How to Avoid Goods Being Stolen in Transit

If you run a courier business, the last thing you want is for your Customers’ precious goods to be stolen en route. Experiencing theft of goods is both violating and causes a ripple effect that can impact your goods’ recipients, your suppliers and business partners. 

How do thieves steal goods?

Knowing how thieves operate is the first step towards understanding which security measures to take. One of the major ways that thieves can steal goods while in transit is through identity theft. By posing as courier drivers, thieves can then get access to goods while still at the warehouse, port or plant. Other times, weak points in your shipping route might be targeted such as when goods are handed over between couriers, or when delivery vehicles are parked up. So how can you reduce the chances of these things happening?

If your goods are shipped in from overseas by air or sea before being picked up for delivery by your couriers, you most likely need to work with shipping companies to facilitate this. Before trusting a shipping company as a partner with your goods, it is essential to perform thorough background checks on them to assess their reputability. Check reviews of their services where possible and always ask to see their registration and licence numbers.

Shipping companies that transport goods by airfreight must be registered with Airlines UK and those that transport by sea should be registered with the Department of International Trade. If they are not, then consider alternative partners as they may not be reputable.

You can also check whether potential partners are members of trustworthy organisations, such as Maritime UK or Maritime London. If they are, then they are much more likely to be dependable.

If you are selling or transporting high-value goods, it may be prudent to perform extra security checks to ensure you can trust all your employees. Following up on references is a good first step. If you have any misgivings make sure to follow up on these, because it’s vital you trust your staff both to be vigilant and also thorough in carrying out checks and other security measures.

3. Educate your employees about theft of goods

Not only must courier companies carefully screen employees to avoid hiring those with malicious intent, employees must also be thoroughly trained on how to spot identity thieves in order to avoid the risk of inadvertently transacting with false partners and jeopardising goods’ security.

Courier drivers under your employ must all be educated about theft, so that they will be less susceptible to it. Your drivers must also be thoroughly vigilant and trained to park their vehicles sensibly. For example, if driving a van or a truck, your drivers should park with their rear doors against either the rear of a similarly sized vehicle or a solid surface such as a wall to protect against forcible entry by thieves. 

GPS tracking devices should be fitted in every vehicle used to transport goods for your company. By doing so, both you and even the intended recipient of the goods can monitor the location of the delivery vehicle and its estimated time of arrival.

While security cameras should certainly have a large presence at your company’s warehouses, it may also be a good idea to equip your delivery vehicles with security cameras to further deter potential thieves. It is also possible to acquire and fit vehicle immobilisation technology in your vehicles. Should they be stolen, this technology can temporarily disable the vehicle to stop them from being driven. This tech can then be coupled with anti-theft locking devices for both vehicle and cargo to leave thieves with very few viable options should they choose to target your vehicle.

5. Ensure you have goods in transit insurance

Hopefully, the above tips will provide you with the know-how to enhance the security around your goods in transit and lessen the chances of theft. Although the above tips can help to reduce the risk of having your carried goods stolen, unfortunately that risk remains real. As long as thieves continue to operate, the risk is always present.

Fortunately, goods in transit insurance can help to cover the costs of goods lost to theft, as well as those lost or damaged. Our insurance brokers at One Insurance Solution, part of Brightside, work with a panel of the UK’s top insurers to help you find the ideal goods in transit insurance policy for your needs as an individual. Check out our Goods in Transit Insurance page for more and see how you could save with a quote today.