Maple warns of cargo theft spike
Vehicle security equipment provider Maple Fleet Services has warned that criminals are expected to be “keen to make up for lost time,” as coronavirus lockdown restrictions continue to ease.
The company cites a statement issued by by TAPA (Transported Asset Protection Association) in response to a decrease in incidents triggered by the Covid-19 crisis, with criminals finding it more difficult to conduct their usual activities.
“Companies should expect to see a spike in cargo crime, impacting every mode of transport over the rest of 2020 as cargo thieves get back to business,” TAPA said.
Whilst criminal activity may have been temporarily thwarted, the disruption caused to supply chain operations creates greater opportunity for OCGs (organised criminal gangs), contends Maple.
“Unfamiliar routes, longer transit times, different parking locations and changes to traditional working patterns all contribute to greater uncertainty for carriers – conditions that allow criminal activity to thrive,” warned the company.
“A challenging set of circumstances is further compounded by the gloomy projections of the most damaging loss of jobs since the 1980s. Data from previous economic downturns and periods of significant unemployment reveal a rise in criminal activity. So called acquisitive crimes (such as theft and burglary) were all subject to sharp rises during the period that followed the banking crisis.
“Research also suggests that employee theft increases during an economic downturn, as people feel under more financial pressure and consequently are more likely to relax their moral standards in the pursuit of additional sources of income.”
Completing the bleak picture, Maple adds, is the escalating issue of migrants attempting to cross the channel.
“Record numbers of migrants are risking their lives in a bid to enter the UK, posing a significant threat for UK bound hauliers whilst also jeopardising efforts to control a potential a further outbreak of Covid-19,” it said.
“With more stringent checks at ports and the break-up of migrant camps, stowaways are increasingly targeting vehicles earlier in their journey to avoid detection, thus adding to the challenge faced by both driver and operator.
“It all conspires to contribute to a perfect storm, making the adoption of preventative security measures more important than ever before.”
Whilst it is yet another unwelcome consequence of the global pandemic, the situation does at least act as something of a reset for hauliers, says the firm.
“Companies should take the opportunity to review their existing security procedures and assess their suitability moving into the post lockdown climate, where the risk to your vehicles, the goods you carry and your business is heightened.”
When looking at how to prevent unauthorised access to vehicles, suggests Maple, the most important consideration is not simply the physical lock itself – essential though it is – but the method of access control and the role of data.
“It is a given, that any security system must be successful at ‘protection’ but for it to be truly effective, it must enable access to the right people at the right time, without jeopardising efficiency,” said the company.
“Advances in technology permit greater sophistication in maintaining control and integrity of goods in transit operations. Maple are able to support solutions that allow operators to provide access via a keyfob, PIN code or even remotely via a third party telematics system.
“Further safeguards can be set by restricting access at certain times or locations and where individual keyfobs are used, administrators can set expiry dates or even delete keys from circulation. The use of PIN number entry or remote access control circumnavigates the need for a driver to have any means of access to a vehicle, whilst ensuring access can be granted quickly and securely when required.”
As data plays an increasingly important role across all businesses, the appetite for insightful information around security operations is growing to, the firm contends.
“The Maple access control platform ensures all activity is captured as part of a comprehensive audit trail. This means each and every door event is monitored and captured, providing detail of who accessed a vehicle, when and where. All of this information can be transmitted to the client’s database, thus providing an indisputable electronic event-log that assigns accountability for individual actions, whilst providing complete transparency of operation.
“With greater pressure on supply chains and carriers to demonstrate load integrity has been maintained throughout transit, the shift from single use tamper evident seals that are vulnerable to misuse and expose carriers to unnecessary risk, to modern electronic data based solutions is gathering momentum.
“This shift was underway long before the Covid-19 outbreak (in part due to changing industry regulations), but the implications of the pandemic on the supply chain will only serve to sharpen the focus on the requirement for suitable load security measures and indeed the importance of load integrity.”
More information on load security solutions is available at the Maple website, where readers can also download a complimentary copy of the CART (Cargo and Road Transport) Security Guide.
