Cargo theft firms issue holiday weekend warning

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Updated May 26, 2017
CargoNet has recorded 126 cargo thefts over Memorial Day weekends since 2012.CargoNet has recorded 126 cargo thefts over Memorial Day weekends since 2012.

Cargo theft recording firms SensiGuard, formerly known as FreightWatch International, and CargoNet are warning the trucking industry about the likelihood of increased cargo theft activity during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend.

SensiGuard says cargo theft rings will be “extremely active” over the next few days with more shipments being left unattended for extended periods of time. The firm it has recorded theft levels up to 50 percent higher during holiday weekends than non-holiday weekends.

In the 2015 and 2016 Memorial Day weekends, the SensiGuard recorded a total of 26 cargo theft incidents worth more than $4.8 million. CargoNet says it has recorded 126 cargo theft events during Memorial Day weekend since 2012.

Reports were most common, CargoNet says, in California, Florida, Texas, Georgia and New Jersey. Food and beverage items were the most-stolen, according to CargoNet’s data, followed by household products and electronics.

To combat against cargo theft, SensiGuard recommends drivers and fleets confirm receivers’ hours for the holiday weekend to make sure they match up with the scheduled delivery times. For high-value shipments, the firm recommends GPS tracking and active monitoring.

Some significant cargo thefts recorded in recent Memorial Day weekends include:

  • Fictitious pickup of personal care items worth $100,000 in California in 2016
  • Full truckload theft of spirits worth $100,000 in Mississippi in 2016
  • Full truckload theft of notebook computers worth $400,000 in California in 2015
  • Full truckload theft of perfume worth $2.5 million in New Jersey in 2015
  • Full truckload theft of televisions worth $800,000 in Florida in 2014