We all rely on warehouses and distribution centres to keep the supply chain flowing for our economy and day-to-day lives. What happens when thieves strike at these properties and steal essential inventory?
Cargo theft continues to plague distribution channels.
Distribution centres and warehouses play an important role in the supply chain – they are hubs of people and inventory, and centralized locations where trucks load up to transport valuable and essential cargo. Cargo thefts in Canada and the United States surged by 59 percent in 2023, on the heels of significant increases in the years prior. This surge was caused by an increase in the sophisticated methods utilized by thieves – of which the negative effects cause significant supply chain issues – reverberating through businesses, and in turn, passing those effects down to customers. (1)
Thieves commit strategic cargo theft.
Cargo thieves have become more sophisticated in their methods to steal – combining traditional methods of theft such as cutting fences and hot wiring trucks, with digital tactics that aid them in their crimes. These tactics include phishing scams, using online platforms, as well as hacking – essentially performing the legwork ahead of time in an attempt to bypass conventional security measures and make their thefts easier. In the past, cargo thefts were seemingly more random, with thieves stealing whatever they could get their hands on. Now, many use these tactics – combined with insider information and even tracking devices to easily direct them to where inventory is stored on-site. This results in strategic, targeted incidents of theft which leaves distribution and warehouse owners baffled (1).
In these cases, improving security measures with the collection detailed evidence would certainly bolster efforts in tracking down cargo & the assailants after the fact.
Recent incidents show the need for distribution and logistics security.
In May 2023, we spoke to a huge theft that occurred at Pearson Airport in Toronto – where highly organized thieves managed to steal $20 million worth of gold from an airport warehouse, completely undetected. In April 2024, the subsequent Police investigation led to the arrest of multiple suspects, including some Air Canada employees that were a connection on the inside. Despite the arrests, the gold still hasn’t been recovered, and Police speculate a good portion of it was sold to fund further criminal enterprises. (2)
In March 2024, an upstart e-bike company in Delta, BC was affected when a container housing $500,000 worth of inventory was brazenly stolen. Thieves cased the warehouse after-hours, entered the compound, broke a lock to the container, and then used their own semi-truck to steal the container with the bikes inside. There was surveillance video of the incident but no proactive security measures were in place to prevent the theft. All in all, more than 40 e-bikes were stolen with an estimated retail value of $840,000. (3)
During the same time frame, a tractor trailer that held $70,000 worth of pistachios was stolen from a trucking yard in Cambridge, ON. The thieves struck at the business after-hours, and it comes on the heels of another theft of walnuts in November 2023, worth an estimated $73,000. Police say that this is an alarming trend as thieves target high value cargo loads that they can sell easily for a profit – and 80% of the time thieves are well aware of what they are seeking out, and are very deliberate in their actions. Much of the profit from cargo thefts such as these is put back into criminal enterprises like purchasing drugs and firearms. Police agree that the best way to prevent cargo thefts is to have good lighting on-site, solid fencing around the perimeter, as well as good quality security cameras installed on-site. (4)
Our proactive logistics security service provides more than just security cameras for warehouses, it provides full-service protection for your site and helps to secure inventory.
How can our proactive security solutions prevent cargo theft?
Video Security Units cover all the angles
Our Video Security Units are a complete package of camera technology, and a complete warehouse security camera system. Multiple units can be installed to cover all the angles – stationary cameras provide a fixed view and position, establishing perimeter protection and situational awareness. A dedicated PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera zooms in on important details such as suspect, and or vehicle description, and behaviour. All units are free from wired Internet, leveraging our proprietary cellular LTE+ platform to connect wirelessly. All footage is sent back in high-resolution, to our Live Remote Video Monitoring Facility for assessment and escalation, when necessary.
Artificial Intelligence allows for more effective detections
Warehouses and distribution centres are filled with vehicles, inventory, and equipment – making it difficult to keep track of human movement. If someone enters into camera view, our artificial intelligence platform will detect them and differentiate them from other movement and objects on-site. This allows our Monitoring to make faster and more accurate detections in their effort to deter criminals from striking at logistical properties.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters criminals from striking
Our primary mission is to deter crime before it happens. Our Live Remote Video Monitoring team are trained to detect and deter many types of cargo theft, using proactive deterrents to warn criminals that their activities are being monitored. Loud, authoritative voice commands and bright LED strobe lights inform criminals they are being live monitored and the site is protected. Once criminals see and hear these deterrents, they will leave faster than they arrived.
syncroDetect provides an additional layer of protection
Distribution and warehouses contain many areas that require protection, both interior and exterior. Our wireless intrusion alarm system, syncroDetect, can help to protect sensitive areas and provide an additional layer of protection. Wireless window and door contact sensors will alarm if entry points are breached, and motion sensors will alarm if they detect movement. Combined with our Video Security Units and Live Remote Video Monitoring, they provide a full suite of cargo theft prevention.
syncroReports puts your security efforts at your fingertips
All site information is readily available through our reporting platform, syncroReports. View Log Reports, control PTZ camera movement, and manage projects from nearby or at a distance. Available at the click of a button on web and mobile, it’s your personal portal for a full picture of your logistics security.
With our proactive security solutions, we can provide effective logistics security when it matters most – securing inventory and ensuring the supply chain keeps moving.
Resources:
- “Cargo Theft Surges In North America Amidst Technological Advancements”, Logistics Insider, March 27, 2024
- “Toronto Pearson gold heist: Multiple people charged in historic $20M theft”, Gabby Rodrigues, Global News, April 17, 2024
- “E-bike manufacturer seeks public help after $500K container theft”, Akshay Kulkarni, CBC News, March 25, 2024
- “Thieves are going nutty for nuts, stealing a $70,000 cargo load from Wilmot township”, Justine Fraser, City News Kitchener, March 16, 2024