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Theft at construction site

Preventing Construction Site Theft

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Not surprisingly, theft is the most common crime in the construction industry. According to a study done by The Chartered Institute of Building, over 92% of respondents in the construction industry were aware of theft occurring in their company. Most of these thefts are the result of a lack of security when the sites are closed. An unsecured site is an open invitation to criminals so all measures should be taken to secure the site. While permanent sites can be properly protected via fixed surveillance systems, temporary locations such as construction sites require a more flexible solution.

The cost of being the victim of construction theft runs deeper than just the value of the items stolen. You also have to factor in the delays in work, the cost to replace materials and supplies, and the cost of renting or replacing equipment and tools along with the increased insurance premiums you’ll have to pay going forward.

It is critical to implement a game plan to proactively prevent thefts at your construction site. A solid security plan should involve multiple layers of theft deterrents and measures. The harder it is to access your site, the less likely thieves will target it.

A short-term investment will turn out to be very cost-effective in the long run. The cost of securing your site will be quickly regained through reduction in thefts. The cost of security is part of the cost of doing business in the construction industry.

Copper Theft

Copper Theft “Is an Epidemic”

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Copper theft is a serious problem.  There must be ways to stop scrap metal theft or the US will waste millions of dollars a year replacing it.  An article published in CNBC says that copper theft in the US has become “like an epidemic”. CNBC describes copper theft as “1 billion business”. Center for Problem-Oriented Policing estimates the economic impact to replace certain scrap metal crimes could be anywhere upward from $500,000 to $11 million.

Copper theft is usually the most popular of scrap metal crimes. Metal thieves in Utah were able to “steal 6 miles of copper from Utah highway”, copper valuing $50,000 and $60,000. UDOT spends roughly $300,000 to $400,000 annually replacing copper alone.  According to Mike Adelizzi, president of the American Supply Association, who is quoted in the CNBC article says, “There’s no question the theft has gotten much, much worse,”. Copper was valued a lot higher before the recession in 2008. Even with the drop in copper value, copper theft has risen. Some people predicted that copper theft would decrease with the recession, but this was proven wrong.

Statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau states that there has been an overall 80% increase in copper theft since 2008. 2008-2012 says there has been 25,083 insurance claims compared with only 13,861 claims from the 2006-2008. The recent incline in copper theft may have to do with the abandoned houses, giving more opportunities to steal copper pipes, or possibly the overall need for the fast fix of cash. But there is definitely has been a direct correlation between the recent recession and the incline in copper theft.

Copper theft is very costly. The Department of Energy states copper theft causes almost $1 billion in losses to U.S. businesses each year. CNBC says governments are developing laws and protocols for stopping scrap metal theft, but they say, “Stopping theft is unlikely”. Preventative measures need to be taken and researched to find new ways to stop scrap metal theft, or this copper theft epidemic may continue.

National League of Cities

2015 National League of Cities: Congress of Cities & Expo

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National League of Cities

 2015 Congress of Cities & Exposition
Visit Us At BOOTH #810

Q-Star Technology is looking forward to exhibiting again this year at the National League of Cities Congress of Cities & Exposition!

Stop by our BOOTH #810 at the Music City Center in Nashville, TN on November 04-06, 2015. We will be conducting FlashCAM demonstrations and will be happy to help answer any questions you may have about how the FlashCAM can help you protect your city from nuisance crimes such as GRAFFITI, VANDALISM, ILLEGAL DUMPING, THEFT and other unwanted activities. FlashCAM users across the country are already seeing the direct benefits of proactively stopping nuisance crimes by freeing up thousands of dollars from their operational expenses!

For more information about the 2015 Congress of Cities & Expo visit their website.

We hope to see you in Nashville!

Elementary School

Is your school safe from the threats of vandalism and break-ins?

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Schools are prime targets for vandalism and nuisance crimes. As the school year progresses, the likelihood of vandalism, break-ins, graffiti and other nuisance crimes tend to increase. Since the majority of these incidents typically originate from within the student body, effort to help the students build a strong connection with the school and developing feelings of pride for their school can be effective against nuisance crimes. Kids who love their school do not want to vandalize their school.

When school vandalism is perpetrated by adults, most often they are looking for expensive equipment and bulky items they can resell for cash. The damage in this type of school vandalism may be more concentrated to areas where items of higher monetary value are accessed, rather than full scale expressive, malicious destruction, including graffiti and arson.

Secure your school buildings and grounds with proper protective measures before vandals discover any vulnerabilities by taking proactive measure to stop these crimes before it can take place. Once vandalism strikes a school, the chances of repeat vandalism escalate, and so do the monetary and social cost risks.

As a form of natural motivation against nuisance activity, some schools are allowing students to create a mural which they design, within the area that vandalism takes place repeatedly. This can instill interest from the student body to preserve their works of art from being vandalized.

Glass windows on the ground floor are also a magnet for vandalism, and should be removed and replaced. Using physical barriers to obstruct vandals, adjusting lighting, and monitoring the school after hours is effective in deterring these unwanted activities as well.