Hidden GPS device thwarts pharma cargo theft

Technology came to the aid of one drugmaker late last month, after a portable GPS tracking device featured in the recovery of a stolen pharmaceutical shipment.

The 'last mile' robbery took place from the parking lot of a retail facility on April 28, but was picked up quickly when a covert device, hidden in a pill bottle, alerted the facility's management that part of the shipment was no longer in the right location. Within a very short time, the thief was detained and placed under arrest, and all the stolen product was recovered intact.

The Geo F1 Tracker unit used in the incident is the smallest wireless covert tracking device available, a little longer than a large paperclip, and was installed for the retailer by security consultancy Freightwatch. The device uses a combination of GPS and cellular network signals, and works outdoors, indoors and through secure containers, according to the firm.

"Recoveries such as this demonstrate that covert tracking and logistics security solutions work to protect assets and prevent cargo theft," commented Barry Conlon, chief executive of FreightWatch.