Holiday periods are known for increased risk of cargo theft because cargo thieves look to exploit an abundance of unattended trucks and closed warehouse facilities. To help preempt their activities, CargoNet® analyzed theft trends from the Thursday before Labor Day to the Wednesday after Labor Day from 2013 to 2018.
In this analysis period, CargoNet recorded 114 cargo thefts across the United States and Canada. Cargo theft activity was highest in California, Texas, New Jersey, and Florida, but theft was recorded in 24 states and provinces during this period. Cargo theft most commonly occurred on Thursday in this analysis—a shift from the Friday or Saturday we usually see. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were tied for the second most targeted days. In this analysis, 2013 had the record for the highest activity, with 29 recorded cargo thefts, but 2015 was the costliest year on record due to a single $5.7 million theft of cell phones. The value of the stolen cargo among all thefts exceeded $16.56 million for the entire analysis period.
Truckers can protect their trucks and cargo by avoiding leaving their equipment unattended in high-theft metropolitan areas and by using secured lots with high-visibility lighting, secure fences, and staffed security services. Truckers should also be on the lookout for vehicles following them as they leave warehouses with goods. Contact the local police to report any suspicious situations.
Here are noteworthy thefts from previous Labor Day Weekends:
- $5,700,000 in cell phones from a warehouse in New Castle, Delaware
- $1,500,000 in Airsoft equipment from a warehouse in Irwindale, California (recovered)
- $1,000,000 in silver from a port in Montreal, Quebec
- $800,000 in cell phones from a truck stop in Jackson, Tennessee
- $560,000 in laptops from a secured yard in Ontario, California (recovered)
