With the change of season, and the consequent arrival of solar time, i Construction sites are exposed to a higher risk of theft: it is theConstruction Crime Survey 2024 conducted by BauWatch, according to which over 50% of those interviewed stated that, in this period of the year, the frequency of thefts and vandalism is greater.
There are two main factors that explain the phenomenon: on the one hand the minor night visibility which allows attackers to have more time to plan targeted and precise actions, on the other hand reduced number of workers present on construction sites which, being less monitored, become easier prey for criminals.
Construction site thefts: increasingly sophisticated
The research also emerges that, coinciding with the autumn and winter months, not only does the frequency of thefts on construction sites increase but also their complexity. If 15% of the workers interviewed say that thefts have become “much more sophisticated” compared to previous years, 47% believe that the level of sophistication of these crimes has increased slightly in the autumn and winter months, confirming the tendency of criminals to take advantage of site vulnerability in the darkest months to pull off expertly engineered shots.
The increase in crime reported by the report highlighted the need for construction companies to equip themselves with highly effective safety measuresable to face the major risks of the winter period. Among the most used systems, 39% of workers cited perimeter fences34% of them alarms while 30%posting of dissuasive signs. However, these solutions, while useful, have not proven foolproof in the face of the growing level of organization of criminals
Construction site thefts: how to defend yourself
Explains Laura Casparrini, General Director of BauWatch Italy “With longer nights giving thieves more opportunities, it has become indeed It is essential to ensure that construction sites are equipped with the most advanced safety technologies. For this reason, we invite all companies to review your protocols to put themselves in a position to face these critical months, securing their assets. In this regard, i real-time monitoring systemsbased on artificial intelligence, from BauWatch represent a complete solution, capable of detecting suspicious activities and providing rapid response capabilities. In particular – continues Casparrini – le GreenLight and Solar solutions they are equipped with cameras that have a double advantage: preventive, because they dissuade thieves from entering the construction site, and reactive, because they are connected to an alarm control unit that is activated immediately in the event of an intrusion. Going into the specifics of GreenLight technology, the light deterrent signals that the site is constantly monitored, deterring criminals even before they act.”
In light of the increasing complexity and size of modern construction projects today invest in greater safety on construction sites has become key not only for resource protection, but also to avoid costly delays in projects, drops in productivity, as well damage to the reputation of companiesAnd.
