Code of 6000 euros stolen in Küps - police are looking for witnesses!

Code of 6000 euros stolen in Küps - police are looking for witnesses!

Küps, Deutschland - The construction site in the area of ​​the Lerchenhof in Küps was the destination of criminal perpetrators last weekend. Between Friday afternoon and Monday morning, various construction equipment worth around 6,000 euros were stolen there. The thieves took a sophisticated technology and drilled the lock of the building container in which the machines were stored. A wheel loader was driven aside to gain access to the container and brought back to its original place after the theft. The theft was only noticed afterwards, which the police are now asking to report relevant information on 09261-5030. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case.

A current study by Bauwatch shows that thefts on construction sites are an everyday problem. According to the survey, in which 500 construction site managers participated, around 80 % of the respondents report at least one theft per year. And the numbers are alarming: Two thirds of the respondents believe that construction site crime in 2023 increased. Almost 20 % even state that theft occurs several times a year, with the sophisticated strategies of the perpetrators becoming increasingly professional. According to Bauwatch, the estimated damage caused by thefts in the German construction industry is estimated at over 80 million euros. The implementation of projects also often remains on the extension bench, because construction ceases are in arrears 43 % of the projects.

shocking statistics

The survey also shows that almost a quarter of the respondents report delays of up to four weeks, while construction projects cannot be continued in one of eight cases. These criminal machinations not only lead to cost increases, but also put a strain on the image of the companies concerned. Particularly striking: only 8 % of the stolen goods are expensive machines, while small tools are affected in over 50 % of cases. Copper and cables are at the top of the list of the most popular thieves.

• copper: 46 % of the thefts
• cable: 47 % of the thefts

Klaus Maskort, Managing Director of Bauwatch, emphasizes urgency, security measures to take work morality and productivity seriously. Nevertheless, over a third of the construction experts see security on construction sites as a low priority. It is also alarming that 48 % of the respondents demand that security concepts are planned before construction.

recommendations for action for security

To stop the thefts, Bauwatch gives four recommendations for action:

1. erect visible security measures such as camera towers and fences.
2. carry out regular training for employees to secure the construction sites.
3. Investments in powerful security systems.
4. an individual assessment of the threat situation for each project.

For the construction industry in Germany, the challenge of taking effective measures remains to increase safety and prevent thefts. The recent incidents in Küps make it clear that the problems in the industry do not lose weight, but keep it worse. Perhaps it is high time that regional companies also rethink and adapt their security concepts so as not to get into the catches of crime.