Cargo theft: What to learn from EFW’s multi-pronged defense strategy.

Cargo theft is a constant risk during peak season, when high-value freight is moving fast and trucks have fewer safe places to stop. EFW Transport addresses it with clear driver protocols, disciplined equipment practices, and equipment and cargo monitoring technology that helps them spot issues proactively and protect customer freight.

“We have specific protocols that we follow with our drivers and with our equipment, telling them where to park,” said Matt Lacy, Vice President of EFW Transport.

EFW’s approach offers a clear lesson for logistics, retail, and intermodal fleets. Theft prevention doesn’t come down to one action. It comes down to building habits and systems that leave fewer openings for criminals to exploit.

Parking is part of the security plan

Theft often starts with opportunity. Unsecured locations, poor lighting, and predictable stops can turn a routine handoff into impactful losses. EFW reduces that risk by planning parking decisions ahead of time and setting firm expectations for drivers.

Drivers document their location and take physical precautions whenever possible. That can mean backing into a dock door, parking up against a concrete wall, or positioning equipment near a fence or another secondary layer of protection.

“With the multilayered protocols we follow, we have technology that we deploy to ensure the security of our vehicles and cargo,” said Lacy. “And quite frankly, just the diligence that we’re asking our employees to have during long weekends or over the holidays, we have contingency plans in place and alternative routing that we utilize. Maybe it’s out-of-route for us on our mileage, but it allows us to quickly be in a location that’s lit and safe to park in. It keeps our freight flowing, and it keeps it safe, leading to less stress and quicker decision-making.”

Practical moves like this matter most when freight value is high and thieves are actively watching for patterns. During holiday weekends, when yards are crowded and schedules are compressed, knowing exactly where equipment will sit becomes part of protecting the load itself.

EFW focuses on removing easy access. The more deliberate the stop, the harder it is for theft to happen unnoticed.

A layered cargo theft strategy, built for what’s happening now

1) Capture evidence the moment access happens

With Motive devices across its trailers, EFW can document activity as soon as a trailer is accessed, not after the fact. That real-time record helps teams act faster and communicate with more confidence by using AI-powered, 360 degree cameras to detect theft.

“And, you know, with Motive, we can take snippets of the video and get clear pictures,” Lacy said. “The recording will go as far as to hide monitoring and and detective devices within some of our freight if necessary to make sure that that freight is protected for our customers.”

2) Build a mindset that anticipates theft tactics

Cargo theft prevention requires organizations with fleets of vehicles to think differently. Lacy describes it as a constant effort to anticipate criminal behavior.

“The hard part is, we’re constantly thinking outside the box,” Lacy says. “Because we’re not thieves, we’re not fraudulent people. But we’re trying to think like fraudulent people to keep fraud and theft from happening.”

3) Keep the plan adaptable as tactics change

Risk shifts load by load, and theft tactics evolve quickly. EFW treats security as something that has to keep evolving, with clear plans of action and room to improvise when conditions change.

EFW’s experience shows that the organizations that stay ahead of cargo theft are the ones that treat security as a year-round discipline — combining protocols, parking decisions, and real-time GPS fleet tracking.

“We’re constantly evolving, trying to beat thieves to the punch,” Lacy said. “Whether that’s through new technology or the adaptability we have within our four walls. And it’s tough. It’s definitely tough. I think fraudulent activity and theft have hit us all at some point or another. But knock on wood, the market and the industry have seen the impacts of this. And we’re winning. We’re winning.”

Watch the webinar to see how to build a multi-pronged defense with unified tracking, cargo monitoring, and security tools. Get started now before the next peak season.