Holiday Cargo Theft - New Twists On Old Crimes

With a holiday weekend approaching, we’re all gearing up to protect ourselves from the usual uptick in cargo theft.  TQL is an award-winning partner with CargoNet®, helping transportation companies, shippers and carriers prevent cargo theft and improve recovery rates.  In advance of Memorial Day, CargoNet® released its list of top tips to prevent theft.  They include: 

• Don’t leave freight unattended. Almost 75% of all cargo theft involves people grabbing unwatched payloads.
• Only park in secure lots.
• Securely lock down all equipment.
• Know your hot spots. Some regions are more prone to theft than others. This year, California, Florida and Texas top the list.
• Make sure all lights, back-up generators, alarm systems, and surveillance equipment are in good working order prior to leaving for the weekend. 
• Ask local law enforcement to make routine checks of warehouse/distribution facilities during holiday down time.
• Drivers, dispatchers and security managers should have accurate license plate, VIN and descriptive information for tractors, trailers, containers and chassis so they can provide it to law enforcement if needed.  Drivers should keep this information with them at all times.

Popular theft targets include food and beverage shipments and easy-to-fence electronic goods like mobile phones and laptops.

The fastest rising high-tech threat, however, is not someone stealing your pallets of laptops. It’s someone using their own laptop to steal your shipment before its even dispatched. Cybercrimes have led to an increase in fictitious pick-ups, misdirected loads, and other cyber-related crimes.

So how do you safeguard against that? Whether you’re a shipper, a carrier, or anyone else, there are any number things you can do to keep your information safe. Here are a few of the highlights we found.

• Be proactive when it comes to security. Don’t shy away from new technologies – especially if they’re intended to keep your data secure.
• Vigilantly train your employees to spot phishing scams and other “gateway” cons designed to get at your data.
• Limit access to your data.
• Update firewalls and back up your system often.
• Encrypt sensitive data.
• Use two-factor authentication
• Check your info. Go to USDOT and other places where your information is posted and check to be sure it hasn’t been changed and manipulated.

TQL is here for you 24/7/365, nights, weekends, and holidays. Talk to us to meet all your shipping needs, even over a long weekend.