Increases in global scrap copper prices have led to the copper theft surge. Construction and industrial sites are frequent targets due to their large amount of tools, building components and wiring, but thieves also target everything from sprinkler heads to traffic lights to sculptures. To keep your art and appliances  safe, take a proactive approach to commercial security essentials:

Keep metal components secure

Make thieves have to work to get at your stuff. If you’re running a construction site, hire a reputable security company to do an assessment of your needs. Install a fence and good lighting, and keep your tools and equipment locked up whenever the site is not in use. If you’re a home-owner, you may not be able to lock up every sprinkler head, but you too can consult a security company, install motion-detector lighting, and secure likely targets when you’re going out of town.

Use verified security for a quick response

A Seattle news report pointed to the type of verified security that Secure Pacific provides as one way to curb copper theft. Verified security uses video to provide real-time notification that something’s going wrong at your location. When a motion sensor is tripped, video of the incident is automatically sent to Secure Pacific’s Verification Center, where a real person is watching and notifying the authorities of any suspicious activity. A Washington school district learned the value of verified security when operators notified police of a break-in by copper thieves less than a day after their security system was installed. Whatever you do, don’t assume that it can’t happen to you. Schools, churches and homes have all been targets of copper theft, in addition to industrial and construction locations. Putting security essentials in place now can pay off in the long run.