MARCH 2019
Criminal Activity Against Southern California Pallet Companies Has Declined
C Montes of G.O. Pallets, who spoke recently with Western Pallet Magazine. “Ever since the burglary ring was busted last year at Garcia Woodworks, we haven’t had anymore issues,” he said.
In October 2018, a night watchman for Garcia Woodworks in Fontana was pistol whipped and tied by three intruders who stole a tractor trailer loaded with 1,400 pallets. They were apprehended by police unloading at another yard.
From 2012 through to about 2017, Montes said, pallet companies in and around the Fontana area were being hit by a triple whammy of arson, zoning pressure from Fontana as well as other jurisdictions, and increased theft.
With increased knowledge, criminal activity has decreased. “Once they started finding out that these things were going on, then they started to refuse the loads that were stolen. Things have been better in our area.
Pallet companies took steps to defend their businesses. “A lot of us brought in security,” he said. “We recommend having professional security that is licensed and insured to protect your business. These thieves are very clever. They use heavy duty tools to bust locks, or they carry master keys to steal trucks.” Businesses started tracking criminal activity, and identified that a lot of the events were taking place on weekends, at night, and around holidays. The use of security cameras has helped prove to law enforcement that companies have been victims of arson.
“Pay attention particularly to the back of the business, the lonelier parts of your yard tend to be the chosen areas for arson,” Montes advised. “The same thing with breaking into trucks.”
In response to the criminal activity, a network of pallet companies was established. Called the North American Pallet Association, the group sends out information via text messaging to alert companies of incidents so that they can be better prepared. It has about 31 member companies and a network of over 100 pallet companies “stretching from San Diego to Las Vegas.”
Criminal activity against California pallet companies has decreased in recent months, according to Edgar Montes of WPA-member G.O. Pallets, who spoke recently with Western Pallet Magazine. “Ever since the burglary ring was busted last year at Garcia Woodworks, we haven’t had anymore issues,” he said.
In October 2018, a night watchman for Garcia Woodworks in Fontana was pistol whipped and tied by three intruders who stole a tractor trailer loaded with 1,400 pallets. They were apprehended by police unloading at another yard.
From 2012 through to about 2017, Montes said, pallet companies in and around the Fontana area were being hit by a triple whammy of arson, zoning pressure from Fontana as well as other jurisdictions, and increased theft. With greater awareness and shared knowledge, criminal activity has decreased. “Once they (pallet companies) started finding out that these things were going on, then they started to refuse the loads that were stolen.
Pallet operators took steps to defend their businesses. “A lot of us brought in security,” he said. “We recommend having professional security that is licensed and insured to protect your business. These thieves are very clever. They use heavy duty tools to bust locks, or they carry master keys to steal trucks.” Businesses started tracking criminal activity, and identified that a lot of the events were taking place on weekends, at night, and around holidays. The use of security cameras has helped prove to law enforcement that companies have been victims of arson.
“Pay attention particularly to the back of the business, the lonelier parts of your yard tend to be the chosen areas for arson,” Montes advised. “The same thing with breaking into trucks.”
In response to the criminal activity, a network of pallet companies was established. Called the North American Pallet Association, the group sends out information via text messaging to alert companies of incidents so that they can be better prepared. It has about 31 member companies and a network of over 100 pallet companies “stretching from San Diego to Las Vegas.”