Noteworthy thefts from previous July 4th holidays:

$2,000,000 of perfume from Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
$444,000 of copper cables from Long Beach, California
$328,321 of toys from Trevor, Wisconsin
$270,000 of jeans from Blacksburg, South Carolina
$259,878 of hard drives and server chassis from Norcross, Georgia

Tips for supply chain businesses to defend against cargo thieves

To help supply chain businesses defend against theft threats this holiday weekend, CargoNet researchers offered additional detailed security tips to protect against fraud and cargo theft. Including:

Cargo thieves enjoy the holidays because the shipping volume of desirable goods increases, as does demand. Freight brokers should be extra diligent during the holiday season as fictitious pickups increase.
End-of-day transactions should have strict vetting processes; a second look by a supervisor before tendering a load to a carrier may prevent theft.
A trucker who is willing to take an undesirable load for a lower rate than the industry standard may be setting you up for theft.
Fuel advance, hostage load, and line haul scams also increase a few days before a holiday. Prior to issuing the fuel advance, call the shipper to confirm that the load was picked up. Do not accept incoming calls from a shipper trying to tell you the driver is there — it could be the scammers spoofing the phone number of the shipper.

In-transit cargo security tips:

Make sure that both security managers and drivers have an accurate license plate, VIN, and descriptive information for tractors, trailers, containers, and container chassis. Police agencies will need this information to open an investigation in the event of an incident. Drivers should keep this information on them so they can quickly reference it if their truck is stolen.
Secure all trailers (loaded and unloaded) with high-security ISO 17712- compliant barrier seals in combination with hardened padlocks. Use king pin locks for unattached trailers.
Secure all tractors with high-security locking devices, such as air-cuff and steering column locks.
Remind drivers to arrive at the point of pickup well-rested, showered, and fed and with a full tank of fuel.
Avoid having loaded trailers sit unattended when employees are not present.

Related:

Special Reports /

The July 4th holiday weekend poses high risks of cargo theft

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