Vertical Markets

Tobacco theft call

by Mark Rowe

The data-sharing crime-tackling not for profit body National Business Crime Solution (NBCS) is urging logistics companies to do more to halt what the NBCS terms the rapid escalation in tobacco theft from the rear of delivery vehicles.

The NBCS has seen a sharp increase in the number of reported incidents, with police figures stating at least 240 cases of theft, and in some cases robbery, of tobacco from logistics vehicles across the UK since April 2018. It’s affecting some of the high street’s biggest names, resulting in significant losses.

NBCS’ work for members including helping them see the full extent of the potential threat created by prolific or persistent offenders, issuing alerts on trends and patterns to help businesses better understand any potential risks and how they might use reduce them.

Tobacco thefts are NBCS says being carried out across all regions of the UK by organised criminal gangs (OCGs), which are able to commit their crimes with relative ease. The modus operandi is usually thieves entering a lorry while it’s on a route from a distribution centre, stopped at traffic lights or in heavy traffic, or at a store while a driver is making a delivery.

It is thought that offenders park close to a distribution centre, follow a vehicle and wait for a good time to commit the offence. They may force drivers to pull over and block their route, while other members of a gang gain access into the trailer and steal tobacco. On some occasions, when tobacco has not been present, electronic goods have also been stolen.

Besides the physical security of a vehicle in transit, NBCS suggests cameras that can be monitored by the driver, alarms and panic buttons. Risk management is also key, namely logistics firms’ in-transit security policy with procedures for the driver to follow. This policy must be well communicated, so that a driver knows what measures should be taken to protect cargo, what to do if confronted with a theft situation, and the procedures for reporting a theft.

NBCS says that it’s working with members and police to try to halt this trend, by encouraging police officers to feed back information to the NBCS via [email protected] so offences are not written off at source. Also, NBCS will liaise with Regional Intelligence Units and the newly formed ROCTA (Regional Organised Crime Threat Assessment Unit) network, as well as Operation Liberal which deals with traveller-related issues.

NBCS managing director, Daniel Hardy, pictured, said: “The transportation of goods is the weak link in the logistics supply chain and risk increases as soon as a vehicle leaves the relative safety of the depot and enters the road network. The rise in tobacco theft from delivery vehicles by OCGs is obviously a worrying trend but good risk management is key to preventing property theft and demands stricter security measures. When deciding which measures to take, factors such as geographical locations, routes, the time of delivery and nature of the goods being carried should all be considered, as well as the effective briefing of the drivers delivering such products.”

Visit www.nationalbusinesscrimesolution.com.

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