Freight Crime Is On The Rise In The UK. Here’s How Your Logistics Centre Can Help Stop It

When people think about crime in the logistics industry, they often picture the goods that are stolen, but it goes much further than that. It damages businesses financially, it disrupts supply chains, and it takes a real toll on the people working in this industry.

Last year alone, freight crime cost the UK economy close to £700 million. That figure includes everything from stolen goods, higher insurance premiums, damage to vehicles, delayed deliveries, and the operational chaos that follows every incident.

As someone who has worked in security for years, I can tell you first-hand that freight crime isn’t something you can afford to ignore. Criminals are getting more organised, more brazen, and logistics businesses are finding themselves under more pressure than ever.

The Reality of Freight Crime Today

We are not just seeing the odd opportunistic theft anymore. Organised gangs are actively targeting freight. High-value goods like alcohol, electronics, and even food and drink shipments are being tracked and stolen.

In 2023, there were over 5,300 reported incidents of freight crime in the UK. That number is rising year on year.

Most of the businesses affected never see it coming. It happens fast – a break-in while a lorry is parked up, or a breach at a warehouse during the night. Suddenly, thousands of pounds worth of goods are gone, and with them, a company’s profits for the month.

Why the Costs Add Up So Quickly

The obvious cost is the value of the stolen goods. But there’s a knock-on effect too.

You are likely to face an increase in insurance premiums. Deliveries get delayed, which means angry customers and broken contracts. Vehicles are often damaged in the process, leading to unexpected repair bills. Staff can lose confidence and morale can take a hit.

For small and medium-sized logistics businesses, one major incident can be enough to cause real financial hardship. It’s not something many can easily absorb.

What Logistics Centres Can Do

There’s good news though. Logistics centres can be a powerful line of defence if the right measures are put in place.

Here’s what we know works:

1. Secure and Controlled Parking
   Gated entry, good lighting, secure perimeters, and monitored parking areas all help prevent opportunistic thefts. Criminals are less likely to target somewhere that looks and feels secure.
2. Proper CCTV and Monitoring
   Good quality CCTV isn’t just for evidence after a crime has happened. It acts as a strong deterrent. Real-time monitoring also means suspicious activity can be picked up and acted on before a theft occurs.
3. Staff Awareness and Training
   Often overlooked, but very important. Staff who know what to look for and who are confident enough to report suspicious behaviour can make a real difference. It creates a culture of vigilance across the site.
4. Good Working Relationships with Local Police
   If you’ve got a direct line to local law enforcement, incidents get responded to faster. Information sharing between sites, police, and security providers helps to spot patterns and stop crimes before they happen.

At Priority First, we understand that every site is different. Every operation has its own risks. That’s why we work closely with our clients to find the right combination of technology, manpower, and strategy.

For me personally, it’s about making sure business owners and their teams feel safe. That they can concentrate on doing their jobs without having to worry what’s happening in the yard after dark.

Sometimes it’s a full manned guarding service. Sometimes it’s a combination of mobile patrols, rapid response, and remote CCTV monitoring. Often it’s about helping sites rethink their physical layouts to make them more secure without making them feel like fortresses.

Security shouldn’t feel like an add-on. It should feel like part of the way you do business.

Freight crime isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, with the cost of living pressures and organised crime networks becoming more sophisticated, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.

But you don’t have to wait for something to go wrong before taking action. Strengthening security at your logistics centre now could save you from huge financial and reputational damage down the line.

If you want a straightforward conversation about where your security stands — and where you could strengthen it – the team and I at Priority First are always happy to chat. Get in touch here.

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