Cargo Theft On the Rise
Cargo theft in the second quarter of this year is less than the first, but it remains a serious issue for the trucking industry.
According to CargoNet, a company specializing in cargo theft prevention and recovery, this year theft in the freight industry is proving worse than the last. According to their reports, there were 771 incidents of theft during the second quarter of this year. There was a 10 percent decrease in incidents from the year’s first quarter, which was a historic all-time high. However, this quarter was 33 percent higher than last year’s, showing a troubling increase.
Source: Verisk
Cargo Theft Hotspots in America
While cargo theft incidents occur all across America, the highest rates are found in California, Texas, and Illinois. However, the top 5 counties in which cargo theft occurs showed a slight decrease this last quarter. These counties are…
- Los Angeles County, CA
- San Bernardino County, CA
- Riverside County, CA
- Cook County, IL
- Dallas County, TX
Most counties across America had their normal amount of thefts. However, a string of thefts around the western edge of Fort Worth, TX caused the numbers in Tarrant County to rise greatly.
What Is Being Stolen?
According to CargoNet’s analyst team, cargo theft groups are getting “more discriminating” in their targets. This is leading to a shift in the trend of what is typically stolen. The most active groups in the country are in southern California and their behavior is changing: high-valued products like computer electronics and motor oil are being stolen less frequently. There was a rise in the theft of vitamins, liquor, and skin care products over the last quarter, and a decline in vehicle accessories, expensive footwear, and consumer electronics. This data suggests that these groups are willing to steal not just the most expensive goods, but things of less value as well.
CargoNet has estimated the amount of freight stolen during the 2nd quarter to be 68.5 million dollars.
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