How Verkada Cameras Helped Cut Cargo Theft by 80% at a Major US Railroad

80% Less Cargo Theft. Here's How It Happened.

When one of America's largest Class I railroads faced a surge in cargo theft across its Memphis corridor, the stakes were enormous. Organized theft rings were targeting rail shipments, threatening millions in customer freight, putting employees at risk, and impacting surrounding communities.

The railroad formed a dedicated task force and brought in Harris Technology Services to deploy a cloud-managed surveillance solution. The result: cargo theft dropped by more than 80% year-over-year, and the initiative is now the company's blueprint for security improvements nationwide.

The Problem: Organized Theft at Scale

Following the pandemic, cargo theft across US rail corridors spiked dramatically. Memphis — a critical logistics hub — became a hotspot. Theft incidents were increasing in frequency and sophistication, with organized groups targeting specific shipments.

Traditional security measures weren't cutting it. The railroad needed:

• Real-time visibility across sprawling rail yards
• Remote monitoring capability (facilities span thousands of miles)
• Forensic-quality video for law enforcement investigations
• A system that wouldn't require dedicated IT staff at every site

The Solution: Verkada + Integrated Physical Security

Harris Technology Services designed and deployed a multi-layered security system:

30 Verkada Cloud-Managed Cameras

We installed 30 Verkada cameras across the Memphis rail corridor, providing:

• Real-time monitoring — security teams view live feeds from any device, anywhere
• AI-powered detection — automatic alerts for people and vehicles in restricted zones
• Cloud forensics — search hours of footage in seconds by person attributes or vehicle type
• Zero on-site infrastructure — no NVRs, no servers, no hard drives to maintain
• Health monitoring — instant alerts if any camera goes offline

Perimeter Hardening

• 14,000+ feet of high-security fencing
• 5,000+ additional feet east of the primary yard
• Enhanced lighting throughout the corridor
• Upgraded access controls at entry points

Operational Integration

The technology was paired with operational changes — new direct train routes to reduce dwell time in high-risk areas, coordinated scheduling, and close collaboration between railroad security and local law enforcement.

The Results

Within a year of deployment:

• 80%+ reduction in cargo theft incidents
• Faster incident response through real-time alerts
• Higher-quality evidence for criminal investigations
• The program became the national template for security improvements across the entire railroad network

"As we see incidents like this start to develop into trends, we'll be able to apply this template."

— Sean Douris, Chief of Police, Public Safety & Infrastructure Protection

Why Cloud Cameras Made the Difference

A traditional NVR-based camera system could have provided footage — but it wouldn't have delivered the same outcome. Here's why Verkada's cloud platform was critical:

• Remote access: Security leadership monitors Memphis from headquarters without VPNs or port forwarding
• Scalability: As the blueprint expands to other corridors, adding cameras takes hours, not weeks
• AI search: Investigators find specific incidents across all cameras in seconds, not days
• Reliability: No hard drive failures, no lost footage, automatic firmware updates

Is Your Facility Next?

Whether you're securing rail yards, warehouses, distribution centers, or multi-site operations, the same approach applies: cloud-managed cameras integrated with physical security measures deliver measurable results.

We deploy Verkada, Avigilon, and Lumana cameras for organizations of all sizes — from 10-camera office installations to 500+ camera enterprise rollouts.

Call 1-877-877-9080 or schedule a free security assessment to see what's possible for your facilities.