Calls to tackle £1 million per day construction site thefts - white paper launched
500 machines stolen monthly from construction and rural sites
- “more dynamic strategies required to tackle construction site thefts”, says white paper
- “Thefts seen as a ‘low-risk gamble’ ”
VPS, the market leaders in protecting vacant properties, publishes today a special construction edition to their well-received “Guards versus Technology” white paper issued last year.
“We’ve launched this special edition white paper on construction site security for two main reasons.” says Simon Alderson, the Development Director for VPS and the Chairman of the Vacant Property Protection Group of the BSIA, the British Security Industry Association.
“Firstly, the data on plant and equipment theft from construction sites is staggering. 1 in 5 sites experience vandalism weekly, at least £400 million of plant and equipment get stolen annually, and because a pitifully small percentage of that is ever recovered, such thefts are seen as a ‘low-risk’ gamble.” Mr Alderson explains.
“Secondly, we have tracked across the whole range of security options, so we could compare the pros and cons of the use of the more traditional security methods such as guards, with the increasingly sophisticated technologies available today.”
“Guards are the right choice in certain contexts, but lower-cost, highly capable technological options are fast chasing that market. A SmartTower CCTV for example is a protection and monitoring system that can be installed in any location, no matter how remote or challenging, and can be moved, added to or reduced in capacity according to the dynamics of an ever changing construction site.” and Mr Alderson concludes. “Sometimes the best-fit solution combines fewer manned security guards with more specialist technologies. Better, more dynamic security strategies than currently used for building sites are required.”
In May, the VPS SmartTower CCTV was selected for the U.S. Government Security Platinum Award for Perimeter Security, alongside technology giants Samsung, Honeywell Security and BlackBerry.
“Dynamic Site Security: Guards versus Technology – which is best?” is available as a pdf on the VPS website www.vpspecialists.co.uk
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Notes for editors
VPS partner some of the largest commercial and residential builders and site asset managers in the country, providing risk assessments, inspection services, security, and protection from theft, vandalism, arson, flood and utility leaks.
At any one time, VPS secure more than 50,000 properties and sites, and employ over 1600 staff in locations across the UK and mainland Europe. They specialise in securing, maintaining and managing vacant property across a wide range of customer and industry sectors.
Core building services cover the vacant, unoccupied and void property lifecycle from an initial risk assessment, to security, including guarding, monitoring, clearing, cleaning, maintenance and preparation. These services protect properties against unauthorised access and a variety of hazards such as arson, theft, squatting and unauthorised occupation.
Press contacts
For more information regarding VPS or this release, please contact:
Graham Sievers
+44 (0)77 222 82 946
Knole Park Ltd, PR
VPS, Premiere House, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1JH
44(0)77 222 82 946 Mobile phone
graham.sievers@perfectlypicked.com
About the VPS Group:
VPS secure more than 50,000 properties and employ over 1600 staff in locations across the UK, and mainland Europe. They specialise in securing, maintaining and managing vacant property across a wide range of customer and industry sectors.
Core building services cover the vacant, unoccupied and void property lifecycle from an initial risk assessment, to security, including guarding, monitoring, clearing, cleaning, maintenance and preparation. These services protect properties against unauthorised access and a variety of hazards such as arson, theft, squatting and unauthorised occupation. www.vpspecialists.co.uk/
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