Police, retailers aim to stop construction theft
Posted on Sunday, November 5, 2006
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/41750/
BENTONVILLE — With more and more empty houses, the opportunities for construction theft are more prevalent than they’ve ever been.
Some are looking at ways to thwart theft.
In May, the Bentonville Police Department implemented a new code specifically for construction-related thefts in order to keep track of how many thefts are in the area. As of Friday afternoon, the department has received 39 reports of construction-related theft in the city, Chief James Allen said.
Allen isn’t sure where the materials — which include copper, lumber and scaffolding — end up, but that sometimes it’s stolen by fellow construction workers to use on different projects.
“ It’s hard to say where the materials are going, but... once or twice that we have caught somebody, it’s people in the construction business, somebody that’s doing some work stealing from somebody else. ”
But it’s still difficult to track many of these materials. “ It’s hard to put a serial on a twoby-four, ” he said.
“ I’m certainly not trying to accuse all construction companies of being thieves, because they’re the ones who are being victims, ” Allen said. “ They’re as frustrated as anyone else. ”
Last month, BPD Sgt. David Green made a presentation to local developers on how to prevent construction site thefts.
The presentation revealed that as of Sept. 14, more than $ 100, 000 in construction materials were stolen or damaged in reported thefts. Approximately 80 percent of the thefts occurred during the nighttime and weekends.
The BPD recommends using see-through fencing, such as a chain link, around the work site, and to used barbed wire or razor wire at the top of the fences for added security.
Hardware should be locked with case-hardened chain, and high-security padlocks should be permanently attached to the fence. Work sites should also be well-lit. The BPD also recommends putting identification numbers in two places — hidden and obvious — on each piece of material.