Dramatic cable theft: 4000 meters stolen from Nordpfalz-Gymnasium!

Dramatic cable theft: 4000 meters stolen from Nordpfalz-Gymnasium!

In Kirchheimbolanden, a tranquil town in the Donnersberg district, a brazen theft in the gymnasium of the Nordpfalz-Gymnasium caused outrage. Between Friday, July 11th, at 1 p.m., and Monday, July 14th, at 7 a.m., unknown perpetrators broke into the new gym building and stole around 4,000 meters of power cable. According to Rheinpfalz, they probably entered the building through an unlocked door and cut through cables that had already been laid and installed, which resulted in significant damage to the electrical installation had.

The consequences are serious: the entire electrical installation was damaged, which may lead to a delay in the construction period. The exact extent of the damage has yet to be determined. The Kirchheimbolanden police will receive relevant information about the perpetrators on 06352 9110 or by email at PIKirchheimbolanden@polizei.rlp.de.

Theft on construction sites is a widespread problem

The incidents in Kirchheimbolanden are not isolated cases. The construction industry in Germany has been confronted with increasing crime on construction sites for years. According to a current study by Bauwatch, two thirds of construction site managers surveyed believe that the theft rate will have increased in 2023. 80 percent of participants reported at least one theft per year. Copper and cables are particularly popular with thieves - 47% of those surveyed said that cables are often stolen.

It is estimated in the industry that the damage caused by theft amounts to more than 80 million euros. What does this mean for construction projects? Almost 43 percent fall behind schedule due to construction crime, and in one in eight cases construction projects have to be canceled entirely. To counteract this, the experts at Bauwatch recommend a variety of safety measures, including visible safety precautions and good lighting on construction sites.

Joint efforts against structural theft

The incident in Kirchheimbolanden clearly shows how important safety is on construction sites. With more than 46 percent of thefts involving copper and cable, construction companies need a clear plan to prevent such acts. Klaus Maskort, Managing Director of Bauwatch, emphasizes that safety plays an important role not only in protecting materials, but also in morale and productivity.

The city and the police must now work together to prevent future thefts in Kirchheimbolanden and increase security in the construction industry. Given the increasing crime rate, increased attention to this issue is needed. It remains to be hoped that the theft can be solved quickly and similar incidents can be prevented in the future.