Know your enemy

Who are the perpetrators? Three main groups tend to target construction sites.

Insiders

Perhaps the most difficult type of thief to catch is the insider, who is responsible for just over a quarter (27%) of thefts, according to our research.

Construction sites are usually teeming with subcontractors or tradespeople, contracted for specific elements of a project. This makes it easy for thieves to pose as ‘legitimate personnel’ and not arouse suspicion – last year’s copper heist at Aurubis9 is believed to be the work of insiders, for instance. Yet, on large construction projects, with many temporary workers, it can be difficult to enforce a stringent site-access policy so many firms do not know how to stop the problem. All these ingredients are a recipe for disaster.

“Since the Government removed the construction industry’s access to red diesel, fuel theft has risen exponentially. CCTV has therefore become an even more important tool for tackling site crime, not only because it acts as a deterrent and helps collect video evidence but because it also offers an insight into how and where a site might be better protected.”

– Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight at the National Federation of Builders
Steinberg, J. (2023, September 1). Massive Metals Theft Reported at Europe’s Largest Copper Producer. WSJ.

Opportunists

Opportunistic crime is the most common way that theft occurs, according to 40% of respondents. These are thieves looking for easy-to-grab items that have been left out on display, such as spare fuel or cabling. They tend to look for targets that are easy and quick to break into rather than planning a break-in and preying on the misfortune or forgetfulness of others.

Organised criminals

Then you have organised criminals – smart, savvy gangs with the preparation, manpower and equipment to take big-ticket items, or several things in one go. Our survey indicates that they’re responsible for around 15% of crimes. They usually operate at night, and in fact, 69% of workers we surveyed believe that construction crime is more common during autumn and winter due to longer evenings. That said, it’s not unheard of for professional criminals to walk onto sites off the street, dressed as workers, and take items in broad daylight. They’re often well versed, have planned escape routes, and take advantage of lax site-access policies.