Because of the metals they contain, for their parts or to supply parallel markets, construction machinery and agricultural machinery are becoming prime targets for specially organized thieves.
According to a study carried out by Coyote and the French Observatory for Industry, Commerce and Services, 1 in 2 construction companies and 1 in 4 agricultural companies have been directly or indirectly affected by the theft of machinery in the past year, that is, 13% more in a year.
Unfortunately, the phenomenon is not new, but it is gaining momentum, driven by rising prices of certain metals in particular, but also by the geopolitical context.
In the construction industry, flights have multiplied by 3 since pre-covid
And the trend is starting to worry the industry frankly. “Theft has always been a reality in our business, but we have reached a really critical stage. We estimate that crimes have tripled in 2022 compared to the years before the covid ”, explains Joël Fruchart, president of the DLR rental commission, the materials federation questioned by Shipyards of France.
On construction sites, 69% of thefts concern equipment (tools, generators, etc.), 28% utility vehicles, and 14% mobile construction machinery such as excavators, bulldozers, backhoe loaders. First region in question, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Why this strong increase? It seems that some of these stolen devices are found quite quickly in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Ukraine, where there has been a great need since the beginning of the war. This explains, for example, why 96% of stolen devices are never found.
Ukraine Air Call
Thieves are bold because such equipment is usually very bulky and weighs several tons. But they are quickly loaded onto trucks and cross the border in a few hours.
These well-rehearsed, networked teams also benefit from a fairly random team drop. According to the study, 74% of the stolen construction equipment was in a closed or secure place, so a quarter is almost free to access.
On the farm side, 21% of thefts involve mobile machinery such as tractors. The Grand Est is the most affected region. However, 91% of stolen farm equipment or vehicles were located in a locked or secure location, the study suggests, but these locations are often isolated, allowing for complete peace of mind.
For construction workers or farmers, the consequences are disastrous. Of course, there is the resulting disorganization (74% of construction companies, 56% of agricultural companies) that causes direct and indirect financial losses. Overall, 66% of companies believe that this indirect loss can reach up to 10,000 euros.
Only 4-6% of stolen companies have been 100% compensated
But it’s the replacement costs that hurt the most. Because in most cases, insurance compensates at low levels.
87% of construction companies and 95% of the agricultural sector that experienced a theft were not fully reimbursed by their insurance prior to the study. Only 4 to 6% have been completely covered.
For companies and farmers, what are the means to protect themselves? The installation of alarms, cameras or even mechanical protection does not seem to deter thieves.
The idea would be to rely on proven solutions to counter car theft, such as real-time geolocation chips. 31% of the companies surveyed could opt for this type of technology, which therefore makes it possible to track a stolen vehicle.
Source: BFM TV
