NCJ Number
17788
Date Published
1974
Length
47 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DOCUMENTS THE RESULTS OF A COMPANY-INITIATED CARGO SECURITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO COUNTER CARGO THEFTS AND LOSSES AT THE ERIE LACKAWANNA (EL) CROXTON PIGGYBANK RAILYARD IN JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.
Abstract
THE STEPS TAKEN TO OVERCOME THE PIGGYBACK RELATED THEFT PROBLEMS AT THE CROXTON YARD ARE OUTLINED. (A 'PIGGYBACK' IS A TRAILER DESIGNED FOR OVER-THE-ROAD OR RAIL MOVEMENT). THIS REPORT DISCUSSES THE PROGRAM IN RELATION TO THREE OPERATIONAL SEGMENTS - THE PRETEST PERIOD PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OPERATIONAL ELECTRONIC SECURITY SYSTEM, THE SECURITY SYSTEM TEST PERIOD, AND THE POST-TEST PERIOD, DURING WHICH THE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS TEMPORARILY DISMANTLED TO UPGRADE PHYSICAL SECURITY AND OPERATIONAL LAYOUTS WITHIN THE RAIL YARD. DURING THE SECURITY SYSTEM TEST PERIOD, ADVANCED ELECTRONIC SUBSYSTEMS PROVIDED AUTOMATIC SURVEILLANCE OF UP TO TEN PARKED TRAILERS LOADED WITH HIGH-VALUE, HIGH-RISK CARGOES. THIS SYSTEM WAS INTEGRATED WITH EXISTING RAILYARD POLICE FUNCTIONS AND PHYSICAL FACILITIES. PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THEFTS AND LOSSES FOR COMPARABLE PERIODS PRIOR TO AND AFTER ELECTRONIC SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION. A 95 PER CENT REDUCTION IN ACTUAL DOLLAR LOSSES AND A 78 PER CENT DECREASE IN THEFT OFFENSES WERE EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT OF PROGRAM, AS WELL AS AN OVERALL REVENUE INCREASE OF 24 PER CENT. RESEARCHERS SUGGEST THAT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION ARE VITAL TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SUCCESSFUL CARGO THEFT AND LOSS REDUCTION EFFORT, THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A DOLLAR SUMMARY OF CROXTON THEFT LOSSES DURING THE PRETEST, TEST, AND POST-TEST PERIODS.