Amid construction boom and skyrocketing costs, how can builders deter crime, thievery at job sites?

ST. GEORGE — With the summer months quickly approaching, a rise in temperature also means a spike in the number of construction-related thefts and burglaries as operations ramp up at job sites across Southern Utah.

Stock image by Pixinoo/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Amid staff and supply chain shortages, there is another threat to the construction industry that appears to be persisting: construction site crimes. These job sites create the perfect environment for thieves who prowl across Washington County in search of pricey equipment they can turn into quick cash.

According to the National Equipment Register, up to $1 billion in equipment, materials and appliances are stolen from construction sites each year – and less than 25 percent is recovered.

From there, the stolen goods are quickly sold either locally or are shipped overseas, either in their current state or for components.

Over the last few years, for example, the price of copper rose from 80 cents a pound to $4 a pound. Lumber prices have skyrocketed as well. In fact, board-feet prices have gone up more than 250%, according to Built, and considering that in the U.S., more than 90% of the homes are built using lumber, the losses incurred by theft can be substantial.

Two recent construction site-related thefts in Washington City support these findings. Both back-to-back cases were reported last week, Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams told St. George News. The first involved the theft of roughly $2,500 in tools reported stolen on April 28, followed by another burglary alleged within 24 hours of the first.

Williams said both businesses lost not only the equipment and tools, they also lost the time it took to report the crimes, as well as time spent replacing the items. The total losses from the second construction site theft had yet to be calculated; however, an arrest was made within hours of the incident being reported.

In that case, the suspect, 42-year-old Brandon Matthew Wall, was stopped and arrested after a patrol officer on Snow Canyon Parkway near the Entrada Trail was alerted about a stolen vehicle by a license plate reader shortly after 3 a.m.

During the stop, officers discovered that the flatbed trailer with a tractor on it had been stolen from a job site in Washington City. The equipment was recovered and returned to the rightful owner, which does not always happen, the chief said.

File photo of road construction on 3000 East in St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the Dixie Regional Transportation Expo, St. George News

Williams also said that often, instead of breaking into a trailer parked on the job site, officers are seeing that suspects just take the entire trailer, which increases potential losses significantly.

St. George Police Sgt. Zach Bahlmann told St. George News a majority of job site burglaries involve the theft of construction tools, which are the most common items stolen because they are small. However, he added, these items also can be incredibly expensive, hence they are a favorite target among thieves.

He also said other items targeted are appliances commonly found at sites where family homes are being built — and particularly at construction sites where multiple homes are being built — since there tends to be a large number of appliances in one place.

Large equipment also goes missing, Bahlmann says, and while those items are not stolen as often as smaller equipment or tools, the losses can be substantial.

Effective heavy equipment security demotivates theft, said Bahlmann. This involves storing the equipment in such a way it restricts access to the equipment, such as parking it against a structure and then placing another piece of equipment or vehicle in front of it.

Anything that makes it more difficult to remove the equipment quickly and easily can act as a deterrent,” he added.

Similar items have been stolen in Washington City as well, Williams said, and officers also are seeing a higher number of trailers stolen.

Hurricane Police Officer Dan Raddatz said these crimes result in losses that extend beyond the cost of stolen equipment or materials. The stolen products must be replaced, which adds time to the project and often results in delays and a drop in productivity.

With that said, taking the time to put tools and equipment away at the end of the day is a small price to pay when considering the time and money that would be spent if they are stolen, he added.

Moreover, Raddatz said, while some crimes appear to be spontaneous, these construction-related thefts are intentional, often planned and executed within a short span of time.

File photo of the construction at Utah Arts Academy in St. George, Utah, April 12, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News

Raddatz also said officers tend to see these types of thefts year-round, and while there doesn’t seem to be an uptick during warmer months, what they do see is a string of construction-related thefts that take place during one night, or over the course of a few days, wherein multiple sites are burglarized often by the same group of suspects.

Sources consistently told St. George News that security cameras are not only an effective deterrent, but they also can help authorities in identifying those responsible and lead to higher apprehension rates. The footage captured shows the crime taking place in real time and also provides images of the suspects and can even tie individuals to other similar crimes in the area.

Parking equipment in a well-lighted, secure area, and locking equipment during non-working hours is also recommended.

Raddatz said it is not uncommon for officers to find the property stolen was unlocked at the time,  so many of these thefts could be easily prevented by making sure the equipment, trailers and so on are properly secured.

Referring to trailer thefts, Williams said that leaving a trailer on a job site can be a prime target for thieves, and many suspects just hook up the trailer and drive off. He also said these are crimes of opportunity, and if a contractor can drive off with the trailer, then so can a suspect.

If the trailer isn’t there, he said, then a thief can’t steal it.

Installing all portable high-value assets and equipment with GPS tracking devices that are concealed within the unit also helps to track and locate the item quickly.

Thieves thrive in darkness, and construction site security suffers when these large, outdoor targets have inadequate lighting, Williams said. Employing sufficient lighting will deter criminal activity, and installing motion-sensor lighting will startle the thieves and often can have an even more significant impact.

All equipment and tools should be identified with multiple, unique markers, and a record of serial numbers should be kept as it is important and can be used to identify any recovered stolen property, Bahlmann said.

Enhancing job site security can increase the chance of catching the culprits and recouping lost assets after the crime has taken place, but it can also reduce the risk of the site becoming a crime scene and prevent the theft before it takes place.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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