Page 28 - CITS Theft Guide

CITS Guide for Theft Prevention
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9. Emerging and Future Technologies
This section briefly describes technologies that are emerging or expected to see wider use on construction
sites, so that CITS members can plan for their adoption where proportionate to the assessed risk.
9.1. Drone surveillance
Tethered, permanently powered drones can now provide continuous aerial observation of a site, feeding
real-time imagery to a control station and on to remote monitoring, allowing one operative to cover
several sites more effectively than foot patrols alone. As noted in Section 4.2, the same technology is being
used by criminal groups for reconnaissance, so its adoption should be paired with counter-reconnaissance
awareness.
9.2. Forensic DNA marking
Forensic DNA marking, historically used on plant and equipment surfaces, is increasingly being applied to
fuels, heating oil, and engine oil, giving a fast, unique means of confirming theft and supporting
prosecution, as well as helping to verify that service intervals have been met for warranty purposes.
9.3. Anti-counterfeiting labels
Advanced holographic and chemically synthesised labelling can produce hidden images visible only
through a specific viewer, and can retain their identifying information after exposure to heat, humidity,
and harsh chemicals, making them very difficult to counterfeit and useful for both identification and
warranty purposes.
9.4. Biometrics and smart credentials
Biometric identifiers (fingerprint, iris, hand geometry) and smart cards can supplement or replace physical
keys and PIN codes for access to equipment and to sensitive site areas, restricting use to authorised and
qualified individuals only, though the cost of biometric readers remains higher than a conventional card
reader.