Construction Site Thefts Soar

6th July 2023

Sheffield based IFM Insurance Brokers today urged local firms to take extra precautions as construction site theft soars, with 89% of UK tradespeople having been victims of theft.

These staggering figures follow research by NFU Mutual which showed over half of tradespeople experienced theft of their items from a building site where 83% said they have left portable tools and equipment on site overnight.

Jamie Harvey, Director of IFM Insurance Brokers said, “Plant and tool theft has emerged as a significant and growing problem for many businesses throughout South Yorkshire. There are now many organised gangs in addition to opportunists stealing plant equipment and tools.  

However, businesses can take some simple measures to help reduce the risk of them becoming a victim”.

IFM, which provides insurance advice to many businesses across South Yorkshire, advises firms which have plant and tool equipment on their premises to consider adopting the following measures:

• Ensure doors and windows are secured to protect theft of plant equipment from inside a property.
• Prevent unauthorised access and protect the perimeter of the site with the erection of temporary fencing, bollards, anti-climb paint.
• Deploy an electronic security system and CCTV cameras.  If you have an intruder alarm system, ensure that this is suitably maintained and in good working order.
• Manned security is not always the cheapest method of protecting a site and its contents, but there is sometimes a case for using guards to get a situation under control while longer-term measures are put in place.
• Undertake a simple risk assessment to ensure all plant items are in a secure, locked area and access is monitored.
• If you have to leave tools and equipment in a van, make sure it’s alarmed and, as a minimum, park against a wall so that doors cannot be opened easily.