Cargo Theft Prevention

Preventing a loss before at happens is essential to reducing the harmful economic and personal costs of cargo theft. Most thefts of cargo are never recovered and those that are often contain damaged or tainted products that cannot be resold.

To assist anti-cargo theft professionals, the NICB has compiled several tips to reduce cargo theft:

Screen Employees: Conduct a background check to screen all employees, but at a minimum, truck drivers and warehouse employees as well as anyone who has access to shipment information and other lo-gistics details. This is the first line of defense against employee theft and potential involvement in cargo crimes.

Training for all Employees: Provide security training for all employees, and educate truck drivers in hijack awareness and prevention. It is for their protection as well as for the cargo. By training how to protect the truck from hijacking and theft, five important assets are safeguarded: employee, trailer, tractor, cargo, and customers. Experience shows that a driver who knows, understands, and follows the tenets of security is less likely to have their truck targeted for theft.

In-Transit Security: Consider in-transit security when deciding on shipment routing. Cargo theft can be preplanned or opportunistic. It can involve an inside informant, someone who stakes out and follows the truck, an experienced thief, organized crime, and a fence who will quickly dispose of the goods. A good rule of thumb is to ask drivers not to stop within the first 200 miles (or four hours), use secured lots, and to avoid theft hotspots. Also, avoid assigning expensive loads to new drivers with less than 30 days on the job.

Conduct Audits: Conduct periodic supply chain audits, and look for gaps in shipment protection. Cargo criminals are always coming up with new ways to defeat security devices and systems. By assessing your own system first, you will have the opportunity to close the gaps in your supply chain.

Good safety practices can save lives, reduce injuries, and improve your bottom line.