How to prevent plant and machinery theft

Construction sites are often full of high value plant and machinery and as such are seen as an easy target by criminals in the UK.

In fact a report from a leading insurer, Allianz Cornhill, puts the annual cost of the theft of construction plant such as excavators, compressors and cranes at as much as £800 million.

This theft not only occurs from temporary sites but also from static construction sites where plant machinery is stored.

An obvious tactic to cut down on plant theft is to make sure that keys are never left unmanned and nearby to machinery. The machinery itself should be stored away securely when not in use and where it is practical to do so. You should also make sure that lighting is increased during off hours, such as weekends, evenings and school holidays.

Plant machinery that is visible can become a clear target to criminals, however one way to put them off is to ensure that a quick get-away is off the cards.

Using perimeter gates, fences or automatic rising kerbs is a tried and tested method to prevent unauthorised access to vehicles, as are automatic gates.

At permanent or long term sites, it may also be worth investing in turnstiles (full-height) or waist-height) to limit access to permitted persons only.

Whereas many burglaries are unplanned and opportunistic, the size and weight of construction tools often means that related crimes are planned in advance. This means that a site which is well secured is less likely to fall victim to costly theft.

Gateway Automation provide a range of perimeter security systems to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provides nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure which can be viewed here: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/brochure/.