records of every asset your company purchases, including descriptions and serial numbers, makes it easier to notice when objects go missing. Periodically comparing these records against your inventory should reveal some items aren’t there.
You might also consider marking all your tools and equipment with owner-applied numbers or other recognizable indicators, so authorities can trace them back to your company if they locate them anywhere after a theft.
Tracking your inventory in this manner might not prevent stealing, but it can help you recover the stolen property if you’re ever victimized. This method could also discourage employee theft because everyone who works there will know the effort you’re putting into tracking your equipment.
2. Install deactivators and anti-theft tracking devices
Large equipment is challenging for thieves to steal, but it’s also more valuable. In many cases, this additional risk and effort are worth the reward because of the payout they can get for these items.
As a result, it’s a good idea to create as many barriers as possible to make it less likely anyone targets your construction yard. One such method is installing deactivators in each piece of equipment in your yard. Examples of deactivators include battery switches, ignition locks, wheel locks, shut-off systems, and other devices that make it impossible for a thief to drive your heavy equipment.
You can also take things a step further through a GPS tracking system. This system allows you to trace your heavy equipment whenever it’s away from your yard, making it easier to recover if it goes missing.
Using these methods together could encourage thieves to move on to an easier target and save you from significant losses as you replace this heavy equipment.
3. Invest in lighting
The brighter your construction yard is at night, the less attractive it will look for thieves. Most criminals prefer to work in the dark because seeing and identifying them is more challenging. Therefore, the more light you can install in your yard, the more protected it becomes.
It’s a relatively widespread technology, but lights with motion sensors can work wonders at your construction yard because they can startle potential thieves when they activate. There’s no way for the trespasser to know if someone on-site has turned the lights on or if it’s an automatic light, which could be enough to scare them off.
Light towers that automatically rotate 360 degrees are another great deterrent because they illuminate large chunks of your equipment yard at once and have an intimidating appearance that shows you’re serious about your security.
4. Use video surveillance cameras
Of course, installing surveillance cameras around your construction yard to update your security is optimal because they provide protection when no one is on-site. These cameras not only deter theft but also provide visual evidence when something goes missing, hopefully helping you track down and recover your equipment.
Another great thing about a video surveillance system is the ability to customize it to match your construction yard’s needs. Putting cameras at the entrances and exits might not be enough, as your layout could require specific solutions to monitor your most expensive equipment around the clock.
There’s nowhere for thieves to hide if you optimize your camera setup, which is precisely what you want to achieve.
5. Have a security guard monitor the feed
You can take your camera surveillance further by using a remote monitoring service. The gist is that a surveillance professional will watch your video feed at night, interacting with the thieves and contacting local authorities if there’s a trespasser.
This added layer of security is beneficial because you don’t have to worry about monitoring your surveillance cameras yourself in the middle of the night. Instead, you can rest easy knowing your security provider is on the job.
This service is more proactive than cameras that only record your construction yard because your security team can potentially prevent the theft from occurring in the first place.
Consult with security experts on a surveillance solution
There’s a good chance your construction yard has some vulnerabilities your current security approach isn’t catching, but it isn’t too late to do something about it. By creating a custom solution that identifies and addresses your current system’s shortcomings, you can keep your assets safe, even as theft rates increase nationally.
Mobile Video Guard offers remote-monitored video surveillance solutions that you can customize to meet the unique needs of your construction yard. Contact our team of security professionals to get a quote today.
