Cargo theft is trending downward in Ontario’s Peel Region, but the area remains the No. 3 cargo crime hotbed in North America.

And while load thefts are on the decline, truck and trailer thefts have remained steady. Cargo thefts in Peel Region peaked at about 300 loads in 2017-2018, but last year dropped to just 94 reported stolen loads. That, according to detective Gary Dias, Peel Region Police – Commercial Auto Crime Bureau. He was speaking on a panel at the Truckload Carriers Association’s annual Bridging Border Barriers event.

However, Dan Kerr, national cargo and heavy equipment theft investigator with Équité Association, said the crime remains “vastly underreported.”

What makes Peel Region so appealing to cargo thieves? Kerr said its about logistics. The region is home to Pearson International Airport, two rail lines and major highways. About $1.8 billion worth of cargo passes through the region each day.

Dias urged carriers who are victimized to report the thefts. He noted police won’t share details with the carrier’s insurance company or customer. In some cases, police have been able to retrieve a load and return it to the carrier before the shipper even knew it was missing. And he said cargo crime investigations often turn up additional stolen loads; if not reported, they struggle to return the freight to its owner.

“They store everything together,” he said of thieves. “If it’s not reported, we have no idea where it came from.”

Dias said cargo thefts are often perpetrated by organized criminals, but it’s often a drug addict recruited to take on the risk of the actual theft. They are easy to replace if they get caught.

“Once they get caught, they release them and find a new crew,” Dias said of the front-line thieves.

Jim Rovers, senior advisor, formerly of ISB Global Service, said the mid- and top-tier operatives in a cargo theft ring are generally sophisticated and will seek out specific loads carrying freight that’s easy to sell. He said theft prevention tactics in the trucking industry are often inadequate.

“What we see in a lot of cases is [trucking companies] have great cameras and GPS trackers, but they only really look at them when they’ve got a problem, which you usually find out about the next day,” he said.

Inside jobs

Often, cargo thieves are assisted by insiders, such as that low-paid security guard who can be bribed to turn a blind eye. Thieves are also stepping up their own tech game, using tools such as camera and GPS jammers.

Straight theft is the most common type in Peel Region, Dias said. This refers to instances where a thief enters a yard, grabs a trailer and leaves. They’ll often break into several trailers to find the one carrying the most desirable freight.

Strategic thefts are on the rise; those in which the thief uses identity theft or double brokering to pick up a load under seemingly legitimate circumstances. Pilferage – the small-scale theft of partial loads – makes up the third most common theft technique.

Dias said loads are most vulnerable when they’re parked in unsecured areas, such as on the side of the road in industrial parks overnight or on weekends. Unpatrolled yards are another place thieves will look for cargo to steal.

Toronto-area thieves have gotten more brazen over the last couple years. Kerr said there were a number of rolling thefts, in which criminals accessed the trailer while the truck was stopped at a red light and working with others in a chase vehicle were able to steal the most valuable freight from the load without the truck driver even realizing the trailer had been compromised.

Thieves will also recruit drivers, offering them cash to help them identify and steal desirable loads.

Dias warned carriers not to pursue cargo thieves. While the low-level drug addict can often be scared off, giving chase on the highway exposes an individual to liability issues.

Don’t chase thieves

“In your yard, you have the right if they are trespassing to make the arrest yourself,” he said. “We recommend not chasing tractors and trailers on the road.”

What should carriers be on the lookout for? Rover said anytime a GPS signal is lost, it’s a cause for concern. Any deviation of routes should also be looked into immediately.

Kerr said he prefers actual security guards over cameras, since they can do rounds and notice things like when a light that has gone out. He advises to limit the entry and exit points to a yard. And added carriers should train all staff on what to look out for.

Dias urged carriers to verify the identity of every company and driver that shows up to pick up a load. “All it takes is two minutes to make a phone call but a lot of times they’re so busy they ignore that,” he said.

Rover said tools are available to validate a driver’s identification. Dias said to invest in solid trailer locks and other theft prevention devices such as king pin locks.

“If they see these devices on your trailer, they go to the next one. They’re going to steal something, but it won’t be yours that day,” added Kerr.

“Make that trailer the hardest one in the lot to get,” agreed Rover. “They’ll go to someone else’s.”