Theft and Vandalism on Construction Sites

Abstract

Theft and vandalism on construction sites in the commercial construction industry is a problem that can affect productivity and drain profits. To explore the impact of theft and vandalism in the commercial construction industry, a survey was sent to commercial construction firms to gather information by which the magnitude of the problem of theft and vandalism could be estimated; and to determine what techniques have been successfully used to deter thieves and vandals. The responses were analyzed and several conclusions were developed. Firms engaging in all types of projects are susceptible to theft and vandalism. Theft is more costly to large sized firms ($100 million and over in annual volume of construction work) than smaller firms, but vandalism is more costly for smaller firms. This occurs despite the fact that larger firms use a greater number of measures to combat theft and vandalism on their construction sites. The results should be of particular interest to construction firms that want to reduce the number of theft and vandalism incidents.