Transport- and Construction Equipment Theft in Sweden

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of this thesis, is to relate the areas of crime theory and supply chain to the transport- and construction industry, by exploring factors that influence the occurrence of theft as well as factors that influence the police reporting tendency in the same industry. The thesis intends to support decision making in the transport- and construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: To fulfil the purpose a mixed-method research design is constructed. The research is based on a literature review of crime theory, sustainable supply chains, transport crime and police reporting tendency. Semi-structured interviews with representatives from the studied industry were performed to complement the research. A quantitative survey of the practitioners’ company profile, theft experiences and tendency to report crime is conducted, and a qualitative case study. A theoretical framework of theories connected to both the occurrence of theft, as well as the considerations when conducting a police report is identified in the literature and used to structure the survey and analyse the findings. Findings: The occurrence of theft is influenced by the practitioners’ workplace conditions. Security guards alone are the most efficient security measure against crime, while workplaces characterised by an urban environment are the most vulnerable to theft. Temporary workplaces are also especially vulnerable to theft, as well as fenced workplaces. A linear relationship between theft experiences and police reported thefts, was also identified. The survey shows that practitioners in the studied industry, in general, lack trust in the police and believe that more resources need to be dedicated to the investigated type of crimes. Originality/value: This thesis is providing a comprehensive review of transportand construction equipment theft in Sweden. Factors needed in order for a theft VI to occur within the industry have been identified and presented, as well as important considerations when deciding to report a theft to the police. As such, this thesis provides a foundation for future research of transport crime in the field of movement patterns, crime prediction and organised crime.