In 2024 alone, the value of goods stolen from trucks in the UK alone exceeded 111 million pounds — an increase of 66% compared to the previous year. Since 2020, total losses have reached a billion pounds. Across Europe, TAPA EMEA data is equally alarming: annual losses related to thefts in road transport amount to as much as 8.2 billion euros, and in 2023, over 50,000 such incidents were reported.
The nature of crimes is also changing. It is no longer just occasional break-ins, but complex operations carried out by criminal groups, often involving company employees and using advanced digital tools.
Cybercrime: a new battlefield for security
CEVA Logistics experts warn that by 2025, 45% of companies may experience cyberattacks on supply chain management software. Criminals use phishing, fake carrier profiles, malicious software, and identity theft to seize data and manipulate operations.
The most dangerous are ransomware attacks, data breaches, and digital identity theft, which not only cause financial losses but also undermine trust in companies and destabilize logistics operations.
New tactics: AI-supported thefts and internal collusions
A new phenomenon is the use of artificial intelligence to impersonate carriers, manipulate data, and plan operations to seize loads. Furthermore, criminals increasingly involve company employees in collusions — whether through intimidation or bribery. This happens both in transport and warehouses.
For example, criminals impersonate legitimate companies on transport platforms, using stolen login data to redirect deliveries for their own use. Combined with actions “inside” the company, this creates a hybrid threat, which is exceptionally difficult to detect and stop.
The combination of digital and physical tactics is likely to intensify, requiring logistics industry specialists to use integrated security systems and proactive threat monitoring – says Ryan McInerney, Head of Security UK, Ireland, Nordics & Benelux at CEVA Logistics.
Weak links: lack of secure parking and inconsistent standards
Physical weaknesses in the supply chain remain an issue as well – such as the lack of secure, monitored parking. Overnight stops in isolated and unlit places are still a daily reality for many drivers, especially those working for smaller companies. These are ideal conditions for the theft of high-value loads..
Simultaneously, global operations are hindered by a lack of consistent security standards, legal discrepancies, and weak enforcement of regulations in some countries.
How to defend? Three pillars of security according to CEVA
CEVA experts point to three fundamental actions that should be implemented in every logistics company:
- Risk Assessment – both in the physical area (warehouses, transport) and digital (IT systems).
- Collaboration with Law Enforcement and Industry Partners – direct contact channels, information exchange, participation in working groups.
- Investments in Operational Security – secure parking, verification of contractors and subcontractors, as well as GPS monitoring and geofencing.
In addition, technologies such as AI-based systems, real-time monitoring, and digital platforms with built-in carrier verification are essential. For example, CEVA uses Open Source Intelligence tools to predict threats based on open source data.
Combining cybercrime with traditional methods of operation requires logistics specialists to adopt a multi-level approach to security – emphasizes Ann-Marie McLeavy, Regional Security Head Europe at CEVA Logistics.
The foundation of responsibility culture
One of the key elements in building organizational resilience is promoting a culture of responsibility among employees. This includes:
- rigorous access controls,
- security training,
- anonymous abuse reporting channels.
Combined with active cooperation with the police and state services, this creates an integrated crime prevention system – both digital and traditional.
In the era of digital logistics, supply chain security requires more than just locks and surveillance. It is a combination of technology, people, processes, and partnerships that must be constantly developed and updated. Companies that ignore threats, especially those growing in the digital world, risk not only financial losses but also losing reputation and customer trust.
