UK construction professionals report worsening thefts and trespass incidents on jobsites

A floodlit construction site at night (Image: A2LE via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com)

More than half (60%) of UK construction professionals have seen crime on energy, infrastructure and commercial construction projects worsen over the past year.

That’s according to a new survey of 500 construction workers from site security firm BauWatch.

Six in ten of those surveyed also believe that crime is becoming more sophisticated, according to the survey.

When asked about their perception of the risk in winter, two-thirds (65%) of those surveyed reported higher incidents of theft and trespassing on sites when the clocks go back and sites get darker earlier.

The insights form part of a more comprehensive report from BauWatch about construction crime, set to launch early next year.

Construction crime already costs the UK construction industry around £800 million a year (€932 million) according to the latest industry figures from Allianz Cornhill.

Ben Hancock, managing director of Oscar Acoustics, which specialises in architectural acoustic finishes, said he had several vehicles broken into in the wake of the slowing economy.

He said, “Thieves actively target white work vans as they think high-value tools are inside. We now have a policy of not leaving equipment in vans, even temporarily. That said, even if the crooks leave empty-handed, it’s still a headache, as we have to get the vans repaired and repainted, which will leave us a team down and negate project timelines. The costs to us go far beyond repairs, and the situation is so bad we now have an additional van in our fleet purely to cover break-ins.”

“We’re also in the process of building our new HQ in Kent. Our contractor has reported both opportunistic incidents and more sophisticated attempts where drones were used to scope out the site. They have had to increase their security systems onsite. Even the temporary road signs were being stolen.”

Alexis Potter, BauWatch’s managing director, added, “Construction sites are ripe targets for theft, with valuable machinery, materials, tools, and appliances at every turn. But our research suggests criminals are becoming more brazen and the situation is worsening.

“The best way to minimise the impact of theft is to deter criminals from entering at all. As the nights get darker, firms need to take appropriate preventative action against theft.”