Making Theft easy…the easy target – better known as the “secure” terminal
Three men were passing by a busy truck terminal and noticed a 40-foot dry van parked there. Losing
themselves in the parking lot of trucks, cars and people milling about, they walked right in the terminal yard.
These guys were truck thieves looking for easy prey – and there it was. Since they didn’t have their cutting
tools with them that day, on e of them merely picked up a rock and beat the lock off the trailer door. He pulled
out one of the cases, threw it down on the pavement and it burst open, revealing that it contained wood salad
bowls.
The men left the terminal and made a quick call to their “fence” (buyer and seller of stolen goods), who agreed
to handle the shipment. They then returned to the terminal, stole a tractor, hooked up the trailer and drove it
away to a warehouse for unloading.
The whole thing occurred in broad daylight in a supposedly secure terminal, and a number of people observed
the thieves. But nobody stopped them.
The thieves actually kept the tractor after altering its identity so they could use it in future jobs. The trailer was
abandoned. It was a good score for an afternoon’s work.
Unfortunately, this case is sadly typical in the trucking industry today. Although truck and cargo thieves use a
variety of approaches, the experts agree that the factor that most aids criminals is a general lack of security in
the industry.
From a criminal’s point of view, truck cargo theft is relatively safe crime – much safer and more lucrative than
bank robbery or drug peddling. It’s easy to carry out, easy to dispose of stolen goods and, if you happen to
get caught, the chances of getting off with a light or suspended sentence are remarkably good.
Truck and cargo losses due to thefts are soaring. Some of the bigger losses have been loads of tylenol, liquid
gold and silver and the like. But items such as computers, cameras and sweaters have been easy pickings as
well.
Three men were passing by a busy truck terminal and noticed a 40-foot dry van parked there. Losing
themselves in the parking lot of trucks, cars and people milling about, they walked right in the terminal yard.
These guys were truck thieves looking for easy prey – and there it was. Since they didn’t have their cutting
tools with them that day, on e of them merely picked up a rock and beat the lock off the trailer door. He pulled
out one of the cases, threw it down on the pavement and it burst open, revealing that it contained wood salad
bowls.
The men left the terminal and made a quick call to their “fence” (buyer and seller of stolen goods), who agreed
to handle the shipment. They then returned to the terminal, stole a tractor, hooked up the trailer and drove it
away to a warehouse for unloading.
The whole thing occurred in broad daylight in a supposedly secure terminal, and a number of people observed
the thieves. But nobody stopped them.
The thieves actually kept the tractor after altering its identity so they could use it in future jobs. The trailer was
abandoned. It was a good score for an afternoon’s work.
Unfortunately, this case is sadly typical in the trucking industry today. Although truck and cargo thieves use a
variety of approaches, the experts agree that the factor that most aids criminals is a general lack of security in
the industry.
From a criminal’s point of view, truck cargo theft is relatively safe crime – much safer and more lucrative than
bank robbery or drug peddling. It’s easy to carry out, easy to dispose of stolen goods and, if you happen to
get caught, the chances of getting off with a light or suspended sentence are remarkably good.
Truck and cargo losses due to thefts are soaring. Some of the bigger losses have been loads of tylenol, liquid
gold and silver and the like. But items such as computers, cameras and sweaters have been easy pickings as
well.
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