26


CRIME HOTSPOT


BARCELONA - ROLLING THE DICE WITH LAST MILE DELIVERIES


With Last Mile cargo thefts a growing concern for Manufacturers and Logistics Service Providers, Vigilant takes a closer look at the challenges for businesses operating in Barcelona, one of Europe’s hotspots for these types of criminal attacks, and summarises the key outputs from Risk Intelligence’s latest webinar on this topic, which included input from TAPA EMEA’s Executive Director, Laurence Brown, to help avoid Last Mile cargo thefts in one of Europe’s least secure cities.


Barcelona is a cargo theft hotspot and one of the worst affected regions in Spain. With 70 Last Mile delivery thefts in the last year and numerous incidents at motorway services and industrial areas on the outskirts of the city, the problem is likely to continue. So why Barcelona?


When looking at Last Mile delivery theft, Barcelona can be considered a ‘target rich environment’. Heavy traffic and narrow streets provide criminals with numerous opportunities to identify, follow or ambush vehicles making Last Mile deliveries. Motorway service areas on arterial routes around the city also provide plenty of targets for roving cargo theft gangs.


Barcelona – the threat


The main M.O. of cargo thieves outside Barcelona city is tarpaulin-cutting of soft-sided trailers, with most incidents occurring when trucks are parked in unsecured parking areas. The theft of entire trucks and their cargo has also occurred in some incidents.


In Barcelona itself, the main threat is Last Mile delivery thefts, where goods are taken from vans whilst drivers are making deliveries. Much of this is relatively low-level organised crime. Although the groups themselves can be relatively large, they are not believed to be linked to major crime syndicates or criminal networks.


The three threat actor parameters


At Risk Intelligence, we evaluate and analyse the threat actor, in this case the cargo thieves, based on three parameters;


intent, capability, and opportunity. Intent is the goal the adversary wants


to achieve. Capability is the ability of the adversary to


successfully breach security measures and fulfil their intent, and Opportunity relates to the


conditions in the wider environment


and the nature of the target vulnerabilities, (physical and operational) that can be exploited by the adversary.


Threat actor intent


As with all cargo thefts, local criminals target Last Mile shipments because


they see it as a relatively easy way to make money. They prefer to steal high value or in-demand products over low cost items or those that are difficult to sell. Perpetrators will try to avoid a confrontation with the driver. Sentences for theft are usually minor, but this quickly changes in the case of robberies involving the threat or use of violence as police forces are more likely to prioritise crimes that endanger people.


Threat actor capability


To breach a truck/trailer or other delivery vehicle requires simple breaching tools - crowbars, bolt cutters, utility knifes etc, which can be bought in any hardware store. Obtaining vehicles (stolen or otherwise), to escape the scene and transport cargo is also easy for most criminals. It does not require a high degree of tradecraft to breach a vehicle. Some skill and efficiency is needed to steal cargo undetected but, again, this requires little technical expertise.


Barcelona facts: • 5th most populous area in EU


• Population of 1.6 million - further 4.8 million living within greater area


• Highest density of cars in EU - 500,000 vehicles transit daily


• 15 million e-commerce deliveries a year - responsible for 20% of city traffic congestion


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32