Europe is Especially Hard Place to Solve Cases
Cargo thefts in Europe are often especially hard to solve and recover the goods due to the ability of thieves to easily move across country borders and the many jurisdictions that can therefore be involved.
Conlon cited an example of the hijacking of a truck in France in which the cargo is believed to have moved across eight borders on its way to eventual sale in Eastern Europe. As with many of these cases, perhaps as high as 80%, there was suspected collusion with the thieves and an insider, in this case the original driver of the truck, but such criminal collaboration can be tough to prove.
As a result of the complexity in criminal investigations in Europe, cargo theft often quickly moves from being a police matter to one of the victimized company simply looking for its insurance payment – leaving the criminals free to go after more high value shipments.
Thieves Building Infrastructure in Brazil
Conlon cited another example of a cargo thievery near Sao Paulo, Brazil, the hot spot in that country for hijackings. The gang had corrupted members of the local police, and built an underground tunnel capable of containing four 53-foot trailers and which would block GPS signals emitted from trucks or cargo inside.
The gang was eventually identified and stopped – after a gun battle at the tunnel between good cops and bad.
The 200 Mile Red Zone
In the US, experts note the importance of understanding the “200 mile red zone.” Thieves often monitor distribution sites with known high value cargo, which may include electronics, pharmaceuticals, or high-end consumer goods.
They will follow a truck leaving that origin, looking for any opportunities to steal the load. In the US, violence in cargo theft activity is currently uncommon. Instead, thieves wait for mistakes by drivers – such as leaving the keys in the cab while stopping for a break or other similar high-cost bumbles – and pounce on the opportunity.
Security professionals believe that the limit that potential thieves will follow a truck looking for this opportunity is about 200 miles. If no opportunity or mistake arises by that point, they will give up and return home to try again. Therefore, it’s imperative that drivers are trained never to stop and other protocols within that first 200 miles.
“Getting driver compliance within the 200-mile red zone is the most critical step you can take,” Conlon said.
Do you perceive the risk or cargo theft as growing? What are the hot spots for you around the globe? Is understanding the 200-mile red zone the major key to reducing theft in the US? Let us know your thoughts at the Feedback button below.
Do you agree or disagree? Share your perspective by emailing us at feedback@scdigest.com
|