Verisk CargoNet, a Verisk business and leader in cargo theft prevention and recovery, 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.

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.

Five-Year High in 2025

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.

Shift in Cargo Theft Behavior

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.

"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."

California: Most Theft Incidents Reported

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 Categories

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.

Cargo Theft Target Trends in 2026

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.

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, thereby allowing criminals to bypass controls primarily focused 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."

Recommended Precautionary Steps to Take

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.