JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Each year, Black Friday deals arrive early for cargo thieves. Across North America, shipping volumes usually increase in August and September after a July slump, which has been labeled as “persistently weak” according to Cass Freight Index (Cass Information Systems, 2016, p. 1). Labor Day is the perfect time to steal freight. Labor Day is always the first Monday of September, and it’s thought of as the last weekend before the cold weather begins to set in for most of the country. The three-day weekend means plenty of trucks will be stationary for a long and predictable amount of time. The upcoming holiday shopping season means there will be plenty of high-value freight for the taking, such as toys, electronics, and clothes. CargoNet examined cargo theft data from the Thursday before Labor Day to the Wednesday after Labor Day for 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. In total, there were 146 incidents of vehicle and cargo theft in the United States and Canada. Of those incidents, 104 involved cargo theft. The year 2012 had the most reported thefts, with 47 incidents in total. The bulk of reported cargo thefts occurred in California (27 cargo thefts), New Jersey (16), and Texas (13). In total, $13.6 million in cargo was stolen in this time frame. A large part of the losses comes from one $5.7 million theft of cell phones stolen in transit between New Castle, Delaware, and Lynwood, Washington. However, food and beverage remained the most common commodity target, with 27 cargo thefts. Household items trailed, with 16 cargo thefts. This category consisted of furniture, small appliances, toys, and other such items. Electronics items such as computers and televisions followed household cargo thefts closely, with 14 reported cargo thefts. For all years, cargo theft occurred most frequently at warehouses (22 thefts), parking lots (20), and truck stops (16). Noteworthy thefts from previous Labor Day weekends
  • $5,700,000 in cell phones from a warehouse in New Castle, Delaware 
  • $1,300,000 in silver from a port in Montreal, Quebec 
  • $800,000 in cell phones from a truck stop in Jackson, Tennessee 
  • $360,000 in electronics from Ontario, Canada 
  • $300,000 in apparel and accessories from New Brunswick, New Jersey