Faced with the rise in thefts of surveying equipment, the industry is organizing itself and launching the 'Protec topo' platform

Surveying companies and construction sites have been facing a surge in equipment thefts for several years, a trend that intensified after 2022 with the start of the war in Ukraine. These high-precision devices (total stations, theodolites, laser scanners, GNSS antennas, etc.), primarily sold by Swiss and American manufacturers, are more difficult to access in countries subject to embargoes or international economic sanctions. Yet, they are highly sought after because they are essential for the construction of both civilian and military infrastructure. A large quantity of equipment stolen in France is traced back to these regions and thus directly feeds into the black market through highly organized networks.

Faced with this phenomenon, professional organizations in the sector, with the support of some manufacturers, are mobilizing and are launching the 'Protec topo' platform today: https://protec-topo.fr/.

'Protec topo' thus addresses several challenges: facilitating and strengthening the fight against theft, training and raising awareness among law enforcement, ensuring the sustainability of businesses and protecting their employees.

Facilitating and strengthening the fight against the theft of surveying equipment

The platform will become the single point of contact for reporting all equipment thefts in France, centralizing reports to track the evolution of the phenomenon and creating a national database shared with law enforcement. Furthermore, access to the platform is open to all companies using surveying equipment (construction and public works companies, local authorities, public administrations, etc.).

As soon as a theft is reported, a community alert system notifies manufacturers as well as professionals and law enforcement registered on the platform, indicating in particular the geographical area concerned and the nature of the theft.

By listing the serial numbers of stolen devices, 'Protec topo' facilitates their identification when they are found and allows their return to the rightful owners.

Raising awareness and training law enforcement

Topographic equipment is highly technical and often extremely expensive – costing from several thousand to tens of thousands of euros – a fact that law enforcement agencies are generally unaware of. 'Protec Topo' will therefore serve as a reference tool to raise their awareness of the specific characteristics of this equipment, in order to improve the handling of complaints and the effectiveness of investigations.

Ensuring the sustainability of businesses and protecting their employees

Due to their cost, the theft of one or more devices can jeopardize the operations of very small and small businesses and disrupt construction projects. The industry is therefore sending a strong signal to insurers: by organizing itself, it is helping to reduce the risk.

According to François Berger, president of the National Federation of Geospatial Information Companies (FENIGS), who initiated the project: “Above all, we are facing criminals who no longer hesitate to resort to violence, which directly jeopardizes the safety of professionals. We cannot stand idly by. It is crucial to understand that these are not opportunistic thefts, but rather organized criminal networks that are taking advantage of a tense geopolitical context.”