Amidst ongoing concerns for commercial theft, the city of Memphis has seen a decrease in incidences this year. As reported by Action News 5, Memphis Police Department (MPD) has presented data indicating a nearly 40% drop in business burglaries, comparing 197 reported burglaries this year to the 338 from the same period in 2024. Cargo thefts have also significantly declined, with a 73% decrease in thefts from train cars and a 46% decrease in thefts from tractor-trailers.
In a recent MPD statement to the Memphis City Council, Police Chief CJ Davis credited the success to enhanced cooperation between law enforcement and businesses. "We have met with railroad authorities about cutting down on cargo thefts by timing the trains and not have them sitting full of merchandise for hours and hours," Chief Davis explained, as per Action News 5. MPD's shared surveillance footage program has likewise contributed to the downturn in criminal activity.
BNSF Railway and FedEx, major players in the shipping and logistics industries, have both articulated ongoing commitments to tackling the issue of cargo theft. Chief Will Johnson of BNSF Railway called attention to the broader implications of the crime in a congressional hearing when he said, "In many of these case, suspects endangered the public by sabotaging rail safety equipment, so that they could commit their crimes," as reported by Action News 5. Both companies have advanced crime prevention efforts in Memphis and nationwide.
Additional tactics credited with reducing theft include the integration of business camera systems into MPD's Real Time Crime Center and the formation of a cargo theft task force. "We've cut those in half, by using our tactics as well, partnering with other units and federal units, to get these down, we have made some good arrests on those," Assistant Chief Don Crowe told WREG. FedEx is reportedly in collaboration with MPD to install more surveillance at their hub to prevent theft.
Local council members have expressed relief and optimism regarding these developments. Councilwoman Rhonda Logan highlighted the importance of security in a logistics hub like Memphis. "You know I don’t want people thinking that, when you come through Memphis, trucks gotta reroute and things like that, because they’re gonna jack you. No that’s not how it is and based on the numbers, it’s trending down," she shared with WREG.
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