Beware of Cargo Theft!

Over the last few months, equipment and cargo theft has been on the rise. In Mercer's Reasonable Voice, Mercer's Claims manager, Joe West, wrote:

"Unfortunately Mercer contractors have had several thefts of tractors and/or trailers in the last few months. One of these units was later recovered without the cargo. Most of these thefts resulted when units had been dropped in public access areas (truck stop, motel, rest area, etc.) and one had been dropped in a locked yard. Some of the thieves were obviously targeting the cargo, others were simply stealing the unloaded equipment.

According to the FBI the hot spots for cargo theft continue to be Miami, Dallas/Ft Worth, New York City Metro, and Los Angeles. Many incidents in other areas have been traced to gang activity based in these cities. We need to be on guard against theft everywhere we travel"

Here are some tips to help ensure that you are not the next victim of cargo or equipment theft:

• Please be wary of dropping trailers or parking trucks in areas that are unsecured, particularly when the cargo is such that it may attract the attention of thieves as an item of easy resale or as salvage/scrap.
• Utilize pin locks.
• Do not separate the tractor and trailer after loading.
• Try to check on parked or dropped units frequently.
• Van trailers should be backed against permanent structures to prevent the doors from being opened.
• Take notice of any suspicious persons and report any activity you consider a threat to the police and/or Mercer.
• Take care to avoid situations that may place your equipment and/or cargo in a position to be stolen.