Memorial Day Weekend Cargo Theft Trends In 2024

Memorial Day Weekend Cargo Theft Trends In 2024

Supply chain professionals need to remain vigilant this Memorial Day weekend as cargo thieves are expected to take advantage of extended business closures. CargoNet, a Verisk business, analyzed theft data from 2019 to 2023 spanning the period from the Thursday before Memorial Day to the Wednesday after, providing valuable insights to help supply chain professionals prevent theft.

Here's what you need to know:

Increased Theft Risk:
Data from CargoNet shows a concerning trend: 146 cargo theft incidents over the past five Memorial Day weekends (average 29 per year), with a 75% increase from 2022 to 2023 (16 vs. 40 incidents).

High-Value Cargo Targeted:
The average stolen cargo value is a staggering $264,016, with several thefts exceeding $1 million. Food and beverages are the most targeted items (24 incidents), followed by household goods (23 incidents) and electronics (18 incidents).

Hotspots:
California remains the highest-risk state (43 incidents), with Texas a distant second (22 incidents), with Florida in third.

Noteworthy thefts from previous Memorial Day weekends:

  • $3,974,370 in pharmaceuticals in Clermont, FL
  • $1,600,000 in pharmaceuticals in Clermont, FL
  • $1,000,000 in electronics in Kennesaw, GA
  • $623, 913 in pharmaceuticals in San Francisco, CA

Source: CargoNet