It’s a problem we constantly encounter in the construction industry. We do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent intruders, CCTV, human guards, 3 metre hoardings, but, as my Dad used to say, locks are only designed to keep honest people out, and if someone is intent on breaking in they will find a way.
Often it is urban explorers who take “nothing but a photo, leave nothing but a footprint”. The get a thrill from climbing tower cranes. When we catch them we call the police who, time and time again, will wag a warning finger in their face then release them to return a few nights later and try again. If one was to fall and die, we would be prosecuted (after employing a wet and dry vacuum to clean up the mess).
The urban explorers generally do not cause a problem, but one of our jobs up north very recently had intruders vandalise and spray paint (tag) the emergency generators installed on the roof, broke into several toolboxes and stole tradesmen’s personal tools, then set fire to a couple of site cabins that housed the welfare for the workers.
We had an issue a while back when constructing a large building next to the Barbican housing estate in central London. The residents continually moaned that our lighting was impacting on their sleep. No matter we only employed low energy LED lights and were quite a way from them, whilst an old sixties tower block was right on their doorstep, fully illuminated all night. Our lighting was, in their eyes, the problem! I had a major disagreement with the project director who ordered that all lighting, including access lighting, should be switched off during the night, even when I pointed out that should an intruder trip and fall because it was dark, we would be held accountable and could be subject to legal action. He ignored me, had the lights turned off and I still regret the fact that no scrote ever broke in, fell, and broke his legs.
We safety managers never give the old “I told you so” speech, but we are masters at the smug grin.