Almost €8 million worth of equipment and tools were stolen from construction sites in Ireland in a ten-month period last year.
Gardaí say there has been a 35% increase in construction crime in all garda regions, except the southeast.
Last year, there were 4,562 reported incidents between January and October, with the theft of tools and equipment from vans and cars making up 43% of all construction crime.
Speaking at the joint launch of a new campaign by gardaí and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan said they want to raise awareness about the importance of site security.
This includes simple tips such as setting up CCTV on site, good security lighting, controlled access and keeping a record of engine chassis numbers.
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He urged tradespeople to mark their tools and equipment, saying power tools stolen in Dublin were seized by gardaí in west Cork recently and were returned to their owners because they were marked.
CIF Director General Tom Parlon said with the construction industry in recovery mode, his message to the 130,000 workers in the industry is "if you secure it, you keep it".
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