Transport and Storage Crime in Switzerland

Within the field of commercial crime, goods and transport thefts are among the principal areas of activity for our Zurich investigators, who are highly experienced in gathering court-admissible evidence and identifying offenders: +41 44 5522 264.

Theft from Warehouses, Sales Floors and Transport Vehicles

In recent years, there has been a clear increase in gang-related theft offences, including break-ins during which business premises are forced open and emptied within minutes. Offenders typically target exclusive valuables (such as jewellery and watches) and high-quality electronic items (PCs, laptops, smartphones), which can be moved quickly and discreetly and then sold shortly afterwards, either to fences or online. In companies that store and/or distribute goods, perpetrators most commonly set their sights on warehouse items. Around half of all goods and transport theft cases involve the company’s own employees. Some commit office theft, usually involving low-value items such as office supplies, though more valuable equipment—monitors, laptops, power tools and other assets—may also be taken. Others, particularly warehouse staff and delivery drivers, are tempted to steal from the goods they handle daily. The reality is that theft occurs everywhere: in offices, shops, warehouses and lorries. In many cases, the damage only becomes apparent when inventory discrepancies are discovered during an audit.

If you notice signs of goods theft, you should contact our Swiss commercial investigators as soon as the first suspicion arises. In cases involving theft from sales premises, investigative methods such as test purchases, surveillance operations and video monitoring are suitable. Warehouse theft is often uncovered by placing one of our detectives undercover as an employee in the relevant department; transport thefts can usually be proven in a court-admissible manner through surveillance measures. Furthermore, searching for forensic traces and monitoring known fencing markets form part of our standard investigative procedures. When damage has occurred, swift action is essential to prevent further offences and identify the perpetrators before the stolen items disappear for good and the thief has spent the proceeds. If your business has been harmed, please contact our detective team in Switzerland for a non-binding consultation: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-schweiz.ch or +41 44 5522 264.

Extracurricular “Enterprise” – Theft and Embezzlement During Transport

The media occasionally report robberies of lorries by multiple perpetrators, yet detailed breakdowns of the circumstances are rarely provided. Organised gangs often ambush transport vehicles “to order”, meaning that a client commissions them to empty specific vehicles. Yet this is only one aspect of transport crime, as internal offenders also frequently play a significant role. Employees may collaborate with accomplices to stage fake robberies: the driver informs one or more co-offenders when he will be transporting valuable goods, in which vehicle and to which destination. The theft is then faked, and the stolen items—or the proceeds from selling them—are shared among the offenders. Our private investigators in Zurich also regularly uncover embezzlement committed by transport workers, again often in cooperation with accomplices: Driver X removes quantity Y from the goods each day and sells Y discreetly via accomplice Z.

In such scenarios, the Kurtz commercial investigation team monitors the transport vehicle to document the offences and provide court-admissible evidence against the perpetrators. At the same time, our Swiss security specialists can support you preventively in protecting your assets, business premises, office spaces and transport vehicles. We analyse your risk profile and vulnerabilities, identify security gaps and optimise your protective measures as required. We will gladly explain both our preventive and investigative services free of charge and without obligation. Please use our contact form or call us.