at its destination. Drivers are approached by armed men, and the truck is either taken or the drivers are forced to follow them to a deserted place where the cargo is transferred. • South Africa (5): The use of heavy firearms and explosives is common practice, and drivers are often shot.
Fighting Back
and tracking of higher value inventory/rolling assets, and install security protocols along the fulfillment continuum. • Install locking, access control and theft prevention technology on vehicles and trailers, warehouse conveyance, and harden the warehouse security. • Consider driver teams to prevent unattended freight. “The first few items on this list are about building awareness, conducting training, changing practices/processes, and operator behavior,” he says. “The last few require a higher level of investment but will help ensure a total value solution by reducing long-term costs and mitigating risk for the operator. Firms that take a proactive, asymmetrical approach will maintain an advantage when it comes to preventing cargo theft and ensuring a safe and secure supply chain.”
Cargo thieves are adept with technology, so it is incumbent upon logistics companies to fight fire with fire. One method, SensiGuard says, is with an electrontrailer are stolen Firms that take a ic freight security (EFS) while unattended proactive approach system. at a truck stop or EFS programs specifiwill maintain an rest area. Pilfercally focus on the highest advantage when ages have been risk areas of transportait comes to tion, where the majority recorded outside preventing of full-trailer load cargo of destination cargo theft.” theft occurs. Embedded facilities and can Michael Notarangeli, be indicators of a devices in the cargo proexecutive vice president of larger scale theft vide real-time location, logistics, Maine Pointe to come. status and con• Mexico (5): Over dition via the 70 percent of thefts occur Internet of Things (IoT) in-transit, where cargo vehiand GPS devices, providcles are intercepted by groups ing critical alerts should of armed men. Criminals emthe truck go off course or ploy tactical jammers to block stop for too long. GPS signals while they unload Maine Pointe’s Notacargo in nearby warehouses. rangeli advises shippers • Bolivia (4): Criminals take and operators to take a advantage of the slow speed multiprong approach to of cargo vehicles on slopes or prevent cargo theft. Some passing the speed reducers to best practices include: climb on it from trees, cutting • Build awareness the tent to then throw the load around safety and to the road without the drivers security of all actors noticing. in the supply chain. • Panama (3): The most com• Modify business mon M.O. is the impersonation processes to elimiof police officers to detain nate gaps in security. vehicles, at which point a • Know your drivgroup of armed men threaten ers—ensure that and restrain drivers. Recently warehouse staff are there have been reports of checking credentials incidents in which a woman and performing drugs the driver so he can be extraordinary beaten and robbed by her security audits to accomplices. prevent fake drivers • Brazil (5): Most thefts occur from infiltrating the by hijacking, when the load is supply chain. SHIPCHOPTANK.COM in-transit or being unloaded • Improve visibility www.foodlogistics.com
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Barry Hochfelder is a freelance journalist who has covered a variety of industries in his career, including supply chain. He also served as the former editor of Supply and Demand Chain Executive. Hochfelder is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
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