Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction companies in Vancouver are being encouraged to take extra precautions to prevent theft as the cost of lumber surges.
Vancouver police say there has been a “significant increase” in break and enters at construction sites this year.
Sgt. Steve Addison says in many cases the thieves have made off with thousands of dollars’ worth of plywood and other building materials.
On May 10, three pallets of roofing shingles and 60 sheets of plywood were taken after being left unsecured at a construction site, police said.
There are reports of thefts on at least seven Vancouver construction sites since January, and in one case thieves got away with more than $10,000 worth of plywood.
Police in several other provinces have reported similar thefts coinciding with the ballooning cost of lumber.
“We don’t yet know who is responsible for these crimes, or whether it’s the work of one or more thieves,” adds Sergeant Addison. “But due to the amount of materials being stolen, it’s likely the thieves are using a large truck or moving van.”
Police recommend the following tips to deter thieves from constructions sites:
- Plan ahead, and don’t have more building materials on your site than you will need for that workday.
- Time deliveries right. Don’t place an order for a Friday afternoon if there is no work happening on the weekend.
- Consider securing extra materials on an upper floor of the building under construction, or place a heavy object like the forks of a forklift on top so thieves can’t easily access them.