Stopping the new wave of cargo theft

Cargo theft is a problem hidden by sensationalist headlines, writes Hansel Oh, Director of Product Marketing, Brivo.

According to some sources, we’re in the grip of an epidemic of theft, with shoplifting rife on the high street. Whether this is true or not is a matter of some debate – some stats actually show a fall in the number of retailers being targeted.

Nevertheless, it’s the type of theft most people seem to be concerned about. Yet, this focus on one type of theft is hiding another problem, one less driven by opportunity and economic conditions.

In January this year, the UK saw 218 cargo theft incidents, with an estimated £5.1m in losses (NaVCIS).

Cargo thefts are typically better planned, more sophisticated and rely on deception to succeed. While retailers have techniques to push back on opportunistic shoplifting, organisations looking to tackle cargo theft will likely have a tougher time.

These thefts exploit systemic problems and can only be addressed by looking at the system as a whole, rather than individual elements alone.

How do cargo thefts work?

Watch enough gangster or heist movies and the idea of a cargo theft might be quite violent and dramatic. The reality is more mundane and they cover a wide range of sophistication.

One of the least sophisticated techniques is simply to target trucks at secure parking facilities.

As these secure parking facilities are often used by drivers who need to make a stop to rest, the first anyone knows about these thefts is when they set-off later and the thieves have already made their escape.

A more sophisticated scam is to impersonate the driver. If a delivery hub is expecting someone to take a truck, or is expecting a truck to arrive to collect goods, then a fake driver with forged paperwork can easily steal those goods.

This theft can be far more planned-out. It requires at least a form of forged paperwork and can include hacking or surveillance to discover the right time to strike.

It may involve wholesale impersonation of a trucking company or the creation of a “phantom” company that does not really exist.

Even more sophisticated is the planting of criminals within legitimate carrier companies, who will then steal a valuable shipment and then be untraceable based on the information they provided for employment.

Is legacy technology the problem?

Part of the problem is old, legacy technology that is no longer up to the task of keeping cargo safe. But, unlike many technologies, we don’t think of this as old or “legacy”.

For example, a security guard checking a name on a clipboard against a driving licence doesn’t seem to most people like old technology – it’s not even technology at all.

But in many industries, legacy technology is rightly seen as a problem. Perhaps systems rely too heavily on paperwork, on old systems that haven’t been updated for years or on applications that don’t integrate well with others.

These are often seen as “the way things are done” when it comes to logistics and security. Even if one part of the supply chain is updated, this doesn’t mean other parts are updated with it.

We’ve seen this reflected in our own research. Just under half (49%) of respondents to our annual trends survey said that experienced industry professionals are resisting change to systems they have known their whole career.

This is understandable when it comes to security. With new systems comes uncertainty, the very thing that security professionals are keen to reduce.

When it comes to the supply chain, each part – shippers, drivers, warehouse personnel and more – use a different, independent, often siloed system.

This lack of coherence and the gaps between these systems create vulnerabilities where criminals can gain an advantage. Many gangs will have knowledge of these systems and be able to target exactly where the supply chain is weakest.

Solving the problem of cargo theft

One response to cargo theft would be to look at the system that failed and try to improve it. If goods were stolen at a parking area, increase security patrols and video surveillance, for example.

Or, if someone was fooled by a fake ID, provide training into recognising better training.

The problem with this response is that it doesn’t address the fundamental problem. Supply chains have weaknesses because systems are not integrated and it’s those gaps that allow criminals to slip through.

A security guard with a name on a clipboard cannot make any checks beyond what they are given to make that check.

If the system they use is not able to communicate with any other system, there will always be gaps.

Criminals are relying on this lack of integration to find exploitable gaps. Only through integration of all their systems so they can talk to each other will it be possible to stop this new wave of cargo thefts.

What does this solution look like? A modernised technology stack with centralised security management is a must. Some examples of what this should include are:

• Access systems – these should be automated as much as possible to remove the possibility of exploiting those who’s instinct is to trust people. Automated licence plate recognition can allow only authorised vehicles into particular areas. Human intervention shouldn’t be removed entirely, of course, but an automated system provides a more reliable first line of defence that can be backed up by human intervention if needed
• Mobile credentials – everyone carries a mobile device and credentials carried on these devices can be far harder to fake than driving licences. Using a system that relies on mobile credentials for identification can also be linked to other systems to show where a driver is and if they are expected soon
• Optimised video surveillance – video surveillance is often used as a way to provide evidence to law enforcement when something goes wrong or watched in real-time by security guards to enforce perimeter security. But camera technology can identify people and even provide intelligence on people who are not where they should be and alert security to any issues immediately

Integrating such systems means that the data they provide can be cross-checked and analysed, with any anomalies flagged up in real-time, rather than simply analysed after the event to try and determine what happened. A more modern technology stack also means that newer technology is far easier to integrate.

AI and machine learning is already being used in many access control systems and related technology to identify anomalies quickly.

Without modernisation, it’s impossible to take advantage of AI, and without integration the right data won’t be available for it to make the right decisions.

When it comes to security, and preventing cargo theft in particular, supply chain providers need to look carefully at their systems as a whole and where they can integrate with other systems to provide more complete protection.