New Methods for Preventing Cargo Theft

Law enforcement is hot on the trail of cargo thieves. But the thieves are hot on the trail of your shipments. It's a constant game of cat and mouse. The cops and insurance companies are forever coming up with new ways to stop theft. And the thieves are adjusting their methods accordingly. One of the best and most recent techniques for nabbing crooks is the ''sting trailer,'' which is equipped with sophisticated monitoring equipment and designed to send out an alert the moment it's violated. The trailer has had a notable degree of success in capturing thieves, but the issue of theft and pilferage remains a serious one. According to the FBI, it's costing industry between $15bn and $20bn a year in losses. On this episode, we get a sense of the scale of the problem from Scott Cornell, theft investigator with Travelers Cos. He answers some key questions: How much is being lost? Who are the thieves? Which types of products are most susceptible? Which parts of the country pose the highest risk? And how can shippers and carriers act to reduce the possibility that they'll be hit?