Holiday could bring with it spike in cargo thefts

Cargo theft recording firm CargoNet is warning the trucking industry of expected increased theft activity during the Thanksgiving holiday period in the United States next week.

The firm reviewed trucking theft data from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after Thanksgiving for 2015 to 2019 and found 123 recorded thefts in these days with 144 trucks, trailers, chassis and containers being stolen.

Theft events were highest in California, Texas and Georgia, but thefts were recorded in 24 total states. Theft activity peaked on the day before Thanksgiving with 23 events, but activity was also high on the Friday and Saturday after the holiday with 21 events each, CargoNet reports.

Some of the most commonly targeted items during this period were televisions, alcoholic beverages and major appliances.

“We caution that thefts of electronics have been down in 2020, while thefts of household paper products like toilet paper, cleaning products like disinfectant spray, and PPE have increased,” the firm noted in its warning.

CargoNet says truckers and carriers can mitigate theft by parking unattended equipment and cargo in high-security yards with tall fences, surveillance video and high-visibility lighting. The firm also suggests investing in high-security locks and seals to prevent trailer burglaries and tracking devices to monitor unattended equipment.

Some noteworthy thefts from recent Thanksgiving weeks include:

• $527,863 theft of coffee and peanuts from a warehouse in Union City, Georgia
• $481,000 theft of liquor from a warehouse in Orlando, Florida
• $414,255 theft of footwear from a secured yard in Kearny, New Jersey
• $319,150 theft of candy from an unsecured yard in Douglasville, Georgia
• $308,293 theft of televisions from an unsecured yard in Fontana, California