Miami Freight & Cargo: Meeting on Theft

March 18th, 2009

As the economy deteriorates and rumors of a recession are upon us, South Florida sees an increase of crime and theft related incidents. Unfortunately, there is a direct negative correlation between the economy and crime, therefore when the economy does poorly, crime and burglaries surge. This is exactly the topic that was addressed at the emergency Florida Cargo Brokers & Forwarders Association (FCBF) meeting on March 18, 2009 as many of the top Freight Forwarders and Brokers of South Florida united to discuss these issues and possible ways to prevent the damage.

http://www.fcbf.com/

ComReal's Ed Redlich were present at the event to share with the group some thoughts and recent episodes that were noted in the area to make members aware of the incidents in their community. “It’s not just cargo and inventory that is a target” states ComReal’s Ed Redlich. “Thieves are also targeting empty warehouses to steal the copper wiring, appliances, hardware, etc. I know of four vacant Miami warehouses all over 50,000 sq. ft. that have recently been vandalized. With over 25,000,000 sq. ft. vacant in Miami there is a lot for criminals to target.”
The Mahoney team, Brian and Donald were there (two expert consultants in warehouse security) as panelists, to speak to the members about several ways to prevent or safeguard your facility from these attacks. They were kind enough to share different methods that thieves are using to breaking and entering.

• Burglars will trigger alarms falsely to test the system and gauge response time
• They might use sledge hammers, crowbars, or any object to gain access to a space.
• They have several people on the look out to tip them if the cops come
• They might be a third party using the warehouse who knows the type of inventory that is in the warehouse and the appropriate time to break-in
• There are several things that thiefs could do easily alter the locks and bolts on the container doors to break the safety seals and gain access to merchandise

Prevention Methods for Companies:

• If you have extra inventory or loads consider hiring extra security guards
• Try not to leave loaded containers outside over the weekend
• Do not leave empty containers overnight as they can be used as a protective shield to block the view
• Make sure to change your alarm code every couple of months
• Only give access to codes to senior management and people in the organization that are trustworthy
• Try not to give access to the space to third parties who might leak information to thieves
• Train your personnel to inspect containers before accepting the cargo and check the seals on that containers
• Try to follow CT-PAT procedures if possible

If you operate your own Miami warehouse and are concerned about its security, please consider Beacon at 97th Avenue Business Park in Doral. This park consists of a total of 400,000 sq. ft. of Class A Doral warehouse space. This high-security facility is guarded 24/7/365, completely fenced, gated, alarmed and video surveillanced. For details, please visit http://www.beacon97.com/.

Everyone present was more than willing to share information and exchange stories. Drastic times call for drastic measures and this is why companies and owners should be extra vigilant and strict when it comes to safety and prevention of theft. ComReal is honored to be a member of the FCBF and happy to be involved in an organization that has accomplished 50 years of excellence in Florida serving our businesses and communities. For more information visit http://www.fcbf.com/ and/or http://www.comrealmiami.com/.