5 Million of losses in 31 days

While the sudden spike in fuel thefts grabbed the headlines in March, this was far from the full extent of cargo crimes committed in the Europe, Middle East & Africa region. The TAPA EMEA Intelligence System (TIS) recorded a total of 204 cargo thefts or attempted thefts in the 31 days of the month in 16 countries.

Only 13 or 6.3% of last month’s crimes reported to TIS provided a value but the total loss still reached over €5 million and produced an average loss for incidents with a value of €386,518. The average loss for major cargo crimes (thefts of goods worth €100K or more) was an even higher €614,140, resulting from 8 high value incidents, including:

• €3,000,000 – On 25 March, armed offenders robbed a cash-in-transit (CIT) delivery company facility in San Giovanni Teatino, Italy, escaping with an estimated €3m in cash.

• €1,000.000 – The theft of a trailer loaded with computers/laptops in Zaragoza, Spain. On 9 March, police arrested suspects in connection with this loss. The group are also believed to have been responsible for several other cargo theft incidents.

• €180,000 – Arrests were also reported in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 2 March when police detained two suspects following a truck robbery. Officers recovered the vehicle and its cargo of tools/building materials valued at €180,000.

• €175,000 – On 7 March, two trucks were stolen in Kootwijkerbroek in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Law enforcement agencies, however, were able to track the vehicle via its GPS system and it was later recovered by police in Germany. 

• €150,000 – In Dourges in Hauts-de-France on 14 March, TAPA EMEA recorded the highest single fuel theft of the month. The type of location was not reported.  

• €138,120 – 13 high value bicycles and bicycle frames were taken from an Origin Facility in Moneymore, Northern Ireland, on 6 March.  

• €120,000 – On 26 March, a large quantity of brass and copper was stolen from two commercial facilities in San Lorenzo in Campo, Italy.

So far, only one cargo crime has been recorded for March in the €50K-€100K value range. It occurred after an offender broke into a truck and stole several dozen bags containing precious metals in Reventin-Vaugris in southeastern France on 14 March.

Five countries accounted for nearly 85% of all crimes reported to TAPA EMEA’s TIS:        

• United Kingdom – 68 (33.4%)
• France – 48 (23.6%)
• Spain – 32 (15.6%)
• Italy – 13 (6.4%)
• Germany – 11 (5.3%)

The most recorded types of incidents over the course of the month were:

• Theft from Vehicle – 70 (34.4%)
• Theft from Trailer – 49 (24.1%)
• Theft of Vehicle – 31 (15.2%)
• Theft – 19 (9.3%)
• Theft from Facility – 14 (6.7%)

Of the 8 known types of locations, 5 recorded double-digit incident rates:   

• Destination Facility – 38 (18.5%)
• Unclassified Parking Location – 31 (15.2%)
• Origin Facility – 24 (11.6%)
• En Route – 16 (7.9%)
• Services 3^rd Party Facility – 16 (7.9%)

30 of the cargo crimes reported in March involved the M.O. of Violent & Threat with Violence