Plant theft in the UK has steadily been on the rise and is costing the construction industry quite a bit of money with each crime. It has been reported by insurance company Allianz Cornhill that the industry lost over £70 million in plant equipment (excavators, cranes, etc.) in one year. If these figures are estimated correctly it could mean that the industry as a whole (not just the companies monitored by the insurance company) is losing between £400 and £800 million a year. According to reports at least 10 pieces of equipment are stolen each day and are ready to be shipped outside of the UK as quickly as 24 hours after the theft. While most of the stolen property is covered by insurance (theft and damage account for 63% of all insurance claims) but the lost money comes from idle crews and downtime as well as increases in insurance premiums.
The Ease of Plant Theft
The problem with plant theft is that it’s sometimes so easy to do that it makes plant an easy mark for criminals. In the past manufacturers haven’t properly equipped their products with proper (or any) security devices. There is also a lack of manufacturer markings on visible parts of the equipment. Most of the time plant equipment has hidden markers or ones that can be easily removed upon the theft. The driven equipment was also not road registered most of the time making it hard to keep track of their movements. This hinders any efforts in trying to find the stolen property or identifying the proper owner.
Steps in Preventing Plant Theft
While plant theft is a problem, there are a number of things contractors, companies, and manufacturers can do to help prevent the theft from ever occurring.
Equipment owners can mark their own equipment with visible identification numbers and they can also register them with CESAR – Construction Equipment Security and Registration – an identification and registration system for plant. There are also security markings that can be added to the equipment that have data dot technology that will provide UK police with immediate owner identification upon scanning with a handheld date scanner.There are also police approved documents that can show proof of ownership through CESAR.
There are also physical restraints, locks, and other security devices that can be used to secure plant. Common sense practices, too, like removing the keys from the equipment when not in use should be the first step in preventing theft. Some companies choose to repaint their plant in corporate colours or unattractive colours (bright pink is apparently effective) in order to deter theft. This works because thieves look to resell the plant and they’ll have a harder time doing so if they’re not in the standard colours. Or, you could lease the plant from someone like LaganPlant.
By taking any kind of preventative measures against theft companies can save money in the long run. This is because plant insurers have a history of offering generous premiums along with large discounts to customers both new and existing as long as they have a positive claims history. These preventative measures can help thwart plant theft throughout the UK and save the industry millions.
