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Summary:- Cargo thefts reached record levels in 2020.
- Conduct background checks on employees involved with shipping.
- Train truck drivers on cargo theft prevention techniques.
- Use newer technology to thwart thieves.
Hire Trustworthy Employees
Making sure you hire trustworthy employees is your first step. Conduct background checks, especially for all warehouse workers and truck drivers. Consider running background checks and regular screenings on anyone involved with shipping or logistics matters as well. Add confidentiality clauses to employee contracts to keep important data private. You don’t want workers sharing delivery route information with outsiders or potential competitors. Building trust works both ways. Create a positive work environment and reward your reliable employees to help worker retention. This can also help you attract more high-quality workers and develop loyalty to your company. Finally, always follow up on any unusual behaviors and suspicious activity. Conduct periodic screenings and audits of departments and employees.
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Properly Train Your Workers
A key step in cargo theft prevention is worker education. Cargo theft is a crime of opportunity. Use employee training and procedures to reduce your vulnerabilities and minimize opportunities for thefts. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that cargo is most likely to be stolen from fully loaded, unattended trucks within 200 miles of departure. Educate your drivers to travel outside of the 200-mile red zone before stopping. Theft is more likely to occur on Fridays and over weekends, so train your drivers to be more vigilant on those days. Upward of 85% of cargo theft occurs in empty parking lots. Drivers should only park in well-lit, secure parking lots when carrying cargo. When at all possible, never leave a fully loaded truck unattended. Include drivers in your confidentiality clauses. Truck drivers should never share information about the cargo they are carrying or their shipping route to anyone outside the company. Keep up with truck and warehouse maintenance. Make sure the truck’s rear door locks are in working order and storage areas are secure. Install cameras where appropriate and consider hiring additional security to ward off thieves.Keep Up-to-Date with Technology
Technology for cargo theft prevention is constantly evolving. New tech goes beyond the basics of scanning package tracking numbers. Low-tech options like security seals on cargo allow you to spot any evidence of tampering or theft. High-tech GPS devices allow you to track cargo along the entire shipping line. Trucks can be equipped with new technology like trackers and immobilizers. Trackers alert your business when the truck steers too far off the delivery route. Install an immobilizer in your truck to keep thieves from turning on the ignition and stealing the vehicle, even if they have the keys. Front, side and rear-facing cameras for trucks are also available, offering surveillance and an extra layer of security when trucks are left unattended. Many cameras come with cloud storage, so camera footage is still available if a truck is stolen. The average cost of cargo theft is $50,000. Investing in technology that prevents these thefts can save your company money in the long run.
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