Contractors, Police Report Increasing Worksite Theft

Northwest Arkansas, like other parts of the state, is experiencing a rash of construction site thefts, with high-priced copper being the favorite target.

Pure copper on the U.S. market fetches more than $3 per pound, and scrap is selling for about $1.80 per pound in northwest Arkansas.

Lt. Mike Reynolds of the Fayetteville Police Department’s criminal investigation division, said copper is the motivation for most site thefts this year. In 2005, 16 construction site thefts were reported, but only a couple were for copper. So far this year, Fayetteville has had 18 site thefts, and 12 of those were copper-related.

Bentonville has reported 15 site thefts this year. Det. Larry Taylor of the Rogers Police Department said there have been almost 60 site thefts in his city. A thief recently lifted $6,000 worth of copper from the Rogers School District’s Sophomore Center.

Copper and other metals are popular due to rising prices, but tools are also coveted.

James H. Cone Inc.’s construction site at Robinson Avenue and Pleasant Street in Springdale was recently hit by thieves, but they weren’t particularly sophisticated, according to field superintendent Opp Guenard.

He said the thieves weren’t able to cut the lock off the gate, so they raised the gate off its hinges. Once inside the site, they were able to beat the locks off the construction trailer. The result was a loss of $18,000 in equipment.

“In my opinion, they took everything they can hock at a pawn shop,” Guenard said.

Tom Refshauge, president of Centurion Security Co. in Rogers, works to stop these types of thieves. He started his security business in 1997, and his business has grown from 11 officers to 55. And he’s looking for more.

The thefts he’s seen are widespread, and the level of sophistication ranges all over the map. Some primitively bash locks while others use plasma torches, but they all have something in common, he said: “These guys are pretty brazen.” Some thieves seem to have knowledge of the construction industry; some even seem to be familiar with the particular site they are ripping off.

“They know, for example, where wiring has been placed in buildings and come in and tear it out,” he said.

Bob Knight, client services manager at Rogers Iron & Metal Corp., said he is aware of an upsurge in construction theft.

“It’s all economics,” he said. “It’s all about the dollars.”

In response, he is more vigilant in watching for stolen goods.

Knight records personal information from the sellers’ driver’s licenses. His records allow him to trace the source of metals should questions of legitimacy arise at a later date.

“We get identification if it’s one pound or if it’s 1,000 pounds,” he said.

It’s in his best interest, Knight said, to be proactive. If Knight unknowingly accepts and pays for stolen metal, the police will return the metal to the rightful owner, leaving Knight with neither metal nor money in hand.

Refshauge advises background checks for all new employees, and he also suggested employers get involved with polygraph testing as another weapon against theft. However, the U.S. Employee Polygraph Protection Act generally prohibits employers from requiring or requesting job applicants or employees to take a lie-detector test, according to Jim Kibat, of Integrity Investigations in Pea Ridge.

The law is stringent with polygraph testing and violations can lead to government fines of up to $10,000 and could potentially expose themselves to civil suits.

Another way contractors can help protect themselves is with the use of a ground storage container, often referred to as a Conex.

“They’re used for two reasons: one security, two storage,” said Chris Shields, general manager of Hugg & Hall Equipment in Springdale.

A Conex is a modified shipping container that can be used for storage or office space. Hugg & Hall offers conex rentals of 20- and 40-foot units.

Contractors often use the units to store tools and equipment. For additional protection, some contractors also park large vehicles, such as bulldozers, in front of the unit to block access to the door.

Storage units come with heftier locks and some have metal housings to help protect locks.

“We have never had anyone break into one of those,” Shields said.

The office units aren’t as strong, and Shields said there have been reports of those being broken into.