Posts Tagged “cargo theft”
By Bill Bess, ALC
It’s no secret that organized crime, scammers, and thieves are actively working to upset the legitimate flow of freight across the US and Canada. This type of crime has been going on for years, but in the last 12 months thieves have intensified their efforts. Cargo security is a major concern no matter what your role is in the food supply chain. We are all in this together and together we can tighten up our security and make a huge difference.
Allen Lund Company has taken a pro-active approach to identify and eliminate potential security breaches. We have made changes to our on-boarding process, which is closely monitored by our Carrier Resources department. Education and training for brokers has given them the tools to evaluate the potential risk that a carrier might exhibit and react accordingly. Our Accounting department scans thousands of bills of lading and invoices monthly, looking for any inconsistencies. In addition to the internal measures ALC has taken, we share information and best practices with the Transportation Intermediaries Association, CargoNet, Carrier411, and other transportation companies. These policy changes, information sharing, and additional training will continue to make a difference.
What can a shipper or a warehouse do to help prevent your product from being compromised?
- Prior to loading, have your broker give your shipping department the driver’s name, company name, and trailer number. If the information doesn’t match call the broker.
- Whenever possible use a temp recorder that has a tracking device built in. These devices have the ability to monitor temps and location.
- Don’t rely on the pick-up number to verify the carrier.
- Verify the driver’s name with their license. Insist that the bills are signed legibly by the driver and include their company name. If necessary, have the driver print their name and company name.
- Driver should arrive with a pre-cooled trailer. Driver should acknowledge that they understand the desired temp and that it is in continuous mode.
- Most importantly, use a transportation service provider that has the experience and protocols in place that are necessary to protect your product.
We are all in this together with the same basic goal…to deliver the safest and freshest product to our customers.
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Bill Bess, Director of Carrier Development, was previously the manager of ALC Orlando, FL, and has been with the Allen Lund Company for 39 years. With over 45 years of experience transporting perishable products, Bess’s expertise includes perishable supply chain protocols, claims resolution, and developing carrier-specific programs for the company.
bill.bess@allenlund.com
JUPITER, FL – A Louisville man accused of stealing an 18-wheeler filled with Yokohama truck tires in Fort Pierce, FL. has been apprehended with the help of Locus Traxx’s GO unit.
The Florida Highway Patrol was notified that the truck had disappeared Saturday in Louisville. It was headed south on the Florida Turnpike. Troopers were able to locate the semi at mile market 174, thanks to the GO’s location reporting capabilities, according to a Locus Traxx press release.
Marvin Napoles Manzano was then arrested and charged with cargo theft valued at over $50,000 and the grand theft of a vehicle, totaling over $110,000 in stolen merchandise.
The GO is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is capable of sending temperature, location, and door security information straight to the grower via smart phone or computer, providing access to critical data at any time, from any location. With real-time data available at one’s fingertips, produce deliveries can be safely monitored to prevent any potential transportation problems.
Locus Traxx is a fast-growing company focused on improving food safety and security of food shipments.
The SmartTraxx monitoring system wireless reports the temperature, security and location of shipments on the road. The OverSight system delivers real-time Intelligent Alerts text and emails based on the incoming shipment data. These timely alerts make sure shipment damage, theft or tampering can be prevented. All shipment data is also available online as intelligent maps, interactive graphs, cusomizable reports or one-click downloads.
The company was founded in 2005. Its objective is to use leading edge technolgies and best practice approaches to provide a cost-effective way to ensure the safety and freshness of every food shipment.
Its customers are global leaders in the food industry including: transportation providers, growers, farmers, ranchers, distributors, retailers, and food service companies.
No one doubts cargo theft is a big problem, but do you know what type of cargo is the biggest target, which states lead in these type of thefts and when they are most likely to occur?
These are some of the questions that were answered by Sal Marino, vice president of CargoNet, who is based in New Jersey. He was speaking at the 2014 United Fresh Produce Association’s annual convention and exposition in Chicago recently.
The leading target for thieves are food and beverages, accounting for 25 percent of cargo thefts, followed by electronics at 14 percent. Others include household goods (11 percent), apparel and accessories (10 percent), containers (9 percent), metals (8 percent), with miscellaneous items making up the balance.
Leading America in cargo thefts is the state of California (23 percent), followed by Texas (19 percent) and Florida (10 percent).
When is cargo theft most likely to occur? 21 percent of the incidents happen on Friday, 19 percent on Saturday and 14 percent on Sunday. Marino says the weekends are more risky because a lot of trucks have to wait to get unloaded in the upcoming week. It also depends where the truck is parked over the weekend.
Marino said most thefts occur at warehouses and distribution centers. Truck stops ranked fourth as locations for cargo theft.
When it comes to cargo theft of produce items, nuts make up a third of the top 10 items. Almonds ranked first as the primary target for theft, followed by tomatoes, avocadoes, grapes, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, pistachios and walnuts.
When a cargo theft occurs, Marino said it is very important report the theft to authorities as soon as possible and get the word out about the loss. The more specific details you provide the better.