Whether on a truck or in a warehouse, all goods and the vehicles that transport them are vulnerable to theft, misuse, and more.

Thieves regularly target shipping and receiving facilities, tractor-trailers, distribution centers, and warehouses to commit their crimes.

In May 2018, a federal judge in Indiana sentenced four leaders of the interstate cargo theft ring to lengthy prison terms. In all, a dozen were convicted of stealing more than $30 million in cargo between 2012 and 2015.

The criminals would surveil a facility, target a tractor-trailer leaving the distribution center, and then follow the rig—sometimes for a day or more—to find the appropriate time and place to steal it, usually when the driver pulled into a truck stop to rest or refuel, the FBI said.

According to the CargoNet® Command Center, there were 328 supply chain risk intelligence events in the United States and Canada during third-quarter 2018. Sixty-nine percent of incidents involved a stolen vehicle; and 62 percent involved stolen cargo among several other kinds of events, such as identity theft, missing drivers, and police intelligence. CargoNet said the average cargo value per theft event was $143,949. Food and beverage freight was stolen the most, followed by major appliances, mixed household goods, tools, and computers. Thefts at warehouses were the most common, followed by thefts at truck stops and parking lots.

To secure goods, supply chain and logistics security professionals employ a multi-layered approach that incorporates security technology.

Key control and management systems are among the most effective security technology solutions available. Valuable materials can be kept under lock and key, out of prominent view of potential thieves. Access to keys to unlock storage areas can be restricted through an automated key control system such as MorseWatchmans’ KeyWatcher Touch, which will only release keys to pre-authorized users. The solution also allows managers to locate which KeyWatcher Touch a specific key is in, or determine who has it out, with a KeyFind feature.

Controlling the flow of tractor-trailers and other vehicles that enter and leave a warehouse or distribution facility goes beyond risk management to deliver other business advantages. A purpose-built fleet management system like KeyWatcher Fleet can optimize vehicle usage, saving money and improving efficiency. Managers can create policies to enable automatic allocation of vehicles for each driver. Drivers need only to enter their code and the key for their vehicle is released to them. In the event a specific vehicle is not be available for its booking, drivers can be notified automatically ahead of time via email or text.

To secure the many small items such as tablets or two-way radios used in a warehouse or facility, Morse Watchmans’ SmartKey Locker Touch provides secure storage with electronic locker systems that secure and track valuable assets. SmartKey Lockers track who removes and replaces each asset in a system, such as a cell phone, along with when assets were placed in or taken from a locker.

Securing shipping and receiving facilities, tractor-trailers, distribution centers and warehouses is vital to the economic prosperity of the U.S. supply chain. Controlling access to keys, goods, and other valuable items can successfully be accomplished through established, integrated, and reliable key control and asset management solutions from Morse Watchmans.

See how data-driven key control can help you take better control.

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Increase the life and optimize utilization of your expensive investments with key control and vehicle management all in one.

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Protecting personal data begins with strict access control backed up by data logs – two features that make KeyWatcher shine.