I was reminded by one of my brokers to protect my load over the Independence Day holiday as I'll be loaded over the long weekend and parked to spend time with my family. I decided to do a little research and he was right. Independence Day is prime time for cargo theft. Thieves ramp up activity over long weekends knowing that lots of cargo will sit idle for several days.
According to
CargoNet, a security and logistics firm, we can see which states are especially dangerous for parked loads and the sought after items.
59% of all incidents occurred in these Top 5 States:
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California
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Florida
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Texas
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Georgia
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Illinois
The top 3 targeted items:
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Food and beverages
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Electronics
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Metals, especially copper
The best way to avoid theft? Don’t leave freight in your trailer.
Or, if you must, don’t leave it unattended. Warehouses, parking lots and truck stops are the top three areas criminals target, so be aware of your surroundings.
Other simple tips to ensure your load’s safety include:
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Only park loaded trailers in secure lots that have barrier to entry, access control, lighting, surveillance and monitoring.
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If you must park in an unsecured area or have to drop trailer, make sure you install a kingpin lock, lock trailer doors and back up against a wall or other trailers so entry is impossible.
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Check on the load periodically over the long weekend.