Freight crime in Italy has seen a significant increase, with incidents quadrupling in the last two years, according to a report by freight insurer, TT Club, which highlights that almost a third of claims have been from vehicles parked insecurely or at the roadside.

The report, co-authored with BSI SCREEN and TAPA EMEA, highlights the threat to the Italian supply chain pose chiefly by organised crime and its sophisticated theft methods. It says that Italy is seeing a rise in strategically planned cargo theft, with criminal groups employing ever more sophisticated means to infiltrate the legitimate supply chain. It adds that Italy is particularly attractive to thieves due to its well-known market of luxury and designer goods, with clothing, apparel and pharmaceuticals among the most targeted commodities.

Josh Finch, logistics risk manager at TT Club, said: “Italy is not alone in experiencing concerning increases in cargo theft. We are seeing the same trends across the board, with major highways and industrial hubs becoming key targets for criminals. The statistics clearly highlight the key issue – cargo at rest, unsecurely parked, parked on the roadside, around these main intersections, is most at risk.”

Panayiotis Laimos, standards and training support at TAPA EMEA, added: “A lack of access to safe and secure parking is a global problem, of which Italy is an acute example. At TAPA, we create standards that focus on all risks within an end-to-end supply chain risk mitigation model. We must focus on a ‘goods at rest are goods at risk’ strategy and combine people and technology on the best way.”

The report says criminals are using sophisticated means for accessing cargo, including the use of drones as a reconnaissance tool, but adds that preventative measures such as drone-disabling and secure parking technology can help to mitigate the risks.

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