Cylinder locks used to secure the cylinder so that it can't be retracted. Key-retaining locks so that when the lock is unlocked, you cannot remove the key, which cuts down on the number of duplicated keys. Closed-circuit television, which requires a generator running 24 hours a day. Most people who steal construction equipment do so within minutes, police said. If they are deterred for more than three to five minutes and the area is well lit, they most likely will go somewhere else.
Higher premiums reduce the deductible, which some contractors are willing to pay.
Many times, small hand tool thefts, though reported to local authorities, go unreported to the insurance company. Steve Lange, vice president of Aon Risk Services, an international insurance broker, said he looks at the contractors' security measures and encourages companies to mark tools and lock them up. We also like to get the neighbors involved and ask them if they see something suspicious to give us a call. Roy Vinyard, president of Vinyard Construction Co. Inc., said the company invariably ends up paying for lost or stolen equipment because it doesn't want to charge the customer for the loss. The thieves seem to know what is there already.