Coyote warns of explosion in vehicle thefts in construction industry

The driver-related services specialist reports a sharp increase in machinery theft in the construction and public works sector in its latest barometer. Seven out of ten companies have faced this problem, which has increasingly serious financial consequences. To limit the effects of these bad acts, Coyote has developed an autonomous tracking solution to quickly locate stolen vehicles. The 2026 edition of the Coyote barometer, conducted in collaboration with YouGov among 401 construction professionals in mainland France, reports a sharp increase in the theft of vehicles and construction equipment in the construction industry. ©AdobeStock-Image Since 2022, Coyote has been publishing the barometer of burglary and post-theft recovery in the construction industry. The 2026 edition of this survey, conducted in collaboration with YouGov among 401 construction professionals in mainland France, reports a significant increase in vehicle and construction equipment theft in the sector.

The number of machine thefts doubled between 2024 and 2025; The risk of theft for all professional vehicles (PC, LCV and HGV) also increased by 108%. This phenomenon currently affects seven out of ten companies, thus causing increasing financial losses.

29 percent of thefts are related to light commercial vehicles

If large corporate fleets continue to be affected by theft, fleets of small and medium-sized businesses can no longer be protected and also have an increased level of risk.

In fact, according to the research, thefts intensify when fleets reach ten commercial vehicles and/or three machines. However, this vulnerability threshold tends to decrease between 2025 and 2026, reflecting the increased exposure of companies, regardless of the size of the structure and their fleet.

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Construction equipment remains the equipment most affected by theft (64%), but commercial vehicles are also becoming increasingly frequent targets; it now represents 29% of stolen professional vehicles (and 7% of heavy goods vehicles).

Anne-Gaëlle Manac’h, BtoB marketing manager at Coyote Business Services, explains: “Construction equipment can be easily disposed of, as they are often unregistered vehicles, with serial numbers sometimes difficult to read. But commercial vehicles are also of interest to thieves, as the share of light commercial vehicles in the stolen vehicle volume increased by 37% in 2025.”

Threat to the financial health of companies

According to the Coyote barometer, six out of ten thefts occur directly on construction sites where vehicles and machinery are most at risk, where they are more exposed. With two-thirds of burglaries occurring at night and half on weekends, they often occur during periods of less attention.

Beyond financial losses, thefts also cause significant costs and business disruptions that can jeopardize the financial stability of companies. “It’s a bit of a double whammy… The company will also have to pay operating losses, field penalties and even payroll that will have to be re-engaged in other tasks. All these costs are estimated at 45,000 Euros just for the last theft a company suffered,” points out Anne-Gaëlle Manac’h.

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According to the research, the amount of business losses resulting from the theft of one or more vehicles is estimated to be 85 thousand euros. This pressure is also reflected in the growing anxiety among businesses. In fact, six out of ten construction professionals say they fear that these thefts will jeopardize the sustainability of their activities, while one third say that the risk of bankruptcy is the first consequence of the thefts for their businesses.

“Some companies face repeated thefts, which seriously weakens them when they do not have sufficient cash flow to absorb these shocks. SMEs also do not always have spare equipment, which limits their ability to react quickly and implement appropriate solutions. Especially in the construction industry, margins are very tight, usually between 1% and 2%,” explains Coyote Business Services’ BtoB marketing manager.

Recovery within 48 hours after theft thanks to Coyote Secure

Although it is difficult to completely eliminate theft in the construction industry, some solutions make it possible to limit the effects of theft. This is especially true for post-theft recovery, which aims to quickly locate stolen vehicles and equipment in order to reduce financial losses and business interruptions.