9 Ways to Stay Ahead of CPC Thieves

During the microchip shortage, thieves frequently targeted Freightliner trucks, stealing common powertrain controller (CPC) modules that sold for up to $9,000 on the black market. Despite selling for just hundreds of dollars today, thieves continue to steal CPCs, which they’ve found to be easy targets, causing a steady stream of disruptions and losses for dealers, fleet owners and operators, and their customers.

For fleet operators, CPC theft can happen quickly and have long-lasting consequences, as commercial trucks are rendered inoperable until a replacement can be found and installed.

Recently, a Midwest fleet learned firsthand how quickly CPC thieves can strike. Thieves stole 24 CPCs within 30 minutes from Freightliners parked in a secure yard overnight. In that time, thieves gained access to the yard, broke into the cabs, unscrewed the CPCs and snipped their harnesses. In July, thieves returned. But this time, they got away with just eight CPCs within an hour due to efforts the fleet owners had taken to prevent CPC theft.

Armed with the right prevention tools, resources and ingenuity, fleet owners can mitigate and prevent CPC theft.

CPCs cost big to replace or buy back if stolen

A CPC is about the size of a VHS tape, and thieves know to find them in the cab of the truck, within the dash secured with four screws, and can swipe them often in under a minute. The CPC can then be reprogrammed and resold on the black market.

Replacing a CPC module is costly and time-consuming. It can cost $2,500 for a new one if you have an established relationship with a manufacturer and another $500 for programming. If you don’t, it can cost $4,500 plus programming. If a CPC is stolen while a driver is traveling over the road, it can result in towing fees upwards of $4,000.

Currently, some truck owners are buying their stolen CPCs back for $350 to $500 on the black market, a less costly and time-consuming method to get their trucks back on the road. But that also encourages repeat thefts.

There are other indirect costs:

Loss of business income. Unable to work, fill orders
Damaging relationships with clients
Unpaid drivers
Costly repair/replacement costs

Best practices for safeguarding your CPCs

Creating layers of prevention is your best defense against CPC theft. Here are nine ways to stay ahead of CPC thieves:

Relocate CPCs: CPCs can be moved to another location within the cab, making it take longer to identify their whereabouts.
Secure them better: Consider further securing the dashboard, popping rivets in place so it can’t be removed with a simple screwdriver.
Place identifying features and track CPCs: Consider a tracking device or painting your CPCs a unique color to help identify your products should they be stolen.
Bolster on-site physical security: Place trip wires around fencing that triggers lights and sirens. Have overnight dispatchers or off-site security monitor cameras for activity.
Password protection: This will prevent it from being easily reprogrammed for resale on the black market, potentially deterring future thefts.
Remove CPCs when not in use: This is a surefire way to prevent theft. Mount the CPC in a bracket outside the dash. Use a quick-connect system to enable a driver to remove the CPC and take it with when the truck sits idle.
Add a harness: A durable, quick-release harness enables drivers to install and remove a CPC within seconds without damaging the OEM harness. The anti-theft solution costs $500 and includes a carry case and “No CPC inside” stickers to place on cab windows, deterring break-ins. It’s available for CPC4 and CPC5 modules.
Report thefts: Report stolen CPCs to both law enforcement and Daimler Truck’s helpline, 800-385-4357. Daimler dealers, customers and repair facilities can then cross reference vehicle ID numbers from CPCs brought in for reinstallation against the company’s database of CPCs to ensure the CPC hasn’t been stolen.

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CPC Theft Mitigation Strategy Checklist

Common powertrain controller (CPC) theft remains a persistent problem in the trucking industry. You can deter theft from your trucks by following these best practices.

Bolster on-site physical security where trucks sit idle
Relocate/hide CPCs within your trucks
Better secure CPCs with metal housing/rivets
Place tracking devices on your CPCs
Place unique identifiers on your CPCs to aid in recovery
Password-protect your CPCs to prevent reprogramming
Use a quick-connect system to remove CPCs from trucks when idle
Report CPC theft to law enforcement and OEMs