New White Paper
The Cost of Darkness
When copper theft becomes business disruption.
Copper theft is often measured by the value of the metal that is taken. But the real cost can be far greater.
Our latest White Paper, The Cost of Darkness, explores how relatively small thefts can lead to major damage, disruption and financial losses – often affecting people and organisations far beyond the site where the theft took place.
A changing threat, with wider consequences
The white paper explores how copper and cable theft is evolving, including the impact of darker nights, more targeted and organised offending, repeat visits and vulnerabilities that aren’t immediately obvious.
It also looks at the consequences across different sectors – from rail and telecoms to power networks, EV charging, healthcare and heritage buildings.
In one example, thieves targeted cabling to a hospital’s backup generator. The main power supply remained operational, but almost 100 operations were cancelled because the backup system was no longer available.
The message is clear: the asset that matters most to a thief isn’t always the asset that matters most to the organisation.
The real cost of copper theft:
The paper examines why these gaps exist, and why organisations need to look beyond what a thief can carry away to understand what stops working when it’s gone.
WHAT SHOULD ORGANISATIONS DO ABOUT IT?
The paper sets out a practical approach to reducing exposure, starting with understanding each site and identifying what could be targeted – and what depends on it.
It explores a layered approach to security:
Deter. Detect. Delay. Deny.
It also highlights the importance of visible security, understanding who should be on site, recognising early warning signs and putting additional protection in place after a theft to reduce the risk of a return visit.
Don’t measure the risk by the value of the metal.
“Download The Cost of Darkness to understand the changing threat and how organisations can better protect the assets and services that depend on their sites.“
Better Security Starts Now.
Our team of security experts are on hand and ready to discuss your vacant property and asset protection needs.
Our Accreditations
VPS Group business units Nexus and VPS Site Security are approved by the SIA. Within the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) for Security Guarding, Key Holding and CCTV.
SIA approval – Nexus and VPS Site Security
