February 1-7 cargo theft incidents on the rise

Cargo theft more than doubled with fifteen domestic incidents registered from the week of February first through the seventh.  While nearly every day had at least on event reported, most thefts occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, the first and second.  One additional event from January 31st was received by CargoNet, the industry authority in cargo theft prevention and recovery.

As cargo theft trended upwards, so did the violence associated with the crimes.  Two of the reported occurrences for the week involved armed robbery.  The first incident occurred on January 31st in Illinois, and involved a box truck and its cargo.  The location and commodity type is unknown.  The second event happened in Texas on February 1st, where pharmaceutical and medical freight was forcibly taken from a parking lot.

California was the week’s most targeted state, with three confirmed incidents.  The commodities stolen included apparel and accessories, two tractors, and a trailer.  The events happened in two parking lots and a truck stop.  Georgia, Illinois, Washington, and Florida all reported two incidents each.

February 1-7 cargo theft reporting found that the week’s hottest commodity was a tie between food and beverage, along with apparel and accessories, with two recorded occurrences each. Other targeted commodities included pharmaceutical and medical goods, vehicles and accessories, electronics, and building materials.

Of the sixteen total hijackings reported, seven tractors and four trailers were stolen.

Parking lots were the primary spots to steal cargo, with seven reported incidents this week.  Truck stops were also popular sites to target, with three documented events.  Other locations hit included secured yards, unsecured yards, warehouses, and rail yards.

To find out if the commodities and locations that were targeted this week track similarly to last year’s cargo theft trends, check out the 2016 Cargo Theft Incident Report.

 

Related Articles:

Cargo theft bills advance in Mississippi and New Mexico

2016 cargo theft incidents down from the year prior, but more costly