JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Verisk CargoNet is advising transportation and logistics companies to prepare for elevated cargo theft risk during the Memorial Day holiday period, as historical data shows thieves continue to exploit long weekends, reduced staffing, closed facilities and freight left unattended.
“Memorial Day creates the kind of operating environment cargo thieves look for: loaded freight at rest, closed facilities, delayed communication, and fewer people available to verify changes,” said Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at Verisk CargoNet. “The concern this year is not only that theft activity may increase over the holiday period, but that organized groups are becoming more selective in the freight they pursue.”
Verisk CargoNet defines the Memorial Day risk period as the Thursday before Memorial Day through the Wednesday after the holiday. In 2026, that window runs from Thursday, May 21, through Wednesday, May 27.
Theft Rising Each Year
From 2021 through 2025, Verisk CargoNet recorded 221 cargo theft events reported during the Memorial Day period. Activity reached its highest level in the five-year analysis in 2025, when Verisk CargoNet recorded 66 events, up from 49 events in both 2023 and 2024.
The holiday risk comes as Verisk CargoNet analysts are observing a broader shift in cargo theft behavior. While total incident volume reported to Verisk CargoNet has declined in the first half of 2026 compared with recent years, organized theft groups appear to be moving toward more selective, higher-value targets. Verisk CargoNet has already documented 28 stolen shipments valued at more than $1 million in the first several months of 2026.
California Tops the List
California was the most active state during the five-year Memorial Day analysis period, with 70 reported events, followed by Texas with 31, Illinois with 19, Georgia with 16 and Florida with 12. These states remain exposed because of their concentration of warehouses, intermodal facilities, freight corridors, and large consumer markets.
Most Targeted Cargo
The most frequently targeted commodity groups during prior Memorial Day periods were food and beverages, electronics, household goods, vehicles and accessories, and apparel. Verisk CargoNet estimates total stolen commodity exposure across the 2021-2025 Memorial Day periods at approximately $27.3 million, including estimated values for incidents where property was reported stolen but no loss value was provided.
In 2026, Verisk CargoNet analysts have observed continued targeting of commodities with strong illicit-market demand, including copper products, beverages, meat, apparel, automotive products, cosmetics, seafood, and high-value technology products such as cryptocurrency mining equipment, networking equipment and enterprise server components.
Trailer Theft and More Complex Schemes
Verisk CargoNet analysts caution that theft risk over the holiday period includes both traditional trailer theft and more complex fraud-based schemes. Some groups continue to target unattended loaded trailers and unsecured lots. Others are using identity-based tactics to redirect shipments after a legitimate motor carrier has already taken possession, allowing criminals to bypass controls focused primarily on the shipment tender process.
“Cargo theft prevention over Memorial Day should not stop once a load is tendered to a legitimate carrier,” Lewis said. “Companies should verify delivery changes, confirm contact information through known channels and maintain visibility until freight is delivered and reconciled.”
How to Reduce Risk
Verisk CargoNet recommends that shippers, brokers, carriers and warehouse operators take the following steps before and during the holiday period:
- Avoid leaving loaded trailers unattended, especially in unsecured yards, drop lots and parking areas.
- Confirm receiver hours, delivery appointments and parking plans before dispatch.
- Verify any routing, delivery or contact change through previously established communication channels.
- Maintain shipment visibility until freight is delivered, received and reconciled.
Current patterns suggest that cargo theft groups will continue adapting through 2026. Verisk CargoNet expects thieves to remain focused on high-value goods, shipments with weak communication controls, and freight that can be redirected or resold quickly. Transportation companies should treat the Memorial Day period as a heightened-risk window and maintain active monitoring until normal operations resume after the holiday.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
