Thanksgiving Weekend Cargo Theft Risk ‘Extremely High’
Truck drivers, delivery drivers, logistics brokers and warehouse employees should be vigilant in protecting their freight this holiday, according to CargoNet. The cargo theft prevention and recovery solution warned customers that the threat of cargo theft activity is “extremely high” this Thanksgiving.
Rising cargo theft numbers are behind the new warning. Between Oct. 1-Nov. 11, CargoNet recorded an average of 66 theft reports filed per week, a 113 percent increase from the average number of weekly reports between January 2012 and October 2022.
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Over the past five years, CargoNet said 126 theft incidents have occurred from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, accruing an average loss value of $163,429. Losses exceeded $6.7 million altogether. California has been biggest target for cargo theft at 28 incidents, while 16 thefts occurred in Illinois. Georgia comes in at No. 3 with 13 cargo theft incidents during the weeklong stretch.
Parking lots are the top targeted location for criminals, according to CargoNet, while warehouses and distribution centers are second and truck stops came in third.
The cargo theft epidemic is likely here to stay beyond the holiday season, according to Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at CargoNet.
“I see this continuing. I don’t see this getting better, I see this getting worse,” Lewis told Sourcing Journal earlier this month. “I think we’re in for a rough time in 2024.”
Overall, CargoNet recorded 433 new theft events since the start October, a 101 percent increase year-over-year. Strategic cargo thefts or fictitious pickups and identity fraud reports made up 35 percent of reported crimes in this period. During these incidents, a would-be thief poses as a legitimate freight broker or carrier who then offers to arrange shipping services for a customer at a discounted rate.
CargoNet’s warning comes days after a string of delivery thefts and carjackings across the U.S. hit delivery drivers at Amazon, FedEx and UPS. The warning also follows the arrest of four men who were charged with stealing approximately $1.6 million worth of merchandise from 55 UPS warehouses in several states—illustrating the breadth of the cargo theft problem today.
Cargo theft can be very lucrative. In October, Illinois police recovered nearly $5 million worth of high-end sneakers including Nikes, Yeezys, Supremes and Ugg boots from a warehouse in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood where a theft ring targeted freight trains.
On Thursday, supply chain risk management, compliance and visibility platform Overhaul sent shippers an advisory note saying that they should plan accordingly for limited holiday hours for all receiving facilities, and confirm the hours before any scheduled loads between Monday and Friday. Overhaul recommends adjusting schedules as needed to avoid unnecessary staging.
“Thieves know that cargo will be left unattended for extended durations during this time and will use the opportunity to obtain targeted and high value merchandise,” the note said. “Specifically, receiving facilities for big box stores will see trailers staged outside of the facility targeted for pilferage or straight theft.”
Additionally, for over the road shipments, Overhaul said that any stops made over the holiday period should be in well lit, secured areas with trailer doors backed to a solid surface, if possible, while facilities should ensure all security systems are functioning properly. Immediate escalation with a path to effectively engage law enforcement is critical to recovering stolen cargo.
CargoNet warned truckers that thefts have been especially common in these metropolitan areas: Dallas-Fort Worth, particularly along South Freeway at the I-20 and I-35W intersections in Fort Worth; the Atlanta Metro Area, particularly around towns including Tucker, Stone Mountain, South Fulton, Fairburn and Palmetto; Florida in major freight hubs like Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Miami; and Southern California, especially in San Bernardino County and Riverside County.
In another advisory on Friday, Overhaul warned shippers that truck stops along I-40 in Mojave County, Arizona, were being heavily targeted for theft, with a concentration of activity in Lake Havasu City.
“This location is targeted due to its distance, just outside of traditional ‘red zones,’ from the origin of Southern California, so every effort should be made to drive as far as possible from the origin before stopping,” the note said. “Team drivers are recommended in order to ensure that the shipment is never left unattended in high-risk areas.”
Most strategic cargo theft incidents occur in California, with CargoNet noting that 56 percent of those incidents take place in the Golden State, most frequently in the counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange.
