Crime reduction 

Construction Equipment Security and Registration (CESAR) Scheme

About £1 million worth of plant and construction machinery is stolen every week in the UK, recent figures suggest. Unfortunately, the Thames Valley area ranks third on the national list of hot-spots.

Evidence suggests that the majority of these thefts are conducted by organised criminal networks that infiltrate construction sites, with theft as their sole objective. Such networks not only cause significant losses to the construction industry but can also destabilise and disrupt major building projects.

The unfortunate victims of plant theft can incur considerable and unwanted costs, including the cost of a replacement machine and potentially the short-to-medium-term hire of similar equipment. In addition, there could be increased annual insurance premiums, plus significant loss of productivity and time which often results in financial and commercial penalties.

However, this is all set to change with the introduction of the Construction Equipment Security and Registration (CESAR) Scheme. CESAR is a specially-designed product that offers protection from theft by making it so difficult for a thief to sell-on or change the identity of a piece of equipment that it’s not worth stealing it.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t secure your equipment, as CESAR won’t stop a determined thief. But, if you have this kit fitted and take the advice offered in the ‘Keeping it safe’ leaflet (below), you stand a much better chance of keeping your equipment where it should be.

• View 'Keeping it safe - simple steps to site security' leaflet (PDF 544 Kb - opens new window).

We highly recommend that you install some form of protection equipment to reduce your risk of becoming a victim.

• If you’re interested in taking up this offer, register your interest at the CESAR Scheme website (opens new window).

[image: Logos of the Plant and Agricultural National Intelligence Unit, Country Watch, NFU Mutual, and the CESAR Scheme]