With the extended Memorial Day holiday weekend upcoming, cargo theft recording firm Overhaul has issued an alert about increased theft activity. With trucks often being parked longer due to limited hours at shippers and receivers, thieves are known to capitalize on increased opportunity. Truckers can take steps to minimize the possibility of adverse incident:
- Confirm customers' holiday hours.
- Attend to any freight in transit as closely as possible.
- Limit weekend stops to well-lit, secure areas.
- Back trailer doors against a solid surface.
- Be vigilant for fraudsters perpetrating "strategic theft."
- Use load-visibility tracking platforms with freight partners.
Overhaul recommends staying in contact with shipper/receiver facilities to confirm holiday hours of operations ahead of the weekend period -- that's especially important for any load scheduled to deliver between Friday, May 23, and Monday, May 26, before the load's allowed to depart a shipper. "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," Overhaul said. "Specifically, receiving facilities for big box stores will see trailers staged outside of the facility targeted for pilferage or straight theft."
Distribution centers and warehouses are also at increased risk, the firm noted, due to scaled-down operations and reduced security.
Overhaul also warned that so-called "strategic theft," in which thieves use fraudulent tactics to misdirect freight, could also see an increase during the upcoming holiday weekend -- the extended holiday period gives criminals more time to operate undetected.
For drivers with loads over the long weekend, Overhaul recommends any stops made should be in well-lit, secured areas with trailer doors backed to a solid surface whenever possible.
It's also recommended for drivers to stay vigilant and avoid leaving their trucks unattended for any amount of time.
Finally, Overhaul recommends that companies take advantage of real-time transportation visibility platforms that can aid in the recovery of stolen cargo.
In other cargo theft-related news:
Truck Parking Club, GenLogs platform for law enforcement ink data-share agreement
The Truck Parking Club network for pay-to-park reservations and the GenLogs cargo-security provider have announced a collaborative effort TPC says will harness combined technologies to combat the growing threat of freight and equipment theft across the United States supply chain.
"By joining forces with GenLogs, we're leveraging our combined capabilities to assist law enforcement and ultimately make our locations more secure," said Evan Shelley, CEO of Truck Parking Club. "With hundreds of thousands of commercial vehicles in our system, we can provide critical, real-world data that helps authorities respond effectively to criminal activity."
The partnership connects Truck Parking Club's "extensive data on hundreds of thousands of commercial vehicles and their movements with GenLogs' network of sensors tracking equipment location," TPC said in a press release, "creating a comprehensive security solution to assist law enforcement investigations."
Asked for more information about just what the partnership might mean for TPC user location data, company Chief Marketing Officer Reed Loustalot emphasized, contrary to how the press release made it sound, TPC doesn't "track a user's movements." Rather, "we know where/when someone parked with us and what equipment was parked. In the event that verified law enforcement personnel require this information, we will provide it."
The company "partnered with GenLogs because they’re already actively working with verified law enforcement and have a user interface setup to do so. Combining our data gives verified law enforcement more tools to combat cargo theft."
[Related: Owner-op jailed after unwitting participation in cargo theft: Cautionary tale, mitigating risk]
Ryan Joyce, CEO of GenLogs, added that he hoped the partnership would make for a "powerful resource for law enforcement that addresses real-world security challenges through our real-time equipment monitoring network."
The initiative responds to repeated inquiries from law enforcement officials seeking better visibility. Both companies share a commitment to creating a safer supply chain by combating criminal activity. Law Enforcement organizations can request assistance in truck-related crimes by emailing GenLogs or visiting the company website.
[Related: California cargo theft horror stories]
Cargo/equipment location and temp tracking in sights of new partnership
The Surfact sensor technology company, producer of the portable Emma tracking device for equipment and freight security, partnered with New York-based Catena Clearing, a telematics data platform.
By combining Catena’s fleet data platform with Surfact’s Emma tracker and temp monitor, the collaboration aims to eliminate "blind spots" in load movements and deliver "smarter, data-driven operations," the companies said. The cable-free tracker communicates real-time data on temperature, shock and location, making it a weapon against cargo theft.
[Related: New cable-less tracker for equipment/freight security, monitoring]
“Together with Catena, we’re closing the data gap between dispatch and delivery,” said Per Magne Helseth, founder and CEO of Surfact.
Jeremy Baksht, co-founder and CEO of the 2024-founded and venture capital-backed Catena company, emphasized a mission to help fleet owners and operators "unlock your data, and we’re excited to partner with Surfact to build the future of supply chain visibility." With the Surfact sensor data, Baksht hopes to deliver fleets large and small "end-to-end transparency from the truck down to the pallet.”
The partnership is already in motion with pilot customers, with expanded integrations and deployments planned throughout 2025.
[Related: Trucking's State of Surveillance special report: Inside the costs, benefits of monitoring techs]
