PACT Site Security

Former police officers, private investigators and crime management veterans, Braven Group Services, have joined forces with WA’s building, construction, developer and industry bodies to target crime on building and development sites around the state, with their new initiative ‘PACT Site Security’.

Evolving from an industry ‘name and shame’ campaign which encouraged the construction industry to report all crime on sites, PACT Site Security aims to target one of WA’s largest crime problems. With theft and robbery making up more than 55% of all crime in WA and building crime adding up to 1% extra onto buildings costs, Braven Group Services believe that the focus PACT Site Security will bring to the industry is well overdue and large builders and industry groups, such as BGC Residential, Master Builders Association and Urban Development Industry of Australia have partnered with PACT to help reduce and deter crime within the industry.

The name, ‘PACT’, an acronym for ‘Partnership against construction-crime taskforce’ was developed by Braven Group Services. It stems from extensive research, successful results and a solid understanding that partnerships within the industry will have a positive impact on site crime.

“We now understand that if we band together as an industry, it will have the greatest impact for all’ says PACT co-Director Craig Pages-Oliver. “We have already seen significant reduction in criminal activity for our partners’ says Pages-Oliver, but ultimately we believe a holistic approach from all industry stakeholders will have a greater impact on the reduction of construction industry crime.” The PACT team use new technology, including sophisticated crime reporting, tracking and mapping software to track when and where the crime is happening. They then utilise warnings, a 24/7 crime reporting hotline and community and media engagement, patrols, CCTV and GPS Tracking technology to identify criminals and notify the authorities.

The team at PACT Site Security have had great results already, seeing multiple recoveries of property, criminal charges laid and an overall reduction in criminal and suspicious activity. GPS Tracking in particular has been used as both a deterrent and means to recover and charge criminals, with one builder adding trackers to their display homes to address theft of electronic goods and whitegoods at the properties after hours.

‘Addressing crime at the commencement of a development construction project has wider reaching community benefits’ adds Pages-Oliver, ‘if we can stop crime and unwanted activity at the commencement of a project, before it takes hold within a new developing community, a more secure and safe community will be provided for the longer term’ he says.

For more information or to report a crime on a building site visit www.pactsitesecurity.com.au or call 1800 272 836.