The holidays bring three main things for the shippers – festive cheer, increased business, and high risk of cargo theft. While increased business orders and sales are the reason to rejoice for shippers, the equally high probability of having their cargo stolen during transit tends to dampen the festive spirit. But given the season and business needs, cargo theft during the holidays is unavoidable.

Tis the Season

According to LPM Insider, businesses in the U.S. lose around $15 to $30 billion dollars each year. This figure too is on the conservative side as quite a few incidents of cargo theft go unreported, it further reports.

Do we just let the robbers rob us of all the hard work that we and our teams put in to getting holiday shipments out, or is there something we can do to safeguard our business interest and our shipments?

Among the various commodities being shipped during the holiday season, products that cannot be tracked and food and beverages shipments tend to be targeted most by cargo thieves. This doesn’t mean that shippers of other commodities or bulky products can rest easy. Cargo theft is a reality for most during the holiday seasons, so much so that there are reports of gift packages being stolen from front porches. Do we just let the robbers rob us of all the hard work that we and our teams put in to getting holiday shipments out, or is there something we can do to safeguard our business interest and our shipments?

Preventive Measures

If we treat cargo theft like any other business or operational risks, we might be in a better position to deal with such incidents and mitigate their impact on our business during the holidays.

Here are some measures that the shippers, truckers, and warehouse operators can take to minimize theft during the festive season.

1. Pre-plan shipment deliveries: While it might not be possible to completely avoid making a shipment delivery during the holiday season, it would be helpful if shippers and their transportation providers could work out a plan to deliver high-value shipments before the festive mood kicks in. This can, to an extent, minimize the risks of cargo theft.
2. GPS enabled vehicles: Transportation providers should install GPS trackers in their vehicles to be able to effectively track the shipments until it reaches the final place of delivery. If the vehicle is tracked, any irregular stoppages or route that has been taken can be noted and inquiries can be made with the driver as soon as there is any deviation. Knowing that the vehicle is being tracked and that they can be held responsible, the drivers will also be more cautious while making unscheduled stoppages or leaving the vehicle unguarded for a long time.
   

   Third-party service providers, such as BlueGrace, are professional and value their market reputation. They have checks and balances in place to avoid cargo theft or any other risk to the shipments while it’s in their custody.

3. Vetted service providers: When appointing services providers, shippers should properly vet them and do a thorough reference check. Third-party service providers, such as BlueGrace, are professional and value their market reputation. They have checks and balances in place to avoid cargo theft or any other risk to the shipments while it’s in their custody.
4. Hire additional manpower: This point is especially for warehouse operators. During the holiday season, staff strength tends to be low. Try to get additional workers and guards for the warehouses to cover the operations and security posts during the holidays before the season sets in.
5. CCTV cameras: Equip your warehouses with CCTV cameras to monitor the warehouse at all times. Be sure to place cameras in a position that all the entry and exit points are covered.
6. Alarms: Installing burglar alarms in vehicles and warehouses, will work as an additional security measure and assist in warding off thieves.
7. Locks: Even though this is one of the most basic security measures, it is necessary to reiterate it here. Check to be sure all locks on truck shutters and warehouse entry and exit points are sturdy and in working condition. Train your staff to double check the locks after the truck or the warehouse has been locked.
8. Train your staff: Train your truck drivers and warehouse staff to be able to detect suspicious activity and people lurking around the shipment. If the staff is trained to notice any such activity around the shipment, they can be on their guard or take measures to protect the shipment. Drivers should also be trained to avoid parking the trucks in unsupervised areas or in places where the risk of theft is high. If there’s a helper traveling with the driver, both of them can take turns to watch over the vehicle when making a stop for refreshments or rest.

Year-round Security

While incidents of cargo theft increase during the holidays, making the safety of employees, customers, business partners and security of the shipments in your custody a company culture and a year-round process is crucial. When this becomes a business practice, preparing for the holiday shipment delivery won’t seem like such a huge task and will also ensure that your employees are well prepared to deal with any such situation.