Report Shows Cargo Theft Risk at All-Time Highs as Memorial Day Weekend Nears

Cargo theft activity across the U.S. is on the rise with reported incidents in 2025 already reaching rates that exceed historical averages, a new report shows.

The rates could an even bigger boost ahead of the ahead of the Memorial Day weekend when fewer people may be keeping an eye out for bad actors, according to the analysis of holiday-period theft data from the past five years.

A CargoNet analysis of 159 theft events occurring between the Thursday before Memorial Day and the Wednesday after Memorial Day over the past five years shows that 2020 recorded 35 incidents, and 2021 saw 28, then the numbers climbed significantly in recent years with 41 events in 2023 and 39 in 2024.

The increase mirrors the overall surge in cargo theft throughout the supply chain, leading to 2025 with an average of 338 theft reports monthly compared to a historical average of 136 reports per month from 2013 through October 2022, according to CargoNet, a Verisk company.

California, Texas and Florida were the most targeted states for cargo theft during the Memorial Day period. San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties in California, along with Dallas County in Texas, had the highest concentration of Memorial Day holiday theft events over the five-year period, the report shows.

Thieves have adapted their strategies to focus on commodities that have been surging in demand or value, with a shift toward copper, vehicle accessories, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, footwear, and meat products as primary targets this year, according to the report.

The average stole commodity value is expected to rise from $203,000 in 2024 to $401,000 this year, according to CargoNet.

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