Theft from WA residential construction sites impacts everybody. It can delay construction, drive up costs and cause unnecessary work for a whole range of construction stakeholders.
Does it happen in WA? Absolutely! Cost estimates range up to millions of dollars each year.
What gets stolen? The old saying if it’s not tied down… is not accurate. Not only does almost every item of construction material (cement, bricks, frames, windows, timber tiles etc.) left on a construction sites get stolen but items that have been installed. For example we have heard of laid paving bricks, installed fences, plants and even installed lawns even being stolen!
Big ticket items that are a key target for thieves and include ovens, stoves, hot water systems, air conditioners, heaters and even taps, sinks and baths. Essentially nothing is safe!
So it is great to see the victims fight back. Many items on a building site now have GPS trackers secretly installed. These little devices are magical when tracking stolen goods as recently reported by the Master Builders Association WA which Houspect WA is a member:
Thieves tracked by GPS
A hot water system was stolen from an external wall on a Perceptions site in Riverton on Sunday. When the GPS unit was activated at 2.34am, investigators tracked it to the offender’s address in Shelley. More information is here. In recent weeks GPS tracking of building site assets has successfully identified three offenders involved in the theft of ovens and hot water units. Police charges of burglary, stealing and unlawful possession highlight the importance of reporting crime to ensure appropriate resources will be allocated to high-risk sites and high crime areas. Find out more here.
So the positive thing is that technology is turning the tide on these thefts.
The key is that many Houspect WA clients are building new homes across WA, many of whom visit their new home construction sites outside of traditional construction hours and or on weekends. It is important for the WA Community that if anybody identifies suspicious activity on a residential construction site that they contact WA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 00.
Houspect conducts constructions inspection at every key stage of a construction. Occasionally we inspect outside of hours and on weekends as well and are looking for suspicious activity. Collectively we can all make a difference.
May 2020
Build, Buy, Invest in property with confidence.
Ph 9240 8855 Web: www.houspect.com.au/wa Email: strata@houspectwa.com.au
