Construction site thefts driving up home prices, builders say. $250 rewards for info
Thieves are getting more brazen on construction sites in Pierce County.
They’ve graduated from wire theft and vandalism to “stealing large quantities of lumber, appliances, fireplaces, and all other things that go into new homes,” said Scott Walker, vice president of the Master Builders Association (MBA) of Pierce County.
Police and builders want to put a stop to the thefts.
The MBA, in partnership with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, has launched the Construction Site Theft Prevention Program.
The agreement allows builders and businesses to purchase 30-inch “no trespassing” signs ranging from $27 to $40 to post at their construction sites. The builders also will provide a $250 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.
While all areas are being affected, Walker said, Puyallup, Spanaway and Gig Harbor see the most thefts.
“It happens everywhere, but some places in the county are very dark,” sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said. “Any tool that we have to bring attention to it, and put an end to it, is good.”
The signs have already been posted in Hawks Ridge in Spanaway, Crescent Creek in Gig Harbor and Elk Run in Bonney Lake area, according to Soundbuilt Homes spokesman Kurt Wilson.
“Construction-site theft has had a tremendous impact on our business,” Wilson said.
Walker estimates thefts could cost the buyers of a new house up to $1,000.
For each $1,000 increase in the cost of a home in the Tacoma area, 896 people are priced out of the market and might not be able to live in the region, according to the the National Association of Home Builders.
Arrests have been made within the last 90 days.
“We hope that with the help of community members, theft in these areas will become less frequent,” said Walker.
Homebuyers in developing communities are encouraged to be alert for suspicious activity and to call 911 or the PCSD’s non-emergency number at 253-798-4721.
This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 10:42 AM.
