How to prevent construction equipment theft, the smart way.

With warmer weather and longer days coming to an end, and construction ending its busiest season, construction companies still have to worry about theft. Any time construction equipment and tools are left unattended, they are at risk. Due to its high value, heavy construction equipment is often targeted by thieves and is often a prime target for theft whenever the opportunity arises.

Theft of construction equipment and materials costs the industry between $300 million and $1 billion every year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the National Equipment Register. And only less than 25% of the stolen items are ever found.

Construction site thefts can generally be categorized into two types: premeditated or opportunistic. Premeditated thefts are often the result of organized crime, while opportunistic thefts occur when tools or materials are easily accessible and unsupervised. Perpetrators of opportunistic thefts may include employees who take small amounts of materials for personal projects, or thieves who spot valuable goods and find an easy way onto the job site. While daytime thefts are more likely to be committed by employees, overnight thefts are more common, as thieves prefer the cover of darkness and an empty construction site to reduce their chances of getting caught. 

Preventing job site theft is crucial to ensure that a construction project stays on schedule and within budget. While insurance can help after a theft has occurred, they will not cover all of your costs. Insurance usually only gives you the actual cash value minus your deductible, not the replacement costs which is usually much less than the actual replacement costs. Downtime, the loss of revenue, and the cost to replace your equipment to name a few, can severely disrupt your business. 

Indeed, theft can ruin your business and reputation. That’s why FleetUp uses cutting-edge technologies to protect construction equipment and other assets. FleetUp’s solution detects theft quickly so you can respond effectively. FleetUp Protection Mode is a feature that alerts you when your equipment moves during off-hours. You can customize the schedule for different days and times. You can also use geofencing to define a safe area for your equipment. If your equipment leaves the area, you will get an alert.

FleetUp Protection Mode helps you react quickly to theft. You will get live tracking of your equipment on your phone or computer. You can share this with your security and police to find and recover your equipment.

FleetUp’s solutions are a powerful way to prevent equipment theft, but there are other things you can do to assist in the prevention of theft. Here are few other tips you should follow:

• Lock your equipment and materials.
• Park in bright, secure, and watched areas.
• Use security cameras and alarms on your site.
• Keep track of your equipment and materials.
• Check your site regularly for risks and security gaps.
• Report and audit any missing items.
• Train your employees to report theft.

By implementing additional security measures, you can decrease the likelihood of theft and avoid costly disruptions to your business. If you’re interested in learning more about FleetUp’s solutions, be sure to request a demo.