Transport & Logistics

Over 3,000 incidents of UK road freight crime every year*

With UK road freight crime running at over 3,000 incidents per year and indications that organised criminals are more than willing to use violence*, the risk to drivers is all too real.  Given the high value of the goods that they are often carrying, the intent to steal the vehicle or its contents is putting drivers at risk of ambush and hijacking.

Of these incidents there were 86 hijackings and a similar number of deceptions where the driver is deceived into taking the load to somewhere where it could be stolen.  This small number of crimes that directly involve the driver is misleading of the larger majority of thefts that generally relate to situations where the load is the responsibility of a lone individual who becomes increasingly vulnerable.

Transport and logistics workers at risk include...

• Freight drivers
• Depot security staff
• Depot loading staff
• Store unloading workers

SoloProtect benefits for the logistics sector

• Identicom provides a means by which logistics staff, whether drivers or depot based, can safely and discreetly raise an alarm without putting themselves at further risk of attack.
• Based on mobile phone technology, Identicom is worn by the driver and will work whether they are in their vehicle or outside of it.
• When a red alert is raised an audio channel is opened that will be recorded and can be used both to assess the severity of the incident or for later recourse in law.
• Workers have access to SoloProtect's 24 hour manned monitoring centre at the press of a button.  Trained staff will manage the response to the incident whether calling for police, or other, backup or simply recording the audio channel.
• Identicom provides a method by which to record their location when parking up for the night or visiting a store.  This enables a quick and accurate location fix to be obtained if an alarm is subsequently raised.
• Employers benefit from SoloProtect's expert analysis of the usage of each of their Identicom units and regular reports that proactively advise on how to improve effective use of the service.
• Management reports are in addition to professional training ensuring that workers are familiar with the operation of Identicom and the service available from SoloProtect.

* Source: Truckpol Annual Report, 2005