A cross-party group of MPs has called for increased security to protect drivers and hauliers from the rising threat of freight crime. 

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Freight and Logistics is lobbying for more secure roadside and overnight parking to protect drivers and their loads from criminals. 

It’s also calling for a national freight crime awareness campaign to “act as a visual deterrence to criminals who see freight as an easy target”.

The recommendations were spelt out in a report – Securing Our Supply Chains: How the Government can crack down on freight crime and secure our supply chains – published in November 2024. 

Written in tandem with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), it highlights the rise of freight crime in the UK and the serious impact it is having across the country.

It found that goods worth £68.3 million were reported stolen from lorries and vans in 2023. And since this figure only represents the wholesale value of these goods, it’s estimated that the true value of this freight could be between £680-£700 million, when accounting for retail losses including VAT and insurance.

The report claims that the “unacceptable rise in the level of thefts has marred the haulage industry and had ripple effects for the rest of the economy”. 

“Tackling freight crime head-on would improve the welfare of drivers, encourage new entrants into the workforce and prevent significant financial losses to businesses and improve confidence in the wider sector,” it said. 

While the report calls for more secure parking, improvements to supply chain security, and increased support and resources for law enforcement, it fails to mention the role that technology can play in keeping drivers and their freight safe. For instance: 

• Real-time GPS tracking provides real-time visibility into the location of every vehicle and trailer in a fleet enabling managers to monitor unauthorised movements and unexpected changes to routes. 

• Geofences erected around key locations – such as warehouses, depots and drop-off points – immediately notify managers if a vehicle or trailer leaves a designated area unexpectedly. 

• Thanks to built-in motion detection, AI-enabled cameras and dash cams can alert security teams if they detect suspicious activity near parked vehicles or trailers.

• Driver panic buttons – which alert managers if a driver suspects they could be about to be targeted by criminals – mean police can be called to an incident much sooner. 

• Samsara’s Asset Gateways track trailers, containers, and equipment with real-time visibility enabling remote monitoring to detect unauthorised movements.

All of these solutions are only possible because vehicles are fitted with tracking devices that connect directly with Samsara’s connected operations platform giving managers complete visibility of their fleet at all times. And it’s this real-time always-on visibility that is so important to many operators. 

Take JJX Logistics, a UK-based operator that specialises in transporting ‘dangerous’ and high-value goods. 

“With the growing threat of cargo loss and theft targeting, being able to provide very secure and compliant transport operations is vital to the likes of the aerospace, automotive and technology industries,” said Edward Martin, Head of Fleet Compliance, JJX Logistics. 

“In many cases, 100% vehicle visibility is vital for the safety of both the cargo and the driver. We’ve been able to maximise this by linking Vehicle Gateway and vehicle cameras with Samsara’s Camera Connector tool which is simple to use and enables us to see all around the vehicle in one grid view,” he said. 

The APPG's findings make clear that combating freight crime requires a coordinated response. While secure parking and raising awareness are important, we must not forget the role that technology can play in protecting drivers and securing supply chains.