Imagine this: You show up to your construction site and notice a few pieces of equipment are missing. Your crew assembles a few minutes later, and you ask them if they moved tools and equipment before leaving yesterday. They haven’t. Footage from the security cameras reveal people removing tools and materials after hours, but they’ve hidden their faces so the police can’t identify them. And, since the incident happened hours ago, the thieves are long-gone. Now your project is at least a day behind and you will be over budget after you replace the stolen items.
Theft has been a challenge for Construction businesses as expensive equipment and materials are often left overnight at the job site with limited security measures in place. Most of the time, there is no resolution with law enforcement because they are unable to identify the criminals or catch them in the act. An Officer of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department in Colorado explains that the crimes are common and may go unresolved due to a lack of evidence.
How common is theft on the job site? In 2016, the National Equipment Register (NER) reported that theft was more abundant than vandalism, fire, water, and hail damage combined. Why is there such a high level of construction equipment theft? The value of the equipment and the low risk of being caught make construction sites a prime target for robbery.
Research shows the best defense is to combine various tactics for securing your jobsite, and new technologies could really up the ante.
Traditional Security Measurements Prove Ineffective
Fences don’t necessarily prevent crime. According to findings in TrueLook’s 2020 Jobsite Security Report, 53% of respondents said physical fencing was the predominant security precaution when items were stolen from their jobsite. While high-profile projects may be able to finance biometric security systems, the chances are slim that most education, retail, public and multifamily housing projects can afford them.
Security cameras have been known to deter crime. Having security cameras on the jobsite has been proven to deter theft and assist with recovering stolen property. Findings from TrueLook’s report back up this claim. Of the 739 construction professionals surveyed, only 24% of stolen goods were recovered in 2019, and jobsites with cameras were more likely to recover stolen equipment through police involvement.
Add Motion Alert Technology to Your Arsenal
Motion alert technology is changing security on job sites by alerting construction teams with HD videos and giving police the ability to respond when trespassing is detected.
Motion alerts allow you to react quickly. When motion is detected, an alert is sent via text and/or email with a picture, and the notification will indicate which camera was triggered so you can pinpoint where the incident is occurring. Motion alert technology simultaneously tracks and records high definition 720p (or higher) video, providing clear evidence of what— or who—triggered the motion sensor.
While the cameras are always tracking motion on a job site, alerts are customizable. For instance, if people on the worksite have an 8:00 am-5:00 pm workday, you can configure alerts to allow for a grace period of 30 minutes before and after the shift. If the venue is open odd hours due to unique requirements of the project, you can adjust the coverage accordingly.
Construction camera solutions enable remote access to footage via a web interface so you can view HD videos and imagery from your smartphone, tablet or computer, as soon as you receive the alert. This enables rapid action, and provides the evidence you need to initiate police involvement and stop the thieves before they make away with your valuable property.
Motion Alert Technology Working to Deter Theft on Your Jobsite
Are you looking for a solution to mitigate trespassing and crime on your job sites? TrueLook offers an Intelligent Security solution that features motion detection, live images, live streaming, and time-lapses. Check out a live demo, and learn more about how we’ve integrated motion alert technology into our camera solutions.
