Cargo theft has been a problem for a long time. In the old West, outlaws on horseback would stop a train at a desolate location and rob goods from the railroad cars, sometimes using dynamite to blow open locked freight car doors and safes containing valuables.
Today, thieves’ methods may have changed, but the cargo protection problem remains unchanged. In fact, it is a bigger threat than ever. According to Loss Prevention Magazine, estimated cargo loss in the U.S. is between $15 to $30 billion dollars annually, with an estimated average loss value of $250K per incident.1 Even Jesse James and Butch Cassidy couldn’t approach those numbers.
Cargo thieves are opportunists, seeking the path of least resistance and whatever they can sell quickly on the black market. They typically look for easily accessible targets first and worry about what’s inside the trailer second.
Prime areas for cargo theft are truck stops, distribution centers, loading docks and parking lots behind large retail stores, supermarkets, and wholesale clubs…virtually any place where trailers loaded with cargo could be left unattended by operators believing a padlock on the container door is sufficient protection.2 Activity peaks on nights and weekends.
The most frequently stolen items are food and beverages, electronics, and home and garden products1 (commodity items that are small, easy to carry, easy to sell, and perhaps easy consume the evidence).
Trailers with little or no security measures are the first to be targeted. Choosy thieves may look for trucks with environmental controls, indicating the presence of more desirable shipments needing to be kept refrigerated.
Here are six cargo protection tips to help harden your security posture to prevent cargo theft1,2:
At Titan Security, we got your six. In military parlance, that means we’ve got your back. And for purposes of this article, it also means look to Titan for help, especially with Tip #6.
Our industry-leading live remote video monitoring system for cargo protection and transportation security not only records events, it also employs smart analytic cameras with motion detection technology that automatically alerts Titan command center personnel to suspicious activity in real-time. ‘
Trained Titan dispatchers have direct access to deterrence methods such as voice downs, lights, and alarms to warn-off would-be criminals or, when necessary, call in a Titan patrol for a live on-site response or the local authorities as appropriate.
Some security firms specialize in providing live guard services; others focus on installing surveillance technology but stop short of offering live remote monitoring. Titan’s blended approach to security brings the proper balance of remote monitoring services, live patrols, and state-of-the-art technology together to enable complete 24/7 protection at minimal cost.
Contact Titan Security for all your security monitoring service needs to make sure your assets are protected from theft.
1https://www.assuranceagency.com/blog-post/11-tips-for-cargo-theft-prevention-on-the-road-in-warehouses
2https://www.travelers.com/resources/supply-chain-management/5-tactics-cargo-thieves-use