TrueLook, a leading provider of construction camera and jobsite visibility solutions, released its 2026 State of Construction Site Security Report in partnership with Noonlight, revealing a sharp rise in construction site theft and identifying key patterns that contractors can use to better protect projects.

Drawing from monitoring data collected across thousands of active U.S. construction sites, the report analyzed 2,639 confirmed break-ins during 2025, which is a 50% increase from the previous year. The findings highlight an escalating threat facing contractors, developers, and project owners nationwide.

Among the report’s key findings:

• Confirmed break-ins increased 50% year over year, rising from fewer than 1,750 incidents in 2024 to 2,639 incidents in 2025.
• More than 40% of all break-ins occurred on weekends.
• The highest-risk period for theft was between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
• Unlocked or unsecured gates were identified as one of the most common factors enabling theft.
• Insider theft and unauthorized after-hours site access remain significant but often underreported risks.
• Monitoring teams reviewed more than 170,000 alarms, demonstrating the importance of human verification in filtering false alarms and ensuring law enforcement is dispatched only when necessary.

“Construction theft is no longer an occasional inconvenience. It’s a growing operational risk that can derail schedules, increase costs, and impact project profitability,” said Roger Yarrow, CEO and Co-Founder of TrueLook. “The good news is that the data shows these incidents are highly predictable. Contractors that understand the patterns can take proactive steps to reduce their exposure.”

The report found that many theft incidents follow similar patterns, with criminals targeting materials, tools, generators, and equipment during periods when sites are vacant. The data also suggests that passive security measures alone, such as fencing and locks, are often insufficient against determined intruders.

“The most effective security programs combine physical controls with real-time monitoring and rapid response capabilities,” said Scott Dowd, Solutions Engineer at TrueLook. “The difference between recording a theft and preventing one often comes down to whether someone is actively monitoring the site when an incident occurs.”

In addition to analyzing theft trends, the report provides practical recommendations for reducing jobsite risk, including securing site access points, implementing documented closeout procedures, improving lighting around high-value assets, and deploying verified monitoring solutions.

Download the 2026 State of Construction Site Security Report

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