German transport insurers report a significant increase in stolen goods – with thieves targeting electronic devices as well as chemical and pharmaceutical products.
Every 20 minutes, goods are stolen from a truck, according to a study from the German Insurance Association (GDV), which randomly analyzed 1,007 insured cargo thefts from 2017 to 2022.
“In the case of chemical and pharmaceutical products, the criminals are apparently reacting to the global supply bottlenecks for these products, which they can presumably sell on the black market at high prices,” said Jörg Asmussen, managing director of the German Insurance Association (GDV) in a statement.
Global supply bottlenecks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have made some products scarce – and correspondingly in demand, which also attracts criminals, the GDV analysis said.
Before the start of the pandemic, there were few reports of the theft of chemical and pharmaceutical products but in 2022 they accounted for 7% of thefts, GDV said, adding that the proportion of stolen electronic devices rose from 12% to almost 20% between 2017 and 2022.
During the same period, the theft of textiles and cigarettes fell significantly, GDV noted.
According to joint estimates by the GDV and several German trade associations, cargo from almost 26,000 trucks is stolen every year, which means that, statistically, criminals strike every 20 minutes.
The goods stolen annually alone are worth 1.3 billion euros (US$1.4 billion), GDV said, noting that further damages of 900 million euros ($981.2 million) are caused by contractual penalties for delivery delays, repair costs as well as loss of sales and production losses among customers.
The GDV and other trade associations are calling for transport logistics to be improved in view of the continuing high level of damage.
“We need higher safety standards, investments in the safety technology of trucks and trailers, and more secure truck parking spaces,” Asmussen said.
The German trade associations are calling on German authorities to provide more support by increasing the pressure to investigate the international and professional criminal organizations.
The police must be present more frequently at motorway rest areas, and specialized police units and specialized public prosecutor’s offices should also be able to more easily prosecute perpetrators across borders, the GDV said.
Source: German Insurance Association (GDV)
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