Construction Site Theft Statistics: A Must Know in 2024

Construction site theft remains a major issue that causes financial losses and project delays. 

But just how extensive is the construction equipment theft problem? 

With that in mind, we’ll dive into some important construction site theft statistics that reveal the true impact of these thefts.

Construction Site Theft Statistics: Key Numbers

  • There are over 11,000 incidents of construction equipment theft each year.
  • Estimate $300 million to $1 billion in construction and farm equipment theft losses annually.
  • A study of over 15,000 incidents found that contractors lost an average of about $6,000 per incident. 
  • Trucks are the most expensive targets, with an average loss of approximately $42,000 per incident. 
  • The theft recovery rate across all targets was less than 7%. 
  • Every year, $1 billion worth of copper is stolen from construction sites. 

Source: (NICB, National Equipment Register, Department of Energy)

If you want to know more about construction statistics and resources, then we recommend you check out our construction statistics resource page, which offers insight into the construction industry’s scale, employment, and future.

Where Equipment Theft Happens Most?

Equipment gets stolen the most in places like parking lots, restaurants, and construction sites. Here’s a list of where it happens the most, based on information from the Zupuer:

Where Equipment Theft Happens MostPin
  • 19,338 incidents occurred in parking garages/lots.
  • 16,544 incidents occurred at restaurants.
  • 11,504 incidents occurred at construction sites.
  • 9,974 incidents occurred at convenience stores.

Source: Zupuer

Most Common Equipment Theft From Construction Sites

According to the National Equipment Register, equipment theft is a major issue on construction sites, with loaders and towables being the most common targets. Here is a list of the most common items that are stolen:

Most Common Stolen Equipment From Construction Sites In The USAPin
  • 36% of thefts involve wheeled and tracked loaders.
  • 35% of thefts involve towables.
  • 15% of thefts involve skid steer loaders.
  • 7% of thefts involve excavators.
  • 5% of thefts involve utility task vehicles.
  • 2% of thefts involve other types of equipment.

Source: Sirix Monitoring

Top Targeted States For Construction Theft

Construction sites in some states experience a much higher rate of theft. Here are the states most at risk for theft:

Top Targeted States For Construction TheftPin
  • Texas: 24%
  • Georgia: 11%
  • Louisiana: 9%
  • North Carolina: 6%
  • Florida: 6%

Source: National Equipment Register (NER), A Verisk Business

Top Five Brands Equipment Stolen

Some construction equipment brands are prime targets for theft. Take a look at the top five brands at risk:

Top Five Brands Equipment StolenPin
  • 26% of stolen equipment is John Deere.
  • 24% of stolen equipment is Kubota.
  • 7% of stolen equipment is CAT.
  • 6% of stolen equipment is Bobcat.
  • 2% of stolen equipment is CASE Construction.

Source: National Equipment Register (NER), A Verisk Business

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