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Construction site, construction site security, COVID-19, theft, Pandemic, Construction Security, Security Services, A&R Security Services

COVID-19 – Is Construction Theft rising?

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For a long time, the construction industry has come under attack from thieves and vandals looking to steal plant tools and equipment and make quick money. Overall, the estimated losses from construction sites very from £400m to well over £1bn every year with an additional £770m per year lost to metal thefts.

Earlier in April 2020, The Construction Equipment Association (CEA) found that in the first two weeks of lockdown plant and tool thefts sharply rose compared to pre-lockdown levels due to personnel including on-site security leaving as a result of coronavirus social distancing measures – resulting in criminal gangs exploiting the situation. And although some construction sites have returned to normal operations they are still being targeted.

In December 2020, four men and a woman were arrested in connection to a number of thefts in the South Yorkshire area. Between March and November 2020, around 40 new housing developments were burgled with thieves stealing newly installed boilers as well as machinery and tools.

For larger construction sites the bigger they are the bigger the potential problems. This means that larger construction sites need to boost their security profile, investing in GPS trackers for their vehicles alongside current security measures such as CCTV and manned guard points.

Whilst new developments are still being built, many councils and local authorities look to regeneration projects, leading to re-furbishing and regenerating buildings and site which pose their own unique set of problems. Arron Mills, director of Archon Services – a firm specialising on construction and property security said “The rise of large-scale regeneration sites that cover dozens, if not hundreds of acres of land create a new challenge for security” “these sites are often very open because its not possible to encircle the entire area with fencing or boarding’s due to the presence of public spaces and community facilities.

For most security risks, the first line of defence against physical threats is to have plenty of deterrents in place to make thieves think twice about attempting to target your site. Signage, mobile or roaming patrols and visible CCTV can all play a part at deterring trespassers. With advancements in technology, many CCTV cameras give you the ability to remotely monitor your site and are alerted to any unauthorised access to your site – letting you or your security teams to quickly respond.

The other line of defence is investing in GPS tracking technology. This allows you to monitor your vehicles if they are located at different locations – letting you undertake fewer onsite visits to check they are still there.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can protect your construction site take a look at our blog here. Or if you would like more information about our construction security services, visit our website or give us a call on 01656 713950

Vehicle theft, theft, vehicle crime, manned guards, mobile patrols, security services, A&R Security services

Did you know that a vehicle is stolen every 9 minutes in the UK?

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Across England and Wales, it’s been largely reported that vehicle thefts are on the increase – with reports saying vehicle theft rising by a fifth over the past three years. With vehicle

Last year the DVLA reported that 56,288 vehicles were targeted by thieves last year. That number of vehicles stolen equated to one being stolen every 9 minutes or 154 vehicles being stolen every day.

Which vehicle is stolen the most?

One leasing company (Rivervale leasing) conducted their own investigation and looked at a decade of government data and found that Ford Fiestas were the most targeted vehicle – with 2,384 being stolen last year. They also listed Range Rover, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and BMW 3 series being on the top 10 list for most stolen vehicles in the UK (you can see the full list here)

Premium cars are the most targeted vehicles to be stolen and out of every 5 cars stolen, only two are returned to their owners – with 75% of them being damaged and 22% of them being completely written off.

And it’s not just the vehicles that criminals are targeting, it’s also their parts. With the recent lockdown, many manufacturers of car parts had stopped operations amid worries about their staff safety, leading to a gap in the market for vehicle thieves to target cars for their parts.

Rivervale Leasing found that 34.7% of popular items stolen are exterior fittings such as bumpers, lights, and grills, with 16.5% of electrical equipment being stolen, other vehicle parts being 9.5% and wheels being 2.2%.

Also, recent reports have revealed that there has been an increase in the number of catalytic converters being stolen – with 1,000 being stolen each month in places like London. Insurers have also seen a 600% increase in claims involving catalytic converters – costing an average of £1,000 per claim.

It’s not just a financial impact

Having a vehicle stolen doesn’t just cause a financial impact on a person or business, it can also affect the owner’s mentality with 84% of drivers saying that they have been emotionally affected by their vehicle being stolen.

But is it just personal vehicles being targeted?

No, it’s not just personal vehicles that are being targeted, commercial vehicles are too. Parkers (a van distributor) conducted their own research and found that between 2015-19 van thefts increased by 45% with 10,000 van thefts in 2018/19. During lockdown many abandoned or closed offices, factories or construction sites have also been targets for theft- with construction sites seeing a 50% surge in criminal activity.

Is it opportunist or organised criminal behaviour?

Both. Although many personal vehicles are victims of opportunistic thefts, many vehicles that are kept within compounds such as a construction site, fleet yards or car showrooms are victims of more organised crime (due to security measures). You can see our blog on Car Showroom security here.

So, what steps can you take to ensure the safety of your vehicles?

CCTV:

Many businesses like yours would have CCTV in place to monitor the perimeter of your business but they can only see so far. If you have vehicles that are parked in front or a parked in a compound close by, it is worth investing in further CCTV to ensure that blind spots are covered and you or your security staff can easily monitor and look out for any suspicious activity close by.

Vehicle tracking:

If you have multiple vehicles within your business, installing vehicle tracking allows you to track and monitor their location. So, if a vehicle is stolen from your property or whilst out on-site, it can be easy for you or the police to track its location and apprehend the thieves.

Perimeter fencing and gates

Whether you park your vehicles outside your building or in a compound close by, having perimeter fencing and gates will provide extra protection for your vehicles. However, it is important to choose sturdy fencing and gates as some fencing and gates can become easily damaged by criminals trying to get in.

Invest in physical security

To some physical security guards can seem like an expensive investment but actually it can save you money in the long run. Outsourcing your physical security to us means that you don’t have costly uniform, training or vetting fees to look at and allows you to get on and run your business, whilst we effectively protect your business and your vehicles with our manned guards and mobile patrols.

Manned guards:

Although having manned guards to protect your work vehicles may seem excessive to some, they are an effective way to deter criminals. Manned guards can be used to monitor CCTV camera’s 24/7 for any activity close to your business or vehicles and quickly respond to any disturbances of any attempts to damage or steal your vehicles. Manned guards can also be placed in front of main gates to monitor activity coming in and out of your property or vehicle compound, ensuring that only authorised personnel are allowed access to your vehicles.

Mobile patrols:

Mobile patrols are another effective deterrent against criminals and compliment our manned guarding services. Whereas manned guards can be used to monitor activity via CCTV or being stationed by main gates and access points, mobile patrols guards can patrol single or multiple areas – depending on the size of your property – at regular or irregular intervals and can quickly respond to any disturbances that are located at a different location.

Both our physical guard services can greatly benefit your business and are effective deterrents against criminals looking to target your vehicles.

To find out more about our manned guards, mobile patrols services or any other security services then visit our website here or give us a call on 01656 713950 to arrange a meeting.