BauWatch Crime Report 2025

Take a deep dive into how construction crime in the UK has evolved over the past 12 months.

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The state of crime in the industry

Delayed, over budget and under attack

An exclusive study on the impact of crime in the construction and infrastructure sector

Each year, BauWatch – the European leader in temporary video surveillance – publishes a benchmark study on construction site security. The Crime Report 2025 reveals alarming trends related to theft, vandalism, and intrusion on construction and infrastructure sites in the UK.

Conducted by the independent organization OnePoll, this survey is based on the testimonies of 500 industry professionals from across the UK and companies of all sizes.

Discover all the data, exclusive graphs, and BauWatch’s recommendations for effectively securing your construction sites in 2025.

CONSTRUCTION SITE THEFT - Critical Infrastructure at risk

Construction site crime will reach a critical level in 2025 according to our study of 500 construction and infrastructure professionals:

  • 67% report an increase in crime in the last 12 months.

  • 55% say that they experience theft from site at least twice per year.

These figures confirm an alarming trend: construction site safety is increasingly under threat, with direct consequences on project deadlines, budgets and profitability.

ORGANISED CRIME AND BLACK MARKET GOODS - Construction crime becoming more organised.

Crime on construction sites is not only on the rise, but is also becoming increasingly professional, organized and sophisticated.

  • 49% say they have been approached by a criminal organisation offering mafia-style “protection” for their construction site.

  • 31% say they have been offered stolen goods at work

This correlation between construction site theft and a thriving black market reveals the growing scale of a phenomenon with major economic and security consequences.