School contractor to beef up security

Published 11:02 pm Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The contractors on the Pioneer Elementary School Construction site will move a camera system from another job site to the one on Holland Road after several thefts on the site, the company president said Wednesday.

Various tools and equipment were stolen from locked units owned by Blueridge General and several subcontractors — including steel and electrical companies — during the long Thanksgiving weekend. It was the second time the site had been targeted, president Eric Stichler said.

“They’ve hit us pretty hard,” he said. “Unfortunately, we run into this from time to time on projects. The location of this project is so isolated, there’s not much going on there.”

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Stichler said the camera system would soon be moved to help protect the site. The company also has given the authorities “whatever access they need to resolve this,” he said.

“It’s unfortunate that it has to happen,” he said. “Obviously it drives the cost of the project up, not necessarily for the owner, but for us.”

City spokeswoman Diana Klink said the investigation into the thefts is ongoing.