Three-day weekends like Memorial Day Weekend offer organized cargo thieves more targets of opportunity, as loads often sit unattended for days. Since 2013, Memorial Day weekends have seen a 28 percent increase in cargo theft activity, with loss totals exceeding $9.7 million, according to SensiGuard Intelligence Center, Austin, Texas.
Notable thefts during the holiday include a 2015 incident that resulted in cosmetics valued at $2.5 million stolen in New Jersey, and a 2014 incident in Florida that saw thieves abscond with televisions valued at $800,000.
In a bulletin issued to logistics professionals, the group urges the industry to ensure security protocols are up-to-date. In addition, they suggest confirming a receiver’s hours of operation for the holiday weekend are consistent with scheduled delivery times in order to mitigate the risk of theft while a load is at rest. Truck stops, highway rest areas and distribution centers are at greater risk for theft during holidays, according to SensiGuard’s research.
According to the latest quarterly bulletin on cargo theft activity in the U.S., unsecured parking remains the most common location of thefts incidents, accounting for 92 percent of all reported incidents in the first quarter of 2018. Incidents of theft of full truckload are the most prevalent theft method, accounting for 88 percent of all reported thefts in the first quarter of 2018.
While a shortage of safe, secured parking remains an issue nationwide, SensiGuard suggests drivers and shippers work to plan ahead and identify such locations if a truck and trailer have to be parked for an extended period during the holiday. The group also recommends covert GPS tracking and active monitoring of high-value shipments. Both methods have proven effective in mitigating theft attempts as well as facilitating successful recoveries of stolen cargo.
The group also suggests shippers can avoid the threat of fictitious pick-ups by verifying the authenticity of all shipment-related activities, including driver and business verification prior to releasing any shipments. Other recommendations:
- Maintaining regular communication between drivers and shippers during the holiday.
- Selecting a secure location to park, one that includes controlled access, adequate lighting and personal or video surveillance.
- If a tractor and trailer must be left unattended, use theft-resistant locking and sealing mechanisms for tractors, trailers and cargo.
