Resting Cargo Is Risky Business
As you look forward to the long Labor Day weekend, remember not everyone will be sitting back and relaxing. For organized cargo theft rings, holiday breaks are prime time to work on stealing resting freight.
Over the last three years, CargoNet®, a division of Verisk Crime Analytics, reports a rise in theft incidents during the Labor Day holiday. The states where theft most often occurs includes California, Texas, New Jersey, Florida and Georgia.
The best way to avoid cargo theft is to not leave freight sitting around. The top three theft locations include parking lots, truck stops and warehouses. Unload inbound shipments before closing up shop or schedule outbound shipments once the long weekend is over.
Other tips for theft protection include:
- Have a secure check-in process when setting up new carriers and when they arrive to pick up a load. This should include things like verifying how long the carrier or 3PL has had their authority through the FMCSA and making sure your 3PL has the required $75,000 surety bond.
- Only park loaded trailers in secure lots that have barrier to entry, access control, lighting, surveillance and monitoring.
- Securely lock both tractors and trailers and request the driver report as soon as they drop and as soon as they come back to pick up.
- Ask the local police department to make additional patrols around warehouses or secure lots. Make sure all lights, back-up generators, alarm systems and surveillance equipment are in good working order prior to leaving for the weekend.
- Never treat any alarm as a "false alarm." Thieves use this as a trick to throw you off guard, tripping an alarm multiple times before breaking-in.
- Consider investing in discreet GPS tracking devices to place within product packaging or pallets.
- Find out if the carrier or 3PL is affiliated with CargoNet. CargoNet has a network of tens of thousands of police officers that members can call on if a load goes missing.
Looking for more safety tips and information. Visit www.cargonet.com.
Enjoy a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. TQL is here for you 24/7/365, nights, weekends and holidays.