The Challenge
In 2022, the surge in train robberies in downtown Los Angeles posed a significant threat, registering a disconcerting 160% year-over-year increase in incidents, according to rail operator Union Pacific. Over 90 shipping containers were compromised daily due to easy-to-bust locks and reduced security staff on the rails. Compounding the issue is the lenient stance of LA County, which allowed for repeated crimes by the same criminals.
Given this situation, during routine monitoring, the Morrison Express team noticed an increase in attempted break-ins for our client, a multinational leader in GPS technology for the transportation, outdoor, and fitness sectors. We had to act swiftly as our client had weekly shipments through rail and could not afford further risks. Morrison Express took charge to help our client defend their cargo and prevent any further losses.
The Solution
To help our clients develop the most effective solution, the Morrison team needed to understand how these robberies were happening, and so embarked on a thorough investigation, working together with Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and local law enforcement. Our team reviewed a multitude of surveillance footage to pinpoint the theft locations and the time allowed for the break-ins and assessed the vulnerabilities along the transportation journey.
Our analysis of the situation made us understand that the thieves have a minimal timeframe to break into the containers. Therefore, strengthening the security of the containers would increase the difficulty and time needed to break in. This approach would be the most effective in deterring the breaches.
The Morrison team started sourcing security equipment to secure the containers at multiple points on the door. We conducted breakthrough tests with power tools on every available lock in the market, from container seals to padlocks and keyless locks, to determine their durability and the time it would take to break in. We ultimately chose one that needed a longer time than the thieves had to break in with the most advanced tools yet was cost-effective. In addition to the locks, we added enhanced monitoring devices as a final layer of security. These were installed on the containers and would be triggered if there was abnormal activity, alerting law enforcement to provide them with the exact incident location.
Within a few weeks, the Morrison team implemented this solution across all shipments by conducting comprehensive training sessions for the client, imparting the necessary know-how to deploy the security locks and monitoring protocols.
The Result
The implementation of the strengthened security measures proved effective – there have been no successful thefts since the introduction of the security equipment. There has been evidence of attempted break-ins, but the strategic placement of the durable security barriers on the containers prolonged the process and deterred any successful thefts. This holistic solution was also within our client’s budget, as we could source effective yet economical equipment that did not significantly impact their overall logistics spending. Morrison’s strategic solution safeguarded our client’s cargo to prevent further losses and set a benchmark for proactive and effective security solutions in challenging environments.
