Ask a builder about what gets stolen from his jobsites and the answer will probably be, "anything that's not nailed down, and a lot of things that are." It's the truth. In a BUILDER reader survey on jobsite theft conducted in the fall of 2007, we learned that with all the things thieves carry off, they could pretty much build their own houses.
In order, the top items stolen from sites were:
1. Copper wiring and pipe 2. Lumber
3. Appliances
4. Air-conditioning units
5. Power tools
6. Windows
Readers also told BUILDER that thieves made off with:
Exterior doors Siding
Soffit and fascia
Roofing materials
Insulation
Cabinets
Ladders and scaffolding equipment
Chain saws
Office supplies
Jobsite trailers
A Bobcat
Well pumps and water equipment
Generators and compressors
Flooring tiles
Diesel fuel from excavating equipment
Drywall
Light fixtures
Plumbing fixtures
Finish hardware
That compares with an NAHB survey done in the 1990s that listed lumber as the item stolen most often. After that, it was tools, windows, doors, and heating and AC systems and other materials.
Click here to see how to make your jobsites more secure.
