Over €12 Million of Goods Lost From Supply Chains in May 2023

Recorded freights thefts from supply chains in the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region surpassed €12 million in product losses in just 31 days in May, based on the highest number of cargo crime incidents in a single month seen so far in 2023, shows the latest market intelligence from the TAPA EMEA Intelligence System (TIS).

The loss figure – averaging over €387,000 per day in May – also represented only 22.5% of incidents reporting a financial value in the past month in the TAPA EMEA crime database.  

Overall, in May, TIS recorded 936 new cargo thefts from supply chains in 33 countries across the region. 

This included 19 crimes involving the loss of products or vehicles valued at €100,000. While the number of such major thefts fell after two consecutive months of growth, these 19 incidents accounted for €9,811,590 of the total overall monthly loss figure, producing an average value for these crimes of €516,399.

Vigilant isunable to report all of these losses of >€100K, but, of the incidents TIS can share here, the biggest single loss of €2,090,000 came following the hijacking of a logistics vehicle travelling from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, South Africa, on 16 May. The security escort vehicle was shot at during the hijacking and the driver was injured. After taking control of the truck, the attackers successfully jammed the vehicle’s GPS tracker before driving to a remote location and offloading its cargo of  catalytic converters. 

A further eight incidents reported losses from supply chains of between €50K-€100K and these accounted for a further €1,537,241 of the May loss total, averaging €67,155, up 50% on the previous month. 

TAPA EMEA captured intelligence on cargo thefts in 18 TIS product categories, although, once again,  in most crimes – 79.8% in May – the types of goods stolen were not specified to the Association. Fuel  continued to be the most stolen type of product for a fifth consecutive month. 75 incidents were reported in 9 countries: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Turkey. 

The top five countries for recorded cargo thefts recorded by TIS in May to date were:

United Kingdom – 398 Incidents

For the first time in 2023, The United Kingdom saw the highest number of recorded cargo crimes reported in a single month to the TIS database. 398 incidents were reported across the UK in just 31 days in May, 42.5% of all crimes in the EMEA region during the month and a rise in crimes of 286.4% compared to April. Despite this substantial jump in recorded crimes, very little financial data was collated. Only 36 or 9.1% of incidents reported a value, totalling €394,420 or an average of €10,956. 

The UK recorded no major losses of €100K or more, but this is only based on intelligence made available to the Association. The two incidents with a value of €50K-€100K produced a total loss of €146,617.  

Germany – 162 incidents

For the first time in 2023, Germany didn’t record the highest number of cargo loss incidents in the TIS database.  The 162 freight thefts reported to TIS in May, 17.3% of the EMEA total, was down from 179 crimes in April, the third consecutive monthly decline in Germany’s crime rate. 24.6% of these incidents (47) contributed to an overall loss value for the month of €3,235,359 or an average of €70,333. Germany recorded seven major freight thefts in May, including:    

€1,700,000

Thieves who targeted an Origin Facility in Brunsbüttel, Schleswig-Holstein, on 20 May, escaped with two tonnes of metal granules. 

€400,000

In the city of Weitmarschen, Lower Saxony, on 29 May, offenders gained access to another Origin Facility and stole a large shipment of tools/building materials.  

For the fourth consecutive month, Germany experienced the highest number of Fuel Thefts in EMEA, with 41 incidents – up 6% versus April – in 10 states and accounting for 54.6% of these recorded crimes across the EMEA region. The single crime reported of between €50K-€100K involved the theft of a DAF tractor unit worth €60,000 from an Unclassified Parking Location in Enger, North Rhine-Westphalia, on 26 May.

Italy – 79 incidents

Italy’s cargo crime statistics rose 6.8% in May vs. April to 79 reported incidents and represented a third consecutive monthly rise in recorded freight thefts across the country. 48 of these crimes recorded a value, producing a combined loss of €4,190,371 or an average of €87,299. Six major losses were reported in Italy in May with a collective value of €3,828,051. This included the theft of €1,500,000 worth of computer tablets and phones from an Origin Facility in  Milan, Lombardy, on 5 May, as well as the theft of a shipment of designer glasses worth €100,000 from another Origin Facility in Loria, Veneto, on 12 May. 

France – 71 incidents 

Recorded cargo crimes in France fell 25.4% in May versus April, but still included three major incidents. TAPA EMEA is unable to report any of these crimes in Vigilant, but information is available in the password-protected TIS database. The highest value freight thefts in May produced a total loss of €809,474, averaging €269,824. France accounted for 18.6% of all fuel thefts reported in EMEA in the month, a 5.1% rise on the previous period. TIS collated information on 12 such incidents. Cargo crimes overall were recorded in 13 regions of France, with most occurring in Hauts-de-France for the fourth month in-a-row: 24 incidents or 35.2% of the country’s incidents.  

South Africa – 61 Incidents

South Africa regained its unwanted place in the top 5 countries for monthly cargo losses after recording 61 crimes in May. The 14 crimes with a reported value were worth a total of €2,431,331 in losses or an average loss of €173,666. The two major losses – including the aforementioned theft of car parts – represented a total value of €2,259,246. 

Rest of EMEA – 165 incidents 

28 other countries recorded a further 165 incidents across the Europe, Middle East & Africa region in  May, including 35 incidents which produced a combined loss value of €608,781. One high value crime was recorded in Denmark and more information can be found in the TIS database. Unclassified Parking locations accounted for 9.1% or 86 of all cargo crime locations in May.

If you have cargo crime intelligence to share with TAPA EMEA, please send it to tisteam@tapaemea.org