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MILTON KEYNES - UNITED KINGDOM


incidents happen, as the perpetrators try to create some more legroom to manoeuvre.


The threat actor is the classic: Stanley knives and getaway vehicles. Opportunity-wise, this is a gold mine. In the cases of thefts from lorries, we have public access to unsecured parking areas with little surveillance and security. Drivers often park at unsecured parking areas due to restrictions on driving hours and need for rest – at times even having to park outside warehouses for just-in-time deliveries. This is also why this type of theft happens at night when drivers are sleeping - similar to cargo crime conditions elsewhere in Europe.


There are also reports of thefts from warehouses, even though these are often secured by perimeter fencing and other types of security. So, a bit more risk taking is needed for the perpetrators to gain opportunities. But given the prospect of a high enough payday, they will take that risk. Some opportunities may be created by obtaining information on specific cargo from corrupt employees, but this is not always easy to establish on a case-by- case basis. This is also why “round-the-corner”


There are reports of perpetrators tricking drivers at warehouse locations, using social engineering methods. Drivers, for example, may be stopped outside a warehouse where a couple of people are telling them about a flood, fire or other problem, and instruct the driver to take the cargo to another warehouse or yard nearby and unload there. Then the cargo disappears. In security circles, this is commonly referred to as “round the corner theft”.


Specifically, there are several factors that make the Milton Keynes area a prime location for cargo theft:


• Home to over 14,000 businesses covering an array of sectors, including 400 head offices


• 40 business parks are located in the greater Milton Keynes area


• Major players have logistics hubs in the area (John Lewis, Coca-Cola, River Island, AG Barr, Red Bull)


• It is a major logistical hub with easy access to the Midlands and South East regions of the UK as well as Europe via the Eurotunnel and channel ports


• Milton Keynes and Northampton sit astride the M1 motorway, one of the main North/ South arterial links in the UK


This combination of factors creates a target rich environment for cargo theft criminals.


The major roads in these areas are, of course, public highways, and while most thefts from lorries happen at night, there are still usually plenty of normal life patterns – meaning other vehicles, traffic, etc. - that perpetrators can disappear into after the theft.


Turning this analysis into action is difficult. But there is a way to do it in relation to cargo theft, and that is to assess which rest areas are least affected. At Risk Intelligence, we have gathered this information in the land-based security risk module of our digital LandRisk Logistics system. Using this system, we can quickly assess individual parking areas along designated routes, and instantly see which ones are currently being targeted the most and their level of security. This helps to decide which sites to go to, and which sites to avoid for driver rest breaks.


Screenshot (satellite view) from Risk Intelligence System showing cargo theft incidents taking place in industrial parks in the Milton Keynes area.


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