When it comes to construction, it’s not only the dollar amount that should be the main concern. It’s the time it takes to replace those stolen materials and the resulting delays to the project schedule.
Construction Sites: A Hot Bed for Crime
Right now, construction materials like lumber, electrical and plumbing products are a prime target for thieves. Prices have skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic, and more recently, supply chains have experienced breakdowns due to increased demand and staffing shortages.
Construction companies and suppliers are feeling the strain:
- REJournals recently spoke with the founder of a construction company who noted that the lead time for structural steel used to be 12-16 weeks, but now that wait is up to 30+ weeks.
- The CEO of a home builder in New Mexico told the Associated Press “Nowadays, we literally could be sitting waiting 30 days, maybe even 60, for one thing or another.”
- The owner of a hardware store in New Jersey told the Asbury Park Press that pre-pandemic, his supplier filled 98% of orders. Now, that number is at 60%, and he needs to work with two additional providers to source inventory.
This means more construction projects are sitting unfinished for longer periods of time, and every day a site sits unfinished is money lost. Now imagine those hard-to-find materials being stolen and having to wait once again to replace them. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Keep Materials On Site, And Projects On Schedule
It’s more important than ever to make sure valuable materials are never stolen in the first place (especially pricey products like windows and roofing tiles which have increased 22% over the last 12 months).
That means preventing and deterring crime so those materials stay on site, projects are finished sooner, and unnecessary losses don’t mount up.
The best, around-the-clock solution to deter theft before it ever happens is remote video monitoring (RVM). RVM pairs surveillance cameras with trained virtual guards who keep watch over your construction site from a remote location.
Pro-Vigil’s cameras are combined with artificial intelligence (AI) which is a powerful tool when it comes to detecting suspicious behavior – like someone hopping a fence at night when no one is supposed to be there.
Once suspicious activity is detected, our team of virtual guards deploys the appropriate response, whether that is pre-recorded announcements to let the intruder know it’s time to leave, activating strobe lights and sirens to scare them off, or when necessary and as a last resort, dispatching the proper local authorities.
The bottom line is this – construction businesses can’t afford to lose materials in a market that is already under immense strain.
Secure your construction sites and materials today with Pro-Vigil’s RVM solution to make sure thieves never stand a chance. Contact us today to learn more.
