September 2019 Building and Construction Industry Crime Statistics

The month of September has continued to see a reduction in theft for PACT Site Security members with a total of 15 reports of burglary, theft and damage on construction sites across the metropolitan area. Offences included 4 x burglaries, 7 x stealing and 4 x damage with 70% of offences occurring in the southern suburbs. 

Outside the metro area there has been a spike in theft in the South West with 1 x burglary, 3 x stealing and 2 x damage offences reported on building sites in South Bunbury, Dalyellup and Australind.

A burglary in ‘The Glades at Byford’ resulted in the theft of an installed oven, hot plate and a toilet roll holder whilst a burglary in the close-by estate of ‘The Brook at Byford’ has seen offenders stealing a vanity, bench tops, cupboards and a kitchen sink! It would certainly appear someone it is fitting out their own construction in the area.  

In another burglary in Golden Bay, offenders stole an installed solid front door and shower heads whilst a burglary in the Calleya Estate, Treeby resulted in the theft of an installed oven, hotplate, rangehood flue and a shower screen. Further site theft in Treeby included an installed hot water system and a quantity of steel lintels. 

In other onsite theft, 8 internal doors were stolen from a building site in Alkimos and an installed hot water unit stolen from a site in Whiteman Edge Estate Brabham.    

Although some significant theft reported during the month the number of reports represent a 48 % reduction on the monthly average of reported crime since July 2018, in reality this figure is much higher with Home Group joining the PACT Site Security Program in July with additional sites and potential increased reporting activity.  

We can hear someone saying, “ but your members have stopped reporting”! No they haven’t, and in fact many members now have implemented systems where the supervisor requires a Pact Site Security Incident report number to reorder stolen or damaged goods. So, in general the reports are an accurate reflection of crime on our members sites.  

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we certainly don’t sit back and think we have the magic bullet, with over 15 years’ experience in dealing with building and construction industry crime we understand that, like many things in life, crime runs in cycles. We now reload, refocus and keep an eye out for the next crime wave impacting our members.   

The ongoing reporting of building site crime by our members has again highlighted the importance of reporting all crime. A Police forensic examination conducted in April 2019 has resulted in the arrest of an adult male by Joondalup detectives. The WA Housing Centre site in Pearsall was close to completion when an offender broke into the premises and ‘squatted’ in the premises for several days, a forensic examination was arranged and this identified the offender who has now been charged. Reporting allows Police and PACT Site Security Investigators to allocate appropriate resources to potentially identify offenders and high crime areas, which in turn will reduce onsite crime.  

WA Scrap Metal Industry Reform continues to progress with a Cost Benefit Analysis report to be presented to Government in late 2019. If you have been directly or indirectly affected by the theft of water meters, copper pipe, electrical cable, reworks, time delays, due to theft of scrap metal then you can assist scrap metal industry reform by completing a 3 minute Scrap Metal Reform Survey here. We have had a number of survey submissions from a good cross section of various industries.

 PACT Site Security works with WA Police and the building and construction industry to provide efficient and effective reporting systems to identify crime trends and high crime areas. Accurate reporting of all crime can activate resources to reduce theft risk, track and recover property, as well as deter future incidents.  Police liaison, GPS Tracking, CCTV, patrols and community engagement are just some of the tactics assisting our members reduce crime and illegal rubbish dumping within the industry.