We were happy to tell San Antonio’s KENS 5 News about stopping copper theft on jobsites:
We wrote an article about it too: The Top 7 Ways to Stop Copper Thieves. Copper theft’s going to get worse before it gets better due to continued high demand in China. Fight back!
Look closely at this photo and see if you can spot the four jobsite security surveillance experts…
See if you can spot us at this Friday’s AGC- San Antonio Chapter Fun Shoot.
When we started fighting copper theft on jobsites we never thought we’d become experts on the Chinese economy… It’s the strong Chinese economic growth that has copper demand so high and has pushed prices from under a dollar a pound five years ago to just around four dollars a pound today…
Economists predict that copper producers won’t have fully ramped up to meet demand until late 2009. This means that copper THEFT will continue through 2009. With copper prices so high, meth junkies continue to target unsuspecting jobsites and other operations for a quick copper score. Don’t let yourself be an easy target - fight copper thieves with these seven easy security tactics!
And if you have any questions about stopping copper theft please call us at 1 (866) 616-1318 or email info@pro-vigil.com to learn more.
1) Protect Yourself with Live Video Surveillance
Nothing stops a thief like flashing lights and an alarm. Adding live video surveillance to your jobsite or other areas of operation can stop copper theft entirely - especially if your security providers can call the police for you!
Learn more about Live Video Surveillance.
2) Visit Your Operations at Night
Nothing beats a nighttime visit to identify areas of vulnerability. Are there sections of your fence that fall into deep shadow? Are there any natural “safe zones” that are easily visible from the street and lit by preexisting light sources? Your night time visit will help you assess your operations the way a copper thief would.
3) Effective Security Lighting
Good lighting is vital to security - however if you over light your areas of operation you’ll create glare which is useful to thieves also. Direct light onto the specific areas you’re trying to protect rather than into the eyes of potential observers.
Read More about Security Lighting >>
4) Regularly Screen Your Employees
Conduct background checks on your potential new-hires and check your existing personnel regularly for drug abuse. Have a strict zero-tolerance policy and favor contractors and sub-contractors who do the same.
Read more about reducing employee theft >>
5) Build Effective Fences
Are your fences high enough - is there adequate signage that warns potential thieves that you prosecute to the fullest extent of the law? Your fences are the first and sometimes most effective psychological defense against copper thieves.
Read more about assessing the effectiveness of your security fence >>
6) Monitor the News for Local Copper Theft
It’s easy and free to set up a web-monitoring system with Google that notifies you by email any time someone mentions “copper theft” in your local area. If you’re wondering whether you need more copper theft security simply visit Google Alerts and start watching the web for advance notice.
Learn more about monitoring the web for advance theft notice >>
7) Establish an End-of-Day Security Routine
Whether it’s you or the person responsible for security at your operations someone needs to walk the site at the end of the day to make sure that everything is secure. Check that everything is locked, that there are no boxes or high weeds growing near fences, and that all security systems are armed.
Learn more about setting up an end of day security routine >>
8) Contact Pro-Vigil Today to Stop Copper Theft on Your Site!
Pro-Vigil is the industry leader in live video surveillance. When we place the Virtual Guard Station at your location our security guards stop theft by sounding alarms and calling the police when they spot criminal intruders. Learn more by calling Pro-Vigil today: 1 (866) 616-1318 or emailing us at info@pro-vigil.com.
In December vandals set fire to President Bush’s childhood home. Restoration began recently and we donated our live surveillance services. We’re proud and honored to help protect the restoration of this national monument!
Squint and you’ll see the Pro-Vigil sign on the chain link fence there in the front.
See the news story here: Restoration Begins On Bush Home.
We got these words and the following pictures from a client:
Last night we had a couple of thieves enter the jobsite through the back gate by unbolting the hinges.
Here’s a close up of their work:
The fence off of its hinges:
They drove right past the provigil camera unit and around to building 22 where all of the hardi trim and siding is stored and loaded 147 pcs of 1×6 hardi into their van.
What they didn’t know was the cameras are monitored and provigil had already called the Sheriffs department and since we have had so many reports filed they responded silently and in force with K-9 units.
One surrendered immediately and the other tried to run and hide. The picture tell the rest of the story.
We could not show the remaining pictures due to their graphic nature. We wrote an article about construction fences that might interest you: How Secure is Your Construction Security Fence? 11 Questions to Ask
We’re not sure why these two decided to go for a date on our client’s jobsite. We are sure that they won’t come back. This is what we’re talking about when we say “Pro-Active Prevention.”
This framer - the lead framer on the jobsite - decided to pad his salary a little bit. Pro-Vigil caught him on video and our live surveillance crew called the cops. By request this video doesn’t show the cops arrive but you can sure see the fear in him there at the end!
Watch as the police nab this guy trying to escape on his bicycle. He came back the next night and we called the police on him again. You can see that video here: Video: Jobsite Intruder Learns what Live Surveillance Means
This is the SECOND time the Pro-Vigil security crew spotted this guy trespassing on this jobsite… and the SECOND time we had him arrested! We hope he learned what “live video surveillance” means.
Watch the Pro-Vigil Virtual Guard Station call in the cavalry in this short video!