My last few blogs were about the growing problem of copper theft, some of which occurs on construction sites. But if we put copper theft to one side, general theft on the construction site is also a serious problem and has to be solved.
The CBC recently reported that construction site theft was driving up home prices. Homebuilders for example, have estimated that new residential home vandalism and theft cost about $1,000 per home. And if heavy equipment is stolen, the replacement cost could be in the $100,000’s of dollars.
Construction equipment theft is a heavy burden on the industry as a whole, which is largely comprised of small businesses, contractors and developers. Insurance claims don’t usually cover the full costs involved, and inevitably the extra costs gets passed on to the purchaser.
If you’re a general contractor, project manager, or construction site superintendent, the last thing you need heading into an aggressive spring construction season is the loss of valuable tools, equipment, and materials - not to mention having your trailers and storage compounds rifled through and damaged.
You might think it’s enough to have a fenced, well-lit area, with secure locked gates - but it isn’t.
You might be tempted to hire a security guard to patrol the property at night, but even the police will tell you that they’re an ineffective and expensive solution.
I was reading a report recently about a backhoe theft, a typical construction site target by criminals, where the backhoe was actually stolen while the security guard was doing his rounds! The owner of the site said, “I guess he went to the back of the site, and the thieves were in the front, and they took the machine right from under his nose.”
So what is the answer - if it’s not locks, lights, and guards?
I can tell you without a doubt … the best commercial security system on the market to protect your construction site, building or compound, is comprised of verified video CCTV cameras with additional audio sensors.
We call it SonaVision and we have many years of construction site industry expertise, catching criminals red handed.
It’s electronic surveillance that works in real-time with real people watching. That’s what sets our SonaVision system apart from the rest.
Here’s how it works
SonaVision is a unique push video security system, monitored ‘live’ by security experts.
If a criminal or vehicle is detected entering a secure area by our 360-degree audio sensors, our push video technology immediately sends streaming video through to our Central Control Monitoring Centre to view and verify what is going on. A security expert verifies the intrusion in real-time, at the moment it’s occurring, and the crime is reported to the Police immediately, as a ‘crime in progress’.
We’re very proud of the fact that there is no other type of security system on the market today that has a criminal capture rate as high as SonaVision! It’s fast, accurate, and highly respected by law enforcement professionals.
In addition to operating as a security system, 24x7, SonaVision can also be used to view live video of your construction site, or compound, whenever needed and wherever you are.
We can provide a remote PC service to clients so you can login and observe your property live and real-time, using the same SonaVision CCTV cameras used for security.
You just need an Internet connection and web browser to check on your project while you’re meeting with clients on the other side of the globe … or on vacation!
Our video stream system can be viewed on any of your personal electronic devices, including smart phone, tablet, iPhone or iPad. If you need to archive video or snapshot images, you can have these emailed to you from Sonitrol’s Monitoring Centre.
SonaVision is the security system of choice for construction sites. The system is proven and works seamlessly with Verified Audio Detection, Keyless Access Control, and any other modular components of your Sonitrol video surveillance system.
Construction theft is a billion dollar problem in North America and criminals view it as an easy target. So don’t let them get away with it!
Unlike other security companies that TRY to compete with Sonitrol we will not under protect your construction site, compound or facility so that we have a low price. We will show you how each should be protected properly - then work with you to get the best solution for your budget. We are security consultants not sale people simply looking for commissions.
Spend some time with us now, before your project season heats up, to make sure you have the right security system in place.