Blink and those shiny trucks and trailers in the yard are gone. Thieves have targeted hundreds of them worth tens of millions of dollars in the Region of Peel – Ontario’s trucking hub – over the past few years. And the numbers are trending upward.
Bad guys are increasingly using technology to gain access to facilities and equipment. Security professionals suggest carriers bolster their defences with electronic, physical and human measures, including artificial intelligence.
Thieves stole 256 tractors in 2023, 293 in 2024 and 220 so far this year in Peel. Their total value is estimated at a whopping $65.6 million. In 2023, they took 85 trailers, 97 in 2024 and 52 this year – totally valued at $9 million. This sum does not include the value of cargo inside them.
Carriers that have been targeted are asking for help. Mill Creek Motor Freight posted on LinkedIn that two trucks were stolen in August. The Ontario Trucking Association sent an email out in July asking its members to keep an eye open for four trucks that were stolen from J&R Hall Transport’s Ayr, Ont., yard.
Detective Greg O’Connor, commercial auto crime – intelligence services, Peel Regional Police, pointed out that criminals are re-VINning equipment and he’s seen cases of fraud financing and third-party leasing. Some trailer owners who owe payments on equipment are getting rid of them and reporting them stolen as well.
AI to the rescue
Mike Grabovica, CEO, Birdseye Security Solutions, agreed that crooks are getting smarter. He said that they are using cheap technology that is readily available online like devices to find GPS units on trucks and access card key duplicators to enter yards and drive off with equipment.
He is using artificial intelligence to stay ahead of criminals. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and tailoring security to each facility is key, Grabovica noted.
Grabovica’s team meets with the carrier and ensures they work out what security protocols should be put in place. For example, who has access to the yard, or which portions are no-go areas. High-quality thermal cameras provide coverage at the facility. Motion sensors can also be installed.
From these feeds, an algorithm creates a process tree, he explained, and this trains AI. The AI creates an escalation path. “Our live monitoring agents respond to threats and communicate with authorities,” he said.
The key is to use sophisticated hardware and software and get a third party to audit your security system, he added.
Grabovica noted that technology will maximize efficiencies. “If you have an efficient analog operation, it will translate well,” he said, but warned, “if you have a cheap, cutting-corners operation, AI will magnify the inefficiencies and it’s a disaster.”
Mike Hinsperger of Frontline Commercial Vehicle Solutions agreed there is no silver bullet to prevent thefts. The seasoned investigator with more than 30 years of experience advocated a multi-faceted approach.
Barriers, lighting and cameras
First, get a barrier in place, either a fence or concrete blocks to secure the property. Narrow lanes should funnel traffic toward controlled entry and exit points. Proper yard lighting and high-resolution cameras are also important, he added.
Peel police’s O’Connor suggested applying kingpin locks on trailers. He highlighted crime prevention through environmental design. This includes well-lit yards, trimmed back trees, accessibility card readers at barriers, licence plate readers and visual deterrents.
Some thieves are desperate and will crash through fences or barriers. Grabovica said that tiger teeth barriers that shred tires if a vehicle is driven in the wrong direction are very effective.
Posted signs informing would-be thieves that they are being watched also help. Speakers can also be used by security personnel monitoring the site to ward off criminals.
Vetting employees
Both O’Connor and Hinsperger advised vetting of employees. Consider background checks on those who handle sensitive data and have access to high-value equipment and freight.
And make sure you don’t set the cat among the pigeons by hiring a criminal masquerading as a security professional, Grabovica warned. Check references and backgrounds, he advised.
Despite these measures, thefts still occur, but it is not all doom and gloom. Peel police’s O’Connor said that in 2023, 76% of stolen tractors and 70% of trailers were recovered. In 2024, recovery rate for tractors was 68% and 70% for trailers. This year it’s sitting at 63% for tractors and 50% for trailers.
Peel police cracked an organized commercial vehicle theft ring in July and charged three men. Another was arrested and charged after police found six trailers that had been re-VINned at an outdoor storage facility.
Install tracking devices
O’Connor said that owners can help law enforcement by installing aftermarket fleet tracking devices in their equipment. Hinsperger agreed, suggesting that these should be inserted in freight as well.
For refrigerated cargo, Hinsperger said that temperature monitoring software can help pinpoint fluctuations that could reveal stops and potential theft situations. If the unit has a GPS device, it will show the location of the irregular stop.
Hinsperger added, “As soon as we think of something to prevent theft, somebody’s invented something else that’s going to defeat that, whatever the locking mechanism is.”
As this real-life cat-and-mouse situation unfolds daily, with millions of dollars on the line, equipment owners must keep upgrading their security to secure their equipment.
As the saying goes, you are only as strong as your weakest link.
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