DC Velocity - August 2018

BY MARK B. SOLOMON, EXECUTIVE EDITOR – NEWS

THE DC VELOCITY Q&A

thoughtleaders

WHEN IT COMES to cargo theft, there is good and not-so-good news. According to security consultancy CargoNet, nationwide incidents of cargo theft last year declined 17 percent from 2016 levels. Yet there were still more than 700 reported incidents last year, involving $89 million of stolen goods. Many more incidents were believed to have gone unreported. The bulk of the thefts occurred over long holiday weekends when drivers take extended breaks and often leave their rigs and cargo unattended.

Businesses are getting smarter, but so are thieves. Shortly after Memorial Day, Scott Cornell, transportation business lead and crime and theft specialist for Travelers Insurance, spoke to Mark B. Solomon, executive editor–news for DC VELOCITY, about the most current trends in cargo theft and what businesses can do to protect themselves from an expensive loss down the road.

QDo you have a read on theft activity over the holiday weekend?

AThis year’s weekend wasn’t the worst we’ve seen in terms of number of thefts, though it was slightly
above the average weekend. During holiday weekends, it’s
important for ship-
pers, carriers, and
brokers to make sure
shipments are secured
and to educate drivers on
cargo theft tactics and prevention meth-
ods. It would be ideal to avoid leaving loads unattended.
However, when that’s not an option, we recommend a lay-
ered approach to protecting shipments. This includes good
processes and procedures, staff and driver education, and
physical and technological security enhancements.

Q Five or six years ago, most thefts were yard heists and inside jobs conceived by ex- or current employees in the distribution center. Given the abundance of digital tools and thieves’ mastery of them, is the traditional scenario still commonplace?

A What we call “straight” theft is the most common type of theft, and it happens most often at unsecured locations. However, evolving technology has contributed to a rise in strategic theft, such as identity theft and fictitious pickups, by helping thieves identify their targets and find new ways to trick people. It’s important not only to use physical security to protect loads, but also to have strong practices in place for protecting critical information and