Thanksgiving cargo thefts on rise in recent years

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Thanksgiving week over the last three years has seen thefts of $6 million in cargo, 44 semitractors and 51 semitrailers, according to crime analytics group CargoNet.

Texas has experienced the highest amount of theft during that period. Data shows 59 percent of all thefts occurred in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey. Thefts increased from Monday of Thanksgiving week before spiking on Wednesday, then decreasing to average levels of theft.

All recorded truck stop thefts took place in the eastern half of the United States. According to the CargoNet data, food and beverage cargo was the most targeted commodity, followed by metals. Nonalcoholic beverages and meat products were the most stolen in the food and beverage category; copper was the most stolen metal.

FreightWatch International, a supply chain intelligence center, released additional data Nov. 19 showing the transportation industry has seen an average of over three thefts a day during the Thanksgiving weekend since 2010. FreightWatch’s data shows 12 reported cargo theft incidents during the Thanksgiving weekend, totalling more than $930,000 in losses.

The Thanksgiving weekend experiences an increased target period for electronics, clothing and shoes, home and garden products, and food and drinks.

CargoNet listed noteworthy thefts from previous Thanksgiving holidays:

  • $2,100,000 theft of apparel and accessories from a parking lot in Carson, Calif.
  • $537,000 theft of fragrances from a stop in Yemassee, S.C.
  • $447,000 theft of footwear from Houston, Texas
  • $441,000 theft of apparel and accessories from a truck stop in Staunton, Va.
  • $227,000 theft of televisions from a truck stop in Glendale, Ky.

FreightWatch listed additional notable thefts from previous Thanksgiving weekends:

  • Full truckload theft of $560,000 in cosmetics in North Carolina in 2014
  • Facility theft of $648,000 of alcohol in Washington in 2013
  • Full truckload theft of $250,000 of seafood in New Jersey in 2013
  • Full truckload theft of $540,000 of Copper in Illinois in 2012
  • Full truckload theft of $200,000 of electronics in California in 2012

Thanksgiving-Cargo-Thefts-CargoNet

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