As Holiday Shutdowns Approach, ECAM Urges Construction Firms to Shift From Recording Jobsite Theft to Stopping It

Live-monitored mobile surveillance helped one Phoenix builder cut security costs by more than $3,000 per site each month while reducing theft

DALLAS, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ECAM, North America's #1 video security provider, is urging construction firms to change how they protect active and idle jobsites as they head into the holiday shutdown season. A combination of live video monitoring and AI-driven detection helps crews protect against theft, vandalism and unauthorized access. As crime continues to become more organized and material replacement costs increase, the issue is driving compounding losses across equipment, materials and project schedules while increasing insurance exposure.

Industry estimates from the National Equipment Register (NER) and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) place annual losses involving construction and agricultural equipment at $300 million to $1 billion in the United States alone, with more than 75% of stolen machines never recovered. The true scale of exposure is likely even greater as industry research further suggests as many as 85% of construction site thefts go unreported.

"The real cost of jobsite theft goes far beyond a stolen asset," said Natalie Jackson, Regional Vice President of Sales – East at ECAM. "A single break-in can trigger insurance claims, idle a crew, push back inspections and extend a project schedule by days or even weeks. In a sector where time is money, these ripple effects often dwarf the value of what was taken. That's why proactive video security solutions that aim to stop an incident in its tracks are so important, rather than just capturing footage for later review."

Most jobsite cameras still work after the fact, and the footage gets reviewed once the equipment is already gone. ECAM's approach is built to intervene while an incident is still unfolding. Solar-powered mobile surveillance units run without permanent site power and can be repositioned as a project moves from groundwork to framing to finish. AI detection flags activity around perimeters, laydown yards and equipment. ECAM's live monitoring specialists then verify each alert, issue audio warnings to intruders and escalate to guards or police when needed.

That approach is already showing results. A Phoenix-based construction firm running as many as 18 active jobsites at once deployed ECAM's mobile units with 24/7 live monitoring across its projects. The firm cut its security costs by more than $3,000 per site each month, experienced a significant decrease in theft incidents and has flexible coverage that scales with each phase of construction.

Three ways to protect a jobsite before the holiday shutdown

ECAM recommends contractors take three steps before sites go quiet:

• Stage equipment smartly: move high-value machines away from the perimeter and out of view from the road, then lock them and remove the keys.
• Walk the site with your monitoring provider: close blind spots before the shutdown starts, especially around laydown yards, fuel storage and secondary gates.
• Set escalation rules in advance: agree on who gets called and when, so an alert becomes a response in minutes instead of a discovery on Monday morning.

"Jobsite security has to be as adaptable as a project evolves," continued Jackson. "A site that's wide open during framing looks completely different three months later during finish work, so any video security solution has to keep up in order to remain effective. Live video monitoring paired with mobile surveillance units gives builders the ability to cover a changing site and intervene before losses occur." 

To talk to an ECAM expert today, visit ecam.com/contact or call 1-855-220-ECAM (US) / 1-855-755-7233 (Canada).

About ECAM

ECAM is a North American leader in AI-driven live surveillance technology solutions, with the continent's largest footprint of monitored mobile and permanent surveillance units. With a vision of Every Camera Always Monitored, ECAM combines the world's most advanced AI-driven live video surveillance technology with human expertise to deliver real-time protection with unmatched precision and vigilance. From R&D to product development and platform innovation, ECAM fully owns and develops its entire operation and technology stack. The company develops proprietary technologies specifically designed to address the most common challenges in surveillance. This in-house approach ensures customers benefit from rapid innovation and cutting-edge solutions tailored to their most common challenges. Headquartered in Dallas, ECAM is a global champion business of GardaWorld, an entrepreneurial-driven corporation that builds global champions in security services, AI-enabled security technologies, integrated risk management and cash automation solutions. For more information visit ecam.com.

SOURCE ECAM