IBC says cargo theft reporting program pays dividends

TORONTO, Ont.–After a recent police raid, Insurance Bureau of Canada’s (IBC’s) cargo theft reporting program helped police to identify the owners of approximately $1.4 million in stolen property – the result of 15 separate cargo load thefts over the past several months, it announced. 

The IBC cargo theft reporting database – the heart of the reporting program – facilitated communication between insurance companies and law enforcement regarding the return of the goods, Garry Robertson, IBC’s National Director of Investigative Services, said.

“This is an excellent example of the effectiveness of our process. With the help of IBC’s program, police were able to quickly identify the source of the stolen goods and return them to their rightful owners,” he said.

 IBC recently expanded its cargo theft reporting program nationwide. The program, administered in conjunction with the Canadian Trucking Alliance and supported by law enforcement, is aimed at fighting the rapidly escalating crime that is costing Canadians up to $5 billion a year and is a significant problem in transportation hubs in southern Ontario, Vancouver and Montreal.

Through the program, all property and casualty insurers in Canada, as well as trucking association members, can report cargo thefts online directly to IBC. IBC acts as a clearing house for cargo theft data, and collects, analyzes and shares information with a national network of law enforcement partners including Canadian and American border agencies.

“The bottom line is that this process will help prevent crimes and lead to faster turnaround of recovered stolen goods and prosecution of cargo theft criminals,” added Robertson.

IBC also urges citizens to report cargo theft. Anyone witnessing a crime should immediately call the local police. Anyone with general information that would assist in combating cargo theft can call IBC’s confidential 1-877-IBC-TIPS line (1-877-422-8477) or go to http://www.ibc.ca/en/insurance_crime/Report_Insurance_Crime.asp