Cargo - Theft Prevention for the Railroads (From Controlling Cargo Theft - A Handbook of Transportation Security, P 581-614, 1983, Louis A Tyska and Lawrence J Fennelly, ed. - See NCJ-88969)

• NCJ Number: 88982
• Author(s): J L Jensen
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 34 pages
• Sale Source: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A cargo theft prevention program should focus on diagnosing present loss levels; involving all persons associated with the shipping and receiving process in security measures, including the customer; and identifying and resolving particular security problems.

Abstract

Failure to diagnose accurately present loss levels often leads to inappropriate remedies. This involves regularly auditing information-gathering methodology. Further, although it is a natural tendency for corporations to protect their own interests first, cargo theft cannot be countered by limiting security actions to separate corporations. All involved in the movement of a problem commodity must be involved in the resolution process to prevent recurrence of theft. The cargo shipping customer's overt support for security can be the key to involving other members of the chain who would otherwise hesitate to become involved. The support of the customer for the prevention program must come from the policymaking level within the corporation. If support comes from a lower level, results will be localized and short term. In locating and dealing with specific loss problems, experience has indicated that the bulk of cargo loss occurs during the loading and unloading process rather than in transit. Also, most cargo losses represent a large number of small thefts perpetrated by insiders rather than a small number of large thefts. Cargo seals play a critical role in pinpointing the location of cargo theft. The appendix contains detailed descriptions of antitheft devices. (Author summary modified)