Are deserted sites in times of pandemic more conducive to criminals?

February 12th, 2021

Construction and building sites are inherently at higher risk of theft, even in non-pandemic times due to the fact that they’re often located in remote and poorly lit areas. With tight restrictions to follow in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, construction sites are left vacant for longer stretches of time. In this article, we’ll look at how the pandemic is affecting construction theft and try to answer the question “are deserted sites in times of pandemic more conducive to criminals?”

Fewer on-site workers

Most construction sites are experiencing fewer on-site workers during the pandemic. This includes everything from construction crews, equipment operators, visiting inspectors, delivery personnel, and even canteen service providers. This change in the average population of the site can have a two-fold effect on theft.

If your site is at high risk of outside trespassers, vandals and thefts, the pandemic regulations could give your site the deserted or vacant feel that appeals to thieves.

On the other hand, if you have experienced theft of tools, materials or even equipment from someone who is authorized to be on-site, a smaller population could work in your favour. First, the person responsible for the missing items may no longer be authorized or have access to the site. Secondly, fewer on-site personnel narrows the field and could assist you in identifying the culprit.

Decreased traffic

The public health measures and government restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the travel and commuting habits of a large portion of the population. As such, there are fewer eyeballs on your construction site due to the limited number of people passing by during the day and throughout the night.

While pedestrian and vehicular traffic don’t play a major role in securing your building site, their absence can certainly embolden would-be thieves and increase the chances of trespassing, vandalism and theft during the pandemic.

Vigimotion secures vacant sites

The changes in who is coming and going from your site, can certainly leave your construction site more vulnerable to theft. More and more site owners are turning to the security offered by our 100% wireless and autonomous video-verified alarm systems. Each camera is equipped with a sensor, to detect any suspicious activity regardless of time of day and who is on-site.

In the event of an intrusion, VigiCam cameras are triggered to record the scene and transmit the video to the remote monitoring centre, in real time, 24 hours a day, in just a few seconds. An operator can then check to see if a crime is in progress and contact the police accordingly.

If you need to increase the security of your vacant or idle building site, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Vigimotion. We’d be happy to listen to your needs and explore our numerous options to keep thieves and vandals off your site.