Cargo theft on UK roads rose £1m to £14m between April and June 2018, according to new research from BSI (British Standards) and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS). This was despite a fall in the overall number of incidents from 454 in the first quarter of the year to 386.
The SCREEN UK Cargo Theft Quarterly Report highlights the theft tactics, targeted commodities and areas of concern. It found that the most targeted commodities were alcohol and tobacco products, and these products had an average loss of £36,436 per incident. The highest-value single cargo loss in the quarter was £1.13m, as thieves stole a trailer loaded with high fashion apparel products. BSI’s figures estimate that businesses made a loss of at least £54m in 2017 as a result of cargo theft, and categorises the UK as high risk.
The report found a slight rise in a more sophisticated method of cargo theft, known as ‘around the corner’ during the first half of 2018, as thieves looked for new ways to get round security. ‘Around the corner’ thefts involve thieves impersonating company employees, to deceive drivers into diverting cargo to new locations or transferring loads to unauthorised vehicles. London is a particular spot for this type of theft, and alcohol is the commodity most commonly stolen via this method. Although this tactic is more challenging to execute, as thieves can steal full loads, it’s particularly attractive. It is expected that the use of sub-contractors may increase the risk of such thefts, the report authors suggest, as it is harder to tightly manage a supply chain. As such, BSI recommends that companies ensure that all business partners have conducted proper security threat awareness training so that transporters can spot the signs for fictitious pick-ups. The ‘slash and grab’ tactic remains the most prevalent theft type, with this method accounting for 65pc of incidents recorded during the second quarter. This tactic targets the soft-sided cargo trucks, and means that thieves can easily open and move swiftly between trucks to choose which loads are most valuable before stealing cargo.
Jim Yarbrough, Global Intelligence Programme Manager at BSI said: “Companies moving goods across the country have always faced a wide range of challenges to their supply chain, but these latest figures indicate just how severe the impact of cargo theft can be in the UK. This quarter we’ve seen thieves using an increasingly varied range of tactics to successfully steal cargo, creating huge risk for organisations and directly affecting both their bottom line and reputation.
“For every shipment stolen, delayed, contaminated or destroyed on UK roads, the cost to the end-consumer is raised. This hurts exporters and importers alike, as it affects competitiveness, undermines productivity, risks jobs and raises the cost of living.
“Organised gangs of thieves will always look for new ways to seize goods, so it is essential that companies are able to quantify their risk exposure, across the entire supply chain, and use this knowledge to implement training and security measures to mitigate the risk. Understanding the risks, where they exist, and how likely they are to occur will help organisations minimise the delays, costs, and dangers that can result.”
The location
The SCREEN and NaVCIS report also looked at the location of incidents recorded, and found that 63pc of the incidents in the second quarter occurred on motorways and roadways. Of these, 36pc took place on the M1 and 13pc on the M62. Leicestershire saw the highest number of cargo thefts; then came Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Kent and West Yorkshire. Northamptonshire usually records the highest number of thefts, but this quarter saw a fall in incidents and a rise in value. Most theft incidents occurred during the middle of the week, and Tuesday and Wednesday accounted for 44pc of all incidents in that quarter.
