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Warehouses and distribution centres form the backbone of the UK’s supply chain, ensuring goods move efficiently from manufacturers to markets. However, in 2024 and 2025, reports of warehouse crime should cause concern for those in charge of site security.

Warehousing and logistics hubs have become prime targets for criminal activity, threatening to disrupt operations and commerce on an unprecedented scale. 

Organised crime groups and opportunistic thieves alike are zeroing in on warehouses for the high-value stock and equipment inside. All in all this poses a significant risk to the security of warehouses and logistics depots across the UK. 

What you will learn

  • The types of crimes impacting UK warehousing and logistics operations
  • How organised crime groups target high-value stock and goods
  • The rise in employee theft and distribution fraud in logistics
  • The operational impact of warehouse crime on supply chains
  • How to protect warehouses with layered, modern security systems

Warehouse crime report: Table of contents


Is warehouse crime an issue in the UK & Europe?

From massive thefts of goods to brazen break-ins and even violent attacks on freight, the risks to warehouse operations have spiked. 

In fact, a recent logistics report found that warehouses were the most common hotspot for freight crime, accounting for 41% of recorded cargo theft incidents in Europe

Throughout the following sections of this guide to warehouse crime, we explore notable incidents impacting UK warehouse operations in 2024–2025. As we go, we also examine the security and operational implications of these threats.


A surge in targeted warehouse incidents

Several indicators point to a surge in crimes affecting warehouses and distribution facilities:

Record Cargo Theft Levels: The scale of theft from warehouses and supply chains has reached record highs. In 2023 alone, the UK’s National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service recorded 5,373 cargo theft cases, totalling an estimated £68 million in stolen goods.

Such incidents, though rare, demonstrate the importance of advanced security, including the installation of specialist warehouse CCTV systems, to mitigate not just theft but intentional damage.

These figures include major warehouse heists and thefts from trucks destined for warehouses. The trend only worsened moving into 2024. In July 2024, there were 620 recorded cargo theft incidents in the UK – a 58% increase over the previous peak month (February 2024)

Such statistics illustrate how criminals are ramping up operations, exploiting any weaknesses in storage and transit.


Organised criminal networks

A significant portion of warehouse crime is driven by organised networks that treat cargo theft as a highly profitable enterprise. These groups are often well-equipped and strategically plan their strikes. 

They may use tactics like surveillance of warehouse schedules, cloning of vehicle plates, and insider information to time their hits. 


Organised warehouse crime example

For example, a West Midlands investigation in 2024 uncovered a five-man gang responsible for a £2.6 million spree of burglaries targeting warehouses and businesses

This professional gang spent hours on site during each raid, using heavy-duty machinery and even the victims’ own forklifts and vehicles to steal metal stock and goods in bulk

They went to great lengths to avoid detection, employing multiple getaway trucks with cloned plates and rotating through 17 different mobile phones to evade police tracking

In many cases, organised thieves focus on warehouses holding high-value items (electronics, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, luxury goods) or commodities that can be quickly resold on the illegal market.


Inside jobs & fraudulent pickups

Not all threats come from forced entry. 

Warehouses also face risks from insider theft and sophisticated fraud schemes. 


Examples of ‘insider’ crimes impacting warehousing & logistics firms

In some instances, employees or contractors have abused access to siphon off products over time. (For example, two UK warehouse store employees were caught stealing merchandise 74 times over nine months, exploiting their positions to slip goods out undetected – causing thousands in losses

Additionally, a form of fraud known as “distribution fraud” has hit the sector, where criminals pose as legitimate businesses to arrange pickups of goods that are never delivered. In one case, thieves used fake credentials to divert trucks carrying £450,000 worth of solar panels to an unauthorised warehouse, then disappeared with the shipment. Although this was back in 2021, it’s worthwhile mentioning. Particularly the risk to solar farm security, where panels, wiring and equipment are pilfered. 

Such swindles illustrate that warehouses must be vigilant not only about break-ins but also about verifying the legitimacy of those who request or collect goods.


Violence & threats to staff

While much warehouse crime happens after-hours or by stealth, there is a growing concern about violent incidents tied to cargo theft. Truck drivers have been assaulted during hijackings, and warehouse guards or staff could be confronted by burglars. 

Industry reports note that “stories of violence against drivers and theft of goods are, regrettably, becoming more mainstream.


The Freight Crime Bill – will it reduce cargo theft & warehouse crime?

The proposed Freight Crime Bill in Parliament (tabled in March 2025) explicitly cites the need to address assaults on hauliers and logistics staff as well as the theft of cargo.

In the retail warehousing context, the British Retail Consortium found incidents of violence and abuse against workers soared by over 50% from the previous year, to more than 2,000 per day.

All in all, this is a statistic that, while focused on the retail part of supply chain stores, underscores the atmosphere of brazenness that could spill into warehouse robberies. Any such incident at a warehouse can traumatize employees and create a climate of fear.


Further notable crime impacting warehousing & logistics firms from 2024–2025

In this section on this overview of warehouse crime, we take a look at some specific incidents during 2024 and 2025. 


West Midlands “Sticky Bandits” crime spree

Over the 2022–2023 holiday period, a gang in the West Midlands executed a series of ten warehouse and factory burglaries across multiple counties. 

The thieves stole massive quantities of metal stock and machinery, even lifting entire vehicles and industrial equipment from the premises

The aftermath was devastating. The total haul of materials and vehicles stolen was valued at £1.6 million. And, to make matters worse, the criminals left a trail of damage, estimated at £200,000 in broken buildings and equipment. 

One burglarised warehouse found that by the time they restocked inventory and fixed damaged loading docks, they had lost weeks of revenue. Furthermore, some customer orders could not be met, resulting in cancelled contracts. Police eventually caught the gang (who arrogantly dubbed themselves the “Sticky Bandits,” even filming their exploits)


Pharmaceutical warehouse heist

In mid-2024, a pharmaceutical distribution warehouse in the South East suffered a significant threat in an overnight raid. Thieves cut through the perimeter fence and used a thermal lance to breach the warehouse wall, avoiding alarms on doors. 

They stole a large quantity of medical supplies, including high-value drugs. The immediate loss of inventory totalled over £5 million.

More critically, some of the stolen medicines were temperature-sensitive. Consequently, in the hands of thieves without proper storage, the medicine becomes spoiled and unsafe. 

In another case in 2023, a warehouse worker stole £500,000 of drugs from a pharma warehouse in Bedfordshire.


Food & drink supply theft

In a somewhat unusual incident, an organised group targeted a food distributor’s warehouse in late 2024.

In summary, they targeted premium consumables, and the criminals stole several pallets of gourmet cheese and fine wine. Altogether, totalling over £100k in value. 

While it sounds almost comical, the case underscored organised crime’s interest in all sorts of goods. A BBC report on underground-economy food crimes noted that thieves have even hijacked freight lorries carrying groceries and stolen items like expensive cheese by the ton.

Related reading


Arson & sabotage at a warehouse facility

While less common than theft, arson is another crime that can devastate warehouse operations. A high-profile example occurred in March 2024, when an East London warehouse was deliberately set ablaze in a suspected sabotage linked to foreign actors

The warehouse, which stored charitable aid and commercial goods, burned extensively, requiring 60 firefighters to extinguish the flames.

Investigators later revealed it was an act of aggravated arson for the benefit of a foreign power – essentially a politically motivated attack.

The immediate operational impact was obvious: the warehouse was completely shut down, inventory was destroyed, and three adjacent businesses on the industrial estate were also affected by smoke and water damage. Warehouses that hold strategic or sensitive goods might especially take note of this risk.


Operational and security implications for businesses

The above incidents shed light on the wide-ranging impacts warehouse crimes have on companies and supply chains:

Financial losses for warehouse companies & impact on insurance

The direct value of stolen goods can be immense – a single large warehouse burglary can rob a business of millions in inventory. Even when insured, companies often must cover deductibles, and frequent claims lead to spiking insurance premiums

The earlier mentioned, West Midlands burglary spree, for example, left victims not only short of £1.6m in assets but also facing long-term higher insurance costs and the need to understand and install the best surveillance systems for warehousing firms they can afford. 

For smaller businesses, a big loss could threaten solvency; for larger ones, it still dents the bottom line and ties up capital in replenishing stock.


Operational downtime and disruption

After a major security breach, until damage is repaired and security is improved, warehouses often cannot function normally. This can mean missed shipping deadlines, backlogged orders, and unhappy customers. 

In the pharmaceutical case mentioned, a 48-hour halt meant a delay to critical medicines reaching customers, illustrating how even short disruptions can have cascading effects.

A manufacturing sector analysis emphasized that theft-related delays “severely impact production schedules and hinder business operations”, leading to customer dissatisfaction and reputational damage


Safety risks to employees

Crimes like break-ins can put warehouse staff in danger, especially if they occur during operating hours or if employees encounter perpetrators. Drivers forced off the road by hijackers, or night shift workers surprised by intruders, face trauma or injury. 

Moreover, criminals’ methods (e.g., cutting through roofs or using torches) can leave hazardous situations behind – sharp metal edges and potential fire risks. 


Broader supply chain vulnerabilities

Warehouses do not operate in isolation. A successful hit on a major distribution centre can have knock-on effects across the supply chain.

For example, retailers might find shelves empty if a regional depot is cleaned out.

Manufacturers could halt production if raw materials in a storage facility are stolen. The interconnected nature of logistics means one weak link – a poorly secured warehouse – can disrupt many downstream partners.

It’s telling that the UK logistics industry has quantified freight crime costing over £1 billion to the economy since 2020, a figure that reflects the aggregate impact on businesses large and small.

Recognising this, MPs have pushed for the Freight Crime Bill to step up penalties and preventative measures, highlighting that the threat to the supply chain is urgent and the government must do more to protect the logistics industry.


The need for advanced crime fighting security measures

The rash of warehouse crimes has made one thing clear: many facilities need to significantly upgrade their security posture. Basic locks and standard CCTV are no longer always enough. 

Moreover, having a solid warehouse security checklist will help identify gaps in your protective measures.

Criminals are using methods like jamming alarms, entering through unconventional entry points (roofs, walls), and even corrupting insiders. Furthermore, criminals now use drones to scope out sites, before they attack. All in all, very good reasons to invest in specialist security measures.


Examples of the systems needed to deter warehouse crime

As a result, industry experts recommend a layered security approach: 

  • Robust perimeter fencing and gates
  • 24/7 warehouse CCTV monitoring systems
  • Motion detectors and alarm systems
  • Strict access controls
  • Improved cybersecurity for inventory systems 

Technology is stepping up to help; for instance, AI-powered video analytics can detect suspicious behaviour in real time on camera feeds. Lastly, geo-fencing of trucks can alert if a vehicle deviates from its route to a warehouse. 


Protecting warehouse operations – a priority going forward

In light of the developments in 2024–2025, UK businesses must treat warehouse security as a board-level priority.

The trends are sobering warehouses are top targets for organised theft and criminals are showing no signs of slowing down. All in all, protecting warehouses, detecting and deterring crime, are major priorities.

If anything, economic pressures (inflation, high resale prices for stolen goods) and supply chain complexities have “amplified these risks,” making manufacturers and distributors more vulnerable. 

Taking action now is crucial. 

This includes both preventative measures and preparedness plans.


Warehouse crime report – conclusion

In conclusion, the recent crime incidents impacting UK warehouse operations have been a stark reminder that security cannot be an afterthought. 

The direct and indirect costs – from lost goods to halted operations and damaged reputations – are simply too high. 

The good news is that many solutions are available and, when implemented in depth, can significantly reduce a facility’s attractiveness to criminals. 

Businesses that invest in protecting their warehouses are not only safeguarding their own assets but also contributing to a more secure supply chain network across the country. 

In 2025 and beyond, warehouse security is inseparable from business continuity. Companies understanding this are better positioned to keep their goods flowing and their customers satisfied, no matter what criminals throw at them.


Related articles on warehouse security


Factors to Consider

  • High-value stock like electronics, pharma, and food attracts organised crime groups
  • Warehouses with multiple entry points or weak perimeters are more vulnerable
  • Standard CCTV is often insufficient. AI-powered CCTV monitoring is becoming essential
  • Inside jobs and fraudulent pickups make it vital to screen and track staff access
  • Facilities in industrial estates or rural zones may have slower police response times

So, that’s it, our guide to warehouse crime and other security issues impacting UK firms. Now, read through our selection of frequently asked questions and answers on the topics covered in this article.


Frequently asked questions

What are the different types of warehouse crime?

The types of warehouse related crime include external threats like theft, arson and vandalism. Additionally, internal threats include employee theft, sabotage and fraud.


Why are warehouses increasingly targeted by organised crime groups?

Warehouses store large volumes of high-value goods in relatively concentrated spaces. Many are situated in areas with limited policing or after-hours activity. As a result, this makes them attractive targets for criminals.


How do criminals gain insider knowledge about warehouse operations?

Criminals may exploit current or former employees, use surveillance tools to monitor shift patterns, or pose as contractors to gather intelligence. In some cases, they recruit staff or bribe insiders to obtain access to schedules, security layouts, or loading data.


What is ‘distribution fraud’ in the logistics industry?

Distribution fraud involves criminals pretending to be legitimate clients or drivers. They arrange to collect goods using fake credentials, then vanish with the cargo. It’s especially dangerous because no break-in occurs—fraudsters walk out with stock via the front door.


How can businesses reduce the risk of inside jobs in warehouses?

Implement background checks, tiered access control systems, and surveillance of staff-only zones. Regular inventory audits, real-time stock movement tracking, and anonymous tip lines also help catch and deter internal theft. The goal is to eliminate blind spots for internal misconduct.


What’s the best way to secure a warehouse against modern threats?

Integrated security systems are essential: combine physical barriers like gates and fencing with monitored CCTV, motion detection, and alarm systems. Use AI analytics to detect unusual behaviour and implement access control logs to track staff movements. Always review and update policies after an incident.